Developing Our Future Leaders: Acres Engineering Takes on the British Army Leadership Challenge
Last week, a cohort of employees from Acres Engineering Ltd stepped away from their usual roles and into a very different learning environment, taking part in Exercise Future Leader, a leadership development programme delivered by the British Army.
Held on Wednesday 30th September 2026 at the Army Reserve Centre in Bilborough, Nottingham, the course was delivered by 162 Regiment, Royal Logistic Corps (RLC), offering our employees a unique opportunity to explore leadership, teamwork and decision-making through the eyes of the British Army.
Learning Leadership from the British Army
The British Army has a long-established reputation for developing leadership skills, building effective teams and preparing individuals to make decisions under pressure.
Exercise Future Leader is designed to introduce participants to military leadership principles through a combination of presentations, practical exercises and team-based challenges.
Throughout the day, our employees were given the opportunity to develop their understanding of what makes an effective leader, with particular emphasis on communication, collaboration, problem-solving and the importance of working together towards a common objective.
The programme included activity-based leadership exercises, followed by syndicate command tasks in which teams were challenged to work together and demonstrate their leadership capabilities. The day concluded with a competitive team race.
Investing in Our People
At Acres Engineering, we firmly believe that developing our people is fundamental to developing our business.
Leadership is not simply about job titles or management positions. It is about taking responsibility, supporting colleagues, demonstrating initiative and having the confidence to make decisions.
Whether working in our design office, manufacturing facility, assembly department or business support functions, these are qualities that make a genuine difference to our performance as an organisation.
By providing opportunities for employees to experience different approaches to leadership, we aim to build confidence, encourage personal development and help identify and nurture the next generation of leaders within our business.
This investment forms part of our wider commitment to continuous improvement, empowering our workforce and creating an environment in which everyone has the opportunity to develop and contribute.
Strengthening Our Relationship with the Armed Forces
As an Armed Forces Covenant Gold Award employer, Acres Engineering is particularly proud of its relationship with the UK Armed Forces.
Our commitment extends beyond supporting Reservists, Veterans and the wider Armed Forces community. We actively seek opportunities to develop meaningful collaboration between industry and the military, recognising the considerable benefits that both can bring to one another.
Programmes such as Exercise Future Leader demonstrate the value of this relationship, allowing civilian employees to experience military approaches to leadership while developing transferable skills that can be applied directly within the workplace.
There are many parallels between military operations and engineering manufacturing. Both depend on effective planning, clear communication, individual accountability, adaptability and, above all, teamwork.
These are principles that resonate strongly with our own organisational values.
Building the Leaders of Tomorrow
Our ambition is to create a business in which employees feel empowered to take ownership, challenge existing processes, support one another and continuously strive for improvement.
Experiences such as Exercise Future Leader provide an opportunity to step outside familiar surroundings, encounter new challenges and return to the workplace with fresh perspectives.
They also reinforce an important message: leadership can be demonstrated at every level of an organisation.
We are proud of our colleagues for embracing this opportunity and investing in their own professional development.
Finally, we would like to extend our sincere thanks to 162 Regiment, Royal Logistic Corps, and everyone involved in organising and delivering Exercise Future Leader.
The opportunity to learn directly from the British Army is greatly appreciated, and we look forward to continuing to strengthen the relationship between our business and the Armed Forces community.
Trusted by Industry. Recognised by the Nation. Investing in Our People.
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Acres Engineering Ltd is a Derbyshire-based engineering and manufacturing business, proudly supporting British industry, developing future engineering talent and championing the Armed Forces community.
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Acres have a range of standard products but also support clients with custom machinery and medium-high volume products such as trolleys, stillages etc.
We have manufactured lots of different tables / workstations / workbenches for various industries.
We also manufacture access platforms, jigs and fixtures and many other types of production support solutions / products.
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We are based in the UK from our Headquarters in Derbyshire, England and have a European office in Malaga, Spain within the EU.
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