BSG Property Services
BSG Property Services Ltd is a professional building, property
maintenance and refurbishment organisation covering Bedfordshire,
Hertfordshire, Northants, Buckinghamshire and
Cambridgeshire.
A family-run business for the past 28 years,
BSG Property Services is based in Sandy and offers customers a “one
stop” solution for a full range of building services including
plumbing, electrical works, carpentry, central heating, kitchens
and bathrooms.
The company employ more than 170 skilled
construction professionals such as plumbers, electricians,
plasterers, carpenters and painters and decorators.
Five apprentices are attending day release at
Bedford College where they receive training over 3 years.
There are also a number of BSG electricians who are attending
training courses at Bedford College to keep their skills up to
date.
HR Manager, Dawn Walton, explained:
“We plan to structure our apprenticeship
programme more tightly in the future so that apprentices learn best
practice from day 1 with us. We hope to be taking a
group of 1st year apprentices through the apprenticeship
programme at Bedford College, starting September 2011.
“BSG sees the importance of keeping ahead of
the game in relation to sustainable energy and ever changing
planning regulations. We will be using Bedford College to
train our apprentices in green energy of the future.”
What were your training objectives?
We are keen to offer apprenticeships to young
people. The training they receive will lead to industry
recognised qualifications that will be of great benefit to them in
the building industry.
We also want to make sure that our qualified
staff are kept up to date with legislative requirements.
Bedford College were the most competitive on
pricing and most flexible on hours available for study to fit in
with our staff.
Were they achieved?
Four apprentices completed the training and
are now working effectively in the business.
A further four apprentices are attending
courses and we get regular feedback on their performance so that we
are kept in the picture on their progress and can help support them
if needed. Some of our electricians are also attending
courses to update their skills and this has been a challenge for
them but one that they have met. At the end of both courses
our staff will have qualifications that they can be proud of.
The College has met our requirements for
training to meet legal competencies in a flexible manner and at an
affordable cost.
What is the value of training to the
company?
A good training structure that gives our staff
qualifications they need for their careers and gives them the
skills to do the job well. Bedford College also offers a gas
qualification as part of the apprenticeship programme and that is
really valuable to us and our staff.
What has been the impact on staff/your
performance?
Our excellent relationship with Bedford
College gives us a clear understanding of the progress of our
staff. We hold regular reviews with our apprentices about
their performance in the workplace and at College and that has
meant a marked improvement in the support we can offer to help them
achieve their qualifications.
What has been the impact on the organisation’s
performance?
Confident, well qualified staff that are able
to do the job to the required standard.
Apprentices have to work very hard and be
bright to get through their training. As they progress
through training, their confidence grows. It has a very
positive effect on the apprentices and on the whole
organisation.
What was your experience in working with Bedford
College?
Brilliant feedback and communication with
Bedford College staff, whether things are going well or
not. We are informed every step of the way over the 3-4
years of the apprenticeship programme. We will certainly be
using Bedford College for future apprenticeship programmes.
How did your company benefit from this
training?
We are proud as an organisation to invest in
young people who can offer so much to the industry.
As a family-run business we are delighted that
young people often follow their parents into the business and are
keen to develop their careers with us. It is recognition of
the fact that BSG invests in its people and gives them the
opportunity to develop their careers with training and support.
What are your plans for the future?
We support Bedford College’s WICed event to
encourage women into construction and would welcome women into our
company as apprentices or skilled professionals. At the
moment we have 2 women working with us - one as a qualified
carpenter and another as a kitchen fitter.
BSG aims to be ahead of the game on
sustainable and environmentally friendly techniques so that we can
offer options to our customers. It is something that will
have a huge impact and change the way the industry works and for
that we need staff who are trained in new technologies.