The Sector Skills Council for the places where we live and work
Careers Advice Line 0800 056 7160
£1.5 million training support for housing, facilities management and cleaning
Public funding worth more than £1.5 million has been secured by Asset Skills to train more than 800 candidates in new vocational qualifications in housing, facilities management and cleaning.
It follows the approval of two bids from Asset Skills to the Government's Joint Investment Programme, which is designed to bring together public and private investment to support training and skills development in areas key to economic recovery and future growth.
The project funding was secured by Asset Skills, Sector Skills Council. It will allow more than 500 candidates to undertake a wide range of new higher level vocational qualifications in business services, including:
Investment in these areas recognises the importance of developing skills in FM and support services to achieve effective and efficient operations.
In housing, it will enable high level skills provision for 330 candidates through take up of the new Housing Higher Apprenticeship. This new training combines a revamped National Vocational Qualification with a technical certificate from the industry's professional body, the Chartered Institute of Housing. The funding comes at a crucial time for housing employers, who are increasingly expected to support skills and employment agendas through apprenticeships as a condition of funding from other sources.
"This is excellent news for industries in our sector," said Richard Beamish, Chief Executive of Asset Skills. "It will provide valuable support through a partnership between employers and government which will have a big impact on raising the skills of the workforce. We look forward to working with the Skills Funding Agency over next 12 months to ensure the successful implementation of this project."
Employers who have committed to training their staff through the Joint Investment Programme will be assisted by the Asset Skills Virtual Academies in Business Services and Housing which offer practical help and support to both employers and training providers.
The total combined value of the two Joint Investment Programme bids amounts to £3,054,062, which includes contributions from both employers and the government.
For more information, contact the Asset Skills Virtual Academy by email on virtualacademy@assetskills.org or call 0844 822 2525
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Funding success for Welsh built environment |
Funding for new apprenticeships and qualifications in the Welsh built environment will be announced by Lesley Griffiths, Deputy Minister for Science, Innovation and Skills, at a launch event on 29 September.
It follows the successful bid by Asset Skills, the Sector Skills Council for facilities management (FM), housing, property and cleaning, for almost £840,000 of public funding to help employers in these industries train their workforce.
The funding comes from the Welsh Assembly Government's Sector Priorities Fund Pilot (SPFP) Programme, which was announced earlier this year and is backed by the European Social Fund (ESF).
This Asset Skills SPFP Project will transform the skills landscape for employers in Wales working in FM, housing, property and cleaning, delivering a range of new training where none currently exists.
The qualifications covered include:
Employers from across Wales who work in FM, housing, property or cleaning are encouraged to attend this event to find out more. To register for the event, contact Tina Pickles on 01604 824115 or email tpickles@assetskills.org
The details:
When: Wednesday 29 September 2010, 8:30am-9:30am (Refreshments and breakfast available from 8am)
Where: Future Inn, Hemingway Road, Cardiff, CF10 4JY
Hyfforddiant Newydd ar gyfer Amgylchedd Adeiledig Cymru
Cymru yn llwyddo i gael arian ar gyfer ei hamgylchedd adeiledig
Ar 29 Medi, cynhelir lansiad lle bydd Lesley Griffiths, y Dirprwy Weinidog dros Wyddoniaeth, Arloesi a Sgiliau, yn cyhoeddi cyllid ar gyfer prentisiaethau a chymwysterau newydd yn amgylchedd adeiledig Cymru.
Mae'n dilyn cais llwyddiannus gan Sgiliau Asedau, y Cyngor Sgiliau Sector ar gyfer rheoli cyfleusterau, tai, eiddo a glanhau, am bron i £840,000 o arian cyhoeddus er mwyn helpu cyflogwyr yn y diwydiannu hyn i hyfforddi eu gweithluoedd.
Daw'r arian o Raglen Beilot y Gronfa Blaenoriaethau Sector (SPFP) a gyhoeddwyd yn gynharach eleni a chefnogir y rhaglen gan Gronfa Cymdeithasol Ewrop.
Trwy Raglen Beilot y Gronfa Blaenoriaethau Sector hon ar gyfer Sgiliau Asedau bydd modd gweddnewid y tirlun sgiliau ar gyfer cyflogwyr yng Nghymru sy'n rheoli cyfleusterau, tai, eiddo a glanhau, gan ddarparu amrywiaeth o hyfforddiant newydd, math o hyfforddiant nad yw'n bodoli ar hyn o bryd.
Dyma'r cymwysterau a gynigir:
Prentisiaethau mewn Rheoli Cyfleusterau, Tai a Thirfesur
1 Prentisiaethau Sylfaen mewn Glanhau a Thai
2 Sgiliau ar gyfer Cefnogi Gwasanaethau Cyhoeddus
3 Sgiliau ym maes Gwasanaethau Amgylcheddol Lleol
4 Dyfarniad Technegol y National Federation of Property Professionals (NFOPP) yn y meysydd canlynol: 1) Gwerthu Eiddo Preswyl a 2) Rheoli Gosod Tai a Rheoli Eiddo
Anogir cyflogwyr ar hyd a lled Cymru sy'n gweithio ym maes rheoli cyfleusterau, eiddo neu lanhau i fod yn bresennol yn y digwyddiad hwn er mwyn darganfod mwy. I gofrestru ar gyfer y digwyddiad, cysylltwch â Tina Pickles 01604 814115 neu ebost tpickles@assetskills.org.
Dyma fanylion y digwyddiad:
Dyddiad: Dydd Mercher, 29 Medi 2010, 8:30am-9:30am (Darperir lluniaeth a brecwast o 8am ymlaen)
Lleoliad: Gwesty'r Future Inn, Hemingway Road, Caerdydd, CF10 4JY
Facilities Management Apprenticeship roll out continues - next stop, Newcastle, 25 October
The roll out of the new Apprenticeship in Facilities Management, the first of its kind for the industry, is continuing with another event confirmed for employers in the North East on October 25.
Asset Skills was greatly encouraged by the employer turn out to the event held last week in Manchester. The regional roll out is part of the FM Apprenticeship Level 3 programme being piloted across England, one of the first projects of the new Asset Skills Virtual Academy for Business Services.
The Virtual Academy for Business Services seeks to help the FM industry in the training of its workforce by simplifying the process for employers and achieving economies of scale. The FM Apprenticeship registration events are taking place in London, the South West, the East of England, North West, North East and Yorkshire & the Humber.
The events outline how the new training will benefit the diverse range of staff found in FM, who include facilities managers, building managers, energy managers, buildings maintenance teams, cleaners, security guards, receptionists, caterers, gardeners and hospital porters. The new apprenticeship will also help the sector meet environmental targets through raising the skills needed to achieve low carbon working practices.
Register now for our next information event at Newcastle College on 25 October to find out more about this valuable training programme. Register by clicking here - www.regonline.co.uk/AcademyEventNewcastle
For more, visit http://www.assetskills.org/FMEvents/
Asset Skills wins award for services to industry
Asset Skills' Chief Executive Richard Beamish has won an award for an outstanding contribution to the cleaning industry.
Richard Beamish was presented with the gong at the British Institute of Cleaning Science annual awards dinner.
He received the Sholom Gordon Award for outstanding contribution to industry and also becomes a Fellow of BICSc (FBICSc).
'Housing - Career of Choice' launches in Northern Ireland
Asset Skills has been working with the Department of Employment and Learning Northern Ireland (DELNI) to promote housing as a career choice.
Housing in Northern Ireland is not just about building and maintaining homes, it's about making a difference to the communities where people live and work and supporting the people who live there.
Sir Reg Empey, Minister for Department of Employment and Learning within the Northern Ireland Assembly, recently launched the Housing - Career of Choice material.
The material included four employability guides covering opportunities for school leavers, graduates, people returning to work and people looking for a career change. Over 300 schools in the province have received information packs.
Working with professional bodies within Northern Ireland and with DEL Careers Service these guides are also supported online through the Asset Skills website. For more visit http://www.assetskills.org/NIHousingCareer/HousingCareerOfChoiceHome.aspx or call 0845 678 2888.
Awards event celebrates Scottish cleaning skills contest
An awards ceremony has taken place in Scotland to mark the achievements of cleaning staff who took part in a national cleaning skills competition, the Team Clean Challenge.
The event, now in its third year, is run by Asset Skills and aims to showcase professionalism and high quality training that takes place within private companies, local authorities and the Scottish prison system.
The competition operates an open strand for cleaning businesses across the UK, and a separate strand held inside prisons to highlight the quality training that takes place as part of preparing offenders with work skills on their release.
The awards ceremony celebrates the success of the winning teams and individuals from both strands while seeking to raise the profile of cleaning and instil pride in those who do such an essential job.
Full list of winners - UK Team Clean Challenge 2010, prisons strand
Prison Strand
Winning Cleaning Operative Andrew Stone from Polmont
Winning Supervisor Mark Bonini from Dumfries
Winning Manager Daniel Jones from Barlinnie
Winning Team Dumfries
Open Strand
Winning Cleaning Operative Eric McBain from Tayside Contracts
Winning Supervisor Katriona Smith from Rentokil Initial
Winning Manager Brenda Farmer from Fife Council
Runner Up Team Fife Council
Winning Team Rentokil Initial
Opportunity for assessor of housing qualifications
Training provider Skills Solutions is seeking to recruit an Assessor / Internal Verifier for the assessment and verification of a range of housing qualifications.
Applicants must be highly motivated and able to demonstrate a flexible approach to work with excellent time management skills.
The successful candidate will need an up to date knowledge of the housing sector and willing to work unsociable hours as necessary to meet employer and learner needs. An assessor qualification (D32/33 or A1) is essential.
The post is based in Greater Manchester but will require travel throughout the North West. To download a full job description, visit www.skills-solutions.org.uk/opportunities/work-for-us. Alternatively, call 0161 245 4909.
New apprenticeship for property industry in the North West
Liverpool Community College has officially launched its new apprenticeship framework to property employers in the north-west.
The new Surveying and Property Maintenance apprenticeship was showcased at the college's Vauxhall Road site, where the programme will be delivered.
Lecturers and members of the employer support team from the college were joined by a representative from the National Apprenticeship Service to discuss the business benefits of recruiting an apprentice.
Liverpool Community College is seeking like minded employers to support its ambition of providing a highly skilled workforce that is tailored to the needs of employers.
For further information on the range of apprenticeships available at Liverpool Community College, please contact the Employer Skills and Services Team on livbus@liv-coll.ac.uk or call 0845 013 1515.
Leadership and management training news
New funding opportunities for leadership and management programmes have become available in the South East.
Skills South East is offering owner managers and company directors to apply for funding of up to £1,000 to help develop business leadership skills.
This offer is through their leadership and management programme and is available to with between five and 250 staff.
A qualified and experienced Leadership and Management Adviser will help identify personal training and development requirements and offer a choice of flexible, tailored learning solutions to suit individual and business needs.
The learning programme can be funded up to a maximum contribution of £1,000. The money can be put towards one course or a combination of training. For more, contact Skills South East at info@skillssoutheast.co.uk or call 0845 026 4298.
Elsewhere,a number of seminars are being held for training providers to help them understand the Leadership & Management Advisory Grant that is currently available.
To be able to accommodate all providers there will be two half day sessions on each day - 10am to 12.30pm and 2pm to 4.30pm. The events will take place:
- Chichester Park Hotel Sussex - Monday 4 October 2010
- Bridgewood Manor Hotel Chatham Kent - Thursday 7 October 2010
- Holiday Inn Guildford - Tuesday 19 October 2010
For more information email info@skillssoutheast.co.uk or call 0845 026 4298.
British Institute of Facilities Management (BIFM) Training launch new brochure
BIFM has released a new brochure for autumn 2010, listing its comprehensive range of facilities management that is supporting a changing profession through the help of expert trainers.
In addition to their public course programme, BIFM Training is able to bring their services in-house to organisations. With customised solutions including blended learning, coaching and mentoring as well as carefully targeted training delivery, their in-house services are designed to harness the best of BIFM Training's expertise alongside internal learning programmes.
To download a copy of the new brochure visit www.bifm-training.com or call 020 7404 4440.
Campaign to get British Business Online
More than 1.5 million enterprises in Britain have no active web presence. The Getting British Business Online Campaign aims to change that by offering entrepreneurs a free professional business website.
A joint initiative between Google, BT, Enterprise UK and e-skills UK, Getting British Business Online has already helped more than 50,000 small businesses.
Creating your free website is easy. All you need to do is provide a few basic details about your business, such as your address and a quick description of what you do. Then the easy-to-use 'website wizard' does the rest. You don't need any computer skills, it shouldn't take more than 20 minutes, and it won't cost you a penny.
Start your free website now, visit www.gbbo.co.uk or call 0800 500 3123 for more information.
Annual event for the parking industry
The 2010 British Parking Association (BPA) Annual Conference is taking place on 6 October.
The programme has been designed to reflect current government thinking and will examine how the coalition's proposed fiscal measures are likely to affect those working in the parking sector - as well as providing information on ways to cope with the cuts.
The conference will seek to examine how effective and efficient parking services may be delivered through collaboration and strategic partnerships between different parties in local communities with responsibility for parking management.
New master class sessions will give practical tips to delegates on how to deliver more with less while maintaining their green credentials and give a better understanding of parking management across all sectors, with classes dedicated to both hospital and university parking.
For further details visit www.britishparking.co.uk or to book a place call Dave Smith on 01444 447316.
