Dulux Academy has supported National Apprenticeship Week for the third consecutive year. This year’s theme is ‘Blaze a Trail’, which aims to showcase and celebrate the passion and energy that apprentices bring. Working across its college partners, Dulux Academy has actively involved and celebrated the passion of seventy-five apprentices, taking
The Rotherham Interchange transport hub has increased the space for modern and electric vehicles, due to the transformation work carried out by Interserve. The £12 million refurbishment also includes upgrades to the car park, new cladding, surfacing, and the delivery of improved pedestrian routes. “We are delighted to have completed
The joy of getting up and enjoying a shower in the morning cannot be overstated. However, the horror of stepping into that blissful shower to discover that your hot water cylinder is delivering nothing, but icy cold water is not the rude awakening you want. So, what causes a household
Coinciding with National Apprenticeship Week (4-8 March 2019), Mecalac Construction Equipment UK Ltd has welcomed nine new apprentices to its Coventry manufacturing facility. Coming as part of an educational partnership with Derby College, the programme affirms Mecalac’s commitment to developing the workforce of tomorrow. Each studying towards an NVQ in
MORE than 20 senior delegates gathered in Leicester ahead of International Women’s Day (IWD, 8 March) for a round table event which explored the challenges faced in achieving true gender equality. Hosted by property, construction and infrastructure consultancy, Pick Everard, the event considered how a balanced workforce can be created
A record number of over 400 construction professionals gathered at ExCel, London to celebrate the 2019 Offsite Awards. As one of the most vibrant industry networking events of the year, the Offsite Awards celebrate product and service innovation, engineered by the pioneers who are taking the offsite construction industry to
Dulux Academy has supported National Apprenticeship Week for the third consecutive year. This year’s theme is ‘Blaze a Trail’, which aims to showcase and celebrate the passion and energy that apprentices bring. Working across its college partners, Dulux Academy has actively involved and celebrated the passion of seventy-five apprentices, taking its ‘Water-based Challenge’ on the road. The challenge aims to educate and inform apprentices about the benefits of using water-based products and demonstrate the practical application tips and techniques which are required to create a fantastic finish. Following a theory session, apprentices received their own application accessories pack and took on a panelled door challenge using the Dulux Colour of the Year 2019, Spiced Honey, competing to be recognised as the individual winner of an exclusive National Apprenticeship Week Golden Paintbrush Award. “National Apprenticeship Week is an important date in our annual events calendar. The partnership between industry and education provides an opportunity to inspire apprentices, their employers, college tutors and the painting and decorating industry as a whole,” said Vickie Mather from Dulux Academy. “We’ve outlined our commitments to the future of the decorating profession in our ‘Joint Minds Charter’ that our college partnerships have signed up to. This charter confirms the direct student benefits involved in partnering with Dulux Academy. To date we have delivered over 1,000 hours of supported learning to college students and apprentices demonstrating the joint commitment to upskilling the next generation of trade professionals,” added Vickie. National Apprenticeship Week aims to shine a spotlight on apprenticeships as a great path for people at any stage of their career; from those starting out, to those wanting to reskill or change careers. It comes at a time when the need for trade apprentices has never been greater, with a 34 per cent decline in painting and decorating qualifications being achieved through colleges. So it’s fitting that Dulux Academy has also recruited a new painting and decorating apprentice, Laura Ashby. Laura is a career changer with a passion for interiors and decorating, she joins the team to gain practical experience alongside completing her formal qualification. “As a mature student, returning to college would be a big financial commitment so the opportunity to learn on the job from industry leaders was very appealing. The Dulux Academy Painting and Decorating apprenticeship will provide me with the chance to make the move into an industry I’ve always aspired to work in. I’m looking forward to learning as much as possible about something I have a real passion for from experts in the field,” Laura said.
The Rotherham Interchange transport hub has increased the space for modern and electric vehicles, due to the transformation work carried out by Interserve. The £12 million refurbishment also includes upgrades to the car park, new cladding, surfacing, and the delivery of improved pedestrian routes. “We are delighted to have completed the Rotherham Interchange refurbishment project. The new facilities will provide an improved passenger experience for users of the Interchange,” said John Gittins, Divisional Director at Interserve Construction. “As part of this project we are proud to have supported the training and development of 60 students from Rotherham Construction College. We look forward to continuing our relationship with SYPTE and Rotherham Council as it continues to invest in the town’s regeneration programme,” John added. The project was delivered over a 10-month period, during which 10,000 litres of paint were used, and 11,000 floor tiles, 10km of electric cables, 3,800m2 of insulation, 350 sheets of glass and solar panels were installed; all in order to provide the building’s sustainable energy needs. Interserve delivered the project on behalf of the South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive (SYPTE) “The improved Rotherham Interchange will provide a better, brighter place for public transport users as well as those visiting, living and working in the town. Seventeen million people travelling through the Interchange each year, using 1,299 buses a day, will now benefit from new seating, lighting, information displays, electrics and flooring, CCTV and free public wi-fi,” commented SYPTE Executive Director, Stephen Edwards.
The joy of getting up and enjoying a shower in the morning cannot be overstated. However, the horror of stepping into that blissful shower to discover that your hot water cylinder is delivering nothing, but icy cold water is not the rude awakening you want. So, what causes a household to run out of hot water? More importantly, what can be done about it? I once lived in a rental apartment which had a hot water cylinder so small that in order for me to wash and condition my hair required a two-part shower. I’d wash my hair, add the conditioner, turn the shower off and wait for the hot water cylinder to heat up again, then wash my conditioner out. This was great if you wanted a really deep conditioning treatment, not so great if you were running late for work. In order to make sure that you and your household don’t go without hot water, there are a few tips and tricks you can look at. What Type of Cylinder Do You Have? Although continuous gas hot water cylinders are becoming more popular (continuous cylinders are regularly installed overseas), in Australia one of the primary types of cylinder that has been installed in houses and apartments for years is the standard storage tank. These come in a range of sizes and work by filling the cylinder with cold water and heating the water, often with an electrical element. This type of cylinder is prone to providing cold showers, because once the heated water has been drained from the tank, it refills with cold water and needs to be reheated. Sometimes the problem is caused by the household having a hot water cylinder that is simply too small for it’s needs, so it is quickly drained (although it also quickly refills and reheats). However, a larger tank may not always be the solution. One person having a luxurious long bath may completely drain the tank, leaving no hot water for an hour or more. Hot water for everyone If you have the storage tank type of hot water cylinder, your first option to making sure that there is enough hot water to go around is to have a discussion about anti-social behaviour and hogging all the hot water. From there, your next option is to work out if you have the right sized tank for your needs. It has been suggested that the average person uses 35l of hot water a day – obviously this is an estimate and will be subject to seasonal fluctuation as well. If there are two of you in a 1-bedroom apartment, a 50l storage cylinder may work. If you are a family of 6, this is unlikely to provide anyone with a warm shower. The South Australian government has provided a calculator that helps you work out how much hot water you need and looks at your options for hot water supply: https://www.sa.gov.au/topics/energy-and-environment/using-saving-energy/water-heaters/water-heater-calculator. This can provide you a great starting point but talk to your hot water installation professional before making your final decision, as they may have suggestions or advice that fits your specific location and needs; the online calculator is great, but may not think about access, sunlight/shade or a multitude of other considerations that an experienced installer will notice immediately. Hot Water, All the Time Once you start looking at options for hot water supply, the idea of instantaneous hot water starts to develop huge appeal. Particularly if you are the one regularly getting a cold shower. Having a gas system can provide a continuous supply of hot water, but people may think they are unable to use this system because there is no natural gas line available in their area. However, these systems can be installed using gas bottles as well as directly to a supply line, so the only issue comes with how easy it is to access the gas bottle to exchange it when it runs out. Free Hot Water Another tempting option is using a solar heater (click here) – either purely solar or solar as a boost to an electrical system. Although not actually free, using a solar hot water solution can bring down the costs of heating your water.
Coinciding with National Apprenticeship Week (4-8 March 2019), Mecalac Construction Equipment UK Ltd has welcomed nine new apprentices to its Coventry manufacturing facility. Coming as part of an educational partnership with Derby College, the programme affirms Mecalac’s commitment to developing the workforce of tomorrow. Each studying towards an NVQ in Performing Manufacturing Operations, the students have completed their classroom-based period and will now gain practical experience working across departments including ‘quality’ and ‘production’. Alongside supporting personal development and building real-world skills, the 12-month placement will provide hands-on experience and put academic theory into practice. Gregg Horne, General Manager at Mecalac Construction Equipment UK Ltd, commented: “The biggest challenge facing the UK construction industry is undoubtably its skills deficit. Currently, the recruitment of new talent is failing to keep up with the rate of retirement, which is limiting activity and increasing labour costs. “At Mecalac, we wanted to tackle the issue head-on and, as such, have adopted a joined-up approach to improving skills and knowledge. Through our training initiatives, we target every stage of the education system – from primary schools right up to Universities. The programme even includes training modules for experienced employees to learn new skills and competences. “Partnering with Derby College to offer practical training for post-GCSE students is a key part of this initiative. Alongside being paid for their time, candidates work towards achieving a City & Guilds Level 2 Certificate and Level 2 NVQ in Performing Manufacturing Operations at the end of the course.” Mecalac’s vision is for more young construction professionals to enter the sector. Through training and education initiatives, the global leader in construction equipment design and manufacture aims to tackle the skills deficit and hopes that other businesses are inspired to follow suit. For more information about Mecalac, or the company’s innovative portfolio of compact construction equipment, visit https://www.mecalac.com/en/.
MORE than 20 senior delegates gathered in Leicester ahead of International Women’s Day (IWD, 8 March) for a round table event which explored the challenges faced in achieving true gender equality. Hosted by property, construction and infrastructure consultancy, Pick Everard, the event considered how a balanced workforce can be created and what practical steps can be taken to achieve this. “We discussed a range of topics – from gender stereotypes acquired by children and women taking career breaks to have children, to hiring policies and the importance of positive female role models,” said Aarti Raj, director at Pick Everard. The round table was held yesterday (Weds 6 March) to celebrate IWD, which is an annual campaign. This year’s IWD theme is ‘balance for better’. Aarti continued: “This is Pick Everard’s second round table event. We focussed on the theme ‘balance for better’ this year, so invited men into the discussion. This created a balanced perspective on an issue that’s not just a female issue – it’s a business issue. “It’s not just the construction industry which has a gender imbalance, so we were pleased to welcome representatives from the professional services, education and legal sectors to provide their thoughts and experiences on the topic. “We considered how the private sector can learn from the public sector in terms of a closer integration with society and communities, reflecting society’s diversity in the workforce. By sharing our experiences across various different industries, we can continue to develop a better understanding of best practice – which will ultimately benefit us all.” Duncan Green, managing partner at Pick Everard added: “We know that the construction industry has some way to go to achieve real equality. At Pick Everard, we aspire to be a positive force within the sector and are committed to doing as much as we can – through events like this – to promote opportunities available in construction, facilitate stronger industry connectivity and celebrate female role models. “Thank you to everyone who attended.” To join in the conversation on social media, follow @PickEverard on Twitter and use the hashtags #IWDPerspective #BalanceForBetter. Visit www.pickeverard.co.uk to download the full podcast of the event.
A record number of over 400 construction professionals gathered at ExCel, London to celebrate the 2019 Offsite Awards. As one of the most vibrant industry networking events of the year, the Offsite Awards celebrate product and service innovation, engineered by the pioneers who are taking the offsite construction industry to new heights. The Structural Timber Association (STA) is proud to have been announced winner of the Health & Safety Award for the organisation’s Site Safe Policy. The award acknowledges outstanding health and safety disciplines, which empowers and protects construction professionals while enabling healthy onsite environments. Offsite Award judges were impressed by the policy strategy, which is mandatory for all STA members and is independently audited for the reassurance of insurance companies, customers and third-party warranty bodies. The policy stipulates information provision at tender stage and ensures that manufacturing members, suppliers and erectors of structural timber building systems work closely with customers to provide clear, concise information and health and safety guidance on all building sites. Andrew Carpenter, Chief Executive of STA adds: ‘We are delighted to have won such a prestigious award for health and safety in the offsite construction industry. Safety is paramount in manufacturing, and an easily-accessible health and safety policy that’s flexible to different company needs is pivotal to the wellbeing of providers and service users.’ The Site Safety Policy offers stand-out flexibility: the guide is divided into seven key requirements, each of which can be applied in numerous ways to enhance health and safety procedures. This means that members have the freedom to implement the key requirements in ways that suit their business models for easy integration. STA has also recently updated the policy to ensure that that the requirements are flexible and appropriate for all buildings, regardless of size and location. The policy applies to all structural timber building system members, including offsite manufacturers, fabricators, contractors and installers who work with principal contractors. Members are audited to ensure they are achieving the functional requirements of the Site Safe Policy. Both the policy and the audit process have been developed over many years to support members and provide professional building system provider services. By following the policy, members can engage with customers and enable the best project outcomes. The strategy creates a clear distinction in the expected health and safety processes of members and non-members within the offsite manufacturing sector. To find out how STA membership could benefit your company go to: http://www.structuraltimber.co.uk/members/benefits
