Fenestration, Glass & Glazing
50 CAREERS IN ONE DAY
Having announced its intention to launch a series of bespoke industry careers fairs in 2024, Building Our Skills – Making Fenestration, Glass and Glazing a Career of Choice has now formally launched its ‘Career Families’ to help students understand the many career options open to them as they get closer to the world of work.
The nine families together encompass over 100 individual roles, demonstrating career progression opportunities, training, qualifications and how students can start out on their career journeys in the industry.
For teachers, parents and students who want more information about the ‘families’ and the roles they include, simply email sayhello@buildingourskills.co.uk and ask for details.
The Career Families will be showcased in person at the pilot events to be held in March 2024 as a part of National Careers Week. The first will be in South Yorkshire at the Oakwell Stadium, home of Barnsley FC, and the second in Manchester at the Etihad Stadium, home of Manchester City Football Club. Building Our Skills is working in conjunction with the education bodies in South Yorkshire and Greater Manchester to bring these events to fruition.
Speaking about the events, Mark Handley, Building Our Skills’ Partnerships Manager said: “Our aim is to show the industry to over 1,000 school children and their teachers over the course of the two events. If the two pilots are successful, these will become annual events enabling us to keep in touch with those who attend as they get closer to thinking about their careers.
It is also our intention to expand the number of events into other areas of the country where we are already working with other local education authorities, but of course, the launch of the Careers Families is an important step on the road to show students the opportunities that are available to them”.
For more information about the work of Building Our Skills please visit www.buildingourskills.co.uk.
GQA AUDITS SAUDI ARABIA CENTRES
GQA’s work in the chemical, pharmaceutical, engineering and petrochemical industries goes from strength to strength. Part of this success lies in its rigorous approach to ensuring the compliance of its centres. The resulting high standards mean that GQA can continue to provide a first-rate service to those wishing to upskill or enter the sector.
GQA has two centres in Saudi Arabia, and Simon Smith, EQA and Technical Officer, has just returned from auditing them. Simon comments: “My visit to Saudi started in Dammam, which was the first of two centres, the second being in Khafji in the north. Each centre has a significant number of candidates going through their polytechnic, and with portfolios and work pieces being presented / sampled, it was a great introduction to their activities. The thing that I was most encouraged about, apart from the outstanding quality of teaching and facilities, was the drive to recruit women. It really was amazing to see this.
“The vision for Saudi Arabia 2030 is to stick to a strategic framework in order to reduce the country’s dependence on oil, diversify its economy, and develop public service sectors such as health, education, infrastructure, recreation and tourism. So all in all, it was a very positive trip, although I have to admit to us running out of petrol at one point while crossing the desert. Yes, we’d managed to run dry in Saudi Arabia – one of the world’s foremost exporters of petroleum!”
GQA offers a total of eleven qualifications specific to this industry, some of which include those associated with bulk liquid operations, business improvement, process safety, support services and chemical processing.
Working with the MOD to create new opportunities…
GQA Qualifications has long recognised that re-introducing service personnel into mainstream commerce has an important role to play in helping to bridge skills gap for all sectors if industry. The awarding and qualifications-writing body for 16 sectors is therefore pleased to announce that it has now received the bronze award from the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS), having also signed the Armed Forces Covenant.
Dan Brown, Strategic Relationships Manager of GQA explains what this means both for service personnel and for employers: “This award recognises GQA’s commitment to defence personnel. Our signing of the Armed Forces Covenant further demonstrates our intention to support the Armed Forces community. This includes both serving and ex-military staff. For those who are serving or have served in the Armed Forces, we can offer a stepping-stone into employment or help to further careers through our accredited courses or qualifications. For employers needing to fill job vacancies we would urge them to consider the Armed Forces community as an excellent source of potential recruits.
“We are actively collaborating with organisations who encourage and facilitate recruitment of military and ex-military personnel. One such is FrontFoot, a specialist charity who help place the armed forces community into new roles whilst supporting them with transition advice and support. Engaging with FrontFoot to bring military service personnel into the sectors which GQA support through accredited training and qualifications is the latest in a growing list of key strategic partnerships we are forming to help alleviate the skills gap.”
Tim O’Keefe, the Founder of FrontFoot says: “Everyone recognises the value that service personnel bring to the world of employment. We have very high hopes that this relationship with GQA will help those looking to add to their workforce right now. For us, working hand in glove with service personnel, it is an ideal opportunity to introduce them to a great industry, where we know there are long-term and ongoing opportunities for career development.
“We are keen to work with industry and to bring new blood to it. We know that service personnel bring great attributes to the workplace, and we are really
looking forward to making an impact which will benefit all parties. A part of our commitment is to ensure that all the personnel we recruit undergo practical training to give them the best start in their new careers, and to give those employers who engage them the best value for their investment.”
If you would like to know more about the collaboration between GQA and Frontfoot, and have questions on how you can get involved and support the military community, you can email Dan at dan.brown@gqaqualifications.com.
Women In Industry
Caroline Kershaw, GQA, Office/Finance Manager
AT WORK…
How did you get into this industry?
Through careers advice in my final year at comprehensive school.
I enrolled on a YTS Scheme for two years with Glass Training Ltd in 1986 when I left school and was given a permanent job as Office Junior when the scheme ended in 1988.
Please give a brief resume of your career to date.
I was made Office Supervisor in 1994 with Glass Training Ltd and then Office Manager in 2003 with Glass Qualifications Authority when it became the independent Awarding Body. I became Office/Finance Manager in 2018 with GQA Qualifications Ltd and remain in that role to date, making 35 years’ service in all.
Do you believe your speciality (finance, sales, management, marketing etc.) is transferable to any industry?
Yes I definitely believe my vast experience and knowledge of accounting and managing people is transferable.
Have you a career path mapped out or is it more about opportunism?
I would say that after 35 years working for the same organisation I have mapped out my own career path, with loyalty, hard work and dedication, and taken opportunities when they have arisen. I have had a career through progression using experience, ability, training and support.
Looking ahead, where would you like to be in a) 5 years’ time and b) 10 years’ time?
Still working hard for GQA, but as I will be approaching 64 I will be looking towards retirement or at the very least perhaps slowing down.
AT REST…
Away from work, what is your focus?
Spending lots of time with family and friends, travelling, walking, gardening, supporting and following my favourite football team – Sheffield Wednesday FC.
AT PLAY…
Do you achieve the work/life balance you would like to?
I would say generally I do, but not as financial year end approaches!
If money and leisure time were no object, what would you really like to do for yourself or your family?
I would buy a motorhome and go travelling around the UK – perhaps a focus for retirement.
Away from the industry…
Dan Brown and Simon Smith from GQA were joined by Paul Walmsley from Nobody Left Behind and Amina Bodhania from Novus – Foundations for Change.
In the latest podcast ‘Second Chances’ the team delve into the disconnect that some students encounter within the education system, examining the underlying reasons and the tempting influence of negative peers that can steer them toward criminal activities.
Additionally, they will scrutinize the journey of individuals serving sentences in prisons, drawing parallels between learning, social disconnection, and the role of education in rehabilitation. Education becomes a crucial aspect in preparing those leaving prison for swift job acquisition, ultimately reducing the risk of reoffending. Moreover, the team highlight success stories— individuals successfully reached, who have transformed adversity into positivity, cultivating fulfilling careers that bring positive change and stability into their lives.
