Bespoke training for Phoenix Natural Gas

   23 February 2023         News

Develop Training provides bespoke training programme for Phoenix Natural Gas.

One of the unique offerings we provide at Develop Training is our on-site bespoke training. In this, we can both adapt and deliver our courses to be precisely relevant to a company’s facilities, staff, or systems. Recently, Phoenix Natural Gas reached out to Develop Training looking for a way to prepare their staff for the eventuality of a serious incident, and we got to work designing them a bespoke training programme.

With considerable experience delivering exactly this kind of programme to companies throughout the gas industry, we felt our knowledge of the potential for plausible incidents involving gas transmission could be of particular use.

As such, we arranged and delivered two sessions at a location in Belfast, catering for 24 people from their side who were based in either incident procedure or safety. At the helm of this was Develop Training staff members Jim Donnelly, Tech ISOH Senior Trainer and Chris Parker, Health and Safety manager.

These sessions utilised role play to reproduce incidents that Phoenix Natural Gas wished to tackle, with a team from Develop Training using comms to monitor and direct their changing crisis scenarios from another room. Following the scenarios, feedback was given in conjunction with a screening of relevant interviews from members of HSE (Health and Safety Executive) media, police, and community representatives.

A further breakdown was then delivered to confirm how the group’s performances would translate to real life scenarios, and to analyse the timeline of their actions. This was followed by a practical discussion over the overall management of the scenario. Upon the conclusion of the programme, we were pleased to hear that Phoenix Natural Gas reported the sessions were incredibly useful.

It was of delight to us that Phoenix Natural Gas followed this feedback with the request that we return and run a similar programme for their executive management. Being able to deliver our training, guidance and support at multiple levels of a company ensures long-term improvement, and is something we are proud to conduct at an esteemed company such as Phoenix Natural Gas.

Chris Merson joins as an Electrical trainer

   15 February 2023         News

Develop would like to extend a warm welcome to Chris Merson who has joined Stuart Gilby’s Estates and Facilities Management Training team as an Electrical HV/LV trainer.

Chris is joining Develop and bringing a wealth of electrical, safety and compliance training with him. Before Develop, Chris worked for EMCOR as an Authorising Engineer. He also worked as a safety manager and trained those in competent person training.

“The thing I like most about training is the ability to pass on the knowledge and expertise I have gained through my career. As a former Health and Safety Advisor I know the regulations inside and out and I want to instil this into the next generation of workers, so they do not harm themselves or others. In my experience I have found the biggest cause of accidents are lack of PPE and lack of supervision – which leads back to training.”

Throughout his career Chris have developed systems, areas, workshops, and training courses. Chris always takes the health and safety of others into consideration, even if that means he must make difficult decisions.

So far Chris has found everyone at Develop very welcoming. “It’s great that people are taking the time to introduce themselves to me and taking the time to tell me about their role.”

Away from work Chris is a big horse racing fan!

Investors in People Gold Award

   24 January 2023         News

Develop Training achieves the Investors in People Gold Award.

We are delighted to announce that after an intensive external audit into our company’s practices we have been awarded the coveted gold standard from Investors in People’s (IIP).

Achieved by less than 10% of those that apply for IIP accreditation, we’re proud to be considered as the kind of workplace that puts the development, progression, and performance of our team as a central focus for our organisation.

The IIP is a not-for-profit organisation that has worked with over 50,000 organisations to assess how each of these workplaces’ cultures serve to positively affect the growth of the companies they inhabit. The report, which the IIP ultimately generates in the process of this assessment, takes a period of three years.

It is within this extensive assessment that companies achieve either a standard, silver, gold or platinum level. Being a training provider ourselves, we were particularly proud to receive the gold accreditation, as this award proves that the standard of training, we provide internally is akin to the standard of training that we give to our customers every day.

Ultimately, our work could not be done without clear leadership and the commitment of our staff, which is why we were glad to hear their feedback of feeling both acknowledged and supported. People are the cornerstone of Develop, so to have their wellbeing and development be so highly rated gives testament to the relevance and competence of the training standards we have always guaranteed.

Michael Karim joins as a Street Works trainer

   19 January 2023         News

Develop would like to extend a warm welcome to Michael Karim who is joining the Cross Industry team as a Street Works Trainer.

Michael began his career straight out of school, working with his dad on Mechanical Pipework before progressing on to Street Works. At 23 Michael joined the Army; he spent 5 years here until 2011 when, after a tour of Afghanistan, he decided it was time to bow out and go back to his roots in Street Works. He remained here for 11 years working for South Staffs Water.

Fun fact – During his time at South Staffs Water Michael previously completed an Apprenticeship in Water Engineering with Develop Training clearly Develop made an impression on him as he is now joining us as one of our own!

After many years on the tools Michael decided to bring his knowledge to the classroom to teach others,

“I enjoy the variety that Street Works and the water industry provide. I see myself as the type of person to get things done and get them done well which is why I have always enjoyed my time in industry. However, I think the time is right for a change in my life, hence why I decided to move to training. Develop have been fantastic as they are supporting me though my teaching qualifications and helping me to put my first hand knowledge of the utilities industry to good use by passing it on to others.”

Away from work

Michael enjoys hiking in the Peak District and spending time with his wife and young children.

Artificial street build in York

   17 January 2023         News

Develop Training to build an artificial street in York as new training grounds.

Develop Training, one of the UK’s leading accredited providers of compliance, technical and safety training, is constructing a fully to-scale artificial street in York to provide immersive, real life training experiences within its replica buildings.

Made possible by an investment of £500k by Develop Training and its parent company, JTL, the artificial street launches in the spring, providing training in emergency response to gas incidents, as well as excavation safety, cable avoidance, sewer jetting and confined space entry.

Located next to Develop Training’s York training centre in Huby, the site will consist of purpose-built houses, apartments, a café, and a confined spaces area.

John Kerr, Managing Director at Develop Training, said: “This is one of our most ambitious projects to date. This build, which can be likened to a set used for TV and film productions, will provide Develop Training with an invaluable base to provide new standards in technical safety training. The foundation of our training is in creating skills for real-world application, and this new street will serve only to strengthen that base.

“We’re also certainly looking forward to our ‘name the street competition’, as everyone on the judging panel has expressed their excitement toward choosing a winner from the submissions. It’s a great way for us to welcome some creativity whilst delivering something essential both for our learners, and the emergency services. Opportunities to support local communities are of huge importance to us and we’re excited to witness a variety of people benefit from the use of these new facilities.”

Competition

An online competition to name the street will be taking place from 12th January to 28th February, with entrants asked to suggest up to three names for the street before a judging panel determines a winning name that will become the training venue’s title.

Click here to enter the competition

The judging panel will be made up of colleagues from across the JTL Group, with their chosen winner invited to the street’s ribbon cutting. The winner will also receive £500 worth of Amazon.co.uk gift vouchers.

Joseph Hammond joins as an Electrotechnical Trainer

   17 January 2023         News

Develop Training would like to extend a warm welcome to Joseph Hammond, who began working for Stuart Gilby last week, as an Electrotechnical Trainer.

Joe began his career by completing an Electricians Apprenticeship and getting hands-on in industry. Throughout his career he has received many great opportunities from supermarket fit outs, domestic rewiring and motor installations to the Olympic Project and installation infrastructure for the high speed 1 rail link!

He has worked all over the UK and Europe as a contractor before settling into a repairs manager role for the Local Housing Authority before moving to work in a local college as a trainer, this was something he was reluctant to undertake at first however, by his own admittance this was the best move of his career!

Joseph said: “Recently, a learner who I nominated for a recognition award won Apprentice of the year, I was so very proud of her. I have faced many challenges in the electrical industry from jobs going wrong, clients not paying through to supplies not being delivered, but the challenges I have relished the most are the learners who needed that extra to get them over the line. I have worked alongside some excellent individuals who needed a break in industry, and although they were a challenge to get them there, they put the work in and achieved.”

He added: “I love working with electricians, apprentices, and learners from all walks of life and helping to develop their skills to achieve.”

Away from work

Joseph enjoys playing Table Tennis, walking, and spending time with his wife and two children. He loves reading and has a geeky interest in medieval history and gives guided tours of Lincoln Castle!

Barry Gibson joins as a Senior ACS Gas Trainer

   11 January 2023         News

Develop would like to extend a warm welcome to Barry Gibson, who has joined Daryll Garavan’s Utilities team, as a Senior ACS Gas Trainer.

Barry began his career in 1975 as an Apprentice Gas Fitter with British Gas, as the company changed, he worked for Transco and then National Grid for a total of 38 years, progressing to a Level 7 Manager.

Within his various roles Barry got many opportunities, one of which involved working in India as part of a team developing new end to end IT systems. Another was the development of a training course with the Fire Service College to teach managers how to deal with serious incidents. A few weeks after the training course had been written Barry was called to a gas explosion which had completely destroyed a building with reports of people trapped, however, in developing the course, and therefore having recently been though all the information in great detail, it made him a lot more confident in handling the situation.

Despite Barry really enjoying his role, he decided he wanted new challenge. He moved to a certification company where he began worked as an ACS centre manager for three centres.

Barry is bringing his wealth of knowledge and almost five decades worth of gas experience and a decade’s worth of training experience to Develop.

What Develop is like

“I’m really enjoying my time at Develop so far, I’ve only been here for a short time and already feel my skills are being appreciated and I’m part of the family. Everyone has taken the time to learn my name and have a chat!”

Away from work

Outside of work, Barry is currently renovating his bungalow. He is also a big Port Vale fan and enjoys going to games – he used to be a keen player himself however overtime and a couple of minor injuries later he now prefers to watch.

Barry is also a fund raiser for MacMillan cancer care having completed three Peak District Mighty Hikes raising over £6,500.

Barry also volunteers with the Port Vale Foundation and spent a lot of time during lockdown calling people who lived alone and, in some cases, arranging for emergency food parcels to be delivered for those in need.

Upskilling your workforce for the New Year

   04 January 2023        Blogs

At Develop Training we’re approaching 2023 with a list of resolutions that look at making tangible improvements for workforces across the country.

Improvements that come in the form of upskilling, the practice that can keep your workforce consistently ahead of modern advances in technique, regulation, and technology. All of which we can cater for with one of the many training programmes we provide at Develop Training.

Whether your industry’s focus is Estates & Facilities Management, Utilities, Leadership and Management or Building Services Engineering, we have both short and long courses available to not only improve in an area that your workforce operates, but to potentially create an entirely new specialism for your company to deliver on.

For example, our Electrical Vehicle charging course is City & Guild accredited and has no formal requirements for entry, though it is recommended for practicing electricians. Covering legislation, design, selection, and final installation, it transforms delegates unfamiliar with the technology into competent EV charging installers.

Equally, at Develop Training we’re able to provide a broad range of unique training to facilitate work within confined spaces. So, whether your company requires training for direct work in these environments, the supervision of that work, or the management of confined spaces in general, we can provide all of the requisite framework that the industry expects.

One of our offerings of particular use for companies looking to tackle upskilling across the board is our bespoke training offer. This allows us to deliver many of our training courses at a company premises, enabling your staff to conveniently learn essential updates to modern safety regulations, procedures, and even invaluable information tailored specifically to your businesses’ needs.

Upskilling a workforce is one of the most reliable ways of future-proofing a company in the modern age, and with a looming skills shortage facing both the UK and EU labour markets, 2023 might be the most vital time to ensure your staff is ready to tackle the numerous changes society will undergo.

Joe Cheatle joins as a Confined Space trainer

   14 December 2022         News

Develop would like to extend a warm welcome to Joe Cheatle who joined Kate Denial’s training team a few months ago as a Confined Space trainer.

Although based in Derby, Joe will be working nationwide to deliver confined space training. Joe began his career working for Mines Rescue where he worked for 5 years from the age of 18. After many successful years Joe decided it was time for a change with a new challenge and when he saw Develop were hiring it was the perfect opportunity, Joe is bringing with him his incredible knowledge of safety in low, medium and high risk confined spaces as well as his TAQA and Institution of Occupational Safety and Health qualifications.

What Develop is like

“Working at Develop definitely has its perks and great benefits, like a company car for example, along with friendly welcoming workforce. I was lucky to start the week of the Staff Conference, this meant I was able to be the full extent of the Develop family within my first week. It was a great way to meet colleagues in an informal setting.”

Day to day wise if Joe is completing training off Develops sites he makes sure he has all the relevant equipment and paper work required, he also brings any PPE that might be needed. If he is working at a Develop site or that of a customer he will then make sure the room is ready and complete the required papers before teaching and assessing the group.

“I like to mix theory with the practical side of the subject as it’s good to introduce equipment gradually as the course progresses as I find majority of learners in this subjects like the hands-on side. I like to utilise Q&As and different classroom teaching techniques to keep learners engaged and often use the whiteboard to talk through different topics.”

Joe sees himself as an ambitious individual and at Develop would like the achieve personal progression through more qualifications such as IQA and NEBOSH and though Develop if the opportunity arises.

The industry

“I think more employers are taking confined space worker competency more seriously as they are aware of the major repercussions there can potentially be if they don’t follow health and safety legislation.” Joe has noticed through his 5 years of experience the increase in demand and numbers on courses. “I started at Mines Rescue at 18 and they were struggling to fill out courses however towards the end of my time at the company there was rarely a spare seat. From what I have seen at Develop it’s a similar story and most courses I’ve instructed so far have been full in terms of numbers.”

Away from work

Outside of work Joe enjoys playing football and socialising with friends.

Develop Training’s visit to the hydrogen-fuelled homes of the future

   21 October 2022        News

Not long ago, two of our employees visited the site of Northern Gas Networks’ (NGN) hydrogen homes as part of a newfound partnership with them to prepare for a potential transition to a fully hydrogen-fuelled future.

Whilst we’re not expecting a full transition just yet, hydrogen has seen a gradual increase in popularity since the release of a 2016 report by NGN themselves that concluded a total conversion to hydrogen was both technically and economically viable.

This report led to NGN receiving funding from the government innovation programme Hy4Heat to develop two fully hydrogen-powered example homes, both of which were completed in 2021.

We recently sent employees Daryll Garavan and Nichola Kitching to visit these hydrogen-fuelled homes at NGN’s Low Thornley site. The visit was a chance for them to observe first-hand the complex training needs that may be required for a potential transition to hydrogen as a fuel source.

Daryll Garavan and Nicola Kitching visiting Hydrogen home
Daryll Garavan and Nichola Kitching at NGN’s Low Thornley site

They found that homes were fitted with hydrogen gas appliances, including cookers and hobs, fires and boilers and a hydrogen meter. The appliances all operated and worked to the same purposes as their natural gas counterparts, however one clear difference was that the flame on the hob burned orange rather than blue.

A hydrogen gas supply could offer the most cost effective and least invasive route to zero carbon home heating for many UK homes. However, whilst hydrogen is considered a clean fuel, it is also a more volatile energy source than natural gas.

This means that employees at companies such as NGN would need to undergo bespoke training should its widespread installation be required.

With our particular experience in offering gas compliance and safety certification training, it seemed only natural for us to begun working with NGN in anticipating the potential training required by both NGN and potentially the wider industry for implementing a hydrogen-fuelled future.

Follow along with us as we continue on this hydrogen journey, which we’ll be sure to update more on soon.

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