TRJ appointed to work on new UWTSD £1.5m Scaffolding Training Facility

The University of Wales Trinity Saint David is delighted to announce that South Wales-based construction company TRJ has been appointed to help deliver a new £1.5m scaffolding training facility. Work will commence on the project on December 6. 

Led by the Construction Wales Innovation Centre (CWIC) in partnership with Construction Industry Training Board Wales (CITB), the new centre will be located at a purpose developed facility on Fabian Way in Swansea Bay.

The new facility means that students based in Wales and beyond wishing to gain extensive scaffolding training will no longer have to travel to England or beyond to acquire a full set of skills.

The Building is currently undergoing approximately a £1.5million refurbishment to create an Access Hall of 2,000 m2 including classroom and IT facilities. The Access Hall will be the only Construction Industry Scaffolding Record Scheme (CISRS) approved facility in South Wales delivering the full range of working at height training to new entrants, apprentices, up-skillers, supervisors and inspectors.

Under the guidance of a leading UK scaffolding training company, the existing building is currently being refurbished to CISRS requirements and has an internal floor area of around 2,000 square meters comprising nine training bays and four dedicated classrooms, one with IT facilities.

In addition, CWIC is seeking to work with National Access and Scaffolding Confederation (NASC) members to provide further guidance and direction in meeting the training and development needs of the scaffolding industry in Wales.

Gerald Naylor, Director of CWIC, based at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David’s IQ building in SA1 Swansea Waterfront said: “The CITB funded Construction Wales Innovation Centre is pleased to be working with TRJ Limited in delivering Wales’ first scaffolding facility that will offer the full range of training solutions desperately needed in Wales. TRJ has a long history of supporting quality training and CWIC is especially pleased they are carrying out the conversion works at the Swansea-based venue.”

Mark Bodger, CITB Wales Strategic Partnership Director said: “CWIC and CITB have listened to the Welsh construction sector’s critical skills needs, invested accordingly and are looking forward to TRJ Ltd delivering the new scaffolding facility. It will mean that students in Wales will, at last, be able to receive comprehensive scaffolding training in their own country. The new facility will see the number of learners increase, it will become a launch-pad from which students can start successful, satisfying construction careers.”

Owain Jones, Managing Director at TRJ said: “Given TRJ’s long standing involvement with the Construction Industry Training Board, the University of Wales Trinity Saint David and the Construction Wales Innovation Centre, we are delighted to have been appointed as contractors to this much needed project for the welsh construction Industry.”

Barry Liles, Pro-Vice-Chancellor Skills and Lifelong Learning at University of Wales Trinity Saint David (UWTSD) said: “The development of this new facility will have a significant impact on up-skilling workers within the scaffolding industry.

“CWIC’s activities are already supporting employers in the construction industry across Wales. Our partnership with CITB is delivering world-class training and bespoke programmes for this hugely important sector to the Welsh economy.  Access to such facilities and expertise through CWIC gives employers the confidence to develop their employees and to recruit new entrants into the industry.”

The addition to the scaffolding training centre, to the Construction Wales Innovation Centre offer will allow CWIC to build upon the delivery of their immensely successful training courses and programmes which have spanned the past 3 years.

This period has seen the delivery of nearly 408 activities across Wales, supporting 691 Welsh employers and upskilling over 3,500 construction industry staff.  CWIC will build on this initial programme by continuing to support the industry through the provision of innovative and industry leading courses led from its Swansea based Hub, and delivered across Wales through its extensive spoke and partner network.