New apprentice recruits start work

A Salford housing provider and its partner contractors have welcomed their latest intake of apprentices.

Salix Homes, which owns more than 8,300 homes across central Salford, has appointed 36 apprentices this year in a range of roles from construction to customer service.

The recruits, who are all local people aged between 17 and 41, have been employed directly with the housing provider as well as with its partner contractors including construction specialists Emanuel Whittaker, Seddon, and A Connolly Ltd, and property maintenance providers Sure Group.

Among the apprentices is 20-year-old Salix Homes tenant Tom Denton, from Charlestown, Salford, who is an apprentice joiner with Oldham-based Emanuel Whittaker.

Tom said: “I feel really lucky to have been selected for this apprenticeship and being able to earn while I learn. As well as learning a new skill which I know will be useful in the future, it’s good that I am helping to improve my local area.”

The new recruits are working on Salix Homes’ £22million investment programme, which will see improvements made to 2,200 homes in Salford over the next two years including new kitchens, bathrooms, windows and doors.

Mark Foster, head of investment at Salix Homes, said: “We are very proud to work alongside our partner contractors to provide these training opportunities for local people to help them create a better life for themselves. “Apprentices represent the future of the housing sector and we are confident our newest cohort will not only gain valuable skills, experience and qualifications, but will also help us to develop a stronger workforce.”

Over the next five years, Salix Homes will create hundreds of new jobs and training opportunities after tenants voted to transfer the ownership of their homes from Salford Council – a move that has unlocked £75m investment in homes and communities across the city.

John Gallagher, contracts director at Emanuel Whittaker, said: “Emanuel Whittaker is renowned for its apprenticeship training and we have a strong history of working with young people. We are very pleased to be continuing this tradition with this latest selection of recruits at Salix Homes.”

Simon Harrison, managing director at A Connolly Ltd, added: “Our business ethos is to raise awareness of construction careers, and also invest in young people who want to work within the industry. Our commitment to our apprentices is to take them through to NVQ3 in their chosen trade or profession and this has been recognised in our recent award through GM Chamber Wigan business awards in supporting apprentices.”

Maggie Heap, community project manager at Seddon, said: “It is a privilege to be able to welcome our latest raft of recruits 119 years after we first launched in Salford.

“Salix Homes is committed to not only improving people’s home through the improvement works, but also helping young people climb the career ladder. This passion is inspiring and we are delighted to be involved with the project.”

Jane Cunningham, director at Sure Maintenance added: “Well trained, quality gas and electrical engineers are critical, as they keep Salix Homes’ customers safe. We are delighted to have recruited motivated and enthusiastic local people as apprentices to support the on-going future delivery of the Salix Homes electrical and gas services.”

The apprenticeships are run in conjunction with procurement consortium Procure Plus.

Kate Parker, senior regeneration manager at Procure Plus, added: “We are thrilled that both Salix Homes and our contractor partners have provided meaningful, paid employment opportunities for many local people who may have otherwise struggled to secure employment.

“Salix Homes’ commitment to improving properties over the next five years means we can offer full apprenticeships, training people in trades which will ensure they can sustain their own employment for years to come.”

Emanuel Whitaker opens Salford training centre as part of multi-million pound contract wins with Salix Homes

Pictured from left: Emanuel Whittaker Contracts Director John Gallgher; Salix Homes Head of Property Service Mark Foster; Executive Director of Operations Sue Sutton; Emanuel Whittaker Contracts Manager Terry Kidman and Partnerships Manager Rukhsana Nabi

Emanuel Whittaker has established an apprentice training centre as part of its new depot in Salford.

Next phase of £22m housing improvement scheme gets underway in Salford

The next phase of major improvement work to thousands of homes across Salford has begun.

A £1.9 million investment scheme to revamp a further 250 properties in Seedley and Charlestown has now got underway following the transfer of 8,500 homes from Salford Council to housing association Salix Homes earlier this year.

Emanuel Whittaker has started improvement work on almost 100 homes on the Meadowgate Estate in Seedley while building specialist A Connolly has begun work on 150 homes on the Gerald Road Estate in Charlestown.

The first phase of improvement work, which started in April, is now nearing completion and has seen 400 properties on the South Ordsall Estate and the Tootal Road Estate in Weaste undergo much needed improvements.

Mark Foster, head of investment at Salix Homes, said: “The first phase of our significant investment programme to social housing in Salford has been a resounding success with almost 400 homes transformed and modernised, so we are now delighted to be starting work on the next phase of our project which will ensure a further 250 families and individuals in Salford have the new and improved homes that they deserve.

“We are confident that our ambitious regeneration plans for our homes and communities will help deliver a housing service that Salford can be proud of for generations to come. “

In March this year the properties formally transferred from Salford Council to Salix Homes after tenants voted in favour of transfer – a move that will unlock a £75million investment over the next five years.

The improvement work to homes on the Gerald Road and Meadowgate estates is expected to be completed by the end of the year.

John Gallagher, contracts director at Emanuel Whittaker, added: “Our commitment to the investment programme is demonstrated with the opening of a new Emanuel Whittaker office in Salford where we can create even more jobs and training for local people. Tenants on the Tootal Estate are thrilled with their refurbished, modern homes and are giving us 100 per cent satisfaction scores and we are looking forward to starting on Meadowgate and replicating that success.”

Simon Harrison, managing director at A Connolly, said: “Gerald Road Estate in Charlestown will be another excellent refurbishment scheme for us to deliver on behalf of Salix Homes and further extends our track-record for improving the homes of residents in Salford. Community will be a big focus for us and we’re also keen to support the local pound and will continue using local companies and employing local people where possible.”

Former nursery nurse achieves a construction first

A former nursery nurse who swapped the playroom for the building site has become the first person in the UK to achieve a ground breaking new construction qualification.

Rachel Howarth (25) is an employee of Oldham building and refurbishment company Emanuel Whittaker and has made history after achieving an NVQ Level 3 in External Wall Insulation at Salford City College’s City Skills Sixth Form Centre.

Lee Bradbury, Health, Safety & Environment Manager for Emanuel Whittaker, said:  “It’s no surprise that Rachel has become the first to qualify.  In her career with us to date, she has been keen to develop and learn new skills and is a great asset to the company.”

Rachel, from Salford, originally trained in childcare, but decided on a career change after being made redundant from her job as a nursery nurse.  She said: “I only went into childcare because I didn’t know what to do when I left school.

“My granddad was a plasterer and I was always into DIY growing up and so after I was made redundant I was happy to join Emmanuel Whittaker as an apprentice plasterer. There is lots of laughing and banter with the lads – I love it.”

After completing her plastering apprenticeship, Rachel was keen to take advantage of the new qualification which was developed by North West regeneration consortium, Procure Plus, who worked with various partners to develop the criteria for the qualification before receiving approval from Ofqual.

Mark Wilson, Regeneration Manager at Procure Plus, said: “Developed in partnership with Salix Homes, this qualification will go a long way to ensure that Rachel and many others have the desired skills to support our industry’s mission in providing robust insulation that significantly reduces carbon emissions.”

Rachel has been honing her skills at Salix Homes’ multi-million pound improvement projects on tower blocks across Salford, including Floral Court in Broughton and Riverbank and Newbank Towers in Greengate.

Mark Foster, head of investment at Salix Homes, added: “Salix Homes was keen to launch this new qualification and generate a workforce of home-grown talent who could deliver this specialist skill and we’re very proud that Rachel is the first to qualify. She is a fantastic role model and a real ambassador for women in the construction industry.”

The UK has approximately 26 million homes and it is estimated that around half of these are not insulated properly with heat escaping through walls, ceiling and windows.  As energy prices continue to increase, wall insulation has never been so important.  The Level 3 NVQ in External Wall Insulation addresses a skills gap within the construction industry, as, prior to its creation, there was no available progression route for Apprentices completing the Level 2 qualification.

Salford City College’s City Skills Sixth Form Centre works closely with partners in the construction industry to deliver bespoke, industry-standard workshops which allow students to develop their skills in a professional environment.  Andrew Hallsworth, Work Based Learning Delivery Leader at Salford City College, said:  “We are pleased to have played a part in Rachel’s success and the delivery of this qualification, which has created new avenues of progression for Apprentices within the construction industry.”

Vacancy Announcement – HS&E Advisor

Emanuel Whittaker are looking to appoint a highly motivated individual to support our existing health & safety team and contribute to the successful management of our companies health and safety policy and our ongoing compliance (both at head office and on site) with the Health and Safety at Work Act and our own internal procedures.

This is a permanent role based at our Rochdale Road offices and reporting to the HS&E Manager.

You will be responsible for managing all aspects of HS&E issues, including:

• Proactively managing the company health and safety policy
• Ensuring compliance, both at head office and on site, with HSAWA and company procedures
• Keeping up to date with developments on health and safety within the industry
• Preparing project specific CDM paperwork
• Ensuring health and safety documentation is properly archived
• Delivering health and safety training
• Carrying out site HS&E audits, advising on health and safety matters and reporting findings
• Evaluating subcontractors for entry onto approved subcontractor database
• Preparing for and participating in quarterly Company health and safety meetings

The successful candidate will be able to demonstrate the following:

Essential Attributes

• Hold or be working / committed to working towards a NEBOSH Construction Certificate (or above)
• CSCS card ownership
• Understanding of undertaking Risk Assessments & writing Safe Working Procedures
• Understanding of creating Construction Phase Plans and compiling Health & Safety Files
• Experience of undertaking Site Audits on live construction sites
• Excellent communication, negotiation, analytical & interpersonal skills
• Competent user of Microsoft Word packages

Preferable Attributes

• Experience of working for a social housing refurbishment contractor
• Experience of KPI Data Collection & Report Writing
• Experience of undertaking Scaffolding Safety Inspections
• Experience of Delivering In-House Training Courses & Tool Box Talks
• Understanding of undertaking COSHH Assessments
• Experience of Fire Safety Management

It should be noted that applications are encouraged from candidates who may not currently have experience of working at HS&E Advisor level, as full support will be offered in terms of your future development and progression into the role.

Package

An attractive package including negotiable salary and company vehicle is offered. Working hours will be 8am-5pm Monday to Friday.

Applications

Applications should be made in writing along with a copy of your current CV to Anna Whittaker (anna@emanuel-whittaker.co.uk) on or before 17^th February 2015.