Simian’s new partnership to deliver specialist scaffolding training
23rd November 2018
We are very proud to announce that Simian has partnered with Waltham Forest Council and Dudley College of Technology to deliver specialist scaffolding training, taking over from the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) in the National Construction College from January 2019.
Specialist scaffolding training
This is a momentous opportunity for the Simian team to become an integral training partner at a centre considered to be a national training leader in modern training methods of construction. Simian will ensure that the centre, based in East London, will continue to build upon the skills of training delegates, thus filling the significant skills gap currently facing the industry.
Simon Hughes, Simian’s Managing Director, said: “We’re delighted to be involved in the delivery of specialist scaffolding training in partnership with Dudley College, an organisation held in very high regard in the education world. It is our intention to place significant emphasis on the delivery of Scaffolding Apprenticeships at the Waltham Forest site, and to expand the existing training portfolio to include all CISRS scaffolding courses. We are confident this will play a significant part in addressing the construction industry skills shortage and meeting the Mayor of London’s objectives.”
Dave Randles, Simian’s Operations Director, said “This is a significant milestone in our mid-term growth strategy and reflects the needs of the industry. Our market research and feedback from our national client base clearly shows that they are looking for additional supply of quality scaffolding training, across an extended geographical area.
We are also addressing training needs in other regions and the planned scaffolding training centres in the south west and north west Wales, which are due to open in the mid part of 2019, will also play a significant part in achieving this.”
Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) currently leases the Waltham Forest NCC training site from the Council, however as part of the organisations Vision 2020 reforms, CITB gave notice on their lease in July 2018. This led to both CITB and Waltham Forest working together to ensure the centre is taken over by a new managing organisation, which would continue to offer effective construction skills training.
Speaking of the partnership, CITB Head of Education and Training, Graham McPhail has said: “CITB is committed to supporting a robust, high quality skills and training market. By stepping away from direct delivery, we remove any conflict of interest. This enables us to focus on building the right relationships with providers to secure the kind of provision British construction needs.”