By John Mannell, GGF technical officer.

The glass and glazing industry is justifiably proud for the continued innovation and technological advances it has made for decades now and it could certainly be argued that in many facets we lead the way in the wider construction sector on that front.

As the leading trade federation in our industry, the GGF is often looked towards for direction, and for companies of all sizes who are looking to remain competitive, whilst meeting growing consumer demands for energy efficiency, aesthetic appeal and safety, investing in the training of their workforce is paramount.

Which is why earlier this year, in partnership with IOSH, the GGF launched a pioneering new, Managing Safely In Glass & Glazing, health & safety course designed specifically for our industry. It’s part of our commitment to the glass and glazing community to enhance health & safety standards in the sector and why we’re so pleased to have seen such positive feedback from the first attendees on the course.

Our commitment to bringing new advancements to industry training doesn’t stop there. The more eagle eyed amongst you may have read a teaser or two about a new online training platform the GGF will be launching in the near future. Please do keep an eye out for that and a webinar on what the future of training for the industry will look like, you certainly won’t be disappointed.

Leading the way in training for the glass and glazing industry isn’t an option for the GGF, it’s an essential part of our strategy to help the industry set the bar across construction. In a field that is growing more sophisticated by the day, it’s only right that we provide our members and the wider sector with the right tools and programmes to ensure your staff are equipped with the knowledge and skills to succeed.

We’ve already seen significant improvements made to health and safety standards since Grenfell, and the introduction of the Building Safety Regulator (BSR) will have a profound impact on the sector.

Companies are going to have to invest in training and qualifications to meet these new standards. Yes there will be some increased costs in the short term but these will lead to safer, more resilient buildings.

So, if you take a moment to consider how highly specialised and skilled roles within our industry are you’ll see how training and competency needs to be placed front and centre for every single company in our sector.

To succeed you’ll need a blend of technical knowledge and hands-on expertise, all whilst adhering to stringent safety standards, including building regulations and environmental certifications.

You’ll see us continue to invest in a training programme that has seen us role out the Skilled Pathways Scheme to great acclaim. In addition, the GGF now attend multiple apprenticeship fairs across the year for school and college leavers to increase awareness of our industry as a viable career to the next generation.

So as the GGF community continues to invest in training, they do so knowing they are also investing in the future success of our industry and that the GGF stands alongside them in leading the way.

To book your spot on the IOSH Managing Safely In Glass & Glazing course you can visit the GGF Health, Safety & Environment Hub and for those of you keen to know more about our new training platform keep your eyes peeled on LinkedIn and the GGF site over the coming weeks.