TRAINING
Training – Midas Cladding ’ s operations manager Ian Andrews ( left ) and general manager Scott Ayre outside Middlesbrough College ’ s STEM Centre .
CLAD IN
AMBITION
Firm ’ s new training academy will train cladders of the future
A
cladding firm ’ s desire to give back to Teesside has seen it support several good causes – and even set up its own training academy .
Experts in industrial cladding and sheeting since 1994 , Middlesbrough-based Midas is proud of its Tees roots and the services it provides .
And to ensure today ’ s young people get the chance to forge good careers in the industrial sector , the Midas Training Academy is now up and running .
Developed in conjunction with and held at Middlesbrough College , the academy provides a four-week course covering all aspects of cladding work .
The first three weeks cover the likes of access , asbestos and safety training , followed by a week of intensive practical training in a safe environment on a rig constructed by Marske Fabrication .
At the end of the course , which will probably be run monthly or quarterly , successful participants have an NVQ
Support – Ian Andrews ( left ) with England rugby legend Rory Underwood . Midas has donated to Middlesbrough Rugby Club to mark their 150th anniversary .
Level 2 in sheeting and cladding to their name , as well as associated industry qualifications and a guaranteed interview with Midas .
But even if they don ’ t end up with Midas , at least they ’ re better equipped to enter the world of industry which , with developments like Teesworks ongoing , is likely to need a lot of labour .
Midas general manager Scott Ayre told Tees Business : “ To be honest , not many people leave school saying ‘ I want to be a cladder ’ – it ’ s one of those roles people tend to fall into . But with joinery , electricians , plumbers , there ’ s a clear structure of how you progress in those roles , so why not the same for cladding ?
“ The amount of work and products that are coming to Teesside , there ’ s going to be a clamour for labour . But they want to keep the labour here – they don ’ t want it to disappear . So even if we don ’ t take the guys on , they ’ re still trained up .”
The full list of training to be provided at the Midas Training Academy is : Award in Health and Safety within a Construction Environment ( RQF ); Award in Personal Development for Employability ( RQF ); Level 2 NVQ Diploma in Cladding Occupations ( Construction ); Manual Handling ; CSCS Card ; Asbestos Awareness ( Online ) RORO one-day course ; Cherry Picker & Scissor Lift Training ; Work at Height .
Midas operations manager Ian Andrews added : “ We need local labour and in the current climate , it can be hard to come by . Our MD , Martin Gilbey , spoke with Teesworks and the college , and the idea
WORDS : DAVE ROBSON PICTURE : CHRIS BOOTH
evolved where we can facilitate the work , take the guys on and push them into employment – potentially with us , on the Teesworks site or elsewhere .
“ Basically , people will come out of it able to say , ‘ I ’ m a cladder ’, not just ‘ I ’ ve learned cladding ’ – that ’ s where we see it going in the future .”
The training academy is an exciting new development for Midas , which currently has a 34-strong team and remains on target for a £ 6m turnover by the end of the year .
But the academy is only one way of several in which Midas is ‘ giving back ’ to the Teesside community . Donations have been made to Women ’ s Street Watch Middlesbrough , which helps ensure women are safe on nights out in the town , as well as Middlesbrough Rugby Club , which is celebrating its 150th anniversary and has received a financial donation and free cladding work on its stands .
Ian , whose son Stevie plays for the U13s , said : “ The club ’ s values are the values we have – a strong work ethic , dedication to getting the job done , looking out for each other and making sure the team performs as one . They ’ re the core fundamental principles we have in Midas .”
But why is it so important for Midas to get involved in the community ?
Ian explained : “ We ’ re in hard times at the moment and people are struggling . Teesside has given a lot to our company over the 30 years since it ’ s been established and we ’ re in a position now where we can start giving something back .”
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