Gain from training
19 August 2021
When you operate in a niche area of plant hire, it can be a challenge finding recognised qualifications and training for personnel.
That was the experience of Hoist Hire Services Ltd which has three depots serving Bristol, Devon and the Midlands.
“When I entered the industry 23 years ago the only ‘training’ most people received was indirect and involved picking up what you could from a more experienced senior Hoist Installer as you went along. The odd presentation and demonstration by a senior staff member was gratefully received and manufacturer training was in short supply,” said Technical & Compliance Manager Chris Douce.
“So, when the Hoist NVQ became available some years ago, we at Hoist Hire Services were very keen to take advantage, and immediately had all of our installers at the time assessed and qualified to NVQ level 3 by an outside provider.
“Fast forward to the present day and there are Level 2 and 3 NVQ Diplomas in Plant Installations (Construction) - Hoists available, but nationwide, as has always been the case, there is a distinct lack of assessors available to deliver them.
“Due to this lack of provision, back in 2012, I actually trained and became qualified as an assessor myself and then registered with NSAC (National Specialist Accredited Centre) in order to deliver assessment of Hoist Installer NVQs. This allowed me to assess the skills and knowledge of our own personnel,” said Chris.
“The NVQ is a very in-depth qualification and involves the candidate’s demonstration of a broad range of knowledge, but crucially it is also very practical in nature, and consists of live, on-site assessment for the most part. When our installers receive their certificates, they really have earned them.
“The benefits of having NVQ qualified hoist installers are extensive. Simplified, it means that our workforce really do know their stuff. They can deal with all aspects of hoist installation as per the manufacturers’ instructions, national regulations, British and European standards and industry best practice, and they know what to do if unexpected issues arise. Ultimately it ensures Hoist Hire Services Ltd has a very well trained and high-quality workforce.”
To date, Chris has assessed numerous members of staff to NVQ Level 2, with nine set to achieve Level 3 by November.
Having recently taken on more personnel due to increased workload, more will follow next year once they have gained sufficient experience in the field under supervision of their peers.
“From what I can gather, it appears that many others solely rely on manufacturer training for their installers and, whilst we also value this as a company, it is a different proposition entirely as it is usually product specific,” added Chris. “We feel that manufacturer training serves as a supplement to the in-depth foundations laid by the vocational qualifications.”
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