INSULATION
Reskilling the workplace
As we begin to emerge into the ‘new normal’, the industry will no doubt be looking for a sharp growth curve to get as close to ‘normal’ as we can. Tom Merton, technical specialist at Armacell UK, discusses the imminent need for reskilling to avoid common issues and help maintain quality and efficiency across projects
T
he ACR industry no doubt offers an exciting and varied career for contractors who relish the opportunity for a challenge. From late
night repairs on failing commercial equipment, to the complexities of a brand new project that’s focused on energy savings, it can often feel that no project is quite the same. Coupled with ever- changing technologies and advancements in equipment, it can also be a demanding industry to keep up with.
Despite this, it’s not unusual for many to
consider on-the-job training and development to be the normal route to upskilling, and even reskilling, workers. Established engineers can of course demonstrate and lead from the front when relatively new employees are faced with new challenges, but we have to consider that the industry is constantly evolving and doesn’t remain as static as perhaps it once was. With more complex HVAC systems and the
demand for higher energy efficiency, longer system reliability and maintenance cost-savings, sometimes even the most established engineers can be faced with something new. The best way to ensure we’re fully prepared for new challenges? Comprehensive upskilling and reskilling that’s not necessarily learned ‘on-the-job’.
34 August 2020 Often, attending a job where there are evident
operating deficiencies, or even where there is large-scale equipment breakdowns, can be a tell- tale sign of poor operating practices that formal training can correct. For example, weak points in the insulation system can be a result of a poorly fitted or uninsulated pipe bracket. If pipe brackets are not insulated, energy losses can occur leading to high additional costs, particularly where a large number of supports are being used. For pipe brackets on cold services, the issues
can be even more detrimental affecting thermal efficiency and leading to corrosion of the pipework and ultimately secondary damage that can cause breakdowns. By leveraging formal training to reskill
engineers, such issues can be avoided. When engineers can touch and see the material they will be working with day-to-day, then they will be better equipped to be able to fix the problems faster and more efficiently. Training, such as technical and application
training from Armacell, can give engineers hands on practical experience, and demonstrate first- hand the skills and techniques required to avoid unnecessary issues.
Identifying skills gaps So how can we identify what type of training would be beneficial? Despite the obvious economic impact, the recent slow-down has given a lot of organisations an opportunity to take a step back and reflect on current working practices, putting into place new ways of working to ensure that when business is buoyant again, they’re in the best shape for success. The competency of front-line engineers should be a key part of that process, after all it’s the engineer who will be on site. An effective approach is to start with a skills gap analysis – what skills do engineers need to successfully tackle the new challenges that will be coming their way? What current skills have they got? The central aim here is to close the gap, whilst also considering the demands of the wider industry – the ACR industry is a rapidly changing field, and today’s heating and cooling systems are far more advanced than those on the market merely 10 years ago.
When developing a skills gap, be careful not to assume. You may think an established engineer has a plethora of basic skills honed during their career, but it’s not necessarily true that doing something day-in-day-out means you can’t be reskilled to perform the task more effectively in the future.
Types of training With each element of a project comes different components and best practice. This means that increasingly the industry has opened up to offer specific training courses for very specific branded equipment and materials. Being trained by manufacturers directly, like Armacell for pipe insulation, allows engineers an expert, in-depth look at the materials they are working with from the very people who know the materials better than anybody else. Training away from the job doesn’t necessarily have to mean a huge investment in time either. Short courses are incredibly time efficient, minimising time spent away from the job itself. Increasingly, short-courses rich in content are becoming more widely available and more popular across the UK for this very reason. Armacell’s range of short courses covering all aspects of thermal insulation installation and best practice have been developed for both new and established engineers alike, upskilling and reskilling those who are on the front line and can benefit from a better understanding of thermal insulation materials and equipment installation. With courses from one to three days, they are a cost-effective investment that can add real business value. In addition to the practical application
techniques, a course that’s been expertly led by an experienced specialist in the field provides an ideal opportunity for groups of engineers to develop wider soft business skills such as working within a team and communicating more effectively – all solid traits that can make a real impact to an organisation in the long-term. It’s important to consider that training and development shouldn’t be a one-off exercise. Given the rapidly evolving ACR market, engineers may find themselves in one of two positons regularly – either training is needed to update on new and emerging technologies, or to fill a gap in knowledge. Leveraging the training opportunities through manufacturers can help with both, and will ultimately give you a well-rounded, fully developed workforce that continues to deliver quality work in the most efficient way. Armacell’s application training can be booked
on-site or at its specialist technical application centre.
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