Staff training and development is an integral part of a business, and benefits both the employer and the employee. It is important to the infrastructure of industries and staff training and development can secure the future of businesses and the wider industries.

Benefits of staff training for a business.

Businesses have a duty, and often a legal obligation to train their staff. However, staff training and development should not be seen as an inconvenience and unnecessary expense, as there are many benefits of training.

Training goes hand in hand with business growth and effective performance. It can:

• Positively impact business productivity.
• Reduce staff turnover.
• Increase staff motivation and the quality of their work.
• Up-skill your existing workforce.
• Increase your competitive advantage.
• Keep pace with your rivals.
• Keep pace with the everchanging dynamics of modern day industries.

Henry Ford, founder of the Ford Motor Company said:

“The only thing worse than training your employees and having them leave is not training employees and having them stay”.

Who are we to argue? His company seems to have done alright!

One stumbling block is obviously the cost. However, increased productivity and profitability are benefits of training.

Alongside this, extensive funding is available to support businesses with the cost. For example, our apprenticeship programme is fully funded for 16 – 18 year olds and is 75% funded for ages 19+.

Benefits of training to employees

Alongside the benefits to the business, the employees also benefit from investment in training. The benefits to staff  include:

• Improved work safety practices and productivity.
• Increased motivation.
• Increased loyalty.
• Improved skill set allowing them to complete jobs more effectively.

Training employees often makes them feel valued and important in a business. This improves aspects such as; motivation, loyalty and staff retention.

Clearly, there are benefits of training to both employees and to the business. Staff training and development should be an integral part of a businesses plan.

Benefits of staff training and development for the industries

The benefits of staff training do not just extend to the businesses and the employees. It is imperative for the future of industries that training is undertaken.

As industries continue to grow there is an increasing demand for skilled and competent workers. In order to secure the future of the businesses and the industry as a whole training is crucial.

For example, the UK construction industry reports a skills shortage due to the ageing of its workers and the lack of skilled new entrants. Training is one way to counter-act this shortage and up-skill the workforce. It is important, to attract young people to the industry.

Training is one way of doing this as they can see a future in an industry where they will be valued and will continue to learn and progress throughout their careers.

This is the second post in our catalogue of CITB Site Safety Plus course guides. We’ll detail the SMSTS course content in this post and provide details of the course.

What is the SMSTS Course?

The SMSTS course is one of the courses that make up the Site Safety Plus programme. It is specifically for anyone who has, or is going to have, management responsibilities. The SMSTS course content covers the legislation that can affect safe working in the industry. The course is endorsed by Build UK as the standard training requirement for all construction managers. The training will ensure that you understand why you carry out your duties and how they contribute to the safety of the workplace.

The SMSTS Course Content

The SMSTS course content delivery occurs over 5 full days of training and a total of 37.5 hours. You will experience continuous assessment so you will need to attend all 5 days. The SMSTS course content will provide you with an understanding of health, safety, welfare and environmental issues on construction sites. The programme consists of the four core exercises below.

• Implementing health and safety legislation
• Managers’ and supervisors’ responsibilities
• Site briefing
• Site Layout

*Note* It is suggested that these exercises are used; however, other exercises and tests may be used to supplement the course if the training provider so wishes.

The SMSTS Certificate

The SMSTS certificate is valid for 5 years. To achieve the certification, you will need to successfully complete a multiple-choice test at the end of the course. You will also be under continuous assessment so you must engage in the sessions. The certificate will be distributed by CITB so you will receive it a few weeks after completion. To renew your SMSTS certificate you must complete the SMSTS refresher before the date of expiry.

If you have any further questions about the SMSTS course we’re more than happy to help. Give us a call on 0121 476 4731 or enquire here and we’ll get back to you ASAP!

To read more about the SMSTS course follow this link.

What is an Apprenticeship – Recent changes to the scheme and why employing an apprentice benefits a business.

What is an apprenticeship?

The question What is an apprenticeship? is one that is often asked. An apprenticeship allows the candidate to learn whilst they work. It combines on the job training and traditional classroom learning. The candidate is employed by a company and simultaneously studies for a formal qualification, such as a Level 2 Diploma in Fencing. Apprenticeships provide a route to a formal qualification that avoids tuition fees and gives the candidate the opportunity to earn while they learn!

Changes to apprenticeships – 2017.

Apprenticeships have recently been receiving a lot of attention. Recent changes in legislation has reduced the amount of apprentices enrolled in the UK. However, this is not necessarily a bad thing. The fall in enrolment statistics show that the changes are working. The changes were intended to ensure that apprentices are working towards a valuable qualification and that they are not just being used by employers as cheap labour. They also ensure that employers take responsibility for the UK’s shortage in technical skills, and force them to think about what training will be most valuable.

Previous governments were perhaps guilty of mismanaging the apprenticeship scheme in the UK. They have been accused of targeting sheer quantity rather than the quality of apprenticeships. This led too many apprenticeships being of low quality and at a very low skills level. Furthermore, many employers have been guilty of using the apprenticeship scheme to save money through paying low wages. Obviously, the lower wages is one of the benefits of the scheme for employers. However, when the qualification being studied is of no value, it is both a waste of time for the apprentice and discredits the scheme as a whole.

This is where the new legislation aims to make a difference. If you want to read more about the changes to the scheme please find the details here.

Why be or employ an apprentice?

There are many benefits to employers who employ apprentices. For example:

• Apprentices increase business productivity by on average £214 per week.
• You work with training providers, such as ourselves, to create the most beneficial programme of training. We can also access up to 100% funding for apprenticeships.
• You are able to increase the skills set that you have available.
• Increase the flexibility of your existing workforce and increase skills and energy. 96% of employers say that apprentices are beneficial to their business.

There are also many benefits for the apprentice themselves. For example:

• Earn while you learn. An apprenticeship offers the chance to gain skills, knowledge and a qualification whilst earning a salary.
• You will gain real world experience. On the job training gives you the chance to learn skills by doing the job. You will also gain invaluable knowledge from work colleagues who have been working in the industry for years!
• Every day is different. You don’t have to spend prolonged periods in a classroom. An apprenticeship usually combines, on the job training, classroom learning and on job assessments.

Our apprenticeships.

We are one of the few approved UK providers who can deliver the fencing apprenticeship programme. We have secured an ongoing funding agreement that ranges from 75% to 100%. The apprenticeship package we deliver culminates in the award of a Level 2 Diploma in Fencing and a Blue FISS CSCS card. Alongside this the apprentice will also gain a portfolio of training certificates such as ‘Abrasive Wheels’ and ‘Safe use of Power Tools’. The framework is approved by the governing body Lantra and meets the government’s criteria for the quality control of apprenticeships.

If you’re interested, or require any more information, please enquire here.

Alternatively, give us a call on 0121 476 4731.