By Chris Beedel, head of advocacy & stakeholder relations, Glass & Glazing Federation.

It should come as no surprise to any successful business that its employees are its biggest asset.

There are a large number of studies available in the marketplace that prove companies with dedicated training programmes see a sharp increase in profits and a greater level of staff retention.

This was a fundamental reason why the GGF and Fensa training academies were set up during the pandemic. It was clear there was a skills gap within the industry and with an ever evolving and competitive market, companies in our sector would need to stand out from the crowd, and meet increasing expectation levels from homeowners.

Company culture

When talking about training and development however, it’s important to think beyond sending someone on a refresher course that impacts their daily role.

While development programs increase employees’ future performance and growth, employee training is more about learning new skills and acquiring specific knowledge that employees can apply instantly to bring about significant improvements in their current job roles.

We’ve seen in our industry that there is currently a skills shortage. Currently there are far more roles available throughout the sector than there are skilled professionals waiting to fill them.

As such it has never been more important that, as an industry, we compete to retain our top talent – other sectors will snap them up if we don’t.

It’s not one size fits all

As part of our training offering to members, it was imperative to consider that how courses were delivered, and their content, simply wouldn’t suit everyone.

Some individuals prefer time face to face in a classroom, others prefer an online option and the chance to learn in their own time and environment.

Which is why these days, in conjunction with our training partners Total Support Training, a blended learning programme is the preferred choice for many companies. The idea being that regardless of content and setting, the courses provide outcome centric learning that is highly engaging and interactive.

Upskill your workforce

A key consideration for you when looking at staff training and development is recognising which individuals have the capacity to adapt to new processes, models and technologies.

It is why the GGF and Fensa are so keen for our industry to futureproof their business by ensuring the right individuals are given the right support in their career development.

That means not just one-off training courses, but a continuous commitment to development. The recent changes to the Building Regulations only serve to highlight how important it is that every company has access to the most up to date knowledge.

So, whether it be a two-hour refresher course or an NVQ over a number of months, the training academies give our industry a chance to be recognised for development, creativity and innovation.

The government has set some hugely challenging targets when it comes to its Net Zero goals for 2050, so let’s lead the way across construction and say that whatever challenges we’re set, we’ll exceed them with the help of a highly skilled and passionate workforce.

For more information and to book a course, please visit https://fensa.totalsupport.org.uk/