UK Training Industry Press Releases

The organisation development consultancy Echelon has announced that it is sponsoring the 'Best Change Management Programme' category in this year's Training Journal Awards. The Awards - now in their fourth year - take place on Tuesday 23^rd June, at the Commonwealth Club in Central London, and the guest speaker at the event is John McCarthy CBE.

In April 1986, McCarthy was a 29 year old journalist on his first foreign assignment with Worldwide Television News in Lebanon. On his way to Beirut airport to catch a return flight to London, his car was ambushed and he was kidnapped.

McCarthy was released in August 1991 after 1,943 days in captivity - the longest of any British hostage in Lebanon. Since his release, he has returned to writing and broadcasting and is increasingly interested in using the insight he acquired through his experience as a captive to help others understand issues such as motivation, communication and teamwork as well as courage and the will to survive.

Alistair Morrison, Echelon's CEO, commented: "We're delighted to be sponsoring an award that highlights best practice in the field of change management - an area in which we have a great deal of expertise and experience, working with organisations as diverse as Festival Housing Association in the Midlands, Ulster Bus in Northern Ireland and the Scottish Borders Council.