Training

It is an accepted fact that people are the most important assets of any business. Machines and buildings are assets also, but it is people that put these to work and compete with them and it is people that compete with one another.

The case for training and development is straightforward.

Business is about getting results through people and that means getting the best from your people. To do this it requires continuous investment in the training and development of the personnel.

However, the average annual spend on this in the construction industry, according to some sources, is just £350 per person – equivalent to less than 10 hours per person, per year. And most of this money is spent on skills training at the coal face – certificated or evidenced-based training. e.g. a first aid certificate or a CSCS card. Very little if anything is spent upon development or behavioural-based (enhanced) training and yet this is the most vital area of all.

The leading Contractors are no longer merely seeking people with experience, they are looking for employees and supply-chain members that can combine technical expertise with good social skills and the confidence necessary to influence, engage and make an impact within a team. And we must want the same if we are to improve our own businesses.

Businesses all need to raise the bar of achievement in order to be able to compete against each other and to find an edge. In addition, businesses all need to:

• Achieve sustainable growth through innovation and improvement.
• Get ourselves closer to the requirements of our customers – the major regional and national contractors etc.
• Provide clearly defined career paths and personal development plans to make ourselves more attractive as potential employers to the brightest and best people considering careers in design, manufacturing or construction

BCSA has a programme of regional training courses and seminars exclusively for member companies, further details of these are available in the members section:

The Engineering Construction Training Board (ECITB) is the recognised training board for constructional steelwork and have a number of training centre around the UK that can provide relevant raining course for the industry.

Relevant NVQ’s:

• Fabricating Steel Structures (Plating)
• Welding (Plate)
• Constructing Capital Plant Steel Structures (Erecting) NVQ 3
• Moving Loads NVQ 3
• Non Destructive Testing
• Supporting Engineering Activities
• Constructional Steelwork Site Operations NVQ 2
• Design and Draughting
• ECITB Level 3 NVQ in Management

Note: The following links are for the member's only area:

ECITB web page
Find an approved centre
Metskill NVQs

Create a link to Metskill, ECITB Training Centre finder and include NVQ qualifications...