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BY PHIL SLINGER CAB CHIEF EXECUTIVE
We have known for some time that we are experiencing a serious skills shortage ; due to a range of factors . We have an ageing workforce which means that retirement will continue to increase in the coming years and with a poor pipeline of young people being attracted into the industry . People who do choose to come into the Industry from other industries , possibly attracted by inflated salaries , simply do not have the experience but are placed within the workforce to quickly learn , usually the good and the bad . Sadly , as salaries continue to rise to retain staff , there is little left in our competitive industry to factor in for training , or so it seems . If you ask anyone in our industry , they will rate training as a priority in their business because , quite simply , the experienced fabricator and installer can help reduce errors and it can even realise savings on projects . So , given these savings , why are we not investing in training ? I believe it comes down to companies evaluating risk and hoping that problems just do not arise .
The Council for Aluminium in Building has long recognised that as an association we need
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to support our members with up-to-date technical information and training which in turn enables a CAB member to raise their status in the industry when it comes to specifying and quoting for projects .
Since 2017 , glass , glazing or fenestration CSCS cards are only available via GQA Qualifications . With the support of the GQA , there is now a route to attaining a CAB Curtain Wall Installers CSCS Card which any installer can work towards . Furthermore , the training material can also be used by CAB members as a valuable training tool to teach the fundamentals of curtain wall systems to staff and new employees in associated roles within members businesses . The initial one-day CAB introductory course forms part
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of a mandatory module leading to the award of a newly created CAB Curtain Wall Installers CSCS Card . The cost to attend the one-day course is just £ 249 plus VAT , but CAB members will qualify for a discounted rate of £ 199 plus VAT . Training Centres will offer guidance to delegates to apply for a trainee CSCS card , temporary card or renewal card .
Questions answered for the candidate new to the Industry are , what is a ‘ Curtain Wall ’, what is its function , what should it do and how should it be constructed ? These are all questions explained by the Course in general terms . Common terminology used in describing the system and its functions are also introduced so that meaningful conversation and understanding
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can be made by candidates once the Course has been completed successfully . The Course has been designed to be a generic approach to curtain walling systems and covers the principles of construction that is common across all systems manufacturers .
For the more experienced curtain wall installer , the review of the fundamentals of the curtain wall terminology and construction are reintroduced along with the key issues of surveying , installation and fixing , interface details with other parts of the building structure are also covered to give the candidate a broad understanding of good practice . Expected levels of quality are introduced , as are potential areas of failure by way of example . The crucial implication of ‘ getting it right first time ’ is emphasised as remedial work required after completion can be both costly and difficult to achieve .
Once the One-Day Introductory Course has been successfully completed , the candidate will need to have achieved the relevant NVQ or Competency Update Qualification to be classed as fully trained and receive a ‘ CSCS Skilled Workers Card ’ candidates . Full guidance on the CSCS card process will be offered during the initial CAB One-Day Training Course .
www . c-a-b . org . uk
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18 FEBRUARY 2022 |
CLEARVIEW-UK . COM |