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 at Salford City College’s City Skills Sixth Form Centre.
Twenty five year old Rachel Howarth from Lower Broughton, an employee of Oldham building and refurbishment company Emanuel Whittaker, started being assessed against an NVQ3 in External Wall Insulation last year and has just been confirmed as the first in the country to obtain the qualification.
“It’s great to qualify with a skill that will continue to be very much in demand as the need for higher level insulation qualifications in the construction sector continues to grow,” said Rachel. “I was really pleased to be one of the country’s first students to enrol on the new qualification in 2014, and I hope other students will follow in my footsteps as the drive to make all homes more energy efficient continues.”
Mark Wilson, who is responsible for apprentice and trainee development at Procure Plus, said: “This new qualification was developed in partnership with our members and will ensure that Rachel and others with the qualification have skills that are very much in demand as the construction industry work to provide insulation that reduces carbon emissions.”
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.
Andrew Hallsworth, Work Based Learning Delivery Leader at Salford City College said: “We are delighted 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.”
Lee Bradbury, Health, Safety & Environment Manager for Emanuel Whittaker said: “It’s no surprise that Rachel has become the first to qualify. Throughout her career with us she has been keen to develop and learn new skills. As an External Wall Insulation installer she is a great asset to the company and has firmly secured her future construction career.”
