Michael Barker has created a profession out of people development.

He believes his training package will equip small to medium sized businesses in Yorkshire with the tools they need to compete in a rapidly changing marketplace and achieve their potential.

His inspiration to set up his training consortium, Performance Development Group, in 2006 came through experience.

Michael was given the opportunity to embark on a personal development course while working for Bowers Metro-logy, manufacturers of measuring instruments for engineering components, in his home city of Bradford. The 47-year-old was so impressed by this that he decided to set up his own business passing on the benefits to others.

PDG is a team of senior business coaches offering a bespoke service specialising in high development training programmes for companies and individuals, covering everything from communication and presentation skills to leadership and management development.

This year the company increased its curriculum with the addition of the PDG Leadership Academy, an online training resource combining guided learning, knowledge, reference tools, personal feedback and a regular online magazine.

Featuring 6,000 pages of challenging content covering various topics from teambuilding to winning via diversity, the web resource is designed to improve management and leadership skills without leaving your desk.

"More than 80 per cent of organisations now encourage staff to take more responsibility for their own learning and development and many favour a more cost-effective approach than classroom learning," says Michael.

"With an online coach to help get the best out of the courses, our Leadership Academy provides all levels of information to help improve staff performance such as delegation, leadership and career management, and allows people to earn accreditations as they go along."

Michael believes encouraging internal learning at work is vital for staff development.

"Online learning is being embraced by leading blue chip companies and is a way of doing something aside from more traditional training. With a year's learning available for the cost of one day in the classroom, it's cost-effective and practical for any business, regardless of size or structure."

Michael says his ambition is to be known as Yorkshire's foremost training and development business for small to medium sized businesses - anywhere with a workforce of 12 to 300.

"If you look at today's business world it is changing all the time. Look at technology - by the time you've taken your new computer out of the box and put it on your desk there's a higher spec one out; it's that type of change firms are having to cope with."

From his experience in senior managerial roles, Michael understands the challenges firms face which is why PDG's training packages aren't based on academic theory but from experiencing situations at the sharp end.

"I'd always been practical and hands-on. I like to make things and studied technical drawing and did metalwork at school," he says.

Michael gained a degree in manufacturing systems in engineering at the University of Bradford and worked for firms around the city and district before deciding to become a personal development trainer.

He is currently preparing for the launch of the Business Excellence Breakfast Club. The rugby league fan is running the monthly clubs in collaboration with the Bradford Bulls. The first one takes place at the club's Coral Stand on Friday, April 11, at 7.30am when JCT 600 head of marketing, Christine Gilliver, will give a behind-the-scenes insight into the firm's success.

Michael adds: "We have some excellent speakers lined up who are outstanding in their field and promise to be informative and entertaining. I have a vision to provide a networking event that offers the opportunity for businesses to share best practice and discuss everyday working challenges. Each event will motivate powerful changes, helping to discover new levels of professional development."

For further information about training and development go to performancedg.com or call (0113) 2288808. For information on business courses contact Bradford College on 433333.