“We have been working with Debbie/Platinum for the last 18 months developing and delivering a bespoke Management Development Programme for high potential senior business services managers within the firm. Our brief was to partner with a provider who would really understand the firm and what we are trying to achieve, collaborate with the internal L&D team and work alongside our leadership team at pivotal times throughout the programme. This collaboration has produced an engaging, positive and inspirational experience for our next generation of leaders.
Platinum have more than met our expectations and the feedback has been universally outstanding.”
“As a professional support lawyer who manages a team of paralegals and the trainees in our team, I found the course invaluable. The structure consisted of a mixture of formal training, facilitated discussions from members of the firm with differing roles plus written assignments.
These were all done under the expert guidance of Debbie Ackland at Platinum who clearly explained what was required and the concepts behind the training. Some of the training was very technical, drawing on expert studies but Debbie ensured that everything was not only easy to understand but practical so that I could apply it back in the office.
Metaphorically Debbie held my hand so I felt I was being trained by someone who really knew her stuff and who understood my concerns.
It is a testament to Debbie that unlike many courses which I have attended where material handed out sadly sits on a shelf ignored many months after the training has finished, when faced with a managerial decision, I continue to go back to the course material produced by Debbie. I visualise her standing in front of the delegates and think to myself now what would Debbie suggest I do.
And as a result, I now have the tools to be a better manager.”
“Debbie is a shining star and has become our ‘go to’ trainer for all of our legal support training. She understands our market and how we work, is not afraid to challenge and receives consistently strong feedback across the board. I could not recommend her highly enough.”
“I’ve been lucky enough to attend two training courses led by Debbie, and both have been brilliant. Debbie is very good at finding out what it is that you want to get from the course and making sure that she covers those areas in great detail. She also shares – and encourages attendees to share – relevant examples which really help the learning stick.
Debbie is very good at seeing how people learn and adapting the training to benefit everyone. Her courses are the best professional development lessons I’ve been on.”
“We have worked in our London office with Debbie Ackland and Platinum Training for a number of years now, originally with just our PA population, but we have since expanded this out to the rest of our Business Services population, and we plan to continue the relationship. Debbie is an excellent trainer and always gets outstanding feedback from our attendees.
One of the most popular courses we have run is Keep Calm & Carry On – our delegates find the small groups together with Debbie’s training style make an ideal environment for this topic, and giving them the confidence to talk about any concerns they have.
This session has been fundamental in helping individuals to understand that it is ok to come forward and talk to someone if they are feeling stressed or overwhelmed and that there are people who will listen to them. We have found it to be one of our most valuable and popular offering on our Development Programmes.”
“Debbie Ackland has worked with us at a strategic level for a number of years. Debbie really understands our business and how we work and we feel confident that she understands what we wish to achieve from our training. Debbie will always adapt or design her courses so they exactly fit the brief of what we need.
The feedback we receive from her training courses is always outstanding. Debbie’s wealth of experience allows her to adapt to an individual’s needs so that everyone gains something from her courses. Debbie is an engaging trainer who creates a fantastic training environment making her training a really enjoyable experience for all those attending.”
Marion Coles
Senior Consultant and Performance Coach
Marion is an experienced learning and development consultant who specialises in organisational change management and personal development. She has extensive experience in restructuring secretarial and support resources, supported by training and market recognised qualifications, to provide first class efficient and effective support services within the legal and commercial sector. It was with this unique experience that she became a consultant, and has since worked with many of the UK’s top law and corporate firms during major change, helping them to improve working practices and develop their people to work effectively and efficiently.
Marion’s experience gained approval for Platinum Training Solutions to offer ILM qualifications in Management and City & Guilds Certification in Office Skills.
Marion is an RSA qualified teacher and assessor of office administration and management skills.
Deborah Ackland
Senior Consultant and Performance Coach
Deborah is a senior partner in Platinum Training Solutions having founded the Company in 2004.
An experienced learning, development and change consultant, Deborah provides a pragmatic yet passionate approach when assisting organisations who are looking to deliver innovative solutions to enhance and improve business productivity.
She has an outstanding appreciation of the issues faced by commercial organisations and law firms having previously been employed in business service and management positions. She has subsequently worked with a wide variety of high profile organisations – this combined experience has enabled her to consistently deliver positive outcomes for clients, meeting the expectations at both senior and junior levels.
Deborah has overall responsibility for the management, design and development of Platinum’s Institute of Leadership & Management (“ILM”), Business Skills and IT accredited programmes. In addition Deborah oversees the account management and customer support for all of Platinum’s UK Testing Centres.
A regular speaker at legal and commercial networking events, Deborah also holds qualifications in law, management and coaching and is a PRINCE 2 Project Manager, PRISM® Practitioner and Institute of Leadership Facilitator/Assessor.
