We’re backing Building our Skills

We’re delighted to be backing the industry’s efforts to attract new talent into fenestration and bridge the widely acknowledged skills gap. We already invest in our own successful training Academy here in Chepstow, but we’ve also taken the decision to partner with the team behind the dedicated Building Our Skills campaign to promote and support their Practical Training and Talent Academy initiatives

The aim of Building our Skills is to make fenestration a career of choice and to get the message across that, in this age of ‘Glass Cities’, this is a truly exciting place in which to forge a career. They are responsible for a whole series of exciting and innovative campaigns designed to promote specific career paths within the industry which will attract, train, reward and, crucially, retain the very best talent for the future.

That fits perfectly with our own outlook and helps to highlight the hugely diverse opportunities which we know exist not just for newcomers to the industry but for those already working in fenestration who want to widen their skills so that they can continue to progress their careers.

 In partnership with Building Our Skills, we have committed our Chepstow headquarters to be both one of their nominated Practical Training Academies and an exemplar Talent Academy, and we plan to start welcoming the first raft of students here from their ‘Inspiring Talent Programme’ in 2020.

 Alongside that practical support, we’re also appointing three individuals from within AluK to become ‘Champions’ for Building Our Skills within the business. They are Darren Burford, our Academy Training Manager, Leigh Cooper, our Academy R&D Facilities Manager, and Steve Watkins, AluK’s Head of Projects. Their role will be to promote the message about the training options available and the rewards offered by a career in this industry to colleagues within AluK and to others across our customer and supply chain network.

 The aim is to get the whole industry talking positively about the opportunities available and to invest real enthusiasm and energy into the cause. If you want to find out more or get involved yourself, there’s lots of useful information here: www.buildingourskills.co.uk