New Operations Manager for Emanuel Whittaker

Jun 6, 2014

47 year old Paul Hughes has joined Oldham based construction and regeneration specialist Emanuel Whittaker as Operations Manager.

Paul has worked in the construction industry for 30 years, and most recently as an Area Director for the past ten years.

He joins the Company with a wealth of experience in the Social Housing and Public sector and has a track record of delivering Partnership projects to a high quality whilst maintaining high levels of Customer Service.

Managing Director of Emanuel Whittaker, Clive Newton, said, ‘’We are delighted to welcome Paul to Emanuel Whittaker; it comes at a great time for us. Despite the challenges that face the industry we have managed to retain an enviable forward order book and all of our loyal customers are continuing to work with us to deliver their investment programmes.  We felt the time was right to strengthen the team and put us in even better shape for the future’’.

Commenting on the appointment Paul said, ’’When the opportunity arose to join Emanuel Whittaker I had no hesitation in taking up the offer. It’s a great fit for me, in terms of the people, the way of doing business, the type of work and the client base. The company has an excellent reputation and has managed to retain many of the traditional values that sets it apart from its competitors. I’m really looking forward to working with the team’’.

Paul joins in the 177^th year of trading, with the business still located on its original site on Rochdale Road in Oldham. Its customers include City West, Community Gateway, First Choice Homes Oldham ,  Rochdale Boroughwide Housing,  Salix Homes, Southways Housing Trust, Stockport Homes, Symphony Group , Together Group and Your Housing .

Oldham apprentices take the lead

May 23, 2014

Emanuel Whittaker apprentices have become the first in the country to enrol on a new qualification to support the construction industry.

The External Wall Insulation (NVQ Level 3) has been launched by North West based regeneration consortium Procure Plus which has worked with Trinity Business Training Group, representatives from housing provider Salix Homes and the awarding body, GQA, to develop the criteria for the qualification before receiving approval from Ofqual.

Apprentices Matt Casey, 22, and Rachel Howarth, 24, have been employed by Emanuel Whittaker for several years and according to Lee Bradbury, Health, Safety and Environment Manager for the company, both are great representatives of our award winning apprenticeship scheme.

“Rachel and Matt are passionate about their work and have always been committed to their training,” he said.  “We are thrilled they are the first in the country to take advantage of this qualification which meets industry demand for the supply of insulation that reduces carbon emissions.  The qualification will play a significant part in their career progression.”

Matt and Rachel have already completed Level 1 and 2 of the qualification and have been honing their skills on tower blocks across Salford with social housing provider Salix Homes as part of its multi-million pound Decent Homes improvement programme.

Colin Goodall, investment delivery manager at Salix Homes (pictured back right), said: “We are carrying out major refurbishments at our tower blocks, but we initially found there was a real skills shortage and we struggled to find tradesman who were qualified in external wall insulation, which is essential to make people’s homes energy efficient.

“We worked with our partners to launch this new qualification and generate a workforce of home-grown talent who could deliver this specialist skill. Matt and Rachel were among the first cohort of apprentices and I’m delighted they are now making history and going on to complete the next level of this much-needed qualification.”

The scheme is expected to be rolled out nationally due to demand from contractors and training providers for higher level insulation qualifications.

Mark Wilson (pictured front middle) is responsible for apprentice and trainee development at Procure Plus.  He said:  “It is a true achievement to have created this new qualification in partnership with our members that will support the construction industry as well as develop new career opportunities for qualified operatives in the construction sector.”

Emanuel Whittaker has a pool of apprentices engaged through its relationship with Procure Plus and has won several awards because of its commitment to training young people.  In its 175 year history the company has supported over 700 apprentices.

First in the Country for NVQ L3 in Insulation and Building Treatments

Apr 25, 2014

Emanuel Whittaker joined forces with procurement framework partners Procure Plus and RP Client Salix Homes to bring a brand new NVQ3 in Insulation & Building Treatments to Salford City College.

The trio of like-minded organisations recognised the need for the skill when Salix Homes embarked on its ambitious multi storey tower block refurbishment programme. During it’s first project at Black Friar Court, it became apparent that there was very little home grown talent to deliver this specialist skill.  With several blocks to insulate to provide greater energy efficiency, the only option appeared to be offering the work to specialist companies who employed European workers, which did little for the local economy.

Identifying the need, Salix Homes, Procure Plus and Emanuel Whittaker were fundamental in bringing the Level 2 NVQ in Insulation & Building Treatments to Salford City College just two years ago. Emanuel Whittaker recruited two local Apprentices to undergo the new course. Matt Casey and Rachel Howarth both breezed through the course, but with no follow up NVQ, their futures looked uncertain.

So the work with Salford City College continued for a further year to develop the Level 3 NVQ. The new course was launched this month at Salford City College’s “Future Skills Centre”, making the college the first in the country to offer the course.

Emanuel Whittaker pledges to take on more apprentices

Mar 4, 2014

Emanuel Whittaker has announced a recruitment drive to employ more apprentices to work on its sites across the North West.

Emanuel works with several local Registered Providers (RP’s) operating in the region, including Salix Homes, Symphony Housing Group, Together Housing Group, and Your Housing Group. Where possible, recruits will be sourced from social housing residents from the local area.

Lee Bradbury, Health, Safety & Environment Manager for the company said: “We are very proud of our record in supporting young people into employment.  The new recruits will join our current pool of apprentices engaged through our relationship with Procure Plus, (the RPs procurement framework serving the North West).”

Lee is currently interviewing young men and women to fill seven construction vacancies and will be awarding employment to locals through the Procure Plus framework.  He is looking for individuals who can show commitment and dedication to the positions across a three to four year period.  The company will work closely with Salford College.

Kate Parker, community investment and training manager at Procure Plus, said: “As part of any contract, we work with our members and contractors to create two training and employment opportunities for every £1 million spent through our regeneration frameworks. These are provided by the contractors on our frameworks and are funded by a transparent 1% levy placed on all goods and services procured through us.

“Emanuel Whittaker trainees have won several awards and we believe this is due to the effort it puts in to supporting apprenticeships and the opportunities that together, we can provide for trainees.”

The latest employment figures from the Office for National Statistics revealed more than 900,000 young people are still unemployed and over 250,000 young people have been unemployed for over a year.

The National Apprenticeship Service Apprenticeships has published figures which show that apprenticeships are growing in popularity among both employers and young people.  February 2014 figures reveal a 24% increase in Apprenticeship vacancies posted online between August and October 2013, compared to the same period the previous year.

Lee said: “Our latest apprenticeship drive highlights just how many people are keen to embrace this type of training.  If we had the funding, we could have filled these posts ten times over. Of the six apprentices who qualified last year, 100% still work for us, and the three who completed their intermediate apprenticeships are going on to advanced qualifications.”

Emanuel Whittaker give community centre a facelift

Feb 10, 2014

Emanuel Whittaker is renowned for its work in the community and so when our client City West Housing Trust was looking for help to spruce up a local community centre, they approached us for help.

Terry Kidman, Contracts Manager, said:  “Our team were already working on the Brookhouse Estate in Eccles refurbishing City West properties and so we were happy to provide assistance to the local community.  The first thing we had to do was to assess just what needed to be done.”

The Brookhouse Community Centre is owned by City West and is the venue for numerous community activities – many of them theatrical.

The kitchen and toilets in particular had seen better days.

“We took out the old kitchen units and replaced them with new ones which were kindly donated by Manhattan Kitchens,” said Terry.  “We also decided to utilise a ‘dead’ space near the kitchen and put in cupboards and units to provide extra storage facilities and more room for food preparation. In the toilets we provided new flooring and repainted them which really made a difference.”

The £6,500 facelift was completed within a week and with minimum fuss or disruption to the numerous activities that take place within the Centre.

Fiona Canavan who regularly attends the Centre said:  “We were so pleased that Emanuel Whittaker was able to help.

“The Centre is a much loved and well used community resource and as a result it was looking a little tired.  Now the renovated kitchen and toilets look as good as new and will no doubt last us for many years to come.”

Martyn Hague, Head of Communities and Neighbourhoods at City West, said: “The community centre is a focal point for customers in the area and we are delighted Emanuel Whittaker were able to help with the improvement works.

“The feedback from our customers has been fantastic and we hope they can continue to enjoy the many events that bring the community together.”