Careers - Qualifying the Industry
The GGF recognises the importance of training and qualification as an essential tool in staying ahead of any competition in an ever more competitive world. As the Trade Association for the Glass industry, our priorities include qualifying the industry and we strive to achieve this by working in partnership with other agencies and relevant bodies.
The GGF has been an approved National Vocational Qualification Centre for over 10 years and in that time has worked with many member and non-member companies to achieve formally recognised glass related qualifications, mainly NVQs, and the Federation is also approved to assess candidates for the Scottish Vocational Qualification (SVQ). We have continued to build on our strong working relationship with the Glass Qualifications Authority which is the only national awarding body for NVQ/SVQ qualifications aimed at Fabricators, Glass Manufacturers, Glass Processors, Glaziers, Installers and Automotive Glaziers.
In the past most of the Federation’s effort in this area has been primarily focussed on experienced workers and assisting to convert years of experience into a formally recognised qualification. However having identified a shortage of skilled labour within the sectors, the Federation turned its attention to encouraging new people into our industries. In the past couple of years the Federation has been working closely with Proskills, the Sector Skills Council for the glass industry, to encourage more people to opt for a career within the glass industry. In line with this Proskills has recently launched a careers website, www.prospect4u.co.uk which would provide a good starting point for employers and those looking for jobs within the process and manufacturing sector.
By working with training providers and employers, courses for people wanting to join or already in the industry are more readily available.
We are helping young people attain skills for life, while they are in a job, earning money and progressing their career. For a number of years now governments have channelled young people into further education, taking degree courses that cannot guarantee them a job on completion.
The GGF and its partners hope that by offering quality courses, excellent training and reasonable rates of pay, people will see a career in the industry as a more attractive option.
The GGF is an approved centre for glass related NVQ/SVQ, which means it can register individuals and undertake assessments for several NVQs including:
All NVQs offered by the GGF are awarded by the Glass Qualifications Authority. For further information about qualifications offered by the GGF or general training enquiries please contact fportuphy@ggf.org.uk
Further information about careers within the sector is available at www.proskills.co.uk
