East Hull's Yorkshire Work Based Training (YWBT) is celebrating its first full year as a training provider by enrolling students on its vocational courses, despite having to deal with the restrictions imposed by the Covid-19 lockdown.

Students from as far afield as Glasgow, Birmingham and London are studying on courses at YWBT which has training facilities on Wincolmlee.

Callum Young, Head of Centre said: "Starting a new business, especially one like ours, this time last year hasn't made it an easy first 12 months, but we are open for business and, as well as online study, students are coming into the office for training and assessments.

"We believe that the courses we have in place and the staff we employ, or contract, provide an excellent, reassuring educational offer for students.

"Our aim is to provide the best possible support to all of our students, ensuring that they achieve the qualifications they want and need, and work with them closely to achieve that end.

"We will only work with fully qualified teaching professionals bringing a wealth of educational management, industry, and classroom experience.

"As several of our courses are legally essential for certain careers, we understand that quality is of the utmost importance."

Two vocational courses that are a pre-requisite to employment include Level 1 Health and Safety Awareness (required for the CSCS card) and CCNSG Site Safety Passport. These are needed to demonstrate that delegates are safe and capable of working on construction and engineering sites. Safety Passport courses are available over two days for new or lapsed students and one day for students who need to complete their three-year refresher qualification.

One firm to use YWBT for its CCNSG Site Safety Passport is D. Ward & Son Engineering on Oxford Street, Hull, a structural steelwork, welding and fabrication firm run by the family team of Lewis, Chris and Dave Ward, who said: "We’ve used YWBT for all of our training needs over the last 12 months and I would recommend them to anyone. Not only are their trainers and assessors deeply knowledgeable, but YWBT are also extremely accommodating and planned the training around our work schedule."

Although YWBT is now taking classroom courses again Mr Young emphasises that many courses can be delivered and assessed online with a laptop, phone or iPad.

As well as CSCS and CCNSG Site Safety Passport, YWBT courses include: Alcohol Licensing, Asbestos, Confined Spaces, Door Supervision, English and Maths, First Aid, Fire Safety, Food Safety, Health & Safety, Infection Control, IT and Digital Skills, Leadership and Management, Mental Health, Steel Fixing and Teaching & Assessing.

Callum added: "I am passionate about training and running my own business and believe that because of our background in education and business - an ideal mixture for leading in vocational education - we are in a great position for course delivery."