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	Hard Landscape Training Group

Introduction NVQs and beyond Benefits Pavingexpert & HLTG Contact info Upcoming courses

Using Contractors   Approved Contractors   Interlay Contractors

 

Introduction The Hard Landscape Training Group (HLTG) is a national Training Group drawing its membership from both the landscape and the construction industries. Members of the group include manufacturers, academics, contractors, designers, training specialists and other interested parties, including the Pavingexpert website. The key aim of the Training Group is to develop and deliver accredited training and qualifications for hard-landscaping operatives and associated staff working within the landscape and the civil engineering industries.
To that end, the HLTG provides short training courses which are usually 1 or 2 day duration and focused on one or more particular skills within the industry, such as laying block pavers, fixing flags, or installing kerbs, along with specialist paving courses and many other hard-landscape related training sessions. These courses are offered to companies and contractors within the industry who wish to improve the skills of their workforce, but they are also open to anyone looking to develop their skills or to explore hard-landscaping as a career option. The group will continue to offer these courses, and more, as its remit expands to consider the National Vocational Qualification (NVQ or SVQ in Scotland) standards and other qualifications within the sector.
NVQs, SVQs and Beyond...

The HLTG will be working to update, improve and expand the NVQ Units to make them more accessible to the industry as a whole. The current Landscaping NVQ is under review and this has provided an ideal opportunity for the provision of dedicated hard-landscape training to be re-assessed with a view to creating a stand-alone qualification that is more keenly focussed on the skills used within the hard-landscape and groundworks trades. At a later date, it is hoped the HLTG will be able to review the Modern Apprentice Schemes, but it is felt that a Hard Landscape NVQ Award should be established before expanding the scheme as far as apprenticeships.

The Hard Landscape Training Group aims to work with as many businesses as possible, both on a national and a regional level, encouraging them to take advantage of the benefits of the practical training provided by the Hard Landscape Training Group. All HLTG courses are keenly priced with course fees covering only immediate costs and overheads. This is done to encourage a greater number of businesses to put forward their staff for quality training. CITB Levy payers are eligible for grants towards many of the courses.

Benefits enjoyed by members of the Group
	Employers have a single point of contact to organise all their training requirements
	Training is provided by quality-assessed Instructors from within the industry
	Training is carried out at the Clients' own premises and/or at a suitable local venues throughout Britain and Ireland
	Training Needs Assessments (TNAs) are available to identify the requirements of individual businesses
	Courses are practical based and focus on 'hands on' training wherever possible
	Limited numbers of trainees on courses ensures individual attention
	Courses are usually of one or two days duration
	Certificates of Attendance are issued to those attending the courses
Pavingexpert and the HLTG
The Pavingexpert website fully supports the HLTG, and is actively involved in both developing and presenting many of the courses currently available. The ethos of the Pavingexpert website is perfectly matched by that of the HLTG: we all want to see genuine, independently-accredited and value-for-money training courses for the paving, hardscape and groundworks trades. We want to see training that is recognised as valid and valuable, and, in the longer term, we want an industry that is regarded as professional and skilled. The paving trade desperately needs to show the wider world that not all of us are fly-by-night cowboys and charlatans, and that there is pride, passion and integrity in our trade. The HLTG provides the opportunity to bring this about. If you share our desire for a more professional trade, then join us today and help improve our industry for the benefit of everyone.

Contact Details: If you would like details of membership and courses please contact...
	Kath Walker Group Training Officer Hard Landscape Training Group 12, Keeling Road, Cheadle, Stoke-on-Trent, England ST10 1HB	0845 260 7609 01538 756195 07989 674809

 

Upcoming courses from HLTG We have not been informed of any forthcoming pavement construction training courses. The schedule of paving installation courses was suspended in September 2007 and no new schedule has been issued. The group does provide a number of other courses dealing with subjects as diverse as HAVS, CAT detection of utilities, managing people, and manual handling. Fuller details can be found on the HLTG website. Please contact Kath Walker (see above) to find out more or book places on these courses.
	Introduction to Conventional Block Laying (1 day) Conventional Block Laying Improver course (2 day) Mechanically-aided Kerb Laying (1 day) Manual laying of small element flags (1 day) Mechanically-aided laying of flags (1 day) Site measurement and setting-out (1 day)
Course schedule for 2007
To book places please contact: HLTG, 12 Keeling Road, Cheadle, Stoke-on-Trent, ST10 1HB Tel/Fax: 01538 756195 E: Use link above HLTG reserve the right to change any date/content of courses if necessary. In the event of this happening trainees booked on that course will be notified. All the above prices are subject to VAT at 17.5% If you have any suggestions for courses you'd like to see, please let us know.