Lee Cattermole , Learning & Development Manager at Epwin Window Systems , says : “ Fenestration is a dynamic industry and there are plenty of opportunities for a fulfilling and rewarding career . We are developing a range of training strategies across the business with a structured career progression path to attract and develop the next generation of talent .”

To encourage career development , there is a wide range of apprenticeship courses at all levels available to employees at Epwin Window Systems . There are currently eight traditional apprentices and 12 development apprentices within the business . And over the past two years , six apprenticeships have

been completed . Lee comments : “ Developing people through high-quality apprenticeships and workforce strategies is proven to be good for employers and employees alike .”

Lee is also active in the wider community , raising awareness of the value of a technical career . In December 2022 , he spoke at an event organised by the Greater Birmingham and

Solihull Institute of Technology with an audience address from the Minister for Skills , Rt Hon Robert Halfon MP , about the new Engineering and Manufacturing Higher Technical Qualifications

. Lee said : “ I ’ ve been actively involved in supporting the development of the Institute who are delivering Higher Technical Qualifications at levels 4 and 5 for the past 4 years . The Institute is a world class facility where collaboration , innovation and outstanding support for STEM education come together under one roof and it ’ s accessible by any employer . Maintaining the link between the Institute and Epwin Window Systems will play a key part in ensuring that we have access to advanced technologies where needed for our future success .”

He is in talks with the Black Country Institute of Technology about how Epwin Window Systems supports fenestration skills for modular build . Lee said :

“ Epwin Window Systems is a large local employer and building partnerships like this is good for our business and for the wider industry .”

Lee also sits on the advisory panel of Building Our Skills , which aims to make fenestration , glass and glazing a career of choice . Lee commented : “ Building Our Skills is an incredibly important initiative because it works to bridge the growing skills gap . It works closely with employers and other organisations to attract new entrants to the industry and upskill the existing workforce . The aim is to inspire them to see the industry as a home for their long-term career ambitions .”

epwinwindowsystems . co . uk

Research conducted by Tommy Trinder into how window firms engage with software confirms that the instruction manual is old hat and needs to be replaced with fast and responsive on-demand help .

The Tommy Trinder study , based on feedback from over 500 users of the firm ’ s Framepoint ® app , found that when it comes to learning how to use new software , the window industry is becoming more and more impatient . The research suggests that the vast majority of us jump straight into using an application without watching help videos or reading the manual . And even novice users , it seems , would prefer

to explore on their own rather than reading a series of steps on a page .

Chris Brunsdon , founder and CEO explains :

“ Installers are busy fitting or selling windows ; the last thing they want to do when they take on new software is to wade through help pages or , worse still , an old-fashioned instruction manual . When it comes to using software , installers want help when they get stuck . It ’ s that simple .”

The increasing demand for assistance in real-time has been reflected in the numbers of installers taking advantage of the firm ’ s live chat support service ; a chat button within Framepoint

® that allows subscribers to access instant help within business hours . Tommy Trinder ’ s live chat service received 2305 help requests during the 2022 ,

up 30 % on 2021 . The firm boasts that 99.2 % of these requests were resolved to full satisfaction in under half an hour with a customer satisfaction ( CSAT ) score of 4.96

out of 5 . But , says Chris , statistics can only tell so much of the customer experience story :

“ Speed matters . But quality of support , matters too ,” he explains . “ We only employ people to man our live chat function that have had real world experience of selling , fitting , or making windows . Clearly , there ’ s no point in connecting an installer that needs help to a computer geek who doesn ’ t know a trickle vent from an add on .”

www . tommytrinder . com