How is Scolmore supporting the next generation of electricians?

We learn more about how the next generation of electricians are benefitting from the support of companies like Scolmore.

As a leading player in the electrical industry, Scolmore recognises the importance of supporting the industry at all levels. The company is particularly proud of the long-serving role it has played in helping to develop the next generation of electricians through a variety of initiatives, including the NIECEC/ELECSA Apprentice of the year competition which ran from 2016 to 2020.

In 2018 Scolmore Group became an official partner with SkillELECTRIC to support the organisation’s competition to find the UK’s best young electrician. The event, which is run in conjunction with WorldSkills UK, is designed to promote and showcase high standards and skills across the electrotechnical industry and is organised by National Electrotechnical Training (NET).

For many years Scolmore Group has also been involved with some of the colleges up and down the country offering electrical training programmes. The support provided by the company ranges from the supply of products for practical learning, the provision of CPD modules through to the delivery of a range of training sessions covering the latest regulations and new technologies.

This support programme for colleges is delivered by Scolmore Group’s Technical Engagement Engineer, Neil McManus, who works under the direction of Jake Green, who heads up the technical engagement team.

Neil is a TMIET member (Technician Member of the Institution of Engineering and Technology) and has more than 20 years’ experience teaching and managing a large provision at Leicester College, where he delivered all the electrical qualifications as well as implementing the provision of T Levels qualifications. Neil is proving a valuable asset to the team, helping to develop links with apprentice providers and colleges.

Positive feedback all round

Here’s a glimpse of the regular feedback received by the group from colleges who have benefited from Scolmore’s expertise, learning resources and vital products for practical training:

Lee Randall-Pybus, Learning Support Technician – Electrical Install at Devon College, said: “Scolmore has continued to provide an excellent service to South Devon College, helping to support staff and students with high quality materials and CPD training.

“We use the company’s Elucian consumer units in the electrical bays plus a vast range of the wiring accessory products which all meet current regulations. This support is invaluable for saving on the college consumable budgets and allows students to train with high quality products, adding to their learning experience and brand awareness.”

Joe Bourne, Lecturer at Dudley College of Technology, explained: “Scolmore provides an invaluable level of support to our college – to students as well as staff – with CPD training and product support, through to the delivery of training sessions of the highest quality. Recent topics included the current requirements for circuit protection equipment, and updates on AFDD and SPD installations.

“Scolmore’s participation in our employer engagement event, which took place in October, received a very high level of great feedback from both students and staff. Neil McManus was singled out for delivering superbly informative CPD sessions on the latest amendments and requirements for circuit protection, and he showcased some of the latest products to be introduced by Scolmore.

“The support provided by Scolmore Group positively enhances the training delivery and learning experience for all our students. The opportunities for them to interact with outside companies during their college training contributes to their whole learning experience.

Geoff Shaw, Lecturer at Cardiff & Vale College, concluded: “We’re extremely grateful to Scolmore for the continued support on offer which has enhanced our provision and opportunities for our learners.

“With the teaching materials and training provided, it is not just students who have been given an understanding of Click Smart, ESP and Ovia lighting design products, but our staff have also benefited with the practical examples that have been demonstrated. We talk around these different product ranges and solutions in our lessons when explaining to students the areas of smart homes, lighting design and security systems. We’ve been especially impressed with the ease at which the Click Smart home products can be retrofitted into an installation.

“We’ve always used Click products as we find them to be of very good quality and value, which in turn has helped us reduce our budget. At the same time we have increased our knowledge of other ranges, such as Unicrimp Q-Nect lever connectors and Elucian consumer units.

“We feel that it is important that students have the opportunity to train with high quality equipment, and the Scolmore Group products definitely meet these requirements.”

Find out more about Scolmore here