Groundforce Training are pleased to announce the beginning of a new partnership with Loughborough University, through the delivery of a training module for the university’s Construction Engineering Management course.
Groundforce Training are committed to developing and spreading good practice within the construction industry, and to offering the kind of training which comes with guaranteed results that include enhanced levels of safety and greater overall efficiency. The work they will be doing with Loughborough, as part of a course sponsored by a Consortium of major contractors and consultants, fits neatly into this tradition.
The module itself is part of a 4 year course which includes a compulsory year-long placement. For the thirty two, second year construction managers on the course, Groundforce Training have devised 2 days of training which combine theoretical teaching with practical, hands on experience.
The first part of the module involved Groundforce Technical Director Tony Gould delivering a guest lecture at the university. The theme of the lecture focused on safety surrounding excavations, more specifically;
- Why excavations need to be supported
- The different methods of support which are available
- How to select the method which is right for the job
The fact that Groundforce have developed a well-established Appreciation of Excavation Safety course leaves them perfectly placed to deliver this training. This 1 day course, which delivers information on legislation, equipment and the basic principles of excavation support, is part of the comprehensive range of 1 and 2 day courses available by the Groundforce Training team.
The second part of the module involved a visit to the Groundforce Training centre at Worksop. This offered invaluable experience of accessing excavations in a ‘live site’ environment. The visit to Worksop enabled students to see for themselves when a site looks safe, when it doesn’t, and how to make this assessment in order to ensure the maximum levels of safety.
Bruce Wright, Senior Tutor of School of Civil and Building Engineering at the University said: “I would like to thank Groundforce Training for an excellent site visit. The students felt it was a very worthwhile event. It complimented the initial talks from Tony Gould and Steven Lloyd very well and provided a complete package. It was a good experience for the students”.
“At the training centre we had different but interesting talks about the equipment and its application and safety. We do appreciate input from industry to the courses as it helps put it all into context and adds a level of application to the course.”
Looking to the future, further collaboration is planned which could include guest lectures by Tony Gould on Temporary Works for the Civil Engineering course, and for a Study Link programme to be established between Loughborough University students and Groundforce Training.