PHAM OCT20:Layout 1 01/10/2020 16:37 Page 5
Inside this issue 5 OCTOBER 2020 VOLUME 58 ISSUE 8
Editor’s Viewpoint by Chris Jones
Unskilled competition With no end to the coronavirus crisis in sight, and the unavoidable consequences for the global economy, it’s inevitable that a number of companies have looked to reduce their ƒŋũĴĕŋũóā̍ ¦Ğā b̪ŭ ŽłāĿťķŋƘĿāłŶ Ʃ ėŽũāŭ Öũā ťũāùĢóŶāù Ŷŋ ũĢŭā ŭĢėłĢƩ óÖłŶķƘ̇ ƒĢŶĞ ŶĞŋŭā ƒĞŋ āÖũł Ö ķĢƑĢłė Ģł ŶĞā ũāŶÖĢķ Öłù hospitality industries particularly vulnerable. Part of the government’s response has been to urge people to retrain and learn new skills. Some of those out of work will seek to access the relatively secure world of IT and computer programming, but many others will try to turn their hands to more practical skills – thus anyone who currently earns a living in the heating and plumbing trade may very soon be having to contend with an increase in local competition. Earlier this year, the CIPHE issued a warning that the āóŋłŋĿĢó óķĢĿÖŶā ƒÖŭ ũĢťā ĕŋũ Öł Ģłƪ ŽƗ ŋĕ ũŋėŽā ŶũÖĢłāũŭ Öłù rogue training courses, as many of those who have been made redundant will view a building-related trade as an attractive prospect. With no regulations to prevent them from doing ŋŶĞāũƒĢŭā̇ ŶĞāũā ƒĢķķ Öķŭŋ ðā ŶĞŋŭā ƒĞŋ ƒĢķķ ðā ĞÖťťƘ Ŷŋ ŋƦ āũ their ‘general handyman’ services, without necessarily bothering to sign up for any courses. This month’s cover story highlights that many householders continue to view professional tradespeople as ‘cowboys’, and an increase in the number of unskilled operators is unlikely to change that perception. Checkatrade, the online directory of vetted and recommended tradespeople, has launched a social media campaign to counteract such damaging misconceptions. Âā ƒĢŭĞ ŶĞā óÖĿťÖĢėł ƒāķķ̇ ðŽŶ ŶĞāƘ óŋŽķù ðā Ʃ ėĞŶĢłė Öł ŽťĞĢķķ battle.
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Special Features
23
Gas Boilers
The importance of using genuine spare parts and how installers can address safety concerns
05 Contents 06 News Review
48 Competition
34 Products in Action 46 Product Spotlight
48 Competition
14 Letters
49 Information Centre
16 Point of View
49 Directory
17 CIPHE Infographic
51 Training & Assessments
18 Business Matters 20 Training Update
Annabel Stones
Benchmark
Tools & Workwear
16
23
44
How the launch of a new Benchmark Öťť ƒĢķķ ðāłāƩ Ŷ ĢłŭŶÖķķāũŭ ðƘ ŭÖƑĢłė time and reducing paperwork.
Why investment in good workwear ƒĢķķ ũāƪ āóŶ ƘŋŽũ ĞĢėĞ ŭŶÖłùÖũùŭ Öłù help to build customer trust.
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13 Horror Show
Billy Wilgar
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47 Product News
Point of View
Incorporating: Plumbing & Heating News Plumbing & Heating Equipment News
Why electric heating systems are ideal for high rise developments, and the latest advances in technology
41
13 People on the Move
Rod Hickmott
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