Strong demand for training in Welsh built environment

First candidate completes course under new programme

June 2011

The first person to complete training under a substantial project piloting new workplace qualifications in Wales for the first time, says the course was so good she has already started another.

Sian Martin, 23, works as a Sales and Lettings Negotiator for Caerphilly property firm Homehunters. She spent seven months studying for an award in residential sales under the Sector Priorities Funding Programme (SPFP), funded by the Welsh Assembly Government through the European Social Fund.

The SPFP was launched in 2010 to raise skills in the Welsh built environment through new qualifications, many of which were not previously available in Wales. Sian's employer applied for the funding through Asset Skills, the Sector Skills Council for property, facilities management (FM), housing and cleaning. The qualifications covered by the programme include:

• Apprenticeships in facilities management, housing and surveying
• Foundation apprenticeships in cleaning and housing
• Skills for Supporting Public Services (level 2 NVQ)
• Local Environmental Services (level 2 NVQ)
• The National Federation of Property Professionals (NFOPP) Technical Awards in:
1) the Sale of Residential Property, and 2) Residential Lettings and Property Management.

Sian took the property industry's qualification of choice, the NFoPP Technical Award in the Sale of Residential Property. It was delivered by the College Ystrad Mynach, one of the Asset Skills training providers. Sian has now started the NFoPP Award in Lettings.

"My course covered all sorts of interesting things such as structural side of property like what suspended floors are and the different types of windows, as well as in-depth information on the legal and legislation side. I feel much more confident in what I'm doing now - when I say things I have the knowledge to back it up," she said.

"The demand for this programme has been massive with Welsh employers both small and large signing up their staff for the training," said Richard Beamish, Chief Executive of Asset Skills.

"We will be putting 230 candidates through the courses by the end of 2011. Some of the qualifications have been so oversubscribed that we are working with our contracted training providers to find other funding streams."

Most of the qualifications are fully funded, but some require a contribution from the employer. The project ends in December 2011 and is designed to inform the priorities of the Welsh Government in funding future skills development in Wales. For more information, contact Jan Holdaway, Head of Asset Skills Cymru, at jholdaway@assetskills.org or call 07734 981 376.