Clearview National August 2017 - Issue 189 | Page 48

PROUD SPONSOR OF DOORS & WINDOWS
DOORS&WINDOWS
Growing need for skilled fitters
The fenestration industry is changing. Doors are getting bigger and more complex,
with moving corner posts for instance. These doors need to be installed by fitters
and companies with an in-depth knowledge of the product and in many cases the
construction of the aperture. Here, Dutemänn UK Ltd, the trade specialist supplier
of aluminium bi-fold doors, reveals how it is addressing the skills shortage.
» » “WE AT DUTEMÄNN UK LTD HAVE
over the past few years grown every year. As
with many businesses we initially grew our
work force by asking our guys if they knew
anyone who would like to join us. However,
this method has long been exhausted. We now
use various methods of attracting the correct
skills to work with us, but have found the
lack of skills is a barrier. So we have turned
our attention to the local job centre, taking
the long-term unemployed off benefits and
training them the Dutemänn way.
This approach has been very successful
both in the company’s factory making its
range of premium products as well as within
the customer care department. The firm is
continuing with its policy of helping the local
work force into paid employment, in all areas
of its business.
The wider industry is more of a concern.
During meetings up and down the country
with existing and new clients the regular
theme of conversation is the lack of skilled
fitters and surveyors.
The skill shortage will, and is creating, a
real bottleneck at the retail end of the supply
chain. The regular comment is that skilled
people are very hard to come by and in such
demand that the cost of attracting/keeping
great people is constantly rising. This shortage
leads to longer fitting/survey times hence the
sales bottle neck.
The way forward of course is the continuous
training of existing staff to make the leap to
lead fitter from fitter’s mate, from estimator
to surveyor and of course the use of
apprenticeships. It is no longer acceptable to
employ ‘Bill’ because he was a ‘chippy’ – ‘so he
will know how to do it!’
‘FATHER TO SON’ SKILLS REVIVAL
As Dutemänn remarks, the need for skilled
fitters and surveyors is a theme up and down
the country. According to a report by KPMG
and the London Chamber of Commerce and
Industry, there will be a need for 20% more
48 » AUG 2017 »