Shaun Wadsworth reports on the return of FITA training courses in Scotland and how this will allow FITA to engage with the high number of Scottish employers and fitters looking for training closer to home.
FITA training courses in Scotland are back after a two-year break owing to coronavirus restrictions. The FITA Training Centre in Kirkcaldy (situated within the manufacturing plant at Forbo Flooring UK) is once again available to offer training to commercial and domestic flooring sectors. Even better, we’ve increased the range of courses on offer to now include carpet fitting, natural floorcoverings, and laminate fitting courses alongside resilient courses too.
Earlier on in the year following a meeting with key personnel in FITA and Forbo Flooring UK, all involved agreed that with further easing of restrictions in Scotland, the time was right to begin delivery again. Since early April, FITA has been delivering training to the floorlaying sector in Scotland once more with more courses planned in for the rest of the year to support fitters in Scotland eager to invest in their future, strengthen skills, improve in confidence and gain a competitive edge.
This is a huge step forward for FITA in its plans to increase delivery of training across the UK and allows us to engage with the high number of Scottish employers and fitters looking for training closer to home. As mentioned earlier it will also allow us to increase the range of courses offered at Kirkcaldy, something we’ve been working towards even before the pandemic and it’s great we can achieve this. This will hopefully cut down on the additional costs delegates may have to budget for when travelling to Loughborough from Scotland for training.
FITA has invested substantial finances and time to develop the training area to include the option for more courses, with FITA instructors working in Kirkcaldy to ensure the training area is in top condition ready for delivery of courses. FITA will also be introducing new local instructors for commercial and domestic courses.
Those instructors are currently working alongside our current bank of instructors, shadowing courses to again ensure training in Scotland follows the #FITAWay.
We continue to have tremendous backing from all our sponsors when setting up the Kirkcaldy training centre ready for delivery again with materials, tools, and equipment all being generously donated for use by delegates. We must also recognise the huge investment Forbo Flooring UK have made to let FITA use the space as well as both supporting trade associations CFA and NICF. This support is vital to FITA and helps us continue to offer training courses as an independent, not-for-profit training organisation.
We cannot wait to invite delegates back to Kirkcaldy as we know the industry in Scotland is truly invested in training and broadening skillsets. There’s always been terrific support for FITA from employers and fitters in Scotland and we hope we can repay that support by expanding not only the types of flooring training on offer but also the number of courses run on a regular basis.
Interested in training your workforce? Simply visit our website to book or get in touch and I’d be happy to discuss all options for training in Scotland.
01159 506836
shaun@fita.co.uk
www.fita.co.uk
