Skills Archives - Page 26 of 58

Training Awards winners announced

by Clair Mooney | 22 Nov, 2022 | Skills

FIS and Worshipful Company of Plaisterers have announced the winners of the new sector Training Awards at its gala lunch held at Plaisterers’ Hall in London today.

In front of a packed audience at Plaisterers’ Hall, the winners of the 2022 Training Awards were announced and presented by Alderman Sir Charles Bowman of the Lord Mayors Office. The Awards are a collaboration between FIS and The Worshipful Company of Plaisterers to recognise outstanding apprentices and students, and individuals and organisations that have made a lasting contribution to training and development in plastering and interior trades.

Stephen Gilbert, the Master of the Worshipful Company of Plaisterers, said “The Company is absolutely delighted to once again host these prestigious awards in our magnificent Hall. This year, in an exciting move forward, we are very pleased to have teamed up with FIS to recognise the achievements of many within plastering and finishes and interiors sector”.

Commenting on the awards, FIS Immediate Past President Helen Tapper and Member of The Worshipful Company of Plaisterers Industry Committee said: “We are delighted to recognise and reward the outstanding talent, both in students themselves but also training providers and the mentors that work so hard to help the students forge hugely successful and rewarding careers.”

The 2022 award winners are:

Student of the Year – Plastering
Winner – Natasha Williams
Runners up – Rebecca Street and Jason Ssebbata

Student of the Year – Interior Systems
Winner – Anna Bell
Runners up – Ignas Kurasavos and Tommy Norton

Apprentice of the Year – Plastering
Winner – Johnathan Donaldson
Runners up – Thomas Devine and Lenny Miller

Apprentice of the Year – Interior Systems
Winner – George Batchelor
Runners up – Archie Downham and Ewen MacIntyre

British Gypsum Trophy
Now Get Qualified

Saint Gobain Formula Trophy
BCS Plaster Moulding

Colleges and Independent Training Providers (large)
Winner – NPTC College
Runner up – Leeds College of Building

Colleges and Independent Training Providers (small)
Winner – Craven College
Runner up – Barking and Dagenham College

FIS Member Training Programme
Errigal Contracts

Mentor Award
Rikki Wild – Measom Dryline

Lifetime Achievement Award
Matty McLeish – Tutor, Carlisle College

The awards and event were supported by sponsors Formula, British Gypsum, Go Interiors, Plaisterers Charity, CITB and STEPs.

Read all the information on the winners here

Download the Training Awards Winners Brochure

Guidance on employment entry into construction

by Clair Mooney | 11 Nov, 2022 | Skills

Build UK has published a guide setting out the most common Routes of Entry in Construction for young people in England leaving school, including apprenticeships, traineeships, T Levels and degrees, and how they might suit different employers. Although the routes of entry into the industry can be complex and confusing, employers that understand them are well placed to offer opportunities and recruit their future workforce.

This helps deliver work under:

The CLC’s Skills Plan (pg.10), Priority 2: Routes into Industry to ‘Improve the links between education and employers to support the pathways into and through apprenticeships, T Levels and employment’; and
CITB’s Strategic Plan (pp.8), which states: “supporting and equipping employers and potential entrants with the information they need and making the routes into construction as simple as possible”

The guidance has been endorsed by CITB and the Department of Work & Pensions.

Commenting on the launch, FIS Skills and Training Lead George Swann stated:

This is a straight forward brief on what is primarily available in England, if you need more details or have any specific questions, contact me on 07553 874383 or email georgeswann@thefis.org

Apprenticeship training places available

by Clair Mooney | 11 Nov, 2022 | Skills

Apprenticeships are the best way to enhance you workforce and the training is free to employers. FIS members are providing this training and have a number of vacancies for Dryliner apprentices and Ceilings and Partitions apprentices. These are primarily at Leeds College of Building, Bedford College and National Construction College East. In Wales FIS member Direct 2U Training are delivering the new Welsh apprenticeship framework for Drylining and Greenlight Safety and Training who are based in Plymouth. For more details please see the FIS Training Directory or call us on 0121 707 0077.

Get ready for Open Doors!

by Clair Mooney | 7 Nov, 2022 | Skills

HS2’s Long Itchington Wood Tunnel site hosted the launch of Open Doors 2023 showing more than 20 students from local colleges what a career in construction might look like! As well as catching a glimpse of ‘Dorothy’, the tunnel boring machine currently excavating a one‐mile twin bore tunnel under an ancient woodland, attendees had the chance to put their questions to the site team about what it’s like to work on such a transformative project. Speaking at the event, Build UK Chief Executive Suzannah Nichol called on the industry to get behind Open Doors and show the next generation that “whatever you enjoy doing and are good at ‐ there is a job for you in construction”.

With bookings for visitors opening on Monday 9 January 2023, members are encouraged to register their sites, factories, offices and other facilities on the Open Doors website as soon as possible, giving schools and colleges plenty of time to plan visits. The initiative is spearheaded by Build UK who have provided a Coordinators’ Toolkit to help you identify suitable sites and maximise your involvement in the event which will run from Monday 13 ‐ Saturday 18 March 2023.

If you are interested or registered to take part in OpenDoors, please advise the FIS via marieflinter@thefis.org and we will help to promote your involvement. Not FIS also has prepared standard letters and guidance to help you in contacting local schools which we can send across.

Increased grant for drylining apprenticeships

by Clair Mooney | 24 Oct, 2022 | Drylining, Skills

CITB-registered employers can now receive an additional £2,000 on top of the existing grant (£2,500 per year for attendance and £3,500 for achievement) for Dry Lining Apprenticeships that started from 1 April 2022 onwards. This is applicable for employers in each of the home nations.

£1,000 paid with first quarterly attendance payment (13 weeks),
£1,000 paid with the final quarterly attendance payment.

Your apprentice must complete 13 weeks of the apprenticeship before there is entitlement to the first £1,000 increase. A maximum drylining increase of £2,000 is payable per apprentice.

In instances where apprentices change employers:

The first £1,000 grant is paid to the employer with which the apprentice first completes 13 weeks of their apprenticeship.
The final £1,000 grant is paid to the employer with which the apprentice completes their attendance.

You must use an approved apprenticeship provider that is on the Register of Apprenticeship Training Providers: Download the Register of Apprenticeship Training Providers (RoATP) (education.gov.uk)

How to apply for the Grant

If CITB are your Apprenticeship provider, your dedicated Apprenticeship Officer will help you complete your application correctly. If they receive your application within 20 weeks of the start date of the apprenticeship, they will begin making your grant payments, backdated to this start date. The attendance grant will be paid automatically every 13 weeks.

If CITB are not your apprenticeship provider, you will need to complete an application form. Download and save the 2022-2023 Apprenticeship Attendance Grant application (Excel, 207KB) and ensure you complete all sections before submitting.

Please note: Use Chrome or Firefox to download the application. CITB recommend that you do not use Internet Explorer as you may have problems downloading.

You must provide evidence from your college or training provider that your apprentice is registered onto an approved apprenticeship programme. This evidence must be provided from the college or training provider on either their headed paper or from their email address and it must contain the following information:

The full name of the apprentice.
The full apprenticeship standard course title and level including the pathway if applicable.
The apprentice’s start date with the college or training provider.

Evidence directly from an employer, certificates or unit credit reports are not acceptable evidence.

Send your completed application and supporting evidence as detailed above to Customer.servicesYNET@citb.co.uk.

New CITB Skills and Training Fund for subcontractors

by Clair Mooney | 21 Oct, 2022 | Main News Feed, Skills

There is a new £2.5k Skills and Training Funding opportunity for Employers with CIS only (No PAYE). This is an enhancement to the Skills and Training Funds currently available: Skills and Training Fund funding from £2,500 to £25,000 over a 12‐month period for companies with 250 or fewer employees to train and develop their workforce. Detailed guidance on how to apply is available for both small and micro‐sized and medium‐sized businesses.

To apply for grant, applicants should visit CITB’s website. The requirements specific to each grant type should be checked prior to submitting an application as some grants operate restrictions. If you are unsure please contact Marie Flinter 07799 903103 or email marieflinter@thefis.org