Clearview National October 2019 - Issue 215 | Page 27

INDUSTRYASSOCIATIONS OTHER THINGS GQA…. MASTER FITTER CHALLENGE IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE FIT SHOW From the outset GQA qualifications has been the competition manager for the Master Fitter Challenge in association with the FIT Show. The winners of the 2019 Master Fitter Challenge were Arron Clegg and Dave Eagles of Master Fitter Windows. Nickie West Event Director of the FIT Show was on hand to make the presentation to the winners and the other very worthy finalists on Skills Thursday during the show. Speaking about the competition Nickie commented: “I was delighted to have the opportunity to join the finalists prior to making the announcement of who had won. What came across was how important it was to them to do the job right, every time, and the more people there are in the industry who think this way the better it will be. “It was really appropriate that we announced the winners as a part of Skills Thursday rather than at the gala dinner as we had done in previous years. It is all a part of building the Thursday to highlight skills across the whole industry and that will continue in years to come. Master Fitter Challenge is a major part of this drive to highlight and promote skills.” Speaking about the competition Mick Clayton said, “We know from previous years that those who enter this competition are absolutely passionate about their trade and displaying their skills every single day - it is great to see. “We were delighted with the quality of the entrants again this year and we look forward to more of the same in 2021 when we will add in new challenges and new products to judge against. But we will be opening the applications very soon and I would encourage installers to sign up as soon as they can.” Watch out for announcements soon on www.masterfitterchallenge.co.uk BUILDING OUR SKILLS – MAKING FENESTRATION A CAREER OF CHOICE GQA Qualifications is a major supporter of the Building Our Skills – Making Fenestration a Career of Choice campaign which is also being supported by many of the major names in the Fenestration Industry. The aim of the campaign is to raise awareness of the industry amongst those in or leaving the education system, those leaving the military services and looking for new careers, and other career changers as a way of bridging the widening skills gap developing in the industry. Building Our Skills includes a number of major campaign initiatives to help raise GETTING SOCIAL As well as all the direct industry related initiatives that GQA Qualifications is involved with the organisation is also very involved with several social projects, including grassroots football sponsorship in different parts of the UK. Amongst these is their involvement with Pogmoor AFC under 11’s girls’ team. Girls’ and ladies’ football are becoming the fastest growing participation sport in the UK, with new professional teams joining leagues at the highest levels and the home nation’s national teams making great strides on the world stage. As a direct consequence more junior players are being inspired to join teams, and such is the case with AFC Pogmoor who have added several junior girl’s teams to the club. GQA Qualifications is proud to be the shirt sponsors and is actively involved in supporting the club through coaching. CEO Mick Clayton is actively involved “As anybody who knows me is well aware, I love football especially at a local level. I am Barnsley born and bred and I am always keen to try and support local initiatives.” “GQA is already involved with the FIT Reds campaign at Barnsley FC to encourage over 40s’ men to retain a level of health and fitness, we are official partners with the main football club, and are actively involved with awareness of the industry, a brand-new practical training centre to be opened during October, and an Inspiring Talent Academy which is open for all employers across the industry to nominate members of staff to join. More details of the campaign can be found on www.buildingourskills.co.uk the Barnsley Women’s Football Club as well, so supporting at this lower level was the next logical step for us and I am delighted with what we are doing, and more importantly what the girls who play are getting out of being involved.” “The club is committed to giving the players – even at such a young age – the best facilities, kits, and opportunities they can, and you can see that the girls are developing teamwork skills which will be beneficial to them in all areas of their development, as well as enjoying the physical and footballing side of things. It is amazing and really rewarding to see the levels of skills on show and the enjoyment they are getting from it.” More information is available from www.afcpogmoor.co.uk www.gqaqualifications.com 0114 272 0033 @gqaquals C L E A RV I E W-U K . C O M » O C T 2019 » 27