ONLINE: The British Woodworking Federation (BWF) has launched an online Training Academy with its first e-learning module today, giving the joinery industry access to a flexible and modern training resource.
The first training module is on Wood Waste and Resource Efficiency, aiming to help joinery and other woodworking businesses make better use of their timber resources at all stages from procurement through to disposal. The module is also useful for builders merchants and other suppliers to understand the joinery-side issues around procurement and wood waste disposal, and how they can play their role.
The Timber Resource Efficiency Partnership (TREP) has supported the BWF in producing the training materials for this module. This is part of its work towards achieving the aims of the Joinery Industry Resource Efficiency Plan, published in September 2010.
John Fletcher, Project Management for TREP, said: “This module is the first step in helping joinery businesses, timber companies and builders merchants deal more effectively in the procurement and disposal processes, saving themselves money as well as bolstering the industry’s environmental credentials.”
Wood Waste is the first in a series of modules the BWF is offering via the academy, providing a modern alternative to physical training solutions. Future subjects will include joinery estimating and fire doors.
Dave Campbell, BWF Marketing and Training Manager, has been driving the project with the aim of expanding the reach of training among the BWF’s members.
Mr Campbell said: “Taking time out for training is particularly difficult for small businesses, as it often means downing tools for a day. It was clear after trying to run physical workshops on wood waste that we needed to adopt a different approach if we were going to get the key messages out to our members and the industry as a whole. E-learning seemed the best solution to reach as many companies as possible, offering them a flexible learning approach that individuals can complete wherever they are.”
Access to the online academy is currently free to BWF and TREP members, £25+VAT per person for Timber Trade Federation (TTF) members and £50+VAT for anyone else.
