JCB and the National Construction College are leading the way in the waste and recycling industry by setting up special ‘JCB Wastemaster Operator Training’ courses to ensure skills training keeps pace the growth in the expanding sector.
JCB - the UK’s leading supplier of materials handling equipment to the industry – is partnering with the National Construction College, the training division of Construction Skills, to provide courses for plant operators in waste and recycling, helping them achieve Construction Plant Competence Scheme (CPCS) accreditation.
The initiative – which will eventually cover the whole of the UK – will begin in the summer with the first course on wheeled loading shovels being run at the National Construction College East London at Beckton Park, with a heavy-duty 436 Wastemaster wheeled loader, widely used in waste and recycling sector, being provided by JCB. The courses will then be held every six weeks before being offered at other regional centres from 2011 and extended to cover tracked and wheeled excavators and Loadall telescopic handlers.
James Richardson, JCB’s General Manager for Waste and Recycling, said: “The waste and recycling industry in the UK has undergone tremendous growth in recent years and with ambitious recycling targets for the future, this expansion is set to continue. It’s important that operator skill levels keep pace with this growth as the way machines are used in the demanding waste and recycling environment can have a direct impact on productivity and therefore costs and ultimately profitability.
“Delegates will come away from the courses not only with a comprehensive knowledge in using machines in a safe and competent manner, but also how to operate them with optimum efficiency, reducing damage to both machine and surroundings and keeping operating costs to an absolute minimum.”
Steve Lee, CEO of CIWM said: “CIWM is delighted to endorse the JCB Wastemaster Operator Training Course. The course provides a way of improving health and safety and skills through training that encompasses the specific needs of the waste and resource industry.’
Christopher Blake Senior Instructor at Beckton Park National Construction College said: “We are delighted to be working in partnership with JCB in providing professional and high quality training tailored specifically to the needs of the UK’s waste and recycling industry. The courses will be ideal for new or existing plant operators.”
Among the areas the courses will cover will be correct re-handling and loading techniques and driving skills to improve machine performance and output to help reduce fuel consumption and tyre wear.
The course will include both classroom and hands-on sessions and will be held over five days.
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