At Millcroft, we’re committed to maintaining the highest standards of safety and professionalism, and at the heart of this commitment is our CITB Site Safety Plus accredited training centre.
We established the training centre at our Greenwich HQ to provide flexible, in-house training for our teams. With our workforce out on site throughout the week, having our own centre allows us to run courses at more convenient times, such as Fridays after shifts, or even at weekends. This flexibility helps us to minimise disruption to our daily operations while keeping our team’s certifications up to date.
Customised training for on-site application
As a CITB Site Safety Plus centre, we cover a wide range of safety and management courses. Our health & safety advisor is a qualified trainer, but we can also work with a pool of CITB-approved instructors when necessary.
Our accredited courses cover topics essential to the construction and scaffolding industries, such as the Site Management Safety Training Scheme (SMSTS), Site Supervision Safety Training Scheme (SSSTS), first aid, and product specific courses like the Combisafe scaff step.
We also run a CISRS COTS course, which we introduced when we were looking to bring more trainee scaffolders into the business. This course gives people joining us under an apprenticeship or work placement a crucial gateway into the scaffolding industry.
While the centre is mainly used for in-house training, it is also open to clients and associates, depending on what’s required. For example, when Morgan Sindall wanted to train their staff on temporary works, they brought in an external instructor and used the facility.
Ensuring the highest standards with regular accreditation
As a CITB-accredited centre, we undergo rigorous and regular auditing. The CITB conducts annual audits to ensure we are fully compliant with its training standards. The CISR does the same for our scaffolding-related courses.
We follow strict procedures for every course, including notifying the relevant organisation when we run a class via a portal, documenting completed training information, and recording individual test scores. All this information is verified for quality assurance before certificates are issued. Additionally, for the CITB courses, we provide a Zoom web link allowing them to dial in during any course for additional checks.
Our training doesn’t stop once a course is completed. With most certifications valid for three years, we regularly organise refresher courses and CPD (continual professional development) sessions to ensure our teams stay up-to-date with the latest industry standards and best practices.
Looking ahead: Expanding our offering
Looking forward, there is potential to expand the range of courses we offer. One area of interest is temporary works, a complex and critical topic within construction. But, as with many of our courses, before we offer this, we need to make sure we have a trainer who has real hands-on experience, as this makes all the difference when delivering the training.
We could also expand our services nationwide and advertise our training through the CITB. Of course, we’d need to ensure all the correct procedures are in place to handle external candidates, including payment systems and compliance with regulations like the Data Protection Act, before doing this.
A thoughtful approach to mental health
While we’re expanding in many areas, mental health is one topic where we’ve made a conscious decision not to provide in-house training on anymore. Mental health is a critical issue, particularly in high-risk industries like construction, but we believe it’s a topic best left to dedicated professionals. So, we prefer to direct our employees to professional organisations and advice centres specifically trained to guide people on mental health issues.
That said, Millcroft takes mental health very seriously. We have trained mental health champions within the company who our employees can approach for support. These champions are on the front line, ready to direct our team members to the right resources when needed.
Mental health can directly impact safety, so we want our employees to feel supported and know they have access to professional help when they need it, rather than relying on basic in-house training that may not cover the depth of their needs.
Ensuring safety through collaboration and continuous development
At Millcroft, our CITB Site Safety Plus accredited training centre is a core part of how we look after our workforce and a vital part of our commitment to safety, professional development, and employee well-being.
For us, it’s not just about delivering a course; it’s about working together and ensuring our people are fully prepared for the challenges they’ll face every day.
