Redcar’s Faraday Centre is awarded LCL Awards Inclusivity Charter
02 Oct 2024
Farzana Hossin (Assistant Engineer R & D) & Angela Addison (Booking & Planning Executive)
The Faraday Centre, is a specialist electrical safety training centre in Redcar on the North Yorkshire coast. It has been an approved LCL Awards centre for over a year now and has recently been awarded our Inclusivity Charter in recognition of efforts its staff makes to create a safe and inclusive environment for learners and those who work there. The centre implements policies to ensure equal opportunity, safeguarding, and zero tolerance of personal harassment and discrimination. The centre uses regular learner input to shape its day to day running and is working alongside a local university to develop technology that will further widen its scope.
We spoke to Alex Brewis, Account Manager at the centre to find out more:
“We do all we can to accommodate our learners, many of whom are multinationals flying in from overseas. Inevitably, there are challenges relating to language, so we’re careful to prepare well in advance and ensure we have what we need to deliver our courses effectively – to accommodate the needs of each group. They may bring, or we provide, an interpreter but more often than not, we simply slow things down and use more easily understandable terms when English isn’t a group’s first language. As well as welcoming international learners here, we regularly send our trainers to sites all over the world. Before they leave, we give them a thorough grounding in the culture and etiquette of wherever they are going, so that they have the local knowledge they need to behave respectfully.
“Before we begin our courses, we invite all candidates to inform us of any learning challenges they may have, so that we can work around these – offering more time for assessments or more particular support if they are visually or hearing impaired for example. The fact that our training groups are small, often no more than six, means we have the opportunity, space, and time to give those that need it a little extra help.
“At the Faraday Centre we’re keen on feedback and always respond to it, particularly when it pinpoints areas where we can improve. For a while now we’ve been using an independent review site called coursecheck.com and it’s fantastic! Our learners enjoy using it too; they understand the value of contributing their feedback. We encourage them to take part, reviewing us directly on the site or through a QR code - and 90% of them do. Their responses become important information for our trainers and business development. It's a simple but effective tool for us to keep in touch with our learners and respond to their needs.
“Another, more ambitious project is a joint venture we’re working on with Teesside University. We’re developing virtual reality to enhance our training opportunities, primarily abroad. For example, we can map someone’s workplace in minute detail, including the set-up of the electrotechnical equipment they’ll be working with. They work with an augmented pair of gloves, which gives them haptic feedback – as if they were working on the equipment in real life. This is particularly useful when we’re working with a team that can’t gain access to the machinery itself because it’s in constant use or where the equipment is limited for whatever reason. Although it’s some way off, we’re really excited about the potential of this new technology, which will provide our learners with a new avenue for learning and gaining valuable experience.
“We’re delighted to have been awarded LCL Award’s Inclusivity Charter. We work hard to ensure that everyone who trains with us feels valued and respected and it’s nice to have recognition for this.”
LCL Awards’ Aaron Grell, who approved The Faraday Centre for Inclusivity status and has issued them with a plaque in recognition of their achievement, is impressed by the efforts the centre has made to cater for its wide range of learners:
“The Faraday Centre’s approach to inclusivity is multifaceted and covers various aspects such as accessibility, differentiated instruction, and personalised support for learners. We commend the efforts they have made in promoting equality, diversity, and accessibility and recognise the dedication they have made to fostering an inclusive, welcoming environment for both learners and staff all around the world."
If you’re interested in finding out more about the Faraday Centre and the work it does to promote electrical safety, please click here. And to find out more about LCL Awards’ Inclusivity Charter, please click here.
Farzana Hossin (Assistant Engineer R & D) & Angela Addison (Booking & Planning Executive)
The Faraday Centre, is a specialist electrical safety training centre in Redcar on the North Yorkshire coast. It has been an approved LCL Awards centre for over a year now and has recently been awarded our Inclusivity Charter in recognition of efforts its staff makes to create a safe and inclusive environment for learners and those who work there. The centre implements policies to ensure equal opportunity, safeguarding, and zero tolerance of personal harassment and discrimination. The centre uses regular learner input to shape its day to day running and is working alongside a local university to develop technology that will further widen its scope.
We spoke to Alex Brewis, Account Manager at the centre to find out more:
“We do all we can to accommodate our learners, many of whom are multinationals flying in from overseas. Inevitably, there are challenges relating to language, so we’re careful to prepare well in advance and ensure we have what we need to deliver our courses effectively – to accommodate the needs of each group. They may bring, or we provide, an interpreter but more often than not, we simply slow things down and use more easily understandable terms when English isn’t a group’s first language. As well as welcoming international learners here, we regularly send our trainers to sites all over the world. Before they leave, we give them a thorough grounding in the culture and etiquette of wherever they are going, so that they have the local knowledge they need to behave respectfully.
“Before we begin our courses, we invite all candidates to inform us of any learning challenges they may have, so that we can work around these – offering more time for assessments or more particular support if they are visually or hearing impaired for example. The fact that our training groups are small, often no more than six, means we have the opportunity, space, and time to give those that need it a little extra help.
“At the Faraday Centre we’re keen on feedback and always respond to it, particularly when it pinpoints areas where we can improve. For a while now we’ve been using an independent review site called coursecheck.com and it’s fantastic! Our learners enjoy using it too; they understand the value of contributing their feedback. We encourage them to take part, reviewing us directly on the site or through a QR code - and 90% of them do. Their responses become important information for our trainers and business development. It's a simple but effective tool for us to keep in touch with our learners and respond to their needs.
“Another, more ambitious project is a joint venture we’re working on with Teesside University. We’re developing virtual reality to enhance our training opportunities, primarily abroad. For example, we can map someone’s workplace in minute detail, including the set-up of the electrotechnical equipment they’ll be working with. They work with an augmented pair of gloves, which gives them haptic feedback – as if they were working on the equipment in real life. This is particularly useful when we’re working with a team that can’t gain access to the machinery itself because it’s in constant use or where the equipment is limited for whatever reason. Although it’s some way off, we’re really excited about the potential of this new technology, which will provide our learners with a new avenue for learning and gaining valuable experience.
“We’re delighted to have been awarded LCL Award’s Inclusivity Charter. We work hard to ensure that everyone who trains with us feels valued and respected and it’s nice to have recognition for this.”
LCL Awards’ Aaron Grell, who approved The Faraday Centre for Inclusivity status and has issued them with a plaque in recognition of their achievement, is impressed by the efforts the centre has made to cater for its wide range of learners:
“The Faraday Centre’s approach to inclusivity is multifaceted and covers various aspects such as accessibility, differentiated instruction, and personalised support for learners. We commend the efforts they have made in promoting equality, diversity, and accessibility and recognise the dedication they have made to fostering an inclusive, welcoming environment for both learners and staff all around the world."
If you’re interested in finding out more about the Faraday Centre and the work it does to promote electrical safety, please click here. And to find out more about LCL Awards’ Inclusivity Charter, please click here.