With a number of new starters in this particular division in the last two months, it is in constant hot pursuit of new talent to bring down the lead times of its orders. 

Two of VDC’s most experienced employees – Carmen Wagner and Jim Bulbeck - have taken the role of in-house trainers and have devised a rigorous programme that brings all new recruits up to speed within 12 or 18 months. 

Niall Holden, founder and CEO of VDC Trading, commented: “Given the intricate nature of the job, there’s a lot to learn and it’s very hands-on and varied.  In the past, we’ve looked at developing our people through a number of different ways as simple, off-the-shelf training is simply not relevant given the specialist nature of our business. As we continue to grow, we realised that we needed to devise our own training programme, designed to equip someone new to the industry with the skills to wire whole systems within a year.”

New employees work through three training levels (bronze, silver and gold) learning everything from wiring XLRs and D-subs safely through to whole systems, and making sure their soldering skills are first-rate. 

Holden continued: “This is also about encouraging people with potential to embark on long-term careers with us and rise through the ranks. Home grown talent is an essential part of ensuring we have the right mix of knowledge and experience in our business.  The training itself is still being fine-tuned as we go along, and we’re looking forward to welcoming another two or three wiring professionals in the coming months.”

In addition to wiring training, VDC also provides technical training for its sales team to make sure they can advise customers accordingly.

VDC continues to have an excellent reputation for bespoke manufacturing.  Hundreds of thousands of custom cables have left its London HQ over the years and there has been a 99.99% success/satisfaction rate with no failures.