by Clair Mooney | 29 Jan, 2021 | Skills
North West Skills Academy, an FIS Approved Training Provider Member, has secured funding to support FIS members that are looking to get the existing workforce qualified.
This is a unique opportunity to show investment in employees and beat the ‘starting gun’ that will see a rush of organisations and independent operatives looking to achieve qualifications when the Building Safety Bill is implemented. Proof of competence in an occupation is going to become a ‘must have’ and a qualified workforce will prepare your organisation for future work. In addition, for those registered with CITB the GET Code fund and FIS Training Group Supplementary fund makes these qualifications cost zero.
If you are interested, you can find out more by visiting https://www.nwskillsacademy.co.uk/commercial-application
100% Funded One Day Assessment NVQ Assessments
Experienced Worker Practical Assessment (EWPA)
- NVQ Level 2 in Dry Lining Fixing
- NVQ Level 2 in Dry Lining Finishing
- NVQ Level 2 in Joinery
- NVQ Level 2 in Wall & Floor Tiling
- NVQ Level 2 in Painting & Decorating
Registration proces:
- Register and pay North West Skills Academy
- Provide work history (5 years) and witness testimonies
- Attend and complete one day assessment
- Claim CITB GET code
- Present the invoice and claim FIS Training Group Supplementary Fund. This funding is limited and will not be available forever for details contact FIS.
Preston Assessment Centre, Units 3,4 & 33, Momentum Place, Preston, PR5 6EF
Stoke Assessment Centre, Unit 46, Marcus House, Longton, Stoke-on-Trent, ST3 5XA
For more details please call: 0161 442 4344 and press option 1 or email nvq@nwskills.academy.co.uk
by Clair Mooney | 29 Jan, 2021 | Skills
We are receiving reports regarding the mental health of colleagues during this lockdown and are often asked to provide information to assist employer members, here is some of the information available. The FIS Approved Training Provider members offer discounts, and a number of courses are free of charge.
For all training provided by FIS Approved Training Providers please see: https://www.thefis.org/skills-hub/training-and-qualification/provisions/ then open the tabs at the top of the table.
Mental Health First Aid – HSS – https://www.hsstraining.com/search?search=Mental+health
eLearning Courses:
The FIS #BuildersBrew Health Campaign is still running, please see: https://www.thefis.org/about-us/builders-brew/
by Clair Mooney | 29 Jan, 2021 | Skills
Independent Fire Inspections is launching its new online course, Preparing for IFE Level 3 Exam Passive Fire Protection, on 1 February 2021. The course has been developed for eLearning, to provide training and the necessary preparation for those looking to sit their Level 2 and Level 3 Passive Fire Protection Exams with the Institute of Fire Engineers. All materials and tests are online, leading to a final exam that can be carried out with the IFE directly in March or October each year.
The Institute of Fire Engineers has provided their recognition for this course and it has also been Accredited by the Institute of Fire Safety Managers. What does this mean? Two respected industry institutions have reviewed this training course and the quality of Independent Fire Inspections Ltd as a training provider, have deemed them acceptable and are willing to recommend them.
Independent Fire Inspections Ltd.’s Director, Ben Freeman has said “We are really pleased to be launching this comprehensive course to the industry, the first of its kind in E-Learning format, having evolved our current courses and added a lot more content, we are excited to begin delivering this online. All of our own inspectors and team members have been instrumental in pulling the course together along with industry experts.”
The course is being offered at an introductory discounted cost, please contact Claire.turner@fireinspections.co.uk for further information.
The course can be purchased directly via the website https://fireinspections.co.uk/product-category/e-learning-courses
by Clair Mooney | 29 Jan, 2021 | Skills
The CITB online events in March and April will cover how they propose employers will be assessed to CITB Levy over the next three years. In the past year they’ve been in regular contact with many employers and industry bodies. The collection of the Levy Assessment in 2020 was temporarily suspended and the Levy rates for assessment in 2021 have been reduced by half. At the same time, they have prioritised direct financial support for employers and apprentices.
Now, as they look at the best means to contribute to industry’s recovery in the months ahead, your view can shape the way forward. At the events they’ll share how Levy registered employers can take part in consultation on the Levy Proposals 2022-25 and have their say on the proposed areas of support for construction businesses.
If you are a Levy registered employer and wish to join CITB please register here.
by Clair Mooney | 29 Jan, 2021 | Labour, Membership, Skills
In a report on CNews today, FIS has continued to raise concerns about potential labour shortages.
Iain McIlwee, FIS CEO commented: As the article in CN news reflets, the extent of the immigration issue is still very much unknown, but it is concerning, especially in our sector where over 40% of the workforce is from the EU. What we do know is that over 40% of our members are currently reporting a shortage and 60% are expecting one, how bad it will get we don’t fully know right now, but we anticipate that it will impact rates and programmes. The problem has two parts, the immediate concern over who will stay and settle, we are trying to understand the cliff ledge post-Christmas and there is potentially another one coming in the summer when the Right to Works checks kick in. But, that is only part of the problem – even if all the EU workers return and stay, our annual recruitment and training target has doubled over night, because many trades do not make it on the skilled or shortage occupation list and so the EU tap is well and truly off. If just 5-10% opt to ply their trade within the EU instead, this target triples, quadruples and so on. This is the number one concern for the FIS as we move into 2021 – the infrastructure and time just isn’t in place to solve this – realistically we need to see some relaxation of the rules to give us time to transition.
Read the full article here: Labour shortages could raise rates ‘at least 10%’
by Clair Mooney | 25 Jan, 2021 | Membership, Skills
The FIS Training Group has secured additional funding to support the cost of training and qualifications completed by FIS employer members in scope to CITB.
The additional funding, of up to £2,000 per company, covers a range of training from generic health and safety through to specialist courses such as spray plastering, deflection heads or fire door inspection and includes vocational qualification achievement. This funding is in addition to the CITB grant eligible training (GET) code grant you already claim from CITB.
How to claim
Simply send the invoice for training completed since 1st August 2020 to info@thefis.org if it meets the criteria set out below, we will arrange a refund to the full 100% of the course cost (up to a maximum of £2,000 per company, less the grant already claimed from CITB and less VAT incurred). The funding will be available on a first come, first served basis.
For a full list of eligible courses please see: CITB training standards
CITB GET Fund FIS Supplement Terms and Conditions
- The supplement cannot be used for GET codes that are already included on an individual employer contracted CITB Skills and Training allocation.
- An FIS supplement can only be paid to organisations ‘in scope’ to CITB and up to date with levy payments.
- The supplement is primarily for micro and small organisations no more than 25% of the total fund can be paid to large organisations (100 or more employees).
- Non grant eligible training is not covered by this supplement.
- Training must have taken place between 01 August 2020 and 31 March 2021 and have been completed before applying.
- Training must have been completed by delegates who are currently employed by or are NET (taxed) Construction Industry Scheme (CIS) sub-contractors of CITB registered employers.
- Invoices supplied must show the full costs of the training completed including CITB registration number, Training Provider, course name, CITB GET code, Tier value, date of completion, number of delegates, course cost and VAT.
- Successful applications will be notified within 25 working days.
- Payments will be made when the invoice is verified.
Funding is limited so cannot be guaranteed.
FIS is happy to review and support all of your funding claims through our one to one Skills and Funding Clinics.
This is a service freely available to members through the booking form here. Members are also strongly advised to apply for the CITB Skills and Training Fund 2020 which can allow organisations to claim up to £25,000 to support their training needs.
