A TRAINING firm has turned to a former heavy metal singer for his flair in graphic and web design to boost its marketing department.

Develop Training, based in Frankland Road, Blagrove, has made former lead singer Steve Braund the front man in its band of marketers on the industrial estate.

Steve was the face of English metal rockers Vert from 2002, when he graduated from university, until 2009 when it split after numerous UK tours.

“We achieved far more than we’d ever expected to and my time with the band gave me some great memories,”

he said.

“I was essentially living out a childhood dream for a time and looking back now I get a lot of satisfaction from what we did.”

Although the band never hit the big time, Vert and Steve did support bands such as Skindred, Enter Shikari, Boy Hits Car and Frank Turner’s Million Dead.

Accepting Denial was the name of the band’s only album, but it’s a title Steve will not be taking into his new role at Develop, which is growing its compliance, technical and safety training in utilities and facility management.

“There’s a great togetherness at Develop – everybody pulls in the same direction, and with my previous experience in the utilities sector, I think it is a great fit for me,”

he said.

“I’m looking forward to helping the company grow by contributing to the raising of its profile as we introduce new suites of specialist training to market.”

For the past six years Steve has been marketing manager with an engineering firm. His versatile role with Vert saw him perform a variety of functions from front man and lyricist to manager and press liaison.

Steve is also a former freelance journalist, with commissions from music magazines NME and Big Cheese amongst others.

A spokesperson for Develop said its new man has a flair for graphic and web design which will bring a distinctive cocktail of creativity and drive to the new role.

He also has specialist knowledge of the utilities sector where Develop’s training portfolio includes gas competency, confined spaces, network design and driver awareness.

Develop is the UK’s leading accredited provider of compliance, technical, and safety training, supporting thousands of firms with their training needs.

Clients include some of the UK’s largest and best-known organisations from utilities and construction to defence, healthcare, facilities management, and telecommunications sectors.

Training programmes cover water and environmental, gas and energy, safety, electrical and mechanical, apprenticeships and management development.

Training is delivered at one of Develop’s five training centres in Linlithgow, York, Derby, Bolton and Swindon or on-site at clients’ premises.

It also provides bespoke options and training consultancy to the requirements of individual clients.