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Training goes global to deliver vital spark to electricians

Posted: 10th December 2020

Training goes global to deliver vital spark to electricians

Iain Mason, Director of Membership and Communications at SELECT, explains how the electrical trade association has expanded its digital classroom during the pandemic, with delegates now tuning in from around the world to keep up to speed with essential training

Iain Mason

If COVID-19 ­has seen one major development, it’s been the rise of digital meetings and online business – and SELECT training courses have been no different.

Sessions are usually held at our HQ at The Walled Garden in Penicuik, or in-house at venues around Scotland. With physical classrooms no longer an option, SELECT has therefore rolled out a programme of digital learning to help keep electricians updated with vital information.

Our training team has received requests for remote learning ­ from all four corners of the globe, with Members logging in to our special GoToTraining classroom to take part in courses delivered by our technical advisers.

The course in Requirements for Electrical Installations has proved particularly popular, with one delegate completing the course from Switzerland, where he was isolating before starting a job out there.

We also organised a delegate to connect in from his holiday home in Spain, where he was staying during lockdown, and we’ve also had someone tune in from the Canary Islands who said his internet connection was better than in the UK!

Further afield, we had a SELECT member electrician in Russia who wanted to arrange a course, and a worker on a rig off Mexico enquiring about a virtual session. When we asked the latter if he was enjoying good weather, he said a hurricane was coming towards them – a far cry from a Scottish sleet shower.

So far, SELECT has delivered 101 online courses since lockdown on 23 March, with 587 delegates trained via the e-classroom

As well as delegates in foreign countries, the virtual classroom has been eagerly embraced by electrical professionals who may have recently returned to Scotland and require an update to their knowledge.

Throughout the pandemic, we’ve had calls from people who have been working away on the rigs for ten years or more and have now had to come home because of COVID-19.

Some have seen their grading cards lapse so have been in touch with the Scottish Joint Industry Board (SJIB) for advice, and we’ve then duly organised the training required.

Not having to travel and being able to take these courses from the comfort of their own home has made it easier for them and has been much appreciated.

We had one delegate who had been away for 15 years and contacted us as he was worried about trying to get back to work. His main concern was getting his 18th Edition BS 7671 qualification, so we arranged for him to take our online course.

He said the course was well executed and it was great to get his results back so soon, and also thanked everyone at SELECT for getting it all organised at short notice.

Hearing feedback like that is excellent and it’s good to know we’re helping delegates with whatever training they need, wherever they may be in the world.

As the impact of coronavirus continues to affect businesses large and small across Scotland, it’s just one way that we’re helping members weather the storm… 

  • To find out more about SELECT and its work, go to select.org.uk

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