Member Article

Treasury Minister Gareth Davies tours TICA’s expanding national training centre

Treasury Minister Gareth Davies MP has visited the Thermal Insulation Contractors Association (TICA) to meet with apprentices and learn more about the £250,000 investment being made in its national training centre.

Work is currently underway to create an additional mezzanine floor inside the Darlington facility, which is due to be completed by the end of this month.

The additional 434 sm. will provide a dedicated area for end point assessments and industry accreditations – freeing up valuable space within the ground floor training area. It will enable the trade body, which welcomes between 120 and 150 apprentices per year, to accommodate greater numbers.

Accompanied by Darlington MP Peter Gibson, the Minister was shown around the facility by TICA’s chief executive officer Marion Marsland and head of learning Helen Anderson. He watched a recent intake of apprentices taking part in a practical training session and also toured the new mezzanine floor. 

As Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury, Mr Davies’ responsibilities include growth and productivity, which includes skills, together with energy, environment and climate policy.

He said: “The presumption was that you needed to go to university to get on in life and to get a job. TICA is disproving that by training people while they are in work through an apprenticeship to ensure they possess the necessary skills and qualifications that are vital for driving economic growth and productivity.” 

Marion Marsland said: “The Minister has gained a good understanding of what construction apprenticeships are like in niche specialist industries, such as thermal insulation.

“We were also pleased to show him the significant investment being made to both improve and expand TICA’s national training centre, which among the many benefits increases our capability to train more apprentices.” 

Darlington MP Peter Gibson added: This is a fantastic facility that continues to expand here in Darlington delivering skills for the future of the thermal insulation sector across the country.”

TICA, which represents contractors throughout the UK involved in the application of hot and cold thermal insulation, hosts apprentices for two week blocks of training every three months, for between 18 and 24 months.

The training allows apprentices to combine practical on-site experience with their employers while developing skills and best practice under the guidance of TICA tutors as they work towards nationally recognised qualifications.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by News Gathering .