NEWS
Army leavers would make great trainers, says BESA
T
he Building Engineering Services Association (BESA) is urging military engineers transitioning to civilian life to consider becoming trainers, assessors and building safety auditors. With engineering and construction-related businesses reporting huge shortages of suitably trained people able to fill their widening skills gaps, the Association is reaching out to army leavers in a bid to address the critical shortage of
apprenticeship trainers and assessors that continues to undermine the delivery of building services courses. It is urging them to consider signing up to BESA’s fully funded Skills Legacy programme which was launched this year with the aim of recruiting 100 trainers and assessors to help further education (FE) providers deliver more building services apprenticeships. BESA’s nationwide scheme is bringing together employers and training providers
to create a pathway for anyone with the right skills, experience and qualifications to become a trainer or assessor qualified to a Level 3 Certificate in Assessing Vocational Achievement (CAVA).
It will also train engineers to become qualified building safety auditors in line with the ISO 9001 management standard to help the industry cope with new competence requirements created by the Building Safety Act.
Solution
“68% of UK employers struggled to find skilled workers in the past year, with the shortfall costing businesses a collective £4.4 billion,” said BESA’s head of competence Stuart Rattray. “Yet there is an often-overlooked solution hiding in plain sight in the shape of highly trained people leaving our armed forces. “They represent a rich and largely untapped pool of skilled, dedicated professionals who bring with them a wealth of transferable skills, discipline, and a proven ability to thrive in high-pressure environments,” he added. “However, as well as being ideal direct recruits into the built environment workforce, they can also be rapidly re-trained to help our colleges deliver more of the specialist courses we so desperately need.” Army leavers have a range of technical and leadership skills developed in challenging situations which gives them the attributes needed to become trainers, assessors and building safety auditors.
They are
used to working under pressure, adapting to new technologies and environments quickly, and delivering results against tight deadlines – and, while many can be recruited directly into the sector’s workforce, BESA is keen to
encourage others to focus on training up the next generation of building engineers. “With a background that values commitment, structure, and integrity, former armed
forces personnel are ideal for passing on a strong work ethic and the importance of reliability to a new generation – things that are hugely valuable to employers,” said Rattray. “They can also hit the ground running which is also extremely valuable at a time when our industry is struggling to cope with an ageing, and therefore shrinking, workforce.” By way of illustration, two members of the Royal Corps of Engineers reached the final of this year’s WorldSkills UK refrigeration, air conditioning, and heat pump section, which is organised by BESA, with one of those, 18-year-old Isaac Jervis, going on to take the gold medal.
The Manly Charitable Trust is co-sponsoring the scheme and is committed to funding the first 50 participants. Founded in 1991 by former BESA President Graham Manly in memory of his father Alfred Manly, the trust provides financial assistance to charities that provide opportunities for young people in STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) and help advance engineering education.
Nuaire launches A Guide to Awaab’s Law to support social housing providers
N
uaire has published A Guide to Awaab’s Law and the Future of Safe Housing Standards designed to help social housing organisations comply with Awaab’s Law, which came into effect on 27th October 2025. The legislation was introduced following the tragic death of two-year-old Awaab Ishak in 2020, caused by prolonged exposure to mould in his family’s rented home.
The new guide clearly explains the requirements to investigate and address damp and mould hazards set out in Awaab’s Law, and the legally enforceable timescales set. It provides a clear overview of the changes, along with practical checklists and tailored ventilation advice to enable social housing providers to comply with the new law. The new guide highlights Nuaire’s 50 years’ expertise in tackling condensation and mould in housing and features advice for housing providers on how to best define a ventilation strategy that not only meets part F requirements and helps manage costs, but creates a safe, comfortable home for residents. The guide gives an example of a whole-home ventilation approach that balances compliance, comfort and air quality together to create better homes.
Joe Lloyd-Allen, residential
product manager at Nuaire, comments: “Awaab’s Law represents a step-change in how damp and mould must be tackled in social housing. Our new brochure gives housing providers practical guidance on meeting these obligations and highlights proven ventilation strategies that can prevent hazards before they occur. At Nuaire, we are committed to supporting the sector in creating safer, healthier homes.”
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12/09/2025 13:28 14/10/25 10:30 BUILDING SERVICES & ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEER JANUARY 2026 5
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