W BUSINESS
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THE FORSHAW GROUP LEADS
NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON
APPRENTICESHIP TRAINING
At the Insurance Industry I Love Claims conference in 2014, Sir John Armitt, Chair
of City and Guilds, explained to delegates the challenges of the looming skills
shortage in the construction sector and the benefits of employing and training
apprentices. The result was the formation of the Insurance Industry National
Apprenticeship Academy to encourage and promote apprenticeships within all
areas of the insurance industry.
Liam returned to the Ricoh Arena in Coventry on 9th November 2017 to update the conference
on the success of this new Initiative. In response to their national roadshow, Liam Hanlon of The
Forshaw Group and Lynne Johnson, Aviva Insurance, engaged with over 50 new companies who
employed apprentices as part of the academy. For the past two years, the apprentices along with
their company mentors have taken part in a range of activity days. These have included:
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An overnight adventure – Gilwell Park, Surrey
Insurance office experience – Aviva, Perth Scotland
Professional Day with an Insurance Claim Surveyor - Aviva & L&G
Restoration Day – National Flood School & Belfor Tamworth
Challenge Day – Climb Mt Snowdon
Charity Day – Only The Brave Team raised £7500 for East Anglia Air Ambulance
Innovation Day (North and south) – BRE Ravenscraig & Scottish Fire & Rescue Service and
BRE Watford.
Community Day – (Regional) – Southport Rugby Club Refurbishment /graveyard clearance
and many more.
The first cohort of apprentices graduated on Thursday 16th November 2017 at Aviva HQ in
Norwich. The academy has also been recognised with a number of national Awards. The
Forshaw Group were the CITB SME Employer of the Year and Aviva Insurance BIA Innovation
Award winners. The Academy is now creating a future pipe line of talent of over a 100 apprentices
and developing ‘insurance’ savvy skills to be employed in customer’s homes. We are believing in
young people and giving them a chance by creating a one team feel – we are in this together –
with a shared problem working to fill a known skills gap. We are getting more people involved in
mentoring/organising/attending events together to strengthening our brands and the industry
image.
72 wirrallife.com
NEW
APPOINTMENT AT
THE FORSHAW
GROUP TRAINING
ACADEMY
Gareth Forshaw joins The Forshaw
Group to head the new training
academy in Knowsley. With
almost ten years’ experience in
the restoration industry, Gareth is
pleased to develop his role in the
day to day duties.
Gareth said: ‘It will be my role to give the
best advice and drying techniques to all
of the technicians and to bring in external
companies to use the facility and gain
more knowledge of how we work here
at The Forshaw Group, this will involve
teaching internal and external courses
from our new premises in Knowsley.
This is also an opportunity for myself to
strengthen this part of the business and
watch it grow for many years to come. I
am really looking forward to starting this
new role and I’m sure it will be a great
success.”
Liam Hanlon and Jay Calvert welcome
the addition to the Group and see the
development as an integral part of the
company’s vision and future success.