The Irish Timber Frame Manufacturers’ Association (ITFMA) has secured a development grant for Skillnet’s funding to research the training needs of the industry.

The Association believes that continuous upskilling is essential to ensure that the sector can avail of the opportunities presented by the increasing demand for timber frame buildings.

The funding will allow ITFMA to develop a proposal for a two-year quality training programme to upskill staff in member companies who account for 80% of those employed in the sector.

A Training Needs Analysis survey is currently underway (TNA). The TNA is being conducted for the ITFMA by Training for Excellence, a Monaghan-based training company that specialises in management development and health and safety training.

Early results indicate that there is a demand for additional training in three specific areas; technical, sales & marketing and site procedures.

-- Advertisement --

On completion of the Training Needs Analysis an application will be made to Skillnets to secure funding for the training needs identified. The benefit to ITFMA members will be that they will receive funded, high quality training to upskill their staff.

Skillnets is an enterprise-led support body whose mission is to enhance the skills of people in employment in Irish industry to support competitiveness and employability. It is funded through the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment from the National Training Fund.

Training for Excellence was established in 2004 and has become a leading provider in management development and health and safety training courses. Since its inception the company has become FAS Registered training providers and ILM (Institute of Leadership and Management) accredited in addition to IOSH (Institute of Occupational Safety and Health). It delivers training programmes and provides business coaching to all industries in the SME sector nationwide.

According to Philip Mahony, ITFMA manager: “Within the next three years the popularity of timber frame will have increased from where it currently stands at 30 per cent to about 50 per cent of the new housing market. Ten-years ago timber frame only accounted for 5 per cent of the new housing market. This increase is due to ease of construction and the environmental benefits of having a timber frame home.

“We are very pleased to be working with Training for Excellence in laying the groundwork to ensure that our members have the level of skills within their workforces to avail of this growth opportunity.”

(JM/SP)