It’s the last day of National Apprenticeship Week 2024 where the focus has been ‘Skills for Life’. Apprenticeships are designed by employers to help apprentices gain the skills and knowledge needed in the workplace. Apprenticeships can support your business to grow talent and develop a skilled workforce.
FIS members have been actively demonstrating their support and dedication this week by investing in training the next generation through apprenticeship programs. Here are some highlights:
- CG Reynolds established a specialised Trade Academy last year and brought in Trainee Fixers, leading to notable successes for both the company and the apprentices.
- Alby Gumble and Aaron McElligott, Assistant Site Managers at Pexhurst Services Limited, and Tom Kasoulis, Assistant Contracts/Commercial Manager, shared their positive experiences with the apprenticeship scheme and discussed their future career goals.
- British Gypsum proudly supports over 1,200 apprentices across 51 Thistle Partnership Colleges in the UK. They spoke with plastering apprentice Ryan to learn more about his motivation for joining the apprenticeship program.
- Errigal featured apprentice Nicole, who aspires to become a project manager, and highlighted the valuable support she has received.
- Domino Commercial Interiors hosted an open event to engage with the community and showcase their diverse range of services.
Offering an apprenticeship can:
- introduce fresh talent and ideas to your business by recruiting new staff and upskilling existing members
- align training to your business needs
- boost staff loyalty and motivation
Apprenticeships available for Finishes and Interiors are:
- Level 2 Interior Systems Installer – pathways are:
- Ceilings and Partitions
- Drylining
This apprenticeship includes learning about Installing, repairing and maintaining various elements of the internal structure of a building.
In addition, the government will fund up to a maximum amount of £14,000 for this apprenticeship training.
- Level 2 Plastering
Plastering includes preparing walls and ceilings for decoration and finishing.
In addition to supporting NAW 2024 and following the theme of ‘Skills for Life’, FIS have produced and launched a competency framework to demonstrate routes to baseline installer competence for Drylining. The framework can be found here: Competence Framework for Dry Liners – FIS (thefis.org)
This framework aims to support members to identify Drylining routes to competence and SKEB Statements, which will help to understand what training, qualification and competence does and should look like for this area, and help identify potential training gaps and how they can be addressed.