The double glazing industry has often suffered a tarnished image because of the cowboy builders that we have seen thanks to consumer programmes like Rogue Traders and the plethora of negative press that often surrounds the industry.On June 6th 2014, the Governments latest initiative to help separate the quality workman from those with little to no skill sets will kick-in. The introduction of Minimum Technical Competencies (MTC’s) for the Glazing industry will ensure that the homeowner is dealing with installers who have been assessed against minimum competency criteria. Lister Trade Frames of Stoke on Trent have welcomed this new legal requirement with open arms.; in fact Listers have developed a programme to help their trade customers become fully compliant.
Listers have partnered with PM Training, a GQA Qualifications approved training provider to help them put their trade installers through their GQA NVQ’s in an effort to boost their already excellent knowledge to the level required by the Government approved criteria. The beauty of this to the installer is that its costs them nothing but their time and most of the training is carried out on site.Paul Wiggins, one of Listers’ customers said, “I’ve been fitting windows and doors for years so when I heard about MTC compliance my initial reaction was, what’s the point? I thought that there was nothing I could be taught that I didn’t already know.”
Daniel Shaw, Marketing Manager for Listers said,” This was the kind of comment that we were hearing all the time and we wanted to change that perception. The homeowner will be looking for installers who meet the MTC requirements so this is actually a sales tool that our trade customers should be taking advantage of.”
Listers ran a workshop in June 2013 to explain to their customers what MTC’s meant and why it was important that they were ready for the change in the law. They introduced PM Training into the mix and over 30 installers signed up to attain their NVQ’s on that day itself.
“It was a phenomenal success and we were delighted that our customers understood how important it was to be compliant. Since that first day we are delighted to say that over 70 of our trade customers so far are going through the qualification programme,” commented Daniel “and there are still more signing up every week!”
“It was a phenomenal success and we were delighted that our customers understood how important it was to be compliant. Since that first day we are delighted to say that over 70 of our trade customers so far are going through the qualification programme,” commented Daniel “and there are still more signing up every week!”
Paul Wiggins, one of the first installers to sign up said,” I was concerned that it would be an exercise that would get in the way of my day job, but the support I received from Listers and PM Training has made the whole experience an actual pleasure. I’ve enjoyed having my skills tested and then receiving the validation from an official body that what I’m doing is right and proper. Simon Smith (PM Training) has been excellent to work with through the whole process and the constant support from Listers has proved invaluable. I will certainly be using my MTC card to stand me apart from the crowd and I’m positive it will help me win more work.”
The homeowner should be looking for installers who can prove MTC compliance and thanks to Listers there are now more local installers who have ticked all the boxes that the government requires, meaning that quality work being delivered by quality, recognised installers will be a more common sight in Staffordshire.
For more information on MTC’s please visit: http://www.gqaqualifications.com/competence-cards/ or http://fensa.org.uk/mtc.aspx
