Skills
46 | FEBRUARY 2025
Skills
Read online at www . proinstaller . co . uk
BUILDING OUR SKILLS WELCOMES SUPPORT FROM REHAU
Industry big hitters REHAU have thrown their weight behind Building Our Skills - Making Fenestration , Glass and Glazing a Career of Choice .
REHAU , one of the country ’ s leading uPVC window systems companies , has provided support to Building Our Skills for approximately a year , and has now formalised this backing by becoming a National Partner . Becoming a National Partner means REHAU now has access to the widest range of services , initiatives and materials afforded by the organisation . These include Building Our Skills ’ bespoke industry careers fairs , a workplace visits programme , a role with the BOS Advisory Panel , and a wealth of new opportunities and assistance in skills training , apprenticeships and the development of programmes to help attract new starters to Rehau ’ s many business units .
REHAU ’ s Stephen Beresford , Head of Marketing , comments :
“ Becoming a Building Our Skills National Partner is a great fit for us . We have a mutual interest in bringing talent into the industry . We hadn ’ t found the right vehicle before to enable us to help achieve this , and I ’ m very pleased that joining forces with BOS affords us this opportunity . It ’ s incredibly important that employers are able to attract young people into fenestration in order to ensure that it thrives . I think many of them are unaware of the sheer breadth of roles that we offer .
“ As a company we have already completed several college visits , and I ’ m looking forward to seeing more of these undertaken through BOS . In addition , we attended both of the BOS careers festivals last year and are engaged with the programme for 2025 . We had brilliant feedback from visitors and staff , proving that they are definitely the way forward . All in all , working with Building Our Skills is going to be a key part of our future plans to help attract the best talent and safeguard future skills .”
Building Our Skills ’ Partnerships Manager , Mark Handley , comments :
“ It ’ s fantastic to have the support of REHAU . Their commitment has been first class . I would also like to stress that these mutually beneficial partnerships are also ideal for smaller organisations too . Companies can also take on a formalised partnership with us at regional or local levels . We ’ re calling for the industry - companies large and small - to get behind us at this very important time in our development . We all know about the skills challenges the industry is suffering , and we know we have to act if we are to protect its future and secure a long term sustainable future for it .”
Feel free to visit www . buildingourskills . co . uk for more information or email me directly at markhandley @ buildingourskills . co . uk
DHF HELPS SHAPE THE FUTURE FOR INSTALLATION AND MAINTENANCE IN THE DOOR , GATE & SHUTTER INDUSTRY
The Industry Competence Steering Group ( ICSG ) identified 15 Sector Led Groups ( SLG ) for the
construction industry in response to the Grenfell Tower Fire and the subsequent independent review by Dame Judith Hackitt .
SLG 10 - Installation and Maintenance , was established to address competence issues in the installation and maintenance sector . It is the biggest programme of collaboration in the built environment today , and led to the development of the Super Sector Programme , which organises SLG 10 into five distinct categories : Envelope , Engineering Services , Interiors , Civils and Structures .
In August 2023 , DHF , together with Automatic Doors Suppliers Association ( ADSA ) and the British Wood Working Federation ( BWF ) was invited to sit on the “ Envelope Super Sector Scheme ” for installation , formed from Working Group 2 and is now known as SLG10.1 . The Doors and
Shutters segment of the ‘ Envelope ’ Super Sector is headed up by Ken Price , Managing Director of ADSA and also includes DHF ’ s Commercial Director , Patricia Sowsbery-Stevens , as well as Helen Hewitt , CEO of the BWF .
“ For the past 12 months , the CITB has facilitated weekly meetings with us and ADSA , and as a result , a draft SKEB statement , Strategy Statement and Route to Competence has been formed ,” explains Patricia . “ As this is an industry strategy statement and not one solely for the aforementioned trade associations , CITB has approached other trade associations to have input into the strategy statement .”
CITB is presently inviting the industry to have input into the NOS review ( scheduled to take place in January 2025 ), and to help shape what competency means . This collaboration will form part of the competency framework , and help identify training gaps to ensure the sector meets the evolving demands of the Building Safety Act 2023 .
The review will focus on updating NOS standards , for example , COSVR 676 : Install door and gate systems ; COSVR 677 : Install shutter systems ; COSVR 678 : Service and maintain door , gate , or shutter systems , and COSVR 679 : Dismantle and repair door , gate , or shutter systems . It will also explore enhanced standards for the installation , servicing , maintenance , repair , and dismantling of fire doors and shutters .
“ The National Occupational Standards ( NOS ) are a benchmark for competence decided by industry practitioners ,” explains Patricia . “ The NOS are used to set out the skills and knowledge needed to be deemed competent to perform activities and issued to create the NVQ . CITB develops and maintains the NOS on behalf of the construction industry through a regulated process that is overseen by UK Standards .”
If any DHF members would like to get involved in the NOS Review , please complete this form : https :// forms . office . com / e / FmRD- 7cuWU1
www . dhfonline . org . uk