by Clair Mooney | 8 Oct, 2025 | Awards, Skills
We’re delighted to announce the shortlist for this year’s Training Awards.
Celebrating excellence and achievement in plastering and interior trades, these awards acknowledge the accomplishments of apprentices and students who have exceeded expectations, training delivery by colleges and training providers, mentors and others who have supported sector training, including a lifetime contribution to training award.
Apprentice of the Year – Plastering Shortlist
- Damian Hayes from Thomas & Wilsons
- George Stamp from Locker & Riley (Fibrous Plastering)
- Jake Waite of Wannop
Apprentice / Student of the Year – Interior Trades Shortlist
- Dawson Dellar of ACS Plastering
- Nicole McKeown from The Errigal Academy
- Sam Woodward of Measom Dryline
Student of the Year – Plastering Shortlist
- Mohammad Abuali studying at The City of Liverpool College
- Monique Fenell from Cadman Manpen Systems Limited
- Yusuf Ibrahim studying at Derby College
Training Provider / College of the Year Shortlist
- Carlisle College
- Coleg Llandrillo
- Coleg Menai
- Craven College
- Leicester College
- NPTC Group of Colleges
- The Skills Centre
Formula Trophy Shortlist
- Entol MFG North America Inc trading as Ceilings4U
- KLLangton Decorative Plasterwork
- Plaster Mouldings Direct
FIS Member Training Programme Shortlist
Training Champion Shortlist
- Adam Barringer
- Terry McDermott
- Paul Orton
The winners of the above categories, and the Rising Star and Lifetime Contribution to Training will be announced at the Training Awards Lunch on 25 November at Plaisterers Hall in London. If you haven’t yet reserved your seats you can book your place here.
Congratulations to all the nominees for their hard work and dedication in pursuing their academic goals!
by Clair Mooney | 6 Oct, 2025 | Skills
Are you a drylining employer based in Scotland? Your expertise is essential in shaping the future of our industry.
We’re currently reviewing the occupational standards for drylining apprenticeships—the benchmarks that define what apprentices need to know and be able to do. These standards must reflect the realities of the Scottish construction sector, and that’s where you come in.
Why your voice matters:
- Ensure apprentices are trained to meet the needs of Scottish worksites
- Influence the quality and relevance of future training
- Help build a skilled workforce that strengthens our national industry
Whether you’re a sole trader or part of a larger firm, your feedback will help ensure these standards are fit for purpose across Scotland.
If interested, please contact Jim Johnstone at Skills Development Scotland – jim.johnstone@sds.co.uk or 079828914298
Let’s work together to build a stronger, smarter future for drylining in Scotland.
by Clair Mooney | 26 Sep, 2025 | Main News Feed, Skills, Sustainability
FIS is supporting The Future Skyline Skills Commitment to encourage built environment employers to offer more inclusive workplaces and training, especially green skills training, to attract and retain new talent, including young people aged 16-18.
The construction industry is about people, progress, and possibility. This commitment, developed by the City of London Corporation and the Skills for a Sustainable Skyline (FSSC) Taskforce, empowers us to shape a
sector that is sustainable, inclusive and future-ready.
Iain McIlwee FIS CEO and Skills for a Sustainable Skyline Strategy Board Member said:
The Skills Shortage is a systemic problem that is impacting the market now and has the potential to choke expected future construction. The City of London Corporation recognise that this in turn has the potential to impact the attractiveness of London as leading global business hub.
The scale of the problem is enormous and particularly acute in London that was more reliant on migrant workers than other parts of the UK. The supply chain, from supplier and contractor through to client, needs to work together to create the right conditions to invest and work collectively to ensure we are finding the next cohort of workers now, have a stable pipeline of people wanting to join the industry in the future and the training infrastructure to deliver this. It has been amazing to work on the Skills for a Sustainable Taskforce Leadership Taskforce, I have learned loads, made amazing connections and found new hope. I applaud the City of London Corporation for creating this Taskforce and the collaborative ecosystem that is now working to support our common goal of fixing the skills crisis in London and look forward to being part of the next stage of the work – delivering it!”
To launch the Future Skyline Skills Commitment, The Skyline Skills Hub is hosting an in-person launch reception on the evening of Wednesday 1 October from 18.30-19.15pm (with networking before and afterwards), hosted at NLA’s The London Centre (3 Aldermanbury, London EC2V 7HH. Iain McIlwee will be attending the launch event, and is encouraging members to join him and hear about the commitment and how it can drive change in the sector, promoting sustainability and inclusivity by inspiring companies to take practical actions to address the sector’s skills gap.
by Oscar Venus | 19 Sep, 2025 | Skills
The Skills Centre is launching it’s new training centre in Essex on Friday 10 October.
This new training hub is all about helping people across the region kickstart their careers in the finishes and interiors sector. With a focus on Interior Systems and Dry Lining, it’s set to be a key spot for skill development in Essex’s construction world.
What’s Happening on the Day:
- Take a tour of our brand-new facilities and see live training in action
- Hear from learners who are already on their way to a great career with us
- Meet the team and our partners who are driving skills and jobs across Essex
- Enjoy some light refreshments and network with other guests and industry leaders
Who Should Come?
This event is perfect for:
- Employers and contractors in the finishes and interiors sector
- Local authorities, councillors, and GLA reps
- Skills and education providers
- Community leaders, referral partners, and industry contacts
- Policy-makers, funders, and anyone interested in the sector
If you would like to come along, please register using this link Launch of The Skills Centre Essex Tickets, Fri, Oct 10, 2025 at 12:30 PM | Eventbrite
For more information please contact Beena Nana or Marie Flinter
by Oscar Venus | 19 Sep, 2025 | Skills
CITB has commissioned BMG research to carry out its workforce mobility and skills research throughout the construction industry in the UK.
The research is undertaken every 2 to 3 years and aims to gather information from around 3,500 manual or semi-skilled construction workers at sites around the UK to update CITB on how far site-workers travel to work and the training and qualifications they hold.
CITB want to use this work to improve their understanding of occupational and geographic movement across the industry.
Workers are asked to provide information about their employment history, skills, training and qualifications achieved, interest in changing trade/occupation (and whether training would be required), miles travelled to work daily, and distance from main/permanent home if living away for work. All responses remain anonymous and are not shared with their employer.
There is a survey link available which can be shared with individuals to enable them to participate in their own time and at their own pace.
To access the link they just need to type: CITBsurvey.co.uk into their internet browser, on their smart phone, tablet or laptop
BMG Research always observes the Market Research Society Code of Conduct. You can find out more information about our surveys and what we do with the information we collect in our Privacy Notice which is available here: https://www.bmgresearch.co.uk/privacy
If you have any queries about this research or would like some more information, please contact the team at BMG at citb@bmgresearch.com or call on 0121 333 6006
by Oscar Venus | 4 Sep, 2025 | Drylining, Skills
FIS and its members have collaborated with the National House Building Council (NHBC) and HBF to launch a new series of drylining masterclasses aimed at improving skills, quality, and compliance within the construction industry.
These Dry Lining Masterclasses are designed to deliver practical skills and knowledge on the most common dry lining issues found by our inspection teams.
Developed to support both new entrants and experienced professionals, these practical training sessions will be delivered at NHBC’s network of training hubs. The programme is designed to raise standards across the drylining trade, a critical element of modern building interiors that often lacks structured training opportunities.
The Dry Lining Masterclass content has been tailored to cover the following key areas:
- defect statistics
- when dry lining and plasterboard can start
- plasterboard fixings
- dry lining
- fire safety
- sound insulation
- consistent approach to finishes.
This joint initiative supports wider efforts to address the growing skills shortage in the construction sector and reflects a shared commitment to driving up standards across UK housing and commercial developments.
By enhancing knowledge and practical capability in drylining, the training aims to improve quality, boost productivity, and help build a more competent workforce.
To access/book onto the courses or to find out more click on the following links
Dry Lining Masterclass – NHBC
Dry Lining Masterclass open course – NHBC
