Free Places on Asbestos Awareness Training Course

Boss Training, specialists in the provision of work at height and safety training, is celebrating the re-launch of its national asbestos awareness training service by offering clients free places on its UKATA registered Asbestos Awareness Training Course in Leeds.

According to the Health and Safety Executive asbestos is still the single biggest cause of work-related deaths in the UK, with recent figures showing that every week 20 tradesman die from asbestos-related diseases through past exposure to asbestos fibres. As a result, Boss Training is aiming to encourage more people to attend this essential course at its Leeds training centre by offering a free place to every one in three group bookings. The course is vital for anyone who could potentially be exposed to asbestos in a work situation. The half-day course, which includes written and oral presentations, focuses on providing attendees with comprehensive information about the properties and types of asbestos; the uses and likely occurrences of asbestos; how to avoid the risk of being exposed to asbestos, as well as procedures to take in an emergency, where asbestos has been found. In addition, Boss Training can tailor the course to the specific requirements of individual customers. Andrew Murphy, managing director of Boss Training, said:

“Because the use of brown and blue asbestos was only banned in 1985, and white asbestos as late as 1999, there are still many buildings which were built prior to those dates where asbestos can be found. Exposure is therefore still a real risk when workers disturb the fabric of buildings. As a result, we felt it was important to encourage as many people as possible to attend the course by introducing this special promotional offer which coincides with the re-launch of our national asbestos awareness service.”

The dangers of exposure to asbestos were recently highlighted in newspaper reports which claimed that Malcolm McLaren, the former manager of the Sex Pistols, was exposed to asbestos at his clothes shop in the 1970s, after disturbing ceiling tiles during renovation work. Andrew continued: ‘Even if you are carrying out renovation work on your own home, there could be an element of risk involved in being exposed to asbestos. Consequently, we are also receiving many enquiries from private individuals about attending our asbestos awareness course prior to starting any major renovation work.’ Companies and individuals interested in attending the asbestos course and taking advantage of this special offer, should contact Boss Training on 0845 680 0495. Boss Training is registered with the United Kingdom Asbestos Training Association (UKATA) to deliver accredited courses and issue genuine training certificates.


Email: info@bosstraining.co.uk
Website: www.bosstraining.co.uk

Vocational training is the future

Stephen Martin, Chief Executive of Clugston Group, one of the North’s leading privately owned construction, logistics and property contractors, recently attended the prestigious VQ Day in London. The event, held on the 23rd June 2010, was attended by representatives from over 100 of the country’s leading employers, as well as senior representatives from the British Chambers of Commerce.

Mr. Martin was involved in debates alongside senior executives from blue-chip companies including Capgemini, BT, J Sainsbury and Orange, amongst others. The employers called for vocational qualifications to be more highly regarded and backed calls for more defined career progression at higher levels for vocational careers.

The awards recognised the achievements of some of the people who undertook a vocational qualification in the past year. The event included the VQ Learner Award ceremony presented by Arlene Phillips OBE, best known for being a former judge on Strictly Come Dancing.

John Hayes, Minister for Further Education, Skills and Lifelong Learning backed a vocational future, saying, “VQ Day is an annual reminder of the victory millions of people who gain vocational qualifications every year achieve. This year, University Technical Colleges – pioneered by Edge chairman Lord Baker and the late Ron Dearing – have propelled vocational education to the top of the political agenda. My ambition is that at VQ Day, every year, we celebrate a new triumph for vocational learning.”

Clugston Construction has many employees currently undertaking vocational qualifications. The VQ Day review of vocational qualifications, brought out in celebration of this year’s VQ Day, showed that there has been a 22% rise in the number of people undertaking vocational qualifications in the construction sector in the past year alone.


Photo Caption: Stephen Martin Clugston Group CEO, far right, with Arlene Philips OBE, together with a team of vocational trainees.

About Clugston Construction:
Clugston Construction is one of the largest privately owned regional building contractors in the UK and a member of the Clugston Group which was established over 70 years ago by the current chairman’s father. Operating from four regional offices across the North of England the company has built a reputation for safely delivering a wide variety of services and projects. For further information about Clugston visit

www.clugston.co.uk

07879 634864.

Yorkshire CEO to be a panel member at VQ Day 2010

Stephen Martin, chief executive of Clugston Group, one of the North’s leading privately owned construction, logistics and property development companies, with offices in Leeds and Scunthorpe, is to be a panel member at the prestigious national VQ Day event at the Royal Horticultural Halls in London on the 23^rd June 2010. VQ Day, now in its third year, is the celebration of people who gain vocational qualifications every year. The day will be attended by a number of key public figures including senior cabinet ministers and media personalities.

Mr. Martin, the only panellist from a Yorkshire company, will sit alongside the chair of the panel Lord Kenneth Baker. Also taking part on the panel and the round table discussions will be the chief executive of Whitbread Group, the director general of Merseytravel and the senior vice president people at McDonalds. The aim of the event, which is being supported by the British Chambers of Commerce, is to raise the stature and demonstrate the benefits of vocational qualifications to future learners, employers and the wider public.

The main topic for the panel discussion will be the ways in which the stature of vocational training can be raised so the UK doesn’t only recognise academic achievement, whilst the round tables will cover a broader range of topics including what vocational qualifications could do for a business and how vocational qualifications match a business’ sectoral needs.

A short film highlighting Clugston Group’s commitment to vocational qualifications has been filmed by Business in the Community and will be shown at the event as well as being posted online. Clugston Group takes great pride in emphasising vocational qualifications and has many employees currently taking part in construction and logistics based NVQ qualifications.

Speaking about attending the event, Stephen Martin said, “This is a great event to be involved with. As a skill-based company, we feel vocational qualifications are of great importance to the development of our business. Vocational courses teach vital skills for markets like ours but have, for too long, gone without the public recognition they deserve.”

The London event will also include interactive zones showing the diversity of vocational qualifications and the presentation of awards to VQ Learners of the Year. Millions of people each year gain a vocational qualification to help widen their skills, continue into further education or advance their career.

About Clugston Group:

The Clugston Group is a privately owned, limited, group of businesses founded over 70 years ago, on Humberside, by LG Clugston, the father of the present chairman, John Clugston.

The Group has expanded to become a well established organisation with a leading reputation in construction, civil engineering, logistics, property development and facilities management.

The company employs over 500 people with operations stretching across the UK. For further information visit

www.clugston.co.uk

About VQ Day:

VQ Day is a national celebration of vocational qualifications for students, teachers and employers. Last year 3.6 million vocational qualifications were awarded and millions of people will achieve similar success this year. For further information visit
www.vqday.org.uk.