DTL wins apprenticeship contract with South Staffs Water

Utilities specialist Develop Training Limited (DTL) has won a contract to deliver an apprenticeship in water mains laying for South Staffs Water.

DTL, an approved provider under the apprenticeship levy scheme, is now putting nine apprentices through the 13-month programme, including hands-on learning at its newly-opened mains-laying facility.

Daryll Garavan, DTL’s Delivery Manager for the water industry, said: “Having this new facility is ideal. There is plenty of space for several candidates to work on it at once instead of having to wait their turn, and the practice area includes numerous water mains connections that people can hone their skills on.”

DTL opened the new water mains training area last year at its Derby training centre, one of seven across England, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

The candidates, mostly from the Tipton and Walsall area, are made up of five South Staffs Water employees and four new recruits from OnSite Specialist Maintenance, which like South Staffs Water is also part of the South Staffordshire plc group. They are expected to complete the course, “Network Construction Operations Water Mains Laying”, in January next year (2020).

The course is a 50-50 mix of classroom and practical training, combining an introductory NVQ in the subject with a more in-depth technical certificate. The apprentices will video record their practical work in e-portfolios to demonstrate they have achieved the necessary hands-on skills.

About Develop Training (DTL): The UK’s leading accredited provider of compliance, technical, and safety training, supporting thousands of firms with their training needs. Clients include some of the UK’s largest and best-known organisations from the utilities and construction to the defence, healthcare, facilities management and telecommunications sectors.

Training programmes cover water and environmental, gas and energy, safety, electrical and mechanical, apprenticeships and management development delivered at DTL’s seven dedicated training centres in Linlithgow near Edinburgh, Romford, York, Derby, Bolton, Swindon and Lisburn near Belfast, or onsite at clients’ premises. DTL also provides bespoke and consultancy services, tailoring training programmes and initiatives to the requirements of individual clients.