Apprentice electricians are more prepared for the world of work thanks to a new industry-led training partnership.
The Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) has teamed up with Interserve, the international support services and construction company, to provide 45 students at Southport College with health and safety awareness training.
Through the partnership, the apprentices undertook IOSH’s Working Safely training course to provide them with relevant, industry-recognised workplace health and safety knowledge before starting out at work.
Dina Alkhalidi, Head of Customer Engagement at IOSH, said:
“We are always looking for new ways to engage with business to deliver value to the community. “Through this partnership with Interserve, we wanted to help make the apprentices more employable on completion of their apprenticeship. “We hope that by engaging with the apprentices as they start their new careers it will provide them with skills for life and increase their awareness of IOSH as a professional body.”
Trainers Paul Richards and Andy Shippam from Interserve delivered IOSH’s Working Safely course at the college on 26 and 27 April. Paul, who is Quality, Safety, Health and Environment (QSHE) Director at Interserve and a Chartered Member of IOSH, said: “I did my advanced City & Guilds qualification in plumbing and heating at Southport College, so it has got a personal attachment to me. “Last year I was given the opportunity by Phil Ross, an electrical tutor at the college, to talk to his apprentices about health and safety in connection with facilities management. “On the back of this, Phil asked if I could explore ways to further develop these apprentices as they headed into the world of work following their final exams in May. I suggested IOSH Working Safely. “We held this first pilot session which was a huge success, with a view to potentially continuing this every year for the students who are leaving and going into industry.
“This is big business giving something back to the community in order to better equip apprentices in occupational health and safety risks before they go out into the workplace, ensuring they have the skills to identify hazards, mitigate risk, and communicate their health and safety concerns so that they can go home safe at the end of their working day, every day.”
(pictured left-right) Interserve trainer Andy Shippam, Paul Richards, QSHE Director at Interserve, Tom Richards, curriculum leader at Southport College, and Teresa Catterall, head of the college’s construction department
