Electrical Contracting News (ECN) June 2017 | Page 22

TRAINING

TRAINING

FIRST HALO LECTURES TO APPRENTICE ELECTRICIANS HAILED SUCCESS BY COLLEGES
Introduction to KNX ‘ Taster ’ seminar : FREE
7th Jun 2017 12th Jul 2017 9th Aug 2017
KNX Certified Partner Basic Course : £ 750
10th - 14th Jul 2017 25th - 29th Sep 2017
KNX Certified Advanced Course : £ 750
16th - 20th Oct 2017
For more info visit www . bemco-knx . co . uk
Hylec-APL has announced that the first lectures to groups of apprentice electricians under the HALO scheme have recently taken place and been hailed a success by colleges where they were delivered . The company ’ s HALO initiative aims to support people entering the electrical industry via training programmes at colleges and other organisations by offering free guest lectures from an experienced electrical industry contractor to inspire with insights
KNX TRAINING WITH BEMCO
AICO EXPANDS TRAINING FACILITIES
Aico has expanded and enhanced its training and support services for customers . This includes two new mobile training and demonstration units , plus an extended Centre of Excellence at Aico ’ s premises in Oswestry , Shropshire .
Aico ’ s new fully fitted mobile training and demonstration vehicles enable the company to deliver detailed product and alarm technology information , plus its CPD accredited Expert Installer training , right to customers ’ doors .
The new extension , officially opened at a launch event in January , houses a dedicated training facility , with a large conference room which seats up to 150 people and is kitted out with the latest audio visual facilities . The workshop allows for 20 people to comfortably attend a hands on training session and view alarms in action with the use of a smoke chamber . A new wholesaler area , with its imitation trade counter , has also been set up to look familiar to wholesalers whilst showing the latest product and merchandise available to them .
For further information visit : www . aico . co . uk into the wide scope of work available to apprentices , some ‘ how to get ahead in your career ’ tips and best practice advice .
On leaving the classroom , students also received a ‘ goody bag ’ containing Hylec products , including the Debox SL , Debox S , discount vouchers and other useful items . They were also invited to access the HALO Forum , an online resource with further hints and tips and the opportunity to share information with other apprentices .
Further lectures are scheduled with a number of other training organisations
in the near future , including over 108 students at Bedford College . It is expected that take up of the free HALO lectures will increase as colleges and training providers conform with the government ’ s apprenticeship reform programme being introduced from September , which calls for colleges to have closer engagement with employers and industry .
For further information visit : www . hylec-apl . com
Bemco now provides KNX training from its flagship Wandsworth branch , offering a KNX Introduction seminar every month for those who want to find out more . The intro seminar is an ideal opportunity for technical and non-technical minds to discover what KNX is all about and work out if it ’ s right for your business .
The Introduction to KNX taster course is a half-day session designed to help people get a better understanding of : KNX infrastructure and its benefits ; KNX possibilities , available products and design aesthetics ; integrating AV and other control systems into a KNX building control system and the fundamentals of KNX programming .
The KNX Certified ( Basic ) Partner course offers attendees : Full KNX Partner certification ; all written course material to take away ; license for 20 devices using ETS5 Lite ; technical support and design / planning assistance with all KNX work .
The KNX Certified Advanced course is only available to attendees who have completed the Basic course and covers the following topics : Fail Safe Planning , Flags , HVAC Control with KNX , Integrated Application , Interworking , Couplers ; Lighting Control Security Technology , Logic Operations , Visualisation Systems , ETS Apps ; KNX and Multimedia , KNX and Smart Metering / Smart Grid .
For further information visit : www . bemco . co . uk
ECA BACKS PARLIAMENTARY APPRENTICESHIPS REPORT
A new parliamentary committee report on skills , which urges the government to ‘ prioritise ’ getting young people to take up apprenticeships in industry sectors with skills shortages , such as electrotechnical , has been backed by the Electrical Contractors ’ Association ( ECA ).
According to a recent ECA survey , almost half of electrotechnical businesses ( 47 per cent ) expect to face a skills shortage in 2018 . Yet the report comments that ‘ the current balance of [ apprenticeship funding ] provision is skewed towards sectors with low wage returns and few skills shortages ’.
In addition , the report states that ‘ there remains a lack of clarity about long term funding arrangements for non-apprenticeship levy paying employers ’. The ECA has already raised this issue with skills minister Rob Halfon MP due to its potential impact on SMEs within the sector .
ECA director of employment and skills Alex Meikle commented , ‘ It ’ s widely accepted that engineering disciplines , such as electrotechnical , face an ongoing skills shortage . This threatens to derail broader government efforts to develop a highly skilled , highly paid workforce .’
Last year the ECA provided written evidence to the inquiry , which stated that government apprenticeship funding policy ‘ risked ... driving investment in short duration , lower value apprenticeships which are easier to deliver ’, rather than ‘ technical , longer duration , higher value apprenticeships ’.
For further information visit : www . eca . co . uk
22 | June 2017