Working in collaboration with Bell Decorating Group, Crown Paints marked the launch of the first Bell Decorating Academy in Lincoln with a morning of workshops for the students of Lincoln College. The workshops were hosted in the recently-opened Decorating Academy, which was created by Bell Decorating Group in partnership with
Ibstock Brick has been shortlisted for The Inspire Awards which celebrate diversity and inclusion in the construction, engineering and housing sectors in the UK. The leading brick manufacturer, part of Ibstock plc, has been named as a finalist in the Most Inspiring Apprenticeship Programme category. Ibstock Brick offers two engineering
Waterloo Air Products plc is investing in an 18-month professional development programme for a group of employees from all disciplines within the company. Run in conjunction with Accelerator Solutions, the initiative is designed specifically to develop the skill sets that Waterloo will require as it continues to expand, creating a
Four new appointments have taken place at This Land™, who appointed established property leaders as Non-Executive Directors. Susan Freeman, David Meek, Jeremy Miller and Richard Steer join the company with significant experience in various aspects of the property industry. Susan Freeman is one of the UK’s foremost property lawyers, with
The industry’s first property management franchising scheme, SDL Property Partners, refreshes its offering for Spring 2019, making it even easier to join. Training has been given a revamp, giving its franchisees more control by providing different training routes that are applicable to either property managers and non-property managers. As well
A new state of the art training centre will be built by McLaren Construction for Leicester City as part of a major deal between the two. “We are very excited to work on this prestigious project. It’s a wonderful opportunity to partner with Leicester City to create a facility that
20 construction and trade students have been welcomed by Stepnell to a number of high-profile building sites across Leicester. There they were offered hands-on work experience on five major projects within the commercial, conservation, education and health sectors. The students took part in up to 60 days of work in their field
Sika-Trocal, part of the Sika Group, has appointed a new Area Technical Manager, strengthening its Midlands team by doing so. Donna Owen joins the company from Building Innovation where she held the position as Key Account Management for roofing and tapered insulation. Sika-Trocal provides flat roofing membranes that are suitable
Getting paid to learn, the prospect of a secure job and not graduating with a large debt are just three of the reasons which led James McCall-Smith to an apprenticeship in plumbing. Award-winning apprentice James is joining forces with WaterSafe, the UK register of approved plumbers, to promote Modern Apprenticeships
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
Working in collaboration with Bell Decorating Group, Crown Paints marked the launch of the first Bell Decorating Academy in Lincoln with a morning of workshops for the students of Lincoln College. The workshops were hosted in the recently-opened Decorating Academy, which was created by Bell Decorating Group in partnership with Crown Paints, and took place on 3rd April 2019 at Lincoln College. Representatives from Bell Decorating Group and Crown Paints were on hand to answer any questions the students had. Alongside Bell Decorating Group CEO, Craig Bell, Crown’s contractor/specification sales manager for the central east region, Paul Burton, and Dave Hooper, regional sales manager central east attended the full session. As part of the event, 27 full-time learners from the college’s painting and decorating courses had the opportunity to learn more about how to choose colour and the factors that play into it from Crown Paints’ colour consultant Jemma Saunders. Apprentice Decorator of the Year judge Kevin O’Donnell was also on hand to provide a demonstration of paint application, showing the benefits of Crown Trade primers, the Fastflow system and Clean Extreme and provided hints and tips. Crown also donated products for the students to practice with after. Paul Wilcockson, lecturer at Lincoln College, said: “The session gave our learners a real insight into what painting and decorating is all about in the real world. The event created a real impression upon them afterwards, and our full-time learners seemed to be very motivated and keen to progress with their tasks following the workshops.” Crown Paints’ colour consultant, Jemma, said: “We are delighted to be supporting the Bell Decorating Academy at Lincoln College, and I very much enjoyed meeting the students and encouraging them to think about how to apply their knowledge of colour to real-world situations where they might be called on to advise their clients.” Bell Decorating Group’s Les Birtles, community engagement co-ordinator said: “The Bell Decorating Academy at Lincoln College is designed to support the painting and decorating students to gain valuable knowledge and fantastic work experience placements. It’s great to work collaboratively with Crown Paints again to give the students valuable knowledge and the hands-on nature of the morning helped them to improve their skills and their employability.” For more information on Crown Paints’ specification services, please call 0330 024 0310, email info@crownpaintspec.co.uk or visit www.crownpaintspec.co.uk. You can also follow @CrownTradePaint on Twitter and Crown Paints on LinkedIn.
Ibstock Brick has been shortlisted for The Inspire Awards which celebrate diversity and inclusion in the construction, engineering and housing sectors in the UK. The leading brick manufacturer, part of Ibstock plc, has been named as a finalist in the Most Inspiring Apprenticeship Programme category. Ibstock Brick offers two engineering apprenticeship programmes, both four years in duration; Advanced Mechanical Engineering and Advanced Electrical Engineering. There are currently 35 apprentices within the business, ranging from 16 to 25 years old, including two female engineering apprentices. One of these is Courtney Scarlett, a Dual Engineering Apprentice. She says: “I wanted to do something where I could use my practical skills rather than just learning about the theory behind it. An engineering apprenticeship allows me to do exactly that. Women are still a minority in engineering, and this is why I love working in an engineering team and showing other people that women can also be successful in a male-dominated field.” Paula Wardle, Group Learning & Development Manager at Ibstock plc, commented: “We are delighted that Ibstock Brick has been shortlisted for the Most Inspiring Apprenticeship Programme. It recognises the investment we have made in developing a comprehensive programme focussed on delivering world-class engineering skills and knowledge. As a building products manufacturer, our apprentice population currently reflects the traditional nature of the industry, yet we are working hard to encourage a more diverse range of apprenticeship applications, and are proud of the steps we are taking. “Our apprenticeship scheme has gone from strength to strength, and ensures that we create a pool of engineering and technical specialists who will help drive forward innovation and manufacturing excellence. It is only by nurturing our future talent that we will have people with the technical expertise and skills to manufacture our products for years to come.” The winners of The Inspire Awards will be announced on June 5th at The Hilton, Deansgate in Manchester.
Waterloo Air Products plc is investing in an 18-month professional development programme for a group of employees from all disciplines within the company. Run in conjunction with Accelerator Solutions, the initiative is designed specifically to develop the skill sets that Waterloo will require as it continues to expand, creating a group that is ready for the future challenges the business will face. The participants were selected on the basis of an initial assessment as to suitability, aptitude and potential to benefit from the programme. The content is broad-based, from analytical skills and the application of technology, through to emotional intelligence and communication. The benefits will not just be for the business. The goal is to increase employee satisfaction and generate a positive impact on customer service. Managing Director at Waterloo, John Tiernan, says: “Customer service is the main focus for Waterloo as we move forward. We know that the key factor in delivering exceptional customer service is having experienced and happy employees. This course is designed to really support and challenge our people to help drive innovative customer solutions into the future.” Heidi Daniell, Director of the providers of the training programme, Accelerator Solutions, adds: “It’s fantastic to be working with Waterloo Air Products. We aim to not only benefit Waterloo’s employees but positively impact the organisation. Accelerator delivers high-impact training and development programmes to clients in a range of sectors. We’ve found that these programmes really help organisations to strengthen skill sets, and build a culture based on shared vision and values with team members at all levels as well as customers and stakeholders.”
Four new appointments have taken place at This Land™, who appointed established property leaders as Non-Executive Directors. Susan Freeman, David Meek, Jeremy Miller and Richard Steer join the company with significant experience in various aspects of the property industry. Susan Freeman is one of the UK’s foremost property lawyers, with a wealth of knowledge and influence in the real estate sector as recognised by her ranking as “The Woman Who Knows Everyone” in Bisnow’s ‘The 51 Most Influential Women in UK Real Estate’. Susan’s breadth of experience and extensive property industry network will be a welcome asset for This Land™. She joins as a Non-Executive Director by David Meek who holds over 30 years of senior executive and board experience in Tier 1 global financial institutions, real estate and technology companies, such as JP Morgan and Citi, currently serving as a Non-Executive Director in the Middle East on the Board of one of the region’s leading retail banks and asset managers. Led by Chairman Steven Norris, This Land’s™ Board will also be bolstered by the appointment of Jeremy Miller and Richard Steer. Jeremy has served as Non-Executive Director and Chairman for a raft of innovative businesses related to property and finance, including Countryside Properties and Centerview Partners, whilst acting as a trusted advisor to many FTSE100/250 companies. Richard Steer is renowned for having spearheaded the growth of property consultancy, Gleeds, into a major global brand, increasing UK turnover more than six-fold in the process. Richard was recognised in 2017 as Building Magazine’s Personality of the Year. “I am both delighted and incredibly excited that This Land™ has secured the services of such an established group of industry leaders as we continue to grow and develop the business. Susan, David, Jeremy and Richard are all towering figures in their respective fields, bringing a breadth of top–level experience and their own invaluable specialist insights to support This Land’s™ growth ambitions,” commented David Gelling, Managing Director of This Land™. “As Managing Director it will be of immense value to me to be able to call on such a high level of expertise to the business as we forge an exciting future for the company. We believe in long term value and seek to fulfil our mission to deliver new homes and neighbourhoods that will reinvigorate the quality and reputation of UK housebuilding,” he added.
The industry’s first property management franchising scheme, SDL Property Partners, refreshes its offering for Spring 2019, making it even easier to join. Training has been given a revamp, giving its franchisees more control by providing different training routes that are applicable to either property managers and non-property managers. As well as training on industry related matters, SDL Property Partners will be training its franchises on its company values. All of this will be delivered at an even lower cost to its franchisees. In addition to this, franchisees now have the opportunity to choose their own area without the restriction of territories. This comes as the scheme is going from strength-to-strength and currently has 17 franchise territories, with 3000 units under its management throughout the network. With its ongoing support from SDL Property Partners, franchisees are seeing their businesses blossom, with two franchises securing in excess of 700 units within the last 12 months and another having over 1000 units. Furthermore, only a year into the new venture, SDL Property Partners was shortlisted as Innovator of the Year at the Property Week Management All Star Awards 2018. With all this achieved in a mere 18 months, there is certainly a promising future for the company that is passionate about revolutionising the customer’s experience of property services. Chris Summers, head of franchising at SDL Group comments: “We are over the moon with how the business is growing and how it has given our partners the opportunity to develop their own businesses. As a result, we are in the position to be able to provide this offering to more people. “This proposition does not cost as much as you think and with some of our franchisees earning over £100,000, there couldn’t be a better time to become an SDL Property Partner.” To find out more on becoming an SDL Property Partner, please visit – http://bit.do/SDLPropertyPartnersSpring2019 www.sdlpropertypartners.co.uk
A new state of the art training centre will be built by McLaren Construction for Leicester City as part of a major deal between the two. “We are very excited to work on this prestigious project. It’s a wonderful opportunity to partner with Leicester City to create a facility that will help to shape the next generation of top sportsmen and women – for the club and for the sport. We bring our considerable experience in sports and leisure facilities to the project, as well as our reputation for quality and timely delivery,” said Kevin Taylor, Chairman of McLaren Group. The training centre will host new facilities for the Premier League football team, including 11 full-size outdoor pitches, eight smaller pitches, five training grids and two goalkeeping areas. The indoor facilities include 35 bedrooms, a hydrotherapy pool, rehabilitation facilities and dining areas for the club’s academy and first team, as well as administration offices and a media centre. A full-size indoor artificial pitch will also be located next to the main building. Furtmermore, the development contains a sports turf academy which will be used to train the next generation of grounds-people, and a 499-seat mini-venue show pitch, so that the under-23 and under-18 teams can experience a match environment. Principal contractor McLaren will complete the project, which is scheduled for completion in mid 2020, on the grounds of the former Park Hill Golf and Fishing Centre at Charnwood, supporting biodiversity with the delivery of 17 new ponds and 38,000 new trees.
20 construction and trade students have been welcomed by Stepnell to a number of high-profile building sites across Leicester. There they were offered hands-on work experience on five major projects within the commercial, conservation, education and health sectors. The students took part in up to 60 days of work in their field of choice over the last three months. The sites they worked on included St Martins Lodge, Percy Gee Building students’ union, Friars Mill commercial offices, De Montfort Mews student accommodation and Langwith Medical Centre. The scheme was delivered in partnership with Leicester Employment Hub and Leicester College “We have been working closely with Leicester Employment Hub to identify suitable placement opportunities for students looking to build a career in construction and enhance their knowledge. Thanks to our expertise across different sectors, we have been able to offer valuable placements on projects that will have a lasting impact on local people.Tom Sewell regional director from Stepnell said: “The site teams have really enjoyed coaching the students and their enthusiasm to learn and ask questions has meant that they have made the most of the time with our employees. “Investing in the communities we work within and the future generation of the workforce is something we’re really passionate about at Stepnell and we look forward to securing more work experience opportunities for young people in the future.”
Sika-Trocal, part of the Sika Group, has appointed a new Area Technical Manager, strengthening its Midlands team by doing so. Donna Owen joins the company from Building Innovation where she held the position as Key Account Management for roofing and tapered insulation. Sika-Trocal provides flat roofing membranes that are suitable for a wide range of applications including new build, refurbishment, solar and green roof specifications. “This is an extremely exciting opportunity for me. Sika-Trocal is a leading light in the roofing industry and renowned as an innovator of high-quality solutions. I hope my experience will prove beneficial and further the company’s superb service offering,” said Donna. She will lean on over 20 years’ construction-based sales and development experience in the new role, working with Area Technical Managers and the applications team. “The chance to work for such a high-profile employer as Sika proved too great to resist. It offers a huge, but very rewarding challenge. I’m looking forward to meeting my new colleagues and taking this next valuable step in my career. I’m particularly excited about being involved with the Bombardier and Rock Roofing projects and hope to hit the ground running,” Donna said. “Forging excellent account relationships and possessing good industry knowledge are traits I like to think have helped me progress in my chosen field. It sounds old-fashioned, but I truly believe success is built on hard work and a willingness to learn,” she added.
Getting paid to learn, the prospect of a secure job and not graduating with a large debt are just three of the reasons which led James McCall-Smith to an apprenticeship in plumbing. Award-winning apprentice James is joining forces with WaterSafe, the UK register of approved plumbers, to promote Modern Apprenticeships during National Apprenticeship Week, from March 4 to 8. James says: “I’m in my fourth and final year of my apprenticeship, which I’m spending on the tools with my employer Derek Scott Plumbing & Heating. The first three years were a combination of college study and work-based training – the mix works well and kept me engaged and motivated – although I prefer tools to textbooks! “Getting paid to learn is a huge plus for me – you don’t finish your training with a large debt. A good employer will look after you and often give you a job at the end of your apprenticeship. It gives you a sense of security.” James says he loves the broad variety of work in plumbing but was never tempted by the fast-track courses: “There’s no substitute for proper training and you won’t gain the right qualifications without it. What you learn on the job you won’t always find in a textbook.” James, who was crowned champion of the plumbing competition SkillPLUMB at WorldSkills UK Live last year, is completing his apprenticeship with a WaterSafe-approved business. He says: “Having WaterSafe approval reassures your customers – after all, people’s health can be at stake so it’s important to be fully qualified and registered.” WaterSafe advises future plumbers in England to avoid fast-track courses and work towards the new apprenticeships developed for plumbing and domestic heating which automatically lead to a level 3 qualification. By choosing an apprenticeship with a recognised training provider, future plumbers will: combine practical hands-on experience with their studies receive a regular salary with a contract of employment and holiday leave steer clear of rogue trainers and fast-track courses gain industry-approved qualifications. And James’ advice for young people considering an apprenticeship in plumbing? “Get your CV out there and don’t be afraid to approach people directly – be proactive and enthusiastic, take the initiative. I did lots of research online and got to know all about the local companies.” To find out more about training to be a plumber and for the qualifications you need to become WaterSafe approved visit watersafe.org.uk/becomeaplumber. For more information on apprenticeships visit gov.uk/topic/further-education-skills/apprenticeships. For information on apprenticeships in Scotland visit the SNIPEF website at becomeaplumber.com/apprenticeshipsscotland, for Northern Ireland visit nidirect.gov.uk/campaigns/apprenticeships and for Wales visit www.careerswales.com.
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.
