The Fenestration, Glass and Glazing Industry is a great place to make a career.

Whether you are a school or college leaver, or someone looking for a career change, with over 120 distinct roles to choose from covering eleven career families, the industry is sure to have something for you.

Once you’re in the industry the opportunities for progression are limitless. GQA Qualifications is the industry’s Awarding Body – that’s to say the organisation that writes and overseas the delivery of qualifications – to enable personal and professional development. In total there are over 100 industry relevant qualifications on offer, plus tailored accredited training programmes, and bespoke qualifications written to support specific job roles and individuals.

“With eleven career families and over 120 distinct job roles, the Fenestration, Glass and Glazing Industry offers career opportunities for everyone”.

Below we delve into some of the opportunities that are on offer when it comes to qualifications and career development, but first, what do we mean when we talk about ‘career families’?

Well, our career families cover every area of the industry from manufacturing and technical roles, sales and marketing, warehousing and distribution, IT and Quality Control, HR and Business Administration as well as working in the industry’s extremely high profile environmental recycling programmes. In other words, regardless of your skillset or your ambitions, there are opportunities for everybody in the industry, and GQA is there to support your development.

Along with his colleague Martin Sadler, GQA Qualifications Simon Smith, takes up the story.

If you join the industry and want to work in a manufacturing environment, or an office environment, these are the opportunities for development that are available to you. They include everything from entry level qualifications covering the basics of your role, all the way up to a Level 4 Diploma in Occupational Leadership in a Glass or Glass-Related Working Environment; Level 3 Diplomas in Customer Service; Level 2 and Level 3 NVQs in Glass Processing; a Level 1 Diploma in Health and Safety and Environmental Awareness in a Glass Processing or Fabrication Working Environment; and Level 2 and Level 3 NVQs in the fabrication of glass supporting structures. I know to a newcomer that these sound very technical, and potentially daunting, but my reason for mentioning them is to demonstrate that there is a very broad pathway, full of opportunities for personal and professional development throughout a person’s career. The industry is excellent for showcasing those pathways and supporting people to go down them.

It’s a similar story for those wanting to work in a site based role says Martin.

Firstly, for those who wish to join the industry or are new to it, the Level 1 Certificate in the Principles of Window and Door Installation is ideal. This is a knowledge-based qualification that has been developed to give individuals an understanding of the principal aspects of window and door installation. The qualification does not require candidates to complete practical tasks. In addition to it being suitable for those who are new to the industry, it is also ideal for those who may have been involved in the installation of windows and doors for a period of time without achieving formal qualifications.

For people who install windows, doors or conservatories, who have some experience but may still need some support in their role, the Level 2 NVQ Diploma in Fenestration Installation is a good choice. This is suitable for both new build and refurbishment work.

For more experienced on-site operatives including those in refurbishment work, the Level 3 NVQ Diploma in Fenestration Installation is an option. This qualification is suited to those who could lead a team of installers, do more complex work and conservatories or are involved in glazed curtain walling installation.

For those who carry out surveys for windows, doors and conservatories in the new build or refurbishment sector, the Level 3 NVQ Certificate in Fenestration Surveying is ideal, and there are many more. Finally, workers experienced in glazing who carry out more complex glazing work and are also in charge of others will find the Level 3 NVQ in Glazing is ideally suited to them.

With the exception of the Level 1 in the Principles of Window and Door installation the level 2 qualifications ensure that candidates achieve a Blue Skills Worker CSCS Card, whilst the Level 3 Qualifications secure successful candidates a Gold Supervisors Card. GQA Qualifications is the only organisation issuing CSCS cards for the Glass and Glazing industry and has a key role to play in ensuring that the industry’s employers are not only competent to fulfil their roles, but have a means to progress with the right learning behind them.

Something a bit more niche…are you thinking about a career in Sales?

Now, more than ever, salespeople have to be able to prove that they have the right skills and technical knowledge. This is not just to avoid mis-selling because it is an embarrassment, but because it will land companies in trouble with the law.

GQA has a Level 3 Sales in a Fenestration Environment Qualification aimed at those who are involved in negotiating and closing sales within the industry.

The qualification has two distinct pathways: one for those involved in Business-to-Business sales, and the other for those who handle retail/domestic selling of fenestration products. There are ten mandatory units and a group of optional units. The latter allow employees with specific responsibilities and duties from companies of all sizes equal opportunity to complete the qualification. The units are made up of the key areas those working in these job roles need to know and the tasks they need to be able to do to carry out the work appropriately and effectively.

Mandatory units currently cover areas such as the supply chain, products, services, contracts, the laws and ethics of selling, sales presentations, profitability, handling negotiations, buyer behaviour and aftersales to name but some. We can let anyone interested have the full list of both mandatory and optional topics.

And just one more thing…

GQA offers an ‘Accredited Training’ service that is ideal for employers and employees in all working environments. It is aimed at those who want to have their in-house training endorsed by GQA Qualifications, and gives them the opportunity to deliver or receive training that focuses on candidates’ particular needs specific to their role rather than having to work with an off the shelf option.

Using our Accredited Training service means that employers can develop their own training to suit their employees or their customers’ needs with the GQA stamp of approval to show the quality of the training delivered. The GQA-branded certificate we offer is an important tool and highlights the third party endorsement we bring. We can also help to develop specific courses in the consultation phase of our collaboration.

More information about GQA Qualifications is available at www.gqaqualifications.com.

For more information about the Fenestration, Glass and Glazing industry’s career families it is www.buildingourskills.co.uk