Wetherby Building Systems, the UK’s leading provider of external wall insulation (EWI) systems has invested heavily in a new purpose built training facility to meet the demand for skilled EWI labourers.
With the launch of the Green Deal and ECO schemes at the beginning of the year, when it was anticipated that there would be a steep increase in external wall insulation projects, Wetherby quickly recognised a need to ensure there were sufficient skilled trade professionals to carry out the work, especially if the government’s targets for EWI installation could be considered achievable.
Having hosted training courses from its head office near Wigan for a number of years, Wetherby has recently enhanced its training offer by constructing a purposely designed training facility at a new site in Merseyside, which has enabled it to triple its output of trained operatives.
The new training centre houses two large classrooms and a practical training area to enable the trainees to experience the situations that they will encounter on site.
In an attempt to closely emulate situations that they may encounter on site, there have been a variety of elevations built that the trainees can apply EWI to including curved walls, gable ends with scaffolding and walls with bay windows and reveals.
The training courses offered by Wetherby are available to unskilled operatives wishing to make a start on the EWI ladder, as well as installers already operating in the sector who are looking to up skill and take advantage of the EWI opportunity.
Each trainee that successfully completes the course will be granted ‘recognised contractor’ status which fulfils the PAS2030 requirement that is a prerequisite to undertake installation works on Green Deal and ECO schemes.
Commenting on the new training facility, Steve Dewberry, training manager for Wetherby, said: “There is huge potential for EWI projects under the Green Deal and ECO schemes and we were becoming inundated with requests from installers looking to train and up skill their workforce to meet the demand.”
“In addition to individuals and installation companies, we are also in discussions with a variety of colleges to provide a training module as part of relevant courses, which will ensure there are more skilled labourers entering the industry.”
Wetherby Building Systems Ltd is the UK’s market leader in the manufacture and distribution of a wide range of external wall insulation (EWI) systems, polymer modified renders, silicone & acrylic thin-coat renders & brick slip systems for the retrofit market. Wetherby’s insulated render systems offer environmentally sympathetic external façade solutions that have been successfully installed on many domestic refurbishment projects, new build schemes, commercial buildings and educational establishments for over 20 years.
