Construction industry training specialist Whitewaters Training Ltd has opened a new training centre in Blackpool. The centre offers top quality training and qualification assessment to individuals and companies working in the construction industries. 

U Mole (a division of Vp plc) recently undertook responsibility for the rental dealership across the UK for Germany-based IBG Hydro-Tech GmbH, manufacturer of the HydroCut range of milling robots, cleaning and lining systems (www.ibg-hydro-tech.de). U Mole’s responsibility currently covers the range of HydroCut robotic systems. 

AMS Asbestos Management Services has launched a new e-learning programme that will help managers demonstrate staff competency in identifying and avoiding asbestos risk.

Leeds College of Building is investing circa £15 million to create a new state of the art 8,000 m2 facility on land purchased from Yorkshire Design Group at Hunslet Lane and Black Bull Street in Leeds City Centre. 

The deal will enable the College to build an exciting new education and training facility that will serve a large proportion of its 7,500 students. Ian Billyard, Principal at Leeds College of Building says: “This is extremely good news for our students, staff and the construction industry as a whole. This is the start of our consolidation of the six sites we currently operate from into this new purpose built development, along with our North Street and Millwright Street sites. 

Apprentices working for Oldham based construction and regeneration company Emanuel Whittaker have been given the chance to take subsidised driving lessons, thanks to an initiative from Procure Plus, the company’s procurement partner.

Lee Bradbury, Health, Safety & Environment Manager for Emanuel Whittaker said: “Our trainees are not office based and are regularly asked to work on sites all across Greater Manchester. These are young men and women and chances are they have not yet had the opportunity, or the cash, to pass their driving tests.

The UK Timber Frame Association (UKTFA) has been awarded a Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) Growth Recognition Award, for the work carried out to improve business skills and knowledge within the erector community.

The training, run in association with CITB, involves fifteen UKTFA erector members. It is designed to prepare businesses for an upturn in the country’s economic outlook, ensuring they are in the best position to capitalise on increased demand for their services.

Two key members of staff from ACoRP, a federation of 50 community rail partnerships and rail promotion groups, are now fully competent in the use of fall protection systems, following specialist bespoke training from Eurosafe Solutions.

Training manager Andy Jennings delivered a bespoke fall protection course to events organiser Hazel Bonner and operations manager Brian Barnsley to ensure they were fully competent in the use of their new ladder system.

Eurosafe Solutions installed the 9m ladder at the organisation’s new headquarters, which is a renovated water tower on Huddersfield Railway Station, known as ‘The Old Water Tower’.

A new training course for would-be scaffolders is to be launched.

Astra Access Safety Training is offering unemployed people in the Yorkshire area the opportunity to build a future in the scaffolding industry.

The project will recruit trainees for a diploma level 1 scaffolding course which provides the skills and experience required to move on to an CISRS (Construction Industry Scaffolders Record Scheme) qualification after finding employment in the scaffolding and construction related industries.

Kier Stoke is furthering its commitment to staff and enhancing customer service through a new training initiative.

The innovative scheme will train craft technicians to become multi-skilled, enabling additional repairs on residents' homes to be completed more efficiently.

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (Rospa) handed out gold, silver and bronze honours at the annual Alan Butler Awards, which recognise excellence and achievement of organisations within the Safety Groups UK movement.

Safety Groups UK is made up of around 70 local groups, which each consist of health and safety professionals who give up their free time to promote, share information and offer practical help to employers in their communities in a bid to prevent accidents and ill health at work.