30 November 2023         News

Develop Training, the UK’s leading accredited provider of compliance, technical, and safety training, has re-launched one of its most popular courses, F-Gas (Category 1), to provide delegates with training to identify the hazards and safe working practices for working with fluorinated gases.

Re-launched on 20^th November, the return of the course to Develop is well-timed with the growth of the F-Gas industry, bridging the skills gap to meet the demands of the heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration (HVACR) sectors.

F Gas Category 1 training certified by City & Guilds 2079-11 scheme

The F-Gas course, certified under the City & Guilds 2079-11 scheme, will be delivered by Develop trainer, Brandon Clark, a seasoned refrigeration and air conditioning engineer. This will explore updates to statutory regulation requirements, while combining both theory and practical testing to ensure delegates understand the risk and management techniques needed in the sector.

F-Gas training courses in York, Derby and Scotland

Available at Develop’s York, Derby and Linlithgow centres, prospective delegates can view course dates on Develop’s website, with more to come in 2024. The course can also be delivered at other locations for businesses that have six or more staff that require training.

Brandon Clark, F-Gas Trainer at Develop, said:

We are pleased to relaunch our F-Gas course this year at Develop, which has been updated to reflect the current regulations. F-Gas maintenance and reduction is crucial to achieving the UK’s target of reducing F-Gas emissions by two-thirds by 2030. This course will enable us to provide a range of essential theoretical, practical and green skills and help our customers successfully manage their F-Gas containing equipment in-line with EU Guidelines and regulations.”

Develop now also offers the City & Guilds 6187-21 qualification, equipping delegates with the skills and knowledge to safely handle Hydrocarbon and Flammable Refrigerants, covering all stages from installation to disposal.

To find out more about Develop’s F-Gas course or to sign up for training, please visit: https://www.developtraining.co.uk/courses/electrical-and-mechanical/f-gas

   28 November 2023        News

Welcome to Karin Balfe, the latest addition to our Swindon team

A warm welcome to Karin Balfe, the newest addition to our Administration team in Swindon, as she takes on the role of Centre Coordinator.

Karin began her professional journey in HR and dedicated many years to the industry, finding great enjoyment in the role. Seeking a change, she transitioned to recruitment, where she immersed herself for 13 years, gaining valuable insights into range of companies and industries. Most recently, she has moved into reception work, accumulating five years of experience so far.

Expressing enthusiasm about her new position, Karin shared, “I’m really looking forward to my new role at Develop as it’s different to the roles I have had before and I love a new challenge. It’s definitely going to keep me busy and on my toes.”

Beyond her professional life, Karin finds joy in singing with her local choir and cherishes moments spent with her three beloved grandchildren.

   23 November 2023         News

Develop Training, the UK’s leading accredited provider of Compliance, Technical, and Safety training, proudly unveiled its newest training centre in Norwich on Friday 17th November. The centre is on the same site as its parent company, JTL, one of the leading apprenticeship providers in England and Wales. Both centres were officially opened by the Lord Mayor of Norwich, Councillor James Wright. 

Norwich is the home of JTL’s very first training facility, which opened seven years ago. However, with the growing demand for electrical and gas apprenticeships and related short courses in the local area, Develop and JTL recognised the need for a larger and more advanced centre. 

£1.5m investment into electrical and gas training in Norwich

 The £1.5 million investment highlights the JTL Group’s continuous commitment to nurturing the next generation of electrical and plumbing and heating apprentices, and upskilling professionals who require ACS Gas, Electrical, Gas Distribution and Street Works training programmes. 

 Accompanied by JTL Group Chair, Sir John Low, and Chief Executive, Chris Claydon, Councillor James Wright toured the new training hub, and took the opportunity to meet with members of the Develop & JTL teams.

The Norwich centre joins Develop’s expanding network of national training centres and comprises modern classrooms, electrical and gas workshops, kitchen facilities and outdoor training areas for gas distribution and street works (NRSWA) training courses. For further information on Develop’s UK-wide training centres please visit our locations page.

Find out which courses the centre can facilitate by downloading our Norwich centre training brochure

   14 November 2023        News

Introducing Daniel Laird, the newest member of Develop’s Sales Team

Dan has a diverse professional background that began in the sunny landscapes of Turkey, Gran Canaria, Rhodes, Fuerteventura, and Lanzarote, where he worked as a holiday representative. Upon returning to the UK, Dan settled in Bedford and began turning up the heat on his sales journey by selling ovens. This path then led him to sales roles in marketing exhibition spaces, and garden log cabins & climbing frames, amongst others.

Originally hailing from Derby, Dan recently made the decision to move back with his partner, and reconnect with his family. Dan explains, “The pandemic was a particularly challenging time for me professionally as I was made redundant from my role selling exhibition stands and then I struggled to find a role I really gelled with. The pandemic also made me realised the importance of family and how much I missed being with them – hence, my move back home to Derby. I’m really excited to join the Develop team and get stuck in to my new role – everyone has been so welcoming so far.”

Beyond his professional life, it’s no surprise that Dan is an avid traveller, with Mauritius holding a special place as his favourite destination. Dan also recently tied the knot with his long-term partner of 15 years.

   6 November 2023        News

A warm welcome to the latest addition to our Street Works team

Introducing Ben Blessett, the newest addition to the Develop team! Ben joins us as a Street Works (NRSWA) trainer. With over two years of experience as a trainer and a background in the industry, Ben’s journey into this role is an interesting one.

Ben’s career began with a summer job that evolved into a long-term career as a foreman and salesman for a marquee company. His responsibilities took him all over the country, setting up expansive event facilities, primarily for weddings. For many years, he thrived in this environment.

However, seeking a change, Ben accepted a friend’s suggestion to work on-site, erecting steel and timber frames. He immersed himself in this role for several years before eventually deciding to become a self-employed site manager.

During his time on the tools, Ben suffered repeated bouts of sciatica, a condition that significantly impacted his physically demanding role. It was at this point that the idea of transitioning into training was proposed. With his extensive industry experience, Ben recognised the opportunity to impart his knowledge to the next generation of tradespeople.

Ben said, “I’m absolutely thrilled to embark on this new adventure with the Develop team and I can’t wait to complete my introductory training and start meeting all our delegates.”

Beyond his professional life, Ben is an music enthusiast who enjoys attending concerts. Over the summer, he also discovered the serenity of open water swimming, a pastime he intends to continue even through the chilly winter months.

   06 November 2023         News

Just over one year ago, Develop Training cut the ribbon on its newly re-located Swindon training centre offering a one stop shop for electrical, gas distribution, water systems, and related training to the region and beyond.

Based at Unit 3 Richmond House, Edison Park, the training centre is purpose-built and sets out to recreate real-life working environments. The centre offers customers who want to upskill and develop their staff’s technical and management competencies and qualifications a wide range of qualifications including IOSH training, sewers & water jetting, legionella control and water systems compliance, confined spaces, low and high voltage electrical and much more.

As we celebrate the first anniversary, Develop is reflecting on the Swindon centre’s successful year so far, whereby a record number of High Voltage Authorised Person courses have taken place.

Feedback from delegates who have attended courses on-site has been extremely positive:

This course was the best Confined space course that I have done in my 30 years [at] Bristol Water. The delivery of the training was excellent, and the trainer took into account the varying levels of experience of the attendees. Both theory and practical elements were very good and provided me with some really good information that I will take away and use in my job role as a Manager and writer of Permits for confined space entry.” Delegate attending Level 2 Award in Working in Medium Risk Confined Spaces

The trainer delivery was excellent. Chris along with Mel, delivered the course really well and made it easy to understand and also included their wealth of experience and knowledge which is invaluable. The venue was very good, facilities were top notch and the availability of working switchgear is invaluable as a learning resource.” Delegate attending Authorised Person: High Voltage (Industrial and Commercial)

A year of celebration at Develop’s Swindon centre

Develop’s Head of Operations & Training, Matthew Gray, said the first year has been an exciting and rewarding time:

“The opening event seems like just yesterday, but here we are a year on, and I’m extremely proud of what the team have achieved during this first year. Thanks to the huge efforts of so many people, we have a busy and very successful training centre producing highly skilled professionals.”

He continued,

“This re-location was just the beginning of an extremely busy year for Develop and we have since undertaken extensive refurbishments at our York and Derby centres, with further development plans in place for our Linlithgow and Birmingham centres in 2024. We’re also shortly due to open our doors in Norwich in partnership with our parent company, JTL, the UK’s largest electrical apprenticeship provider.”

More information about the training courses available at Develop’s Swindon centre can be found here: https://resources.developtraining.co.uk/swindon-0

   30 October 2023         News

Develop Training, one of the UK’s leading accredited providers of compliance, technical and safety training, is celebrating the success of its Quality Assurance and Audit Team (QAA) as it marks its two-year anniversary.

Launched in 2021, the team was established to ensure that Develop could continue to deliver exceptional quality training and an unrivalled service to its delegates and the industry employers it works with. Two years on, the QAA team’s work has become a recognisable success, providing insights and consultation on risk-based quality assurance for external clients.

As a testament to its growth, the team now works with six awarding organisations to provide Develop with the risk-based assurance of 19 accredited schemes that cover 80 qualifications which are delivered to over 8,000 delegates every academic year.

External quality assurance & audit consultancy work

Develop credits its success to its ‘Three-Lines of Defence’ approach to quality assurance — (1) management of training, (2) focus on quality assurance, (3) facilitating an independent audit. This technique was applied as part of Develop’s external quality assurance consultation to Network Plus, a leading utility and infrastructure service provider, when appointed by the organisation in 2022 to provide an independent external audit service.

2022 Team of the Year

The team has not only created a successful consultation service and established an external reputation for stringent processes and procedures but has also been recognised internally at Develop’s in-house awards in 2022 when named Team of the Year.

Andy Holmes, Head of Audit & Quality Improvement at Develop, stated:

We are pleased to celebrate our 2^nd anniversary and acknowledge the hard work of the whole team in order to reach this milestone. This has been a remarkable journey where our offering has continued to grow and evolve, resulting in excellent results for Develop and our clients.

Looking ahead, we are excited to continue working with the wider team at Develop as well as offer out our services externally to those who require an un-biased quality assurance check.”

For more information about the Quality Assurance and Audit Team (QAA), please visit: https://www.developtraining.co.uk/quality-assurance

   27 October 2023         News

October was a month of celebration and recognition for Develop Training as the company proudly collected the coveted Investors in People (IIP) Gold Award. Following an exhaustive external audit in late 2022 into the company’s practices, this award, achieved by less than 10% of those who apply for IIP accreditation, affirms Develop’s commitment to fostering a workplace that prioritises the development, progression, and performance of its team members.

Colleagues from Develop including Utilities Training Manager, Daryll Garavan, HR Business Partner, Victoria Milnes and Head of Operations & Training, Matthew Gray, were thrilled to attend the IIP event earlier this month whereby they were finally presented with the prestigious Gold Award.

The IIP, a not-for-profit organisation with a 30 year history of working with over 50,000 organisations, assesses how workplace cultures contribute positively to the growth of the companies they serve. The comprehensive assessment process, spanning three years, results in companies being classified into standard, silver, gold, or platinum categories based on their performance and practices.

Develop’s team was particularly elated to attain the gold accreditation at the beginning of the year, as this recognition underscores that the quality of training provided internally matches the exceptional standards offered to their customers every day.

Being a training provider ourselves, we are 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. Matthew Gray, Head of Operations & Training

Investors in People Gold Award Winners

The Gold Award from Investors in People symbolises not only a commitment to quality training but also a dedication to fostering a supportive and development-oriented work environment. A strong emphasis on leadership and the unwavering commitment of staff members play a pivotal role in the success of Develop.

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. Victoria Milnes, HR Business Partner

   26 October 2023        News

We are thrilled to extend a warm welcome to John Mitchell, who has joined our Utilities team as a Utilities Trainer. With a remarkable career spanning over three decades in the industry, John brings a wealth of expertise and practical knowledge to our team. His primary role will be training delegates on subjects such as Gas, Water, and Street Works (NRSWA).

Training and support

Notably, John’s transition to the role of a Trainer marks an exciting new chapter in his career. Despite his extensive experience in the utilities sector, he has not previously undertaken the role of an Trainer before. To ensure he excels in this new capacity, John will be participating in Develop’s Emerge and Evolve programme. This programme is designed to empower professionals from the industry, like John, and equip them with the skills needed to become industry-leading trainers.

The first step in John’s training will be to complete a number of Develop’s technical training courses, followed by formal training qualifications such as TAQA3 and Award in Education & Training. He will also be assigned a fellow experienced Trainer as a mentor to support him on his journey.

A twenty plus year career in the utilities industry

John’s journey in the utilities sector initially began as a teenage summer job, where he undertook various handy work tasks within his local community. As a true “Mancunian” by heart, John’s most cherished accomplishment is his contribution to the construction of the Manchester City Stadium, a monumental project that took place two decades ago. He and his team were entrusted with the intricate task of installing all the essential utilities lines that now serve the 53,400-seat capacity stadium.

A welcome addition to the team

We are excited to have John on board and we look forward to bringing you further updates as he progresses on his training & development journey as part of the Emerge & Evolve programme.

For further information about Emerge & Evolve and how you can apply, please visit our webpage: https://www.developtraining.co.uk/emerge-and-evolve/

   25 October 2023         News

We are pleased to announce that our Confined Space Medium Risk and Top Person (Level 2) course is now accredited by City & Guilds under the C&G Level 2 Award in Entrant and Entry controller 6160-09 scheme. The course has long been one of Develop’s most sought-after confined space training courses, but has up until recently has been accredited by CABWI.

The course content has undergone minor changes but both employers and delegates can rest assured that the training will continue to be of the highest quality. City & Guilds, with its renowned reputation for setting high standards in education and training, ensures that our training continues to meet the stringent requirements and expectations of industry professionals.

Develop will still continue to offer a wide range of confined space training accredited by both CABWI and City & Guilds.

City and Guilds Level 2 Award in Entrant and Entry controller 6160-09

Confined spaces present a myriad of challenges and hazards that demand specialised training to ensure safety and competence. The City and Guild’s Level 2 Award in Entrant and Entry Controller for Confined Spaces (6160-09) is designed for entrants and entry controllers who operate in medium-risk confined spaces. The training will equip delegates with the necessary skills and knowledge to work safely in medium-risk confined space areas, and also act as entry controller for the operation.

This change in awarding body signifies Develop’s commitment to providing high-quality training in line with industry standards.

Upon completing the medium risk top-person training delegates will understand the systems, equipment and protocols they need to perform their work safely in confined space. In addition, they will learn how to adopt a duty of care for the team under their entry control. This reflects national occupational industry standards and regulations in medium-risk. 

Who Should Attend?

Our Confined Space Medium Risk and Top Person course is intended for operatives who may need to demonstrate assessed qualifications towards competence in confined space entry. If you are part of a team that frequently works in confined spaces or if your job involves overseeing and managing entry operations, this course is ideal for you.

Key Course Highlights

Our course covers a wide range of vital topics to ensure that participants are well-prepared for entry into confined spaces, including:

• Current legislation associated with medium-risk confined space work   
• The roles and responsibilities of medium-risk entrants and medium-risk entry controllers
• Emergency procedures when working in a medium-risk confined space 
• How to use personal protective equipment
• Producing and overseeing Safe Systems of Work (SSOW) for entry into medium-risk confined spaces, including point of works risk assessments  
• Risk assessment of confined space hazards
• Types of gaseous atmospheres, portable gas monitoring equipment and their use
• The use of harness tripod, man-riding winch/fall arrest and safety line, plus the use of escape breathing apparatus as part of a self-rescue procedure

Find out more about the course and book your space here: www.developtraining.co.uk/courses/confined-spaces/working-in-confined-spaces/medium-risk-and-top-person/

Further information about the C&G 6160 scheme can be found here: www.cityandguilds.com/qualifications-and-apprenticeships/utilities/utilities/6160-confined-spaces#tab=information