Last summer we partnered with the largest provider of heavy equipment rentals in the South West, Plantforce, to provide employers with a site ready workforce.
The plant industry has faced a shortage of workers that are ready to operate plant machinery, as often newly qualified drivers have little to no experience in using the plant machines. Together with Plantforce we wanted to address this issue, and provide learners with practical experience, so that employers can feel confident with letting newly qualified plant operators loose on their site.
With major projects in the area, such as Hinkley Point and HS2, the sector is in desperate need for a workforce that is fit for purpose. Our new Site Ready Operator Package, is a five day course which includes:
Day 1: A medical, and then Site Safety Plus Health and Safety Awareness course
Day 2: Lifting operations and quick hitch training
Day 3: Practical test and simulator training
Day 4: Plant proximity, height and slew training
Day 5: Multi brand GPS training – featuring Trimble via SITECH.
The course, which isn’t revenue generated, but rather focused on ensuring operators are prepared to handle plant machines, is exclusive to the Construction Training Centre.
Sam Mercer, Operations Director of Plantforce, said: “There is currently no training facility in existence that provides operators with training on modern machine control, which is required for Tier 1 projects such as HS2 and Hinkley Point. These training courses will provide the industry with a machine control-ready Trimble qualified workforce, while opening up opportunities for operators to gain access to new projects.”
Steve Breen, General Manager at SITECH, added: “There are many additional benefits for operators; they will acquire new skills, helping them to complete projects faster and become more marketable themselves. Our involvement in the Weston College and Plantforce initiative allows us to demonstrate just what machine control can do for new entrants to the industry. Ultimately, the ambition of the Site Ready Operator course is to improve safety and Trimble technology has huge benefits in terms of safety, with fewer boots on the ground around the excavator, and much greater control over the machinery.”
Simon Werkshaggen, Head of the Construction Training Centre, added: “This training package will be really beneficial to employers, as they can feel confident that their operator is fully trained for the job at hand. We’re really excited to be working with Plantforce on this project.”
You can find out about our plant courses, by clicking here.
