Plastering trainees 'have risen to the challenge' of six week Northumberland Skills course in Seghill

Anthony Slater signed up for an intensive course organised by Northumberland Skills, the council’s education provider, after deciding to channel his love of home DIY into a new career.

He graduated six weeks later with a recognised qualification, contacts at employers looking to recruit, and ambitions for full time work in the industry.

Anthony said: “I have really enjoyed every aspect of it. It has been hard work and intensive as there is a lot to learn in a short space of time but I really feel now that I have got the confidence to go on to apply for full time jobs or to move into self-employment.

“Having a qualification will give me a foot in the door.

“You need a lot of patience and it is almost therapeutic when you are putting the plaster on but it is also quite physical too, which I enjoy.

“I would recommend it to anyone interested in learning a new trade.”

The course is delivered at Northumberland Skills’ specialist construction campus in Seghill, where there are also multi-skill, electrical, and construction courses running for school leavers.

Training is delivered by lecturer David Weatherburn, who congratulated Anthony and others for their “unbelievable” progress.

He said: “They have risen to the challenge. They have excelled and gone beyond what I thought was possible, and I am proud to bring employers in and showcase their work.”

David turned to further education after his own successful career in plastering and construction.

He added: “Plastering is a finishing trade. It requires attention to detail and it is about having that finesse and the touch of an angel’s wing to make it look nice, crisp, and perfect for the customer.

“This was the first cohort but we are going to run more courses. We have got the facility, we have got industry and employers on board.”

The course is supported by plasterboard manufacturer British Gypsum. The firm’s skills partnership manager, Pete Baum, believes it gives learners a “good step into the industry.”

He said: “We see so many employers in the dry lining and plastering industry that say there is an ageing workforce and nobody coming into the industry, so it is a way for us to tackle that.

“The joy I get out of this programme is seeing people who were in the same position as I was back at age 18 or 19 and not really knowing what I wanted to do, then to see the guys and girls coming on these courses, trying it, finding a real passion for it and going out there into the industry.”

A key focus for Northumberland Skills is plugging skills gaps in the county’s industries. The organisation’s Welding and Fabrication Training Centre nearby at the Port of Blyth aims to address this in the manufacturing and the green energy sectors.

Cllr Guy Renner-Thompson, cabinet member education and skills, said: “This is a perfect example of everyone working together in Northumberland to tackle a skills gap, grow the economy, and create rewarding, meaningful job opportunities for local people.”