Building Our Skills – Making Fenestration a Career of Choice is significantly increasing the range of practical training courses it offers thanks to a new a partnership with Pro-Fitter, the specialist fenestration training provider, and by opening two new practical training centres.

This latest initiative from Building Our Skills is in line with its twin aims of bringing more new people into the fenestration industry and upskilling existing industry employees to promote personal and professional development, encourage employee loyalty, and to raise standards.

The collaboration will see Building Our Skills acquire the digital assets of Pro-Fitter to enable courses to be delivered across its increased practical training centre network. The Pro-Fitter team will work alongside Building Our Skills, promoting the courses to their existing customer base and to new installers interested in developing their skills. Courses range from beginner to advanced levels and include areas such as surveying, the installation of composite, bifold and patio doors, vertical sliding windows, aluminium doors and windows, bay windows, conservatory frames and roofs plus solid roofs.

Commenting on the new development, John Ogilvie, Director of Building Our Skills said:  “Here at Building Our Skills we strongly believe that practical training is the way forward for the industry. Bringing the Pro-Fitter courses alongside our existing offering, and at the same time increasing the number of practical training centres where they can be delivered is therefore a great step forward for the industry and demonstrates our commitment to raising standards in fenestration. It’s gratifying that we are able to offer training to support industry employees to do their jobs to the highest standards.”

Adding to this, Lou Leka, Head of Training at Pro-Fitter said: “We’re delighted to be working with Building Our Skills. We can see that the organisation is expanding, particularly with regards to its network of training centres, and we’re pleased to be part of this relationship.”

In addition to the first of its practical training academies in Sheffield, the organisation now has training sites in the South West of the country plus another close to Heathrow airport. Further centres will be added nationwide. Learning content will be accredited by GQA Qualifications.

Installers wanting to book onto Pro-Fitter courses should visit www.profitter.org.uk

More information on Building Our Skills – Making Fenestration a Career of Choice – is available at www.buildingourskills.co.uk.