A qualified workforce: It's saer maen to the Welsh
Mark Priestman has more than 20 years’ experience in the natural stone sector. He plays an active role in the development and delivery of training in this specialist environment. Along with his father, David Priestman, he runs a training consultancy whose mantra is: Qualify the Workforce!
So, what’s stopping you training to be a saer maen? Well, nothing really… if you live in South Wales.
I have just had the pleasure of meeting the friendly staff at the Canolfan Tywi Centre in the beautiful Llandeilo valley and I was impressed by the variety of heritage craft courses available, including those for saer maen – or, as they are known colloquially this side of the £6 toll bridge, stone masons.
The deal gets even better at the Canolfan Tywi Centre because not only does it facilitate taster sessions for the enthusiast and short courses for local heritage businesses, it also offers bursary apprenticeships.
Yes, full bursaries. And, what’s more, they include work placements. Learners can even experience working with several contractors during their training.
This is just the model our sector needs around the whole of the UK to translate pipeline interest in stonemasonry into real, practical site skills and, most importantly, jobs.
Send Nell my ‘cyfarchion’ if you email her for more details: post@tywicentre.org.uk
************
Did you feel old at 24? Or perhaps you have not yet reached that age? More likely, given the ageing profile of stone masons, you wouldn’t mind being 24 again.
The NSAC (National Specialist Accredited Centre), which is a division of ConstructionSkills’ National Specialist Team, has just announced that it has European Social Funding to go towards some Level 2 and 3
on-site assessed NVQs (National Vocational Qualifications).
NSAC does sterling work in applying for the funding and making it available to the sector, but the perimeters of this particular funding contract leave a bit to be desired. If you are aged 19-23, then form an orderly queue by my desk. But if you are 24 or over (the hill) there isn’t much on offer.
Still, I am reliably informed that our friends at the National Specialist Team are already championing our cause for a better deal. When I know more (and have stopped celebrating) I’ll make sure you are the first to know. Otherwise I’ll be the one in the corner kicking the radiator.
***********
Last week I met with the rest of the national occupational working group committee at CIC (Construction Industries Council) in London, looking at the Site Technician NVQ.
This is quite an exciting offering as it allows skilled folk in the stone sector with a leaning toward drawing, estimating, tendering or surveying, the opportunity to achieve an appropriate NVQ and therefore an appropriate CSCS (Construction Skills Certification Scheme) Card.
I was also as pleased as punch to have made a pitch for an optional unit to be added in favour of Project Design Co-ordinators. That titbit should be available as part of the NVQ by the close of the year.
**************
My hall of fame this month belongs to some of the sector’s leaders who agree training is a top-down proposition.
Despite busy schedules and economic challenges, they gave evidence that conservation values are at the top of the business agenda by achieving their Level 6 NVQ Diploma’s in Construction Site Management: Conservation.
The worthy graduates are: Mike Dite of Szerelmey; Richard Hill of Bonser; Keith Hoskins of Carrek; Jamie Moore of Recclesia; Rory Moore of Grosvenor; David Priestman of IntaChem; William Taylor of William Taylor Stonemasons; Steve Wright of Beech Restoration.
The Level 6 qualification provides quite a credibility statement on your
pre-qualification questionnaire and tender documents and enables the holder to apply for the sought after black CSCS Managers Card. Smarties are in the post.
Drop me a line if you’d like to tell me about your training experiences, needs, questions or offerings. My contact details are in the panel on the left.