Emanuel Whittaker apprentices shine at Skills Competition

Jun 13, 2013

A big congratulations to our talented apprentices Rachel Howarth and Matt Casey who won the recent Skills Demonstration Competition held at Salford City College.

External wall insulation trainees Rachael Howarth and Matt Casey, who both work for Emanuel Whittaker on our Salix Homes projects, went head-to-head with fellow apprentices from across all the Greater Manchester colleges in the Skills Demonstration Competition.

The event, hosted by Salford City College’s new FutureSkills Centre in association with Alumasc Exterior Building Products Ltd, saw competitors install key components of Alumasc’s external wall insulation system onto demonstration walls.

Rachel and Matt have worked on a range of Salix Homes properties in Salford including Floral Court, Black Friar Court and Stoney Knoll. The pair have both passed their NVQ Level Two in External Wall Insulation at Salford City College – a course which was developed in direct response to a skills shortage.

Colin Goodall, investment and delivery manager at Salix Homes, said: “This event really showed off the talent of the apprentices and the quality of training they have had in such excellent facilities.

“The skills displayed on the day by the apprentices were brilliant and Matt and Rachel did fantastically well to win. I’d like to congratulate all the apprentices that took part who are gaining real work experience improving homes in the city, securing the skills and qualifications that will be in demand with employers for years to come.

“The apprentices taking part in this scheme will be top of the league when it comes to securing a job in the future thanks to the hands-on experience and practical learning opportunities that we have been able to provide.”

Allan Milne, Head of Skills Academy for Construction & Built Environment at FutureSkills, said “Many congratulations to the competitors and winners of the event. The level of skill on show was exceptionally high and I know the assessors had a tough time choosing the winners. Many thanks also to Alumasc for their support throughout this project.”

Second prize was awarded to Sam Wardley, from Salford City College, and third prize went to Kyle Moore from The Manchester College.

Phillip Bull, of Alumasc, said “It was clear the competitors found the day really informative and applicable to daily on-site work conditions. The team from Alumasc was very happy to have been invited by Salford City College to be part of the event, and was pleased for the support of the Alumasc Approved Regional Contractors and local Housing Associations who visited on the day and passed on their knowledge to the competitors.”

Local apprentices on the road

Jun 13, 2013

Apprentices working for Oldham based construction and regeneration company Emanuel Whittaker have been given the chance to take subsidised driving lessons, thanks to an initiative from Procure Plus, the company’s procurement partner.

Lee Bradbury, Health, Safety & Environment Manager for Emanuel Whittaker said:  “Our trainees are not office based and are regularly asked to work on sites all across Greater Manchester. These are young men and women and chances are they have not yet had the opportunity, or the cash, to pass their driving tests.  This can have an adverse effect on the effectiveness of their training and their futures in the industry.

“Procure Plus has recognised the issue and is giving 20 top performing trainees a head start by providing up to 20 hours of driving lessons as well as paying for their theory and practical tests which is a saving of between £300 – £400.”

Despite the best efforts of Emanuel Whittaker to keep trainees in their local area, it is not always possible and so having the ability to drive is a real bonus for these young trainees.

Emanuel Whittaker apprentice external wall insulation operative, Rachel Howarth and bricklayer, Katie Lockwood were part of the first intake to benefit from the scheme and are now the proud owners of a driving licence.

Katie  said:  “The help from Procure Plus has really made a difference.  I live in Royton and have to work all over Manchester and so being able to drive will not only make getting to and from work considerably easier, but will also help my career as having my driving licence  is an obvious bonus.  It would have probably taken me a lot longer and cost me a lot more money to get my licence if I had not had this help from procure plus. I am very grateful to have been given this opportunity.”

Three more trainees based at Emanuel Whittaker have just been selected for the scheme. Matthew Casey, Rhys Jones and Bradley Healey will soon be starting their driving lessons and are hoping to secure their driving licences and get on the road before the end of the year.

 

Tower block tenants in Salford are celebrating the completion of their own community garden.

Jun 13, 2013

Two years ago, Vertical Villages Tenants and Residents Association, which represents the interests and needs of the local community living in the tower blocks in the Blackfriars and Greengate area of Salford, successfully applied to their landlord Salix Homes for a grant to develop the gardens around Black and White Friar Courts.

However, they had to postpone the work when Emanuel Whittaker started working on the internal and external renovation of the Black Friar high rise block as part of a multi-million pound home improvement programme by Salix Homes.

“We always intended to continue the garden project after Emanuel Whittaker had finished,” said Chair Paul Brodie. “The tower block has been re-clad and inside we all have lovely modernised new homes and so the gardens are just the final piece of the make-over jigsaw. After working with us for so long, Emanuel Whittaker wanted to do something to say farewell and we are delighted they decided to play such a major part in the project.”

Emanuel Whittaker lead resident liaison officer Adam Berry decided to organise a ‘garden army’ to tackle the work over a few days and complete the garden and planting once and for all.

“We have been working with residents here for over a year and have made some great friends,” said Adam. “As our way of saying thank you for putting up with us we were determined to leave the area looking as good as it can be.”

Emanuel Whittaker led the recruitment campaign by providing trade volunteers such as bricklayers and joiners to lend their muscle and expertise to the work. They also provided some of the necessary supplies such as soil and compost while other contractors such as JWD, Absolute Electrical, Riverstone, Foggs Floors and Liquid Roofing were also able to give their support with additional funding.

Several Salix Homes’ staff also went along to lend a hand. Joe Willis, chief executive at Salix Homes, said: “We were thrilled to be part of the ‘garden army’ to transform this space into a community garden. Safe and attractive communal spaces are really important to build and strengthen communities, so we are delighted our tenants now have this outdoor communal area to use and enjoy.

“The completion of the garden is the final piece in the jigsaw to the major improvement works that have been taking place at Black Friar Court as part of our Decent Homes programme. Not only have our tenants now got modern, energy efficient and comfortable homes fit for 21st century living, but, thanks to the energy and commitment of local residents and Emanuel Whittaker they’ve also got this wonderful outdoor area, which I’m sure will be very well-used.”

Around a dozen residents from the tower blocks were happy to come out in the sunshine and lend a hand and the garden army started by clearing up debris litter pick before jet washing communal areas. An area of decking has been built and the ramp to the existing shed has been made more wheelchair friendly. There has also been masses of re-planting while new walls and fencing have been erected and painted.

Site Manager John Woolley who project managed the supplies, funding and personnel and organised the event, said: “It’s amazing what you can achieve when you set your mind to it. There was a lot of work to be done but between us all we have done it! The transformation is complete.”

One of the original aims of the garden project was to work closely with the Biospheric Foundation, a Salford based community interest company that wants to encourage local communities to grow their own food and plants in a sustainable way and Paul Brodie explains how the garden is not just about making the area look nice.

“We are planting edible plants and doing as much work as we can to ensure that local residents can actually eat what we grow,” he said.

“We owe a great deal to the hard work and determination of Emanuel Whittaker’s site manager John Woolley and Adam Berry who have helped us complete a project that could have taken months to finish.

“We intend to have a formal garden launch party later in the summer once the flowers and plants have become more established and we hope that this area becomes a well-used communal space where residents young and old can work and recreate together to build a stronger community.”

 

Site Managers Required

Jun 12, 2013

Due to recent contract wins, Emanuel Whittaker are looking to recruit Site Managers to work in refurbishment projects in and around the Greater Manchester area.

Site Managers must be experienced in local authority and housing association refurbishment projects and must be able to work with the client in surveying and scheduling the works prior to commencement on site. The projects will be multi-trade and subcontractor control is an essential element of the job.

The ability to hand over projects to budget and on time is critical, as is the excellent relationship which must be maintained with residents at all times.

If you are interested, please forward your CV to John Gallagher, Contracts Director at john@emanuel-whittaker.co.uk  or use the ‘Contact Us’ facility at the bottom of this page.

 

 

Phil’s Mr Fixit

Apr 22, 2013

Phil Peacock  has been appointed Facilities Manager for Emanuel Whittaker Ltd.

Previously at Bramall Construction for over 15 years, Phil’s new role will include responsibility for the company’s head office building in Oldham, its vehicle fleet and maintaining and developing sustainable IT services across the business.

Phil, who lives in Worsley, said:  “This is an exciting opportunity for me and I am looking forward to helping Emanuel Whittaker deliver high-quality services that reflect the evolving needs of the business and its customers.”