Trainee gas engineers in East Durham will be able to gain essential gas qualifications and learn valuable life skills thanks to a donation by Kier Building Maintenance North.
Yes I can change this in real time!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Kier Building Maintenance is renovating its gas training centre at Killingworth, North Tyneside, which was previously run by British Gas, to create a state-of-the-art gas assessment centre for staff and local businesses to achieve the ACS (Accredited Certificated Scheme) gas training qualification.
Many boilers and warm air units were removed from the existing centre’s classrooms during construction of the new centre for excellence, and Kier donated the equipment to The Technical Academy at East Durham College to furnish its own gas training facilities.
The Technical Academy has been set up by the college with the aim of recreating a professional, construction-based working environment where learners can receive the latest training in trade areas that the industry needs. Approximately 120 learners are already enrolled at The Technical Academy, studying for a range of vocational courses and qualifications up to Level 3.
Kier is working with East Durham Homes, local businesses, the armed forces and local training providers, and expects the new centre at Killingworth to be operational by April 2011.
Kier Building Maintenance North operations director, John Norton, said: “It is illegal for an operative to work on gas installations in the UK unless they are Gas Safe Registered (either individually or through a company) and hold valid and relevant ACS gas qualifications. We are committed to supporting local trainee schemes as they are vital to providing job opportunities in the area and helping to tackle worklessness. It is a pleasure to be able to provide equipment to the local college and its trainees in East Durham.”
East Durham College business manager, Barbara Archer, added: “We are extremely grateful to Kier Building Maintenance for the generous donation of the equipment for our gas training centre. We pride ourselves on providing first-class training facilities to our students and we plan to use the equipment we have received to benefit our students for years to come.”