CAREERS & QUALIFICATIONS IN FENESTRATION
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SPONSORED BY GQA AND BUILDING OUR SKILLS GQA Qualifications is the only issuer of CSCS cards for the Glass and Fenestration industries. Building Our Skills is a strategic campaign designed to help bridge the growing skills gap in the Fenestration Industry
NEW APPOINTMENTS
NEW APPOINTMENTS
SENIOR MANAGEMENT BUILDING OUR SKILLS
PROMOTIONS AT BUSINESS MICROS
The Business Micros Group continues to go from strength to strength following the acquisition of The Consultancy and Glazing Vault in 2020 and the ongoing investment in its new TOUCH software platform. As part of its growth, the company has announced several promotions within its core Business Micros operation, designed to ensure that customers get an even better purchasing, installation and support experience. The senior management team now compromises Nick Bailey as Head of Sales, David Stockwell as Head of Installations, Jude Knowles as Head of Operations and Group HR and Glynis McKnight as Head of Finance. Directors Graeme Bailey and Jim Cronie remain in strategic roles, overseeing the whole of the Business Micros Group. Between them, Nick, David, Jude and Glynis already have almost 90 years’ experience with the business, so customers are in very safe hands.
Glynis McKnight
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David Stockwell
Jude Knowles explained: “As a team, we are now managing the day-to-day operations of the PVC-U side of the business, reporting to Graeme and Jim, but giving them more time to shape the future development of the Group.” Nick Bailey commented: “We will be working much more closely together so that customers get a more rounded and joined-up service from us - all the way from initial enquiry right through to follow up support. We’ll be looking to strengthen our partnership with customers and introducing ways to increase the value our software can bring to their businesses. “Customers can expect to see new subscription options, even more efficient installation processes and new support tools such as online tutorials, videos and downloadable guides. Our focus is on making us an even better company to do business with.” Graeme Bailey added: “The huge amount of experience across the team means they are more than capable of handling anything that gets thrown at them. They’ve got some exciting new plans, but at the same time they offer the kind of continuity which I know our customers really value.” More details at: www.businessmicros.co.uk.
Nick Bailey
LAUNCHES ACTION PLAN FOR 2022-23
Building Our Skills Making Fenestration, Glass and Glazing a Career of Choice has launched its action plan for the next twelve months. The plan reflects its commitment to bridging the skills gap by working closely with employers and other organisations to attract new entrants to the industry. The plan also includes Building Our Skills’ commitment to encouraging employers to upskill their existing workforce, inspiring and encouraging them to see the industry as a home for their long-term career ambitions, as opposed to just a job ‘for now’. For the first time the plan will also showcase the sheer breadth of career paths that the industry affords, and Building Our Skills will be looking for support from the industry to make this resource as complete as possible. In addition, an employers’ forum is to be created by Building
Our Skills to get as much input and support to help promote the industry as widely as possible. Central to Building Our Skills’ work will be a focus on wider engagement with the Education Sector in order to raise awareness of the industry to a potential future workforce; and identifying and actioning ways to bridge the skills gap through working with people who are seeking a change of direction immediately. The latter means partnerships with the Armed Forces, Ministry of Justice, Department of Work and Pensions, Support Groups and Charities. The organisation’s focus on the Education Sector will see it further develop its ‘Inspiring the Future’ campaign. This campaign has been designed by the Education and Employers Organisation specifically to connect the education sector with the world of
work; while also in its plan to target the Education Sector is Building Our Skills’ new ‘Inspiration Days’ programme, designed to open up industry factories and facilities for school visits. With upskilling existing industry employees being a key objective, Building Our Skills has developed a range of Academies to do just that. Its Inspiring Talent Academy is designed to support employers to be able to inspire and encourage employees to commit to the industry as a long-term home for their career ambitions. Its Practical Training Academy is set up to help deliver a skilled on-site workforce and the Business Academy offers a wide range of learning and training opportunities, including specialist sales training. A copy of the full plan can be downloaded directly from Building Our Skills website www.buildingourskills.co.uk.
Jude Knowles
July 2022 | www.glassnews.co.uk
