Mark Priestman has more than 20 years’ experience in the natural stone sector. He plays an active role in the development and delivery of training in this specialist environment. Along with his father, David Priestman, he runs a training consultancy whose mantra is: Qualify the Workforce!
Well, spring is in the air! Or are those snowflakes glistening in the sunshine?
Anyway, forward looking to something I always enjoy: The Natural Stone Show.
I have to confess to being a bit of a Stone Show junkie. I love the opportunity to see what the sector is showcasing – its projects, techniques, equipment and expertise. If you have the resources to do it, allowing your teams from operative to director level to attend is an education in itself. Plus the lectures, which make it well worth a visit on their own.
Where else do you get to meet up with some of the sectors leading lights to pick their brains for free? Fortunately for me, I have Dad on hand, but I also enjoy and respect the views of the likes of Peter Harrison, Alex Stables, Michael Poultney and David Ellis. Not to forget the Colleges, Quarry Contractors, Federation principals, plus my fellow Specialist columnists: Barry Hunt, Robert Merry and Alan Gayle. Perhaps even The Mystery Surfer will be there, cunningly disguised as ‘The Stig’ to maintain his/her/its identity.
Graduate congratulations
Last month, on behalf of StoneTrain (the Stone Federation’s training brand), we concluded the Specialist Apprenticeship Programme in Façade Preservation for: Stone Restoration Service’s Nick Hutton, Darren Spence and Darren Povey; Stonewest’s Chris Blackman and Grant Williams; Triton Restoration’s David Dobbs and Alex Still.
These candidates await finalising their NVQ Level 2 with us and then they can apply to CSCS for their Skilled Worker cards. Each of the chaps was a credit to themselves and their companies. And, in all fairness, their employers, too, are a credit to themselves for maintaining high competency standards within their businesses.
Specialist Apprenticeship Programmes
I guess the use of the word ‘apprenticeship’ in this courses title can be misleading. The SAP, or Specialist Apprenticeship Programme, is available to workers of CITB-registered firms. The worker may have been on the tools for quite a while (as is frequently so) but without formal qualifications for their discipline. The SAP, which is accredited by the CITB’s National Specialist Accredited Centre, is delivered through StoneTrain by facilitators like me.
Why might SAPs be good for your employees? Well, the short answer is: They are cost-neutral or better.
For example, there are two-year SAPs available in: Façade Preservation for cleaners and/or restorers; Stone Fixing, including floor installation; or Stone Paving. They attract a minimum of £7,650 per learner in grants from the CITB, while the maximum fee from StoneTrain is just £5,666.50 per learner. It makes the decision to enrol a bit of a no brainer, really. Each successful learner also earns an NVQ at Level 2 in their area of skill while time away from work is limited to essential off-site training days.
There is also a one year Heritage Stonemasonry SAP that attracts similar grants and again is better than cost-neutral.
If your firm would be interested in pursuing these avenues of achieving qualifications give me a shout and I can furnish you with further information.