Miller Knight has relaunched its dedicated training academy in Mansfield as it expands its programme for developing skilled workers in passive fire protection.<\/p>\n
The academy has taken on 12 apprentices in its latest intake, with training planned four to six times a year as the company builds a more consistent pipeline of new recruits.<\/p>\n
Apprentices begin with a five-day training programme covering the technical and practical aspects of passive fire protection installations. This includes two days of classroom-based learning followed by three days of practical training.<\/p>\n
The initial programme is followed by six site-based modules, which apprentices are expected to complete over six months. The theoretical element is assessed through an exam, while the practical training includes a timed demonstration of basic fire-stopping seals against a tested detail drawing.<\/p>\n
Colin Brown, training and development manager at Miller Knight said: \u201cInvesting in people has always been an important part of Miller Knight, and the academy gives us the opportunity to build on that in a much more structured way. We want apprentices to come into the business with a strong understanding of the technical skills they need, but also the confidence to put those skills into practice.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe training is deliberately intensive. There is a lot of technical information to take on board, but combining the theory with several days of practical training means apprentices can really understand how that knowledge translates into the work they will be doing.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs we continue to grow, it is important that we are creating that pipeline of skilled people ourselves. The academy gives us a greater capacity to do that, while giving apprentices a clear opportunity to develop a long-term career with Miller Knight.\u201d<\/p>\n
Successful trainees move from the academy onto site to complete their six practical modules, with the company continuing to recruit and develop trainees on an ongoing basis.<\/p>\n
The programme also provides a route into wider roles within the business. Hayden Mclaughlin, a former apprentice who is now assistant estimator at Miller Knight, said: \u201cMy initial training course and introduction to Passive Fire Protection at Miller Knight was comprehensive and informative, providing me with a strong foundation and ensuring I was well prepared for the challenges I would encounter in live site environments. The training week gave me a solid understanding of Passive Fire Protection and the knowledge required to begin my career within the industry.<\/p>\n
\u201cProgression and development are very much at the forefront of Miller Knight\u2019s values, and this has been clearly demonstrated throughout my own journey. I progressed from installing firestopping on site to being supported in transitioning into the role of Assistant Estimator. Throughout this journey, I have been given the guidance, support and tools needed to develop my skills and continue expanding my knowledge of Passive Fire Protection across different areas of the industry.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe opportunity to develop my career in this way has given me a much broader understanding of the industry and has allowed me to build on the knowledge and experience I gained during my initial training. Miller Knight\u2019s commitment to supporting development has played a key role in my progression and has given me the confidence to continue building my career within Passive Fire Protection.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The Mansfield-based firm has taken on 12 apprentices, with training sessions planned up to six times a year<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":266702,"featured_media":2115036,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[127720],"coauthors":[127717],"class_list":["post-2115033","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-skills","tag-featured-story","tag-nottinghamshire"],"yoast_head":"\n