As part of the LSIF project, Shrewsbury Colleges Group has successfully developed a bespoke training programme for Elements Europe, an established market leader in the world of modular construction in the UK.

Identified through the LSIP research that modular build companies do not get the training they need for their industry; it soon became evident that a bespoke approach was the only way to address this.

Elements Europe specialise in fully volumetric room modules and bathroom pods, with each order delivered to the customers specifications, so implementing a ‘one size’ training programme was never going to have the desired outcome.

So, to design a meaningful programme, Shrewsbury College first met with the team at Elements which included the Operations Manager, Production Supervisor, and the Head of HR to find out exactly what they needed.  From there, a rolling 5-day training programme was designed for 6 general operatives at a time, covering carpentry, plumbing, tape and joint, and tiling, all underpinned with advanced health and safety.

Each of the operatives were carefully selected for their aptitude and willingness to learn and started with carpentry skills on Monday morning.

One operative, Joe Rigby, who had already completed the weeks programme, said how much he had enjoyed it. “I was a ground worker before I came here, so had already learnt certain skills, but this introduced me to a lot of new ones including how to use power tools correctly, mitre corners and tiling which was the highlight of the week!”

Initially the aim of the programme was to develop a multi-skilled workforce, increasing efficiency and productivity, but as the cohorts of learners come through, it proved to be worth much more than this.

Lee Owens, Production Supervisor, and all-round trouble shooter at Elements, stated “The impact of upskilling our staff is far wider than just giving them additional skills. The enthusiasm is great to see, and it gives us the opportunity to identify talent through investing in our staff. The other bonus is the effect it is already having on the quality of our output. As the general operatives gain more knowledge of the different skilled areas, they are now able to identify any work that is below standard, which has huge benefits on our productivity.”

Stuart Raine, Curriculum Director for Construction at the college, commented, “We are delighted to have delivered this comprehensive training programme for Elements Europe. By embedding health and safety into each trade area, we have empowered their employees with the skills and knowledge needed to work safely and efficiently in this environment.”

Looking to the future, and sustainability very much at the forefront of these projects, the set up and the delivery of the training has involved many of the factory floor supervisors, thereby allowing them the opportunity to continue to adapt this training as they respond to new orders.

Shrewsbury College remains committed to providing high-quality training programmes tailored to meet the needs of industry partners.