Clearview National June 2019 - Issue 211 | Page 16

PROUD SPONSOR OF INDUSTRY NEWS INDUSTRYNEWS TRAINING AND APPRENTICESHIPS TO MEET HOMEOWNERS’ DEMANDS » » FENSA HAS EXTENDED its support services for Approved Installers by partnering with Solvo Vir to provide accredited training and apprenticeships in a number of UK areas. The deal follows the awarding of contracts to provide such schemes funded by the European Social Fund, co-funded by the Education and Skills Funding Agency, a programme designed to deliver responsive workplace learning courses in key geographical areas, to meet individual, economic and regional needs. Solvo Vir’s trainers and assessors will work with FENSA to provide high quality workplace training and apprenticeship schemes, through an initial agreement to run for 12 months from May 2019. The areas covered include Tees Valley, Humberside, Lincolnshire, The Marches (Staffordshire), Herefordshire and Shropshire, including Telford. THE COURSES TO BE PROVIDED TO FENSA APPROVED INSTALLERS WILL INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING: Diploma in Fenestration Installation; L2 Certificate in the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards for Domestic Dwellings; Certificate in Wall and Floor Tiling; Diploma in Plastering (Construction); Diploma in Wood Occupations; Diploma in Cladding Occupations; Foundation Certificate in Bookkeeping; Mental Health and Suicide Awareness in the Construction Industry; and Certificate in Introduction to Energy. Alongside these courses Solvo Vir, is offering Apprenticeship programmes in Management, Accountancy, Recruitment, Business Administration and Customer Service across the whole of England. These programmes can be either fully funded via the Apprenticeship Levy or 95% funded by the government. FENSA Managing Director Anda Gregory says: “We are committed to increasing the demand by homeowners for FENSA Approved Installations. We have a responsibility therefore to also ensure FENSA Installers have the appropriate skills. Our partners Solvo Vir are highly skilled at providing training programmes and we look forward to working with them to grow the glazing industry skill base. This is just the latest in a long line of benefits available exclusively to FENSA Approved Installers, helping them to win more business thanks to the quality of their work.” Many FENSA Approved Installers are expected to qualify for substantial funding for small business apprenticeships under the scheme and any company in the geographical areas covered that wish to learn more should go to www.solvovir.co.uk/ apprenticeships, or email Cat Doyle at [email protected] Four nods for Burnley business in local awards » » INDUSTRY-LEADING PVCU systems supplier VEKA Group has been shortlisted in four categories of the upcoming Burnley Business Awards. These nominations come just weeks after VEKA Group was crowned ‘Manufacturing Company of the Year’ at Lancashire’s prestigious Red Rose Awards. The Lancashire manufacturer is no stranger to these Awards having, in recent years, been named ‘Business of the Year’ twice in a row, and ‘Employer of the Year’ at the most recent BBA event. 2019 sees VEKA Group shortlisted for ‘Manufacturing Excellence’, ‘Employer of the Year’ and ‘Burnley Business of the Year’ while hard-working Junior Operations Manager Khaleel Mahmood is a finalist in the ‘Young Employee of the Year’ category. ‘we’d like to thank employees, customers and friends for their continued support’ Head of HR Gabriela Hammond says: “VEKA Group is a major Burnley employer and we’re proud to contribute so significantly to the business community of our hometown. “We made the shortlist for ‘Employer of the Year’ because we believe that our people are our most valuable asset, they keep the company going and growing. We nurture a positive culture that we call VEKA SPIRIT and we’re proud to invest in all the training and development our teams could want, asking ‘what do you want to be doing in 12 months, how do we get there and what development 16 » JUN 2019 » CL EARVI E W- UK . C O M do you need?’ We’re committed to making sure all employees enjoy the ideal work/life balance and, as a result, VEKA Group is well known for staff loyalty. “Meanwhile, our entry for Burnley’s ‘Business of the Year’ detailed how, despite a challenging market, we have continued to invest millions into the business, shared our profit with employees, increased our employee number by almost 10% and made our business smarter, leaner and more efficient, meaning that we can predict healthy growth in both turnover and profits for 2019. We have invested, in particular, in areas of high demand – such as laminated products – so that our customers are best placed to benefit from these growing market opportunities. “We’re looking forward to celebrating a great night with other hard-working businesses in the stunning surroundings of Towneley Hall on June 20th and we’d like to thank employees, customers and friends for their continued support.” www.vekauk.com