PRESS RELEASE: BWF secure further FREE funding for joinery training

Joinery and woodworking firms are being offered access to further funding for training, as well as a new Heritage Carpentry and Joinery , and Wood Product Manufacturing courses, made available by the British Woodworking Federation (BWF) training arm, the Woodworking Industry Training Forum (WITForum).

The funds have been secured through CITB and are available to BWF member companies undertaking the trade association’s On-Site Assessment and Training (OSAT) programme.

Funding is available via the BWF, CITB and the government. Pulling funds from all three sources could see employers cover the entire cost, the majority off the initial fee and some after qualification achievement.

But firms need to act fast as the BWF funding is limited to only 30 places in 2014.

In addition to the funding, more courses are now available through the OSAT programme. The newly launched Wood Product Manufacturing qualification which the BWF has been developing with Didac Ltd, ProSkills and number of joinery manufacturers within its membership, can be taken through the OSAT Programme.

After rising demand from industry, OSAT now also incorporates Heritage Carpentry and Joinery at Level 3, catering for those that work on products for pre-1919 building restoration projects.

The heritage course will be delivered by the Building Crafts College; all other courses are delivered by Didac Ltd.

Dave Campbell, WITForum training manager, said:

“Securing funding for training is vital to woodworking and joinery business, especially for SMEs. Employers recognise that up-skilling is important for an employee’s personal development but also as a tool to help grow the business.

“The introduction of the Heritage Carpentry and Joinery course is fantastic as it is an area we feel is underrepresented and we look forward to delivering the course.”

Further information on the OSAT programme and funding is available here: https://www.bwf.org.uk/training/courses/osat-courses-listing