GTEC is awarded LCL Awards’ Inclusivity Charter
28 Oct 2024
(From left to right): Reuben Davison, David Thomas, Sam Graham, Tracey Thomas, Val Halton, Julie Harrington, Griff Thomas
The company, based in Hawes in North Yorkshire, has been in the business for renewables training since 2007. It has weathered the fluctuations in government support for renewables to become one of the leading renewables training providers in the UK. Earlier this year, it joined the United Living Group, which has given GTEC the opportunity to review and develop its EDI policies and put in place new measures to support staff and learners – and grow its business.
We caught up recently with Tracey Thomas (Centre and Training Manager) and Sam Graham (Operations Manager) to find out about the developments they’ve put in place to ensure that everyone at GTEC feels respected and valued:
TT: It’s important to instil a sense of value in our staff so that an inclusive culture can then spread to accommodate our learners. We’re very open to ideas here and actively encourage staff to come forward with ideas to build upon our EDI policies. I’ve set up an ‘inclusivity folder’ on the cloud to which anyone can add their thoughts on this matter. It’s important for senior management to feel they have the support of everyone for any policies put in place - and open dialogue helps ensure this.
SG: Our regular rota of staff appraisals backs this up. We want to make everyone who works here feel they have a voice and are a valuable member of the team.
We have in place specific procedures to accommodate different learner needs. Trainers are aware that, where possible, they should adapt their teaching styles to fit individual learning preferences - we make adjustments wherever we can. Learners are encouraged to voice their requirements when they book onto a course, and centre staff take the necessary steps to ensure their needs are met, by providing course materials in accessible formats for example.
TT: We have made efforts to improve the digital content of many of our courses which has enhanced engagement and successful delivery of government-funded schemes such as RHITSS & HITSS. We’ve been able to provide access opportunities for underrepresented groups in the sector by looking at more flexible ways to measure performance. Placing greater value on evidence-based work-experience, testimonial and photographic evidence rather than exam grades at entry level.
GTEC has grown as a business by delivering its expertise to a wider audience.
SG: We have developed a network of training centres that takes our LCL Awards approved training courses out into underrepresented areas of the UK. For example, we’ve built some Solar PV and heat pump training rigs that we’ve taken over to the Isle of Man, where there’s a dearth of renewables training. This sort of initiative makes training accessible to a much wider audience.
TT: Yes, if necessary, we can set up our peripatetic training in the events space of a hotel. If there’s a need, we’ll do our best to fulfil it. We’ve used our skill and experience to build bespoke training rigs for a number of other training companies so they can deliver renewables courses.
Improved government funding for renewables has provided GTEC with new opportunities to train those who wouldn’t necessarily have taken the plunge in the past:
TT: Government funding makes renewables training more accessible, giving installers the opportunity to dip their toe in the water. This has made a big difference to the uptake of renewables training over the last few years and we’ve come across loads of interesting life stories that we hope might inspire others.
We plan to include more learner testimonials on our website so that people can see a career change and a future in renewables is more than just a pipe dream. One of our learners, Gabriella, a trained electrician, was an operations manager at her family’s electrical contracting business, but she saw the future in renewables and took our Level 3 Award in battery storage. She’s developed her skills with us and is now able to install EESS systems. Stories like this are a wonderful way to engage with our learners – to let them see how training can benefit their lives.
Aaron Grell, LCL Awards’ Quality Assurance Manager, is thrilled to have presented GTEC with their award:
“GTEC has met the Inclusivity Charter requirements and demonstrated a proactive approach to fostering a welcoming, diverse, and inclusive environment. Their commitment to continuously improving their facilities and policies, such as website updates, accessible facilities, and focus on inclusivity in both staff and learner interactions, highlights their dedication to making their training environment open and welcoming to all.”
To find out more about GTEC - and to read Gabriella's story - please click here.
To learn more about how LCL Awards' Inclusivity Charter could help your business grow, please click here.
(From left to right): Reuben Davison, David Thomas, Sam Graham, Tracey Thomas, Val Halton, Julie Harrington, Griff Thomas
The company, based in Hawes in North Yorkshire, has been in the business for renewables training since 2007. It has weathered the fluctuations in government support for renewables to become one of the leading renewables training providers in the UK. Earlier this year, it joined the United Living Group, which has given GTEC the opportunity to review and develop its EDI policies and put in place new measures to support staff and learners – and grow its business.
We caught up recently with Tracey Thomas (Centre and Training Manager) and Sam Graham (Operations Manager) to find out about the developments they’ve put in place to ensure that everyone at GTEC feels respected and valued:
TT: It’s important to instil a sense of value in our staff so that an inclusive culture can then spread to accommodate our learners. We’re very open to ideas here and actively encourage staff to come forward with ideas to build upon our EDI policies. I’ve set up an ‘inclusivity folder’ on the cloud to which anyone can add their thoughts on this matter. It’s important for senior management to feel they have the support of everyone for any policies put in place - and open dialogue helps ensure this.
SG: Our regular rota of staff appraisals backs this up. We want to make everyone who works here feel they have a voice and are a valuable member of the team.
We have in place specific procedures to accommodate different learner needs. Trainers are aware that, where possible, they should adapt their teaching styles to fit individual learning preferences - we make adjustments wherever we can. Learners are encouraged to voice their requirements when they book onto a course, and centre staff take the necessary steps to ensure their needs are met, by providing course materials in accessible formats for example.
TT: We have made efforts to improve the digital content of many of our courses which has enhanced engagement and successful delivery of government-funded schemes such as RHITSS & HITSS. We’ve been able to provide access opportunities for underrepresented groups in the sector by looking at more flexible ways to measure performance. Placing greater value on evidence-based work-experience, testimonial and photographic evidence rather than exam grades at entry level.
GTEC has grown as a business by delivering its expertise to a wider audience.
SG: We have developed a network of training centres that takes our LCL Awards approved training courses out into underrepresented areas of the UK. For example, we’ve built some Solar PV and heat pump training rigs that we’ve taken over to the Isle of Man, where there’s a dearth of renewables training. This sort of initiative makes training accessible to a much wider audience.
TT: Yes, if necessary, we can set up our peripatetic training in the events space of a hotel. If there’s a need, we’ll do our best to fulfil it. We’ve used our skill and experience to build bespoke training rigs for a number of other training companies so they can deliver renewables courses.
Improved government funding for renewables has provided GTEC with new opportunities to train those who wouldn’t necessarily have taken the plunge in the past:
TT: Government funding makes renewables training more accessible, giving installers the opportunity to dip their toe in the water. This has made a big difference to the uptake of renewables training over the last few years and we’ve come across loads of interesting life stories that we hope might inspire others.
We plan to include more learner testimonials on our website so that people can see a career change and a future in renewables is more than just a pipe dream. One of our learners, Gabriella, a trained electrician, was an operations manager at her family’s electrical contracting business, but she saw the future in renewables and took our Level 3 Award in battery storage. She’s developed her skills with us and is now able to install EESS systems. Stories like this are a wonderful way to engage with our learners – to let them see how training can benefit their lives.
Aaron Grell, LCL Awards’ Quality Assurance Manager, is thrilled to have presented GTEC with their award:
“GTEC has met the Inclusivity Charter requirements and demonstrated a proactive approach to fostering a welcoming, diverse, and inclusive environment. Their commitment to continuously improving their facilities and policies, such as website updates, accessible facilities, and focus on inclusivity in both staff and learner interactions, highlights their dedication to making their training environment open and welcoming to all.”
To find out more about GTEC - and to read Gabriella's story - please click here.
To learn more about how LCL Awards' Inclusivity Charter could help your business grow, please click here.