[Andrews_Water]

As a new boy to your forum, (and a supplier at that ! ) I’ll try not to promote our products.  Reading the posts on your forum, and talking to some of you on our POLECLEAN stand at Hinckley on Saturday, there are a number of FAQs on water fed poles.  It strikes me that there’s a need for a series of inexpensive training days to be run around the country for the uninitiated, addressing such wfp topics as:-

How does it work ?  What sort of system do I need ? What special technique is there in using a pole system ?  What should I charge ?  How do I market the idea to my customers ?

Please can I have some feedback on the possible interest in a series of low cost (say £95 + VAT) training sessions, limited to half a dozen people or so, including a worthwhile lunch, run at different venues around the country ?  In addition to a not-too-technical explanation of terms such as RO, demin & TDS, and how water purification works, we propose to offer hands-on experience in the use of aluminium and fibreglass poles in real life situations.  Attendance would enable participants to benefit from the many mistakes that we have made during the last few years, whilst gaining considerable experience in the use of wfp.  

Your reaction is awaited with interest.  Thanks. Andrew Greenhalgh

[Majestic]

Hi Andrew
I think Ionnics are doing that ,  as the window cleaning academy if you look at the bottom of the cleanitup home page you will see a list of dates  and its on there July 13th /14th
John

[Andrews_Water]

Thanks for that, John.

I believe that there is a need for more than one such training course, not necessarily centred in the South West, and not necessarily run by the market leader.  With the best will in the world, any supplier of equipment (ourselves included) will be tempted to present a biased view.  We know we're less biased than most !

Yours, Andrew

[Majestic]

Hi Andrew
Southport would be ok for me ,
John

[Andrews_Water]

Thanks John - you're the first on the list ! Andrew

[karlosdaze]

I would like to know more about these proposed courses, and what sort of itinery or training you would offer as oposed to what Craig is offering. A recognised certificate in association with H&S would be fab, but as all these courses are relatively new, I would bide my time to pick and choose the course that offered me the most experience in its field!
Blackpool would be O.K. for me, but as and when I don't know yet (Sure John would prefer that).

[williamx]

I would be interested, what about Birmingham

[D.Salkeld_Ltd]

Wot about Louth Lincs..................

Infact My house.............

I'll provide the Tea??

David Salkeld

[Majestic]

Karl
Blackpool would be good ,but Fleetwood be better
John

[Craig_Mawlam]

The BWCA has plans to roll out British Window Cleaning Academy certified courses across the UK at various locations. The BWCA is nothing new, established as it was in 1997 to deliver the NVQ. BWCA training is not an Ionic Systems venture and so attendees can expect to see waterfed poles from other leading manufacturers used in a positive way within the training in order to highlight their correct usage in order to achieve best results.

I do find it interesting how waterfed pole suppliers generally like to follow our lead, even when they admit to mistakes and have no window cleaning experiance. As they say imitation is the highest form of flattery. However, similar to crash testing I do welcome competitors who achieve the correct accreditation in order to provide the industry with qualified, credible alternatives.

Best Regards
Craig Mawlam
Internal Vertifier
BWCA City & Guilds NVQ Centre
0800 146133

[Majestic]

Craig
Where will the first course be held at, will other pole suppliers be there to coment on the correct  use of there poles
John

[Craig_Mawlam]

John,

The June courses are fully booked, the next free date is in July but that course is nearly full too. The courses are held in Swindon where we have the facility to use tall poles. Pole suppliers are welcome to attend if they book and if they do they will be able to see for themselves how even handed the training is. The WFP course focuses on correct technique to avoid musculoskeletal injury, cleaning techniques, forthcoming guidance notes, maintenance, and water treatment basics. Too many people out there are not using WFP's properly and in the long term this does nobody any good. All good operators know the stories of customers who have been turned off WFP's because a previous contractor made a poor job of it.

The point of the training is to equip all WFP users with the skills and knowledge to get the best results from their equipment regardless of whose equipment it is. So far all of the window cleaners that have signed up for training already have WFP's so clearly this is not an opportunity to sell systems. My aim is to ensure that all waterfed pole systems are used to their maximum potential for the benefit of those who use them.

Best regards
Craig Mawlam
BWCA C&G NVQ Centre
0800 146 133

[Majestic]

Craig
Will they all be done in Swindon or will you try to use your other depots for us up north
John

[Philip Hanson]

No, Swindon's fine, keep it there.  Thats only 20mins away!

[Craig_Mawlam]

Courses will always be run at Swindon were we have the best facilities, however some will be run from suitable Hotel venues at other locations around the country.

Best regards
Craig

[karlosdaze]

Courses will always be run at Swindon were we have the best facilities, however some will be run from suitable Hotel venues at other locations around the country.

Best regards
Craig

Please tell me in advance when you plan to do one in Blackpool!

[Andrews_Water]

Thanks for all your interest.  Not bad for a new boy, his first post becoming a hot topic after only three days!  Since we are Southport based, and are within easy reach of  two of the biggest conurbations – Liverpool & Manchester -  we would propose to run our first course here in Southport, starting at 10am on Friday 21st May, at a cost of £95 plus VAT, including mid-morning and mid-afternoon cuppas, and a worthwhile hot lunch.  Subsequent courses will be run wherever the demand arises.

As Craig so aptly misquotes it, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Insofar as course content goes, we would be happy to flatter him by imitating his proposed course syllabus, as described in his reply #11 of 5.30pm on 27th April, since this develops what was suggested when I first started this thread, and is well within our capabilities.

Of the three tutors on our course, I have a science degree, and am as well qualified to deal with technological questions as anyone in the industry.  My feet are however firmly on the ground, and there would be no question of attendees being “blinded by science”.  My two colleagues, who are not too arrogant to learn from the mistakes inevitably made by ordinary mortals, have several years of hands-on experience in their daily use of water-fed poles.  Moreover, their wealth of down-to-earth practical knowledge of their subject must have impressed anybody who visited our poleclean stand at Hinckley.  As far as the practicalities of their subject are concerned, they are second to none.

If you would like more information, or wish to book a place on our first course, please email me direct.

Yours, Andrew Greenhalgh

[karlosdaze]

In the red corner..................

[Craig_Mawlam]

I do not wish to get into a skirmish over this, as I said I welcome competition from suitably accredited training organisations. Qualified as Andrew may be in his chosen field I was expecting to hear about his qualifications with regard to delivering training, indeed developing training programs.

Andrew's desire to deliver training is admirable and no doubt he has plans to acquire the appropriate qualifications in order to provide meaningful training. From the candidate’s point of view, an investment in time and £95 +VAT should result in a certificate that will be recognised as having merit.

A certificate from The British Window Cleaning Academy will bear the City & Guilds Logo, NVQ Centre accreditation serial number, and the signature of the qualified centre Internal Verifier and Trainer. When presented to a potential customer or insurer as proof of training, a BWCA certificate will carry the necessary weight.

The use of the word "British" in our title means that the Department of Trade & Industry has authorized its use. Companies House was presented with such documentary evidence from the Wiltshire Training and Enterprise Council, City & Guilds and other agencies to support the application endorsed by the DTI. The use of the word "British" in our title highlights our pre-eminence in the field of training for the Window Cleaning Industry; this means that a certificate from the British Window Cleaning Academy is the highest value certificate other than the NVQ, that a Window Cleaner can hold for his trade.

At £95 + VAT our fee's are of equal value, however the value of the respective certificates is beyond compare (one of them not being worth the paper its written on).  If two Window Cleaning companies tender for a contract and one presents BWCA certification and the other does not, given that both quoted a similar price, the one with BWCA certification is the one most likely to win the contract even if his quote was higher.

Andrew, if your motivation to provide training for our industry is driven by a desire to share learning, then you will best demonstrate this by gaining the appropriate accreditation and qualifications first. Without it one may speculate that your motivation is driven by a desire to follow the market leader in the hope that you may sell more WFP equipment.

If you are truly motivated to provide training and wish acquire the appropriate qualifications you are welcome to contact me and I will point you in the right direction and help you where I can.


Best Regards
Craig Mawlam
Internal Verifier
BWCA C&G NVQ Centre
0800 146 133

[choice.clean]

nice to see the suppliers giving it a bit of stick
craig i was quite amused that my course cheque which i made payable to bwca was not acceptable all course fees to ionics ltd ;)just thought i,d add that one so all the wfp people can see your truly on the industries side ha ha ha