Spec Finish

Apprentices 20 www.thefis.org them confidence that the Errigal apprentice has been conditioned and prepared for site. A good working environment creates a good first impression for an apprentice, a clean safe working environment with good welfare facilities goes a long way to creating a good working environment. It’s very important for any apprentices under the age of 18 to be made fully aware of the young person’s Risk Assessments and Method Statements they have to sign up to so that they don’t view it in a negative light but rather, a way of preparing them to be able to deal with the site banter that takes place. How much time do you spend with each apprentice and what do you cover? On average, we have 10 apprentices per intake. In year one they spend 14 weeks in the academy and 34 weeks on site. In year two they spend six weeks in academy and 42 weeks on site. A typical 40-hour week in academy, is half on tools and skills and half in the classroom teaching the technical elements; IT, reading drawings, understanding products, systems and performance. Every apprentice spends the first three weeks in the academy before going to site. Additional hours include one-to-one conversations and phone calls with the apprentices when they are out on site. Apprentices all keep a daily diary of the work they are completing which is signed off by the site manager each week to ensure they are getting the right mix of work. We put a lot of effort into coaching our apprentices in social skills, including communication, budget management, cooking, cleaning, respecting others, general good manners and having self-belief. The schedule for the two-year programme is drawn up at the start of each new intake and the apprentices know what to expect and what is expected of them for the duration. We deliver the training diploma in year one and the NVQ in year two. Along with the delivery of the syllabus, we also include visits to the GypsumTraining Academy, skills days in the academy, and year one and year two inhouse skills tests. We are very active in the participation of the SkillBuild andWorldSkills competitions and have recently had success. We have a follow-on training programme for all apprentices for a further two years after they qualify where we focus on furthering their knowledge and skills of the trade; setting out, logistics and managing operatives. This provides those who want to progress into a management role get a deeper understanding of what’s involved. It is essential that we invest time and energy in them, so we spend a lot of time every day with our apprentices, they’re our employees and we are training them to be the workforce of the future. What advice do you have for FIS members who are considering delivering their own training, and what was your best source of information, advice and guidance? It’s not easy, but it’s worthwhile. It will take time, patience and money. My advice is that there is no need to reinvent the wheel because the hard work is done; the platform is sitting there, the syllabus is there, it is the delivery that is the most important part and I believe that as a sector, we need to ensure that the delivery of any apprenticeship in drylining and interior systems is set out by employers and held to a specific standard. The best source of information is to speak to those who have done it and learned from it. We are more than happy to share our learning with anyone who is serious about recruiting apprentices for the progression of the finishes and interiors sector. Young people just starting out need guidance and support, the employing organisation needs commitment, energy, and enthusiasm. It must be a joint partnership between the employer and the apprentice in order to succeed. Our industry is built on people and relationships and it is our duty as successful leaders to encourage and support the leaders of the future. www.errigalcontracts.com Success! Errigal Contracts Limited apprentices were awarded gold and silver medals at WorldSkills UK in November 2019, and their drylining apprentice, Brendan Duddy, is in the UK squad for WorldSkills Shanghai 2022. (L-R) Terry McDermott (tutor), Brendan Duddy (Errigal apprentice) and CITB representative at WorldSkills UK Finals, Birmingham