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News Professional Builder
NEW BUILD STATS BOOST
NHBC STATS SHOW “NEW HOME COMPLETIONS RETURNING TO PREPANDEMIC LEVELS” IN Q2 2022
Amidst a raft of surveys and statistics highlighting the challenges facing the sector, there are perhaps some positives to be found in new data from NHBC which reveals new home completions “have returned to pre-pandemic levels as house builders demonstrate their commitment to meet the high demand for new homes”.
A total of 40,289 were completed in Q2 2022, up 16% on Q2 2021. The quarter also saw an increase in the number of new home registrations — the process by which house builders register plots they intend to build with NHBC — to 66,855, up by 45%. This uplift, says NHBC, is in part due to builders seeking to minimise the cost impact of energy efficiency regulations introduced in June.
The figures from NHBC, widely recognised as a leading indicator of house-building activity, show that 11 out of 12 UK regions saw growth in the number of new home completions. The largest increases were in the North East (1,781 in Q2 2022 vs 1,284 in Q2 2021) and East Midlands (4,117 in Q2 2022 vs 3,071 in Q2 2021) whilst only Wales saw a slight decrease (1,183 in Q2 2022 vs 1,189 in Q2 2021).
Growth in new home completions was shown to be driven by the private sector with 29,963 in Q2 2022, up 23% on Q2 2021. New home completions in the affordable and build-to-rent sector were level with the same period last year at 10,326.
Steve Wood, NHBC Chief Executive, said: “Our latest figures demonstrate that output from the new homes market has made a solid return to pre-pandemic levels. At this stage we are not seeing evidence that the cost-of-living crisis or risks of recession are affecting consumer demand, whilst registration levels reinforce continued confidence within the sector.”
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION VISIT: WWW.RDR.LINK/BAK001
SAFETY AT HEIGHT
Work at height charity launches Supporter Scheme
The safe working at height charity, the No Falls Foundation has launched its first Supporter Scheme. Designed to allow companies to demonstrate their support for the aims and objectives of the charity, the scheme offers membership in four distinct categories. Depending on the category selected – from Bronze to Platinum –supporters can benefit from the use of the Foundation’s logo, share in the charity’s marketing activities and connect with the Foundation’s initiatives and campaigns.
FOR MORE DETAILS ABOUT THE
SUPPORTER SCHEME VISIT: WWW.RDR.LINK/BAK002
© auremar/Adobe Stock SET IN TRAIN A new pilot will improve access to training for smaller firms CITB has announced an investment of more than £800,000 in a new employer network pilot project. While the pilot is open to businesses of all sizes, there is a primary aim to simplify the process for small and micro businesses. Through the support of established and experienced delivery partners, the pilot enables employers to recognise their training priorities and receive guidance on how best to find and fund the training most appropriate to them.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ON THE PILOT AND ITS ASSOCIATED AREAS, VISIT WWW.RDR.LINK/BAK003
ARMD DETERRENT
ARMD encourages the trades to ‘Stick One Up’ to tool theft
The tech and smart insurance platform, ARMD is encouraging the trades to #StickOneUpToToolTheft in a new social media campaign. Tradespeople can take part by registering a FREE ARMD account so they can start logging their tools. They will get an ARMD sticker in the post and if they display the sticker on their van and share it on social media, tagging two friends, and including the #StickOneUpToToolTheft, #ProtectYourTools and #getARMD hashtags, they get another £20 store credit to spend on tools.
TO CLAIM YOUR FREE STICKER AND GET INVOLVED IN
THE CAMPAIGN, REGISTER FOR ARMD AND YOUR STICKER HERE: WWW.RDR.LINK/BAK004
News Professional Builder email your news to us at pb@hamerville.co.uk Tel 01923 237799
SAFE DIGGING
Power company launches new way to help keep builders safe around live cables
The UK’s biggest electricity distributor has unveiled its DigSafe device, a new learning tool designed to reduce accidents where builders come into contact with electrical cables.
UK Power Networks has produced a special cable strike set, using a shovel that was previously involved in a real-life incident, which lights up and creates a realistic bang when an exposed mock cable is hit. Builders are urged to request cable plans in advance when carrying out work and these can be obtained via the UK Power Networks website:
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT VISIT: WWW.RDR.LINK/BAK005
SHINING A LIGHT
Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity 2021 Impact Report shows 95% increase in charitable giving
The report details who the charity has helped and how it supports the construction community. It reveals an increase of 23% in the number of our workforce seeking support whilst 47% of those calls were for immediate financial support. 1,787 cases needed intensive caseworker intervention, an increase of 10% on the previous year. 31% of workers contacting the helpline mentioned a mental health problem.
IF YOU OR ANYONE YOU KNOW IS
STRUGGLING, YOU CAN REACH OUT FOR 24/7 FREE AND CONFIDENTIAL SUPPORT BY VISITING: WWW.RDR.LINK/BAK006
Plasterboard production
Etex reports it is set to double the plasterboard production capacity of its Bristol plant upon the opening of its new factory in 2023, with work “well underway” at the new 57,000m2 Siniat facility.
Neil Shaw, Country Manager (UK & Ireland) at Etex said: “The extension of our Bristol facility will significantly increase our production capacity in the UK, at a time when our plasterboard solutions are in high demand which is currently outstripping industry supply availability.
“We’re extremely confident that the underlying upward trend in demand for our product will continue, so being able to produce and supply it in significantly larger quantities will be crucial, not only to the growth of our business but also in supporting the wider construction industry’s growth challenges.”
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT VISIT: WWW.RDR.LINK/BAK007
HOT PROPERTY
New Rightmove research reveals underfloor heating as a top five priority for homeowners
Underfloor heating has grown in popularity by 114% amongst homeowners according to data from Rightmove. Not only is UFH much more energy efficient – affording significant savings on energy bills – but up to 15% more usable floor space can be gained by removing radiators. “Insulation aside, underfloor heating is one of the best things you can do to improve heating at home during retrofitting,” explains Sam Jump, Product Manager, Wunda Group PLC, the developers of Wundatherm underfloor heating system.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT VISIT: WWW.RDR.LINK/BAK008
BAND AID
Wavin bands together on charity project to support tradesman
The plumbing and drainage manufacturer recently supported Band of Builders on a project to help Kyle O’Connor – a multi-skiller from Hereford who had previously worked with the charity as a volunteer and received a cancer diagnosis part-way through an extension on his family home. Band of Builders and its team of volunteers stepped in to complete the work, with Wavin providing all drainage products, including those needed for a wetroom conversion.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON BAND OF BUILDERS, VISIT: WWW.RDR.LINK/BAK009 OR, TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT WAVIN’S PRODUCTS AND SERVICES, VISIT: WWW.RDR.LINK/BAK010
WIELDING THE TAX
© Olivier Le Moal/Adobe Stock
Latest self-employed tax figures suggest construction sector is rebounding strongly
New data linked to the tax bills of self-employed construction workers suggests the sector is on track to return to pre-pandemic levels of activity. Tax rebate firm Brian Alfred, which specialises in looking after workers who are Construction Industry Scheme (CIS) registered, has revealed that initial figures indicate self-employed construction rebates are around 17 per cent higher than pre-pandemic, with their average client looking set to receive a tax rebate of more than £1,600 from the current tax year. That's an increase from an average rebate of £1,370 in 2021.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT VISIT: WWW.RDR.LINK/BAK011
CUSTOM DICTATES
Ford Transit Custom is the most popular used vehicle of 2022
Vehicle expert, heycar has revealed that its most popular used model this year isn’t a car –it’s a van. The online used car marketplace has seen a 26.8% increase in demand for the Ford Transit Custom in 2022 compared to the same period last year, while overall there has been a 60.8% increase in demand for vans in the second quarter of 2022 compared to the second quarter of 2021.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT VISIT: WWW.RDR.LINK/BAK012
THE BEST OF THAMES
WernerCo donates charity Thames river cruise to Barnardo’s children
As part of a partnership with Barnardo’s charity, WernerCo provided children and families from across London with a day out on a Thames riverboat cruise. 125 children and adults who use Barnardo’s services – including those with caring responsibilities, young people in the process of leaving social care, young people with disabilities and those who are supported by Barnardo’s mental health services – were amongst the attendees.
TO FIND ABOUT MORE WERNERCO, VISIT: WWW.RDR.LINK/BAK013
© Studio Romantic/Adobe Stock
THE BANK JOB
It's time to address those banking disputes
Construction businesses in the UK only have until 14th February 2023 to register unresolved historical banking complaints with the Business Banking Resolution Service. The BBRS is urging small and mid-sized businesses (SMEs) with historical banking disputes to see if they can apply for support using their quick online tool. Eligible businesses could benefit from free and impartial alternative dispute resolution.
FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT: WWW.RDR.LINK/BAK014
PLAN AHEAD
A national plan on asbestos is urgently required
The British Occupational Hygiene Society (BOHS), a leading scientific charity and the Chartered Society for Worker Health Protection, together with the Faculty of Asbestos Assessment and Management (FAAM), has called upon government to commit to a proper national plan on asbestos. This follows HSE statistics released this month that reveal asbestosis, mesothelioma, asbestos related lung cancer and non-malignant pleural disease in Great Britain are increasing, with an increase in asbestos deaths to over 5,000 each year.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION VISIT: WWW.RDR.LINK/BAK015
IN THE FUTURE
NHBC Foundation seeks to unlock full potential of the Future Homes Standard
The NHBC Foundation has published a new document that gives advice and guidance to housebuilders on unlocking the full potential of the Future Homes Standard. The report considers the challenges that may arise from energy saving measures in new homes and how these could be overcome.
TO ACCESS THE FULL REPORT, VISIT: WWW.RDR.LINK/BAK016
The William Morris Craft Fellows (LtoR) lime plasterer, Daahir Mohamed, joiner and rope access technician, Steve Hogarth, carpenter and joiner, David McFerran and shingle maker and signwriter, Owen Bushell.
CONSERVATION PIECE
What’s the appeal of working on old buildings and what can the use of traditional building techniques and materials teach the sector today? Professional Builder’s Lee Jones talks to four craftsmen who are committed to conservation.
In order to secure the future of our nation’s period properties and listed buildings for posterity we need individuals with the skills to repair and conserve them – and there is an organisation that is dedicated to realising that ambition. The Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings’ William Morris Craft Fellowship is a unique educational initiative that offers four tradespeople an unrivalled insight into our built environment heritage. Over the course of a year their grand tour will see them take on the role of itinerant builders, travelling the country and engaging with numerous projects and professionals. We caught up with the Fellows at the SPAB working party in Boxley Abbey, Kent.
County Down-based self-employed carpenter and joiner, David McFerran is relatively new to old buildings, with around three years of experience, but has already developed a passion for the sector. “I’ve been on the tools for more than twenty years but lockdown gave me the time to reflect and pursue a different path – and that’s when I moved into heritage work. It’s inherently more rewarding to save something for the future. I’ve helped conserve historic monuments in Ireland that I visited myself as a child and that my own young daughter is now experiencing for the first time. It is that bequeathing to future generations that elevates the work.”
David also feels a real connection to the past masters of his trade: “There is a rich history to carpentry and joinery. You’re putting your hand to a structure where some 100 or 200 years previous a carpenter did just the same thing. That’s why everyone involved in period property repair has huge respect for their forbears. They completed high quality work with none of the modern tools we take for granted, and often had to improvise the equipment needed for the job.”
Commited participants
As rewarding as it is, The William Morris Craft Fellowship is a big commitment for anyone who earns their living in the trades. SPAB offers a bursary to cover costs – and all four of this year’s intake have secured a grant from the York Consortium for Conservation and Craftmanship – but there’s an inevitable
loss of earnings, not to mention time away from friends and family. The programme demands dedication and a level of sacrifice from its participants –but there are equally real benefits.
“We get to meet so many people as we move from site to site, and it’s an excellent networking opportunity,” explains Owen Bushell, a Highland-based shingle maker and signwriter. “There’s a swathe of former Fellows and SPAB scholars who take us in, and we are introduced to a huge range of skills. The experience is as close to the German ‘Zimmerman’ wanderjahre concept –where a carpenter will travel plying their trade for several years in their black hat and traditional costume – as you can get in the UK.”
It is from these diverse encounters that the four have their own approaches to conservation challenged and the course of their future direction determined, as Steve Hogarth a joiner and rope access technician from Derbyshire explains: “What the Fellowship reveals is a hugely varied range of approaches to conservation, where some might advocate for more or less intervention, for instance, and it ultimately comes down to what’s right for a specific building. It’s taught me to be a lot more pragmatic in my attitude to a project.”
“Conservation and the SPAB values ask you to change your relationship with buildings and the way they work. We are used to having flat walls and floor joists having a stated strength, but that’s not the case with older structures. It’s about education and changing mindsets.”
Inspiration
Whilst undertaking the Fellowship, Bristolbased, lime plasterer Daahir Mohamed, has been inspired by working with Master Plasterer Philip Gaches, as well as clay plastering. “I’ve worked on listed buildings with lime for some time now, but the Fellowship has already provided me with a wealth of technical support that I can draw upon to take on different projects in the future. One of the first things we did was a hot lime mix, where we’re making the material on site, and that’s something I’ve already taken back to my own jobs in Bristol.”
Somali-born Daahir was motivated to pursue a building career utilising these more traditional materials by his formative years in his African homeland. “I was helping to clay plaster huts in our village at the age of 7 or 8,” he reveals, “and it’s only recently that I’ve realised that my enthusiasm for building conservation is rooted in those memories. In this country we are at a point where more and more people are asking for lime plasterers to work on their homes, because it has real benefits over gypsum, and is a more sustainable alternative. I am very interested in how conservation and traditional building practices can make a contribution to energy efficiency, for example.”
Indeed, the Fellows are united in their belief that the modern building industry has a lot to learn from a more traditional approach. “There’s so much embodied wisdom in old buildings,” concludes Owen. “They were using local materials, that have proven to last much longer, and endow a community with a specific vernacular. It’s essential that we apply that ethos to construction in the modern world.”
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ON THE SOCIETY FOR THE PROTECTION OF ANCIENT BUILDINGS (SPAB) WILLIAM MORRIS CRAFT FELLOWSHIP VISIT WWW.RDR.LINK/BAK017
INVENTORS’CORNER
ON THE SOAPBOX
With his Corner Trowel and Silicone Soap, Karl Dorn is awash with new ideas. Professional Builder’s Lee Jones talks to the plasterer about his new inventions.
Lockdown gave many of us the opportunity for thinking time, and for experienced plasterer, Karl Dorn it was the chance to pursue not one but two of his designs for time saving tools. The story of their development is a testament to the problem-solving ingenuity that is a tradesman’s daily lot.
“I’m a plasterer by profession but when you find yourself dabbling in different trades you tend to instinctively transfer the skills and knowledge that you’ve already accrued over many years,” explains the Essex-based spreader. “My father taught me how to run cornices in situ, for instance – by throwing the plaster up and running a prefabricated mould along it to cut the pattern out. My device for silicone beading is effectively a variation on the same theme.”
The Silicone Soap will deliver a perfect and consistent bead every time – even in corners. “It’s fast, flawless in the finish and designed to fit comfortably in the palm of your hand,” continues Karl. “In fact, I’m already talking to sealant manufacturers and they’re looking at supplying it with tubes of their products.”
The name is in honour of the obvious resemblance to a humble bar of soap, and Karl is convinced it can provide a clean result in any scenario: “It’s simply a matter of applying the sealant from a gun, and then running the Silicone Soap along it. It can easily work behind taps and will provide the same quality result even when going over areas where grout lines for tiles are evidence –where you will invariably find dents in the bead. The nozzle of the sealant gun can also be inserted into the Silicone Soap’s holes in order to gun the sealant and then run it with the same action. I’ve seen some very expensive bathrooms that have been really let done by the silicone but with my product it doesn’t have to be that way.”
Proven concept
Karl is in possession of his own 3D printer on which he fashioned some early prototypes, and has subsequently perfected the design and tested its effectiveness on his own jobs, but the concept has largely stayed true to the original. As a result, he’s been able to move quickly from drawing board to professionally manufactured and packaged product, and the Silicone Soap is now available to buy – but his interest in new innovations doesn’t stop there.
In keeping with the simplicity of his solutions the Corner Trowel is a skimming tool for use on 90° corners. “During the pandemic I knocked one up for my own use and, having shown it to a few people on site, ended up hand-making and selling around 150 of them,” recalls Karl. “That’s what convinced me there was a market for the tool and I’ve since engaged a manufacturer to produce them in greater quantities.”
Karl can already point to a long history in product development. He has a Bladefixer plasterboard fixing that is now available in a leading retail stockist to his name, for example, as well as a device for turning household appliances off stand-by to save energy.
“For a tradesman finding a solution to a problem is part of the job, and I do have the kind of mind that is always thinking of better ways to do things,” confesses the 54 year old. “That’s where the inspiration for the Silicone Soap and Corner Trowel come from – and I’m sure there will be more to come!”
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ON THE DEADSQUARE SILICONE SOAP AND CORNER TROWEL VISIT WWW.RDR.LINK/BAK018
The day-to-day frustrations of working as a tradesperson within our major towns and cities has never been more apparent but one man might just have found the answer to all those punitive congestion charges, low emission zones and exorbitant parking fees. We find out more from Aaron Fleming-Saheed, whose Cycling Sparks business could now inspire others to follow in his two wheel tyre tracks.
JUST LIKE RIDING A BIKE!
QTell us more about your
background and motivation behind the decision to launch your company, Cycling Sparks?
Aaron Fleming-Saheed (AFS) As far as my professional electrical career is concerned, I’ve had a varied experience so far. I’ve worked for a big national, moving on to a small local firm using vans after that. I was then employed on large sites for a few years before eventually going out on my own.
At one point I was working for a firm on a big site in SW London that was particularly difficult to get to from the south-east. I’d recently been diagnosed with a heart condition and a friend suggested getting a bike to do the commute. I was 34 at the time and hadn’t ridden a bike since I was a kid.
I’ll admit I was a bit nervous at the start but after a day of riding, that was it! I carried on cycling to work with my tools on my back and came up with the name of the business during one of my commutes. With London’s roads becoming more congested and polluted, it was a no-brainer for me to continue cycling to work when I decided to go it alone and start my own company. Q How have you found the work-
related practicalities (such as transporting materials to/from locations) of making the switch from your previous method of work transportation?
AFS When I started out on my own in 2017 ownership and use of the eCargo bike wasn’t massive and it was (and still is) a very expensive purchase, so that wasn’t an option at the time. My original bike was nothing fancy (I still have it) so I had to make things work.
How to cope with a bit of 2 metre trunking? Use bungee cord at the back and front. How about a drum of cable? Stick it in a pannier bag along with accessories. All the while my key tools and drills were transported in my trusty backpack.
Clearly each daily job now required more thinking and planning in terms of the materials that were actually needed, and this was a real change from most companies I’d worked for previously. The main question we often get asked is how we transport ladders and heavier items. We’re lucky to have use of some great cycle logistics firms in London who will deliver ladders and any items 3 metres and above, as and when I need them. There is a premium for this service but it closes the loop and means we’re not tied to vans or adding to pollution levels where we live and operate.
By 2019, I’d eventually got enough funding together to purchase an eCargo bike that would fit in the storage area in the flats where I live. That investment opened up so many more doors for me. I could now go further to jobs and carry more than before, which meant I could offer more services.
QHow have things been going for
the business in general?
AFS Good! It’s been a lot of fun. I’ve done
everything incrementally over the past five years and it’s taken a lot of trial and error to see what works well and what doesn’t. By September 2021 I’d decided there was enough demand and wanted to push things further with the business so I ordered five large eCargo bikes which we received earlier this year. As a result, we’ve been able to broaden our scope of activities even further and I’ve started taking people on.
QWhat have been the most significant challenges
(business or otherwise) you’ve faced since launching Cycling Sparks?
AFS I guess the biggest challenge has been changing peoples’ mindsets of what you can do by bike. I got a few laughs on-site when I first started but I’ve just persevered with the idea and with events over the past few years the business has naturally come into its own.
QWhat benefits can fellow electricians experience by
making a similar switch from four wheels to two?
AFS The sheer simplicity in using a bike makes it quite a robust choice. There’s a long list of additional benefits, but I’ll begin with the one that will probably be at the top of most readers’ minds currently: Fuel. We don’t pay for it. We’re not queuing up for hours fighting to get some and we’re not beholden to the ludicrous price hikes. It means our business is a bit more stable than running a fleet of vans and the costs of servicing and ownership that also come as part of that. Parking. It’s a nightmare in London at the best of times. We can pretty much go to a job anywhere we want without having to worry about finding a spot or paying for it. Time. I used to spend hours in traffic when I had a vehicle. I hated it. Now I just set off when I want without having to factor in hold-ups such as school runs or roadworks. Health. When I was on a regular bike I lost a lot of weight pretty quickly. My commute wasn’t massive – I think it was 13 miles both ways. Admittedly since using eCargo bikes some of the weight has come back on but you still get a decent work out. Environment. I hope the recent heatwave has made it clear just how important climate change is. Using bikes minimises your carbon footprint drastically. You also have to ask how sustainable is it going to be to continue to use a van in built-up areas if things keep going the way they are? Sparks are a pretty bright bunch (well, some anyway) and we should be leading the way in how we’re going to deal with climate change in the trades.
QWhat do you hope to achieve through Cycling Sparks in
the future?
AFS Personally, I hope to take my business as far as I possibly can by continuing to grow it and moving into other sectors. But on a larger scale, as we take on new recruits, and expand further, I hope to effect change in the way things are done in cities and to make things better for the environment.
TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT CYCLING SPARKS VISIT WWW.RDR.LINK/BAK019
MASTER AND APPRENTICE
One of the Federation of Master Builders most active campaigns is in tackling what is now recognised as a skills crisis. Professional Builder’s Lee Jones talks to Kisiel Group’s Annie Summun about what both the London-based contractor and the trade body are doing to address the problem.
Training has always been my passion,” declares Annie, “and the construction industry skills crisis has made it such a crucial issue.” That commitment to the cause is underscored by multiple roles as an FMB Director, Chair of the Organisation’s Training Group and Chair of a Trailblazer Group for a new General Builder apprenticeship standard. As well as that, as Director of Public Affairs at Kisiel Group, Annie is part of a team with a worthy record of nurturing the next generation.
The FMB Training Group consists of representatives from the trade body’s membership, as well as colleges, CITB and the Department for Education. It can communicate advice and support to those members, as well exploring initiatives that could encourage builders to take on young people, and make it easier for more of them to do so. Moreover, it also supports individuals in becoming ambassadors and visit schools, whilst one member recently recorded a successful video on training an apprentice.
Annie outlines some of the practical measures the group is exploring: “A common lament we hear is that it’s very difficult for a time-poor tradesperson to find an apprentice and access the grants that are available – and there is no doubt that the system need to be simplified. One of the recommendations from the group is to make liaison officers compulsory in every FE college, for example, so that they are a point of contact and support for potential employers in that area. Although the amount of money is limiting, I have direct experience of applying for the Skills & Training Fund for Kisiel Group, which exists to upskill an existing workforce, and the FMB Training Group can promote these financial aids.
“It is a fact that there is no one resource that companies who are interested in training can tap into, but we can feed back to the FMB itself and they can help signpost what’s out there and where to access it. SMEs currently train over 70 per cent of apprentices so it’s vital that we give smaller firms all the help that they need.”
In addition a Trailblazer Group is bringing a new qualification to the industry that could have real benefits for a building business: “Every FMB member I speak to is very supportive of the idea of the General Builder apprenticeship standard we’re working on,” continues Annie. “For a smaller company, having an employee who has a knowledge and understanding of two or three roles on site could be invaluable, and the current proposal is for the apprenticeship to cover the basics in bricklaying, plastering, painting & decorating and carpentry.”
So what are the reasons for where we are with the skills crisis? And what are the
Annie Summun is an FMB Director and Kisiel Group’s Director of Public Affairs
The Construction Minister with Kisiel Group trainees
underlying causes of what is fast becoming a chronic shortage of labour? “Cleary more needs to be done by both government and industry to champion construction as a viable career for ambitious young people, and the status of the sector in our education system needs to be addressed. I was told first-hand of how an FMB member was asked to promote the building industry to a group of young people in a school. He gave a really impassioned presentation, and the teacher followed it up by explaining to the audience that if they don’t work hard for their exams that’s they job they would end up with!
Image makeover
“That might be an extreme example but it’s all too symptomatic of the attitude of many of our educators. It’s about changing perceptions, with a spirit of collaboration and partnership between parents, schools, training providers, industry and Whitehall to explain the hugely diverse range of available careers. Only 2 per cent of the total number of tradespeople on site are women, for example. The only way you’ll increase that number is with inspirational female role models, whilst more work needs to be done to welcome ethnic minorities.”
In recent years, the FMB has become an enthusiastic advocate for a mandatory licencing scheme in construction. One of the consequences of such an initiative could well be to convince those with a negative impression of the industry that it actually enjoys a set of standards and a status that compares favourably with any other profession. At the same time Annie believes that more should be done to communicate just how rewarding training can be. Not only can a skilled and experienced employer have the satisfaction of passing on their knowledge to an eager learner, but there is the added reassurance for a company in instructing a staff member in the right way to work.
Encouragingly, the most recent figures for apprenticeship starts has seen an increase. Not only that but some larger companies are passing on what they have left from the Apprenticeship Levy to smaller companies. In London, for example, the London Progression Collaboration links these larger organisations with SMEs.
In order to retain its skilled staff, multiaward winning Kisiel Group is committed to upskilling its workforce. The south-east based contractor and property developer also has an active ‘Developing Talent Internship Programme’ and is currently in the process of expanding it apprenticeship numbers. It is an example that more businesses need to follow because a historically inadequate level of training is pushing us inexorably towards a tipping point.
“I do believe we’re on a cliff-edge,” concludes Annie. “23 per cent of the current workforce is over 55 – and it’s estimated that the sector will lose up to 800,00 people to retirement over the next ten-fifteen years. At the same time, we will need 266,000 new workers by 2026 just to meet our projected commitments to sustainability. If the government wants to deliver on new homes, and improvements to our existing housing stock, these are numbers that have to be improved.”
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ON SKILLS AND TRAINING INITIATIVES FROM THE FMB VISIT WWW.RDR.LINK/BAK020
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ON KISIEL GROUP VISIT WWW.RDR.LINK/BAK021
TRAINING & UPSKILLING Inside the
CONFIDENCE WITH COLOUR
In the third part of our Inside the Academy series, Professional Builder visits the Colour Studio at the Dulux Academy to learn about its Colour and Design Courses.
The Dulux Colour and Design coursesare pitched at painters and decorators, as well as interior designers, looking to upskill to provide their customers with trusted colour and design advice and expertise. Increasingly, customers seek advice from painters and decorators about colour and design as they look to incorporate more colour in their homes, making it essential for decorators to have the skills and knowledge to give expert guidance”, says Dulux Academy Skills Development Consultant, Nicola Holmes.
“Things have changed so much in the last two years, people understand the impact of colour and how it is transformative on our wellbeing, and they want to know more,” she says. “For decorating, customers want to see inside other peoples’ houses. A painter and decorator who can show project examples and why they work will allay any concerns. After all, choosing a colour or design theme is a big decision for lots of people.
This is where Dulux Academy’s Colour and Design Courses excel by helping painters and decorators to build the knowledge and confidence they need to help meet their customers’ needs.
The four courses currently available are: Understanding Colour Theory and Design; Colour Tools; Designing Beautiful Living Spaces; and Presenting Colour to Customers. They are hosted throughout the year at the Dulux Academy in Slough, plus Academy at Dulux Decorator Centre locations across the country and selected college partners.
Interactive Live Courses online
Dulux Academy also offers a series of free interactive Live Courses online, covering a range of topics designed to support you and your decorating business. They initially began to support delegates and their businesses during the pandemic and have since evolved and continue through Dulux Academy Live. The Live Courses were born during the pandemic, but their continued popularity has seen the 45minute sessions become a core part of the Colour and Design Course offering as more decorators look to upskill. They are bitesize, interactive webinars covering topics such as Colour Theory and Colour Tools. The free series of online workshops offer Q&A sessions for those keen to have a taste of the Dulux Academy experience. Nicola will also deliver Live courses on ColourFutures 2023 of the Year 2023.
Ongoing support
However, the learning and support doesn’t end at the close of a course. The Dulux Academy has built a community of alumni through its Dulux Academy Network on Facebook, exclusive to those who book and attend any Academy Courses and Live Courses, which span topics such as Spraying, Application Skills and Wallpapering to name a few. The network allows decorators to ask questions of others in the trade and receive answers or advice.
“I’ve seen so many amazing results from people who have attended the courses, with decorators putting their Colour and Design Course training on websites and van liveries to let customers know they can talk to them about colour,” continues Nicola. “The courses build confidence among decorators and allows them to put colour schemes together for their customers. It’s another level of skill that decorators can sell to their customers.”
3RD IN THE SERIES
DULUX ACADEMY SKILLS DEVELOPMENT CONSULTANT, NICOLA HOLMES: “I have worked with AkzoNobel for over 13 years, joining the Technical Advice department first. This gave me a huge amount of knowledge on product. I’ve always been a creative person and colour quickly became my passion in this role.
I moved into the Colour Studio from the Technical Advice department and then progressed to become a Commercial Designer, looking after the South of England. In this role I was lucky enough to design education spaces, as well as living spaces for people living with dementia, which is a subject I’m passionate about.”
DULUX ACADEMY’S COLOUR COURSES
Dulux Academy’s Colour and Design Courses are practical and hands-on, covering the theoretic and essential elements of colour and design.
Course name:
Understanding Colour Theory Course cost: £150+VAT Course duration: 1 day Reasons to attend: Dulux Academy’s most popular Colour and Design Course takes place over one day. It is aimed at painters and decorators, both expert and novice, and provides delegates with theoretical and practical colour knowledge.
Course name: Colour Tools Course cost: £150+VAT Course duration: 1 day Reasons to attend: This course ensures painters and decorators have all the right tools – both traditional and techbased – to do the job. Aimed at painters and decorators new to the trade, Attendees will leave with an understanding of the core tools they need to do their job to the highest standard.
Course name:
Designing Beautiful Living Spaces Course cost: £275+VAT Course duration: 2 days Reasons to attend: Designing Beautiful Living Spaces is a step outside the box and opens delegates’ eyes to a new world of colour and design. The course is aimed at painters and decorators and will arm them with the practical knowledge they need to help customers design the perfect room.
Course name:
Presenting Colour to Customers Course cost: £150+VAT Course duration: 1 day Reasons to attend: Hosted over oneday, Presenting Colour to Customers is real opportunity for decorators to up their game and showcase ‘eyeservice’ to customers. The course gives students the knowledge, theory and practical skills to talk through colour with confidence.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ON THE DULUX ACADEMY VISIT WWW.RDR.LINK/BAK022
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