The company has been utilising the Engineering Construction Industry Training Board (ECITB) Upskilling Programmes designed by 3t to develop and upskill its workforce.
These six-week intensive programmes cover several disciplines including Pipefitting, Plating, Rigging and Welding and provide a mixture of classroom-based and practical training to give delegates invaluable on-the-job skills they can use in the workplace from day one.
Following the six-week training programme, which is undertaken at 3t’s state-of-the-art training centre in Newcastle, delegates complete work-based assessments or a work-based consolidation period, before completing on-the-job training / on-site assessment VQ transforming them from fresh raw talent into highly skilled, competent personnel.
36-year-old Przemyslaw Sztandera, also known as ‘Stan’, is a prime example of how effective these programmes can be.
Polish-born Stan arrived in the UK in 2008, with the aim of identifying a UK university to study chemistry.
“Two weeks turned into three months – then I met my current partner and ended up getting a job at the Fawley Oil Refinery in Southampton instead of embarking on a university degree,” explains Stan.
“My job involved working as a general operative on low-skilled tasks such as clean-ups and concreting, but I always wanted more and self-funded a BTEC in mechanical engineering to improve my qualifications.
“I met the Bilfinger Site Manager at one of my meetings and opened up to him about my ambitions and desire to move up the career ladder, which I felt I couldn’t do with my existing employer. He suggested I apply to Bilfinger as the company is heavily focussed on training and upskilling personnel.
“A few weeks later I was invited to interview – my first ever – and was overjoyed to be accepted onto Bilfinger’s scheme. I was sent to 3t Training Services in Newcastle where I undertook a six-week Upskilling ECITB programme in Pipefitting. The programmes are extremely task-based and focus very much on equipping delegates with real life skills. At the end of the six weeks, I had covered every aspect of Pipefitting, even learning about Bolt Torque Tensioning, and felt ready to start using my skills in the workplace.
“Because the programmes are ECITB-approved, you know you are learning to the highest standards and have a highly respected, industry-recognised qualification under your belt.
“Bilfinger has given me so many opportunities. As well as Pipefitting, I moved to Planning as Maintenance Planner and was recently promoted to second line supervisor responsible for a team of 24.
“I’ve had a fantastic experience and really feel like I’m on a proper career path now. In just five years, I’ve gone from being unskilled to leading one of the biggest teams in the biggest oil refinery in Europe! It’s all thanks to Bilfinger and the company’s faith in me and continued support with my training and development.”
Stephanie Broadley, Training and Competency Manager at Bilfinger UK, highlights the importance of investing in fresh talent to supplement the experience of seasoned employees. She said: “It’s fantastic to see Stan’s progression through the company. He’s a great example of how Bilfinger’s commitment to our workforce pays off with such dedicated, highly skilled, and hard-working personnel.
“Many of our workers are highly skilled but, like many other companies in our sector, are ageing so it’s important to bring in fresh, new talent to train alongside these seasoned pros to continue to develop our skills base. The ECITB Upskilling Programmes delivered by 3t are tailor-made for developing our workforce from the ground-up. As well as starting to transfer the skills and knowledge of our older workers, we are upskilling a new workforce and developing the talent of the future.”
The ECITB is the governing body for the engineering construction industry and works to ensure the workforce has the specialist skills required by industry.
Employers in the engineering construction industry working within the UK, or its offshore waters, fall within the scope of the ECITB and are required by law to pay into a levy.
However, all in-scope employers, regardless of size, are eligible to receive grants for training undertaken by their workers. 3t’s Upskilling ECITB Programmes fall into this category so you may receive funding to help pay for these courses.
To find out more, please contact Gayle McCann at 3t Training Services via email: gayle.mccann@3tglobal.com