One company that has always impressed us with its approach to staff development is Wigan-based construction contractor, Connolly Ltd.
We spoke to Connolly employee, Stuart Taylor, about his NVQ Level 3 in Occupational Work Supervision – a qualification that we delivered with support from the European Social Fund. 
Stuart, a site manager and supervisor with the family-owned firm, completed his NVQ over ten weeks through Onsite Assessment and Training. OSAT is an assessment process designed to help experienced workers like Stuart gain their NVQ in the workplace.
“I found out about the NVQ through my manager at work, who enrolled a group of us on the course with DMR,” explains Stuart. “Connolly is really positive about training staff, and they have helped me climb the ladder from joiner to manager”.
Thirty-five-year-old Stuart completed his joinery apprenticeship nearly 20 years ago but didn’t have a qualification or CSCS card to reflect his current occupational area in supervision and management.
Once enrolled on the qualification, Stuart worked with his DMR Training assessor, James Oldham, to gather evidence for his NVQ portfolio.
“James is a very likeable guy,” says Stuart. “He explained everything and helped break down the knowledge questions into manageable chunks. He was always on the end of the phone at pretty much any time of the day. He visited me on-site to observe me working and I showed him relevant site paperwork and method statements, along with the process for daily and weekly checks.
“My Occupational Work Supervision NVQ is another feather in my cap, and my company was really supportive throughout the process. You never know what’s going to happen in the building trade, especially in recent times. We’ve been getting by during the pandemic by reiterating common sense in the workplace – reminding the lads to wash their hands and keep a distance from each other while working. It’s been tough but the world ploughs on!”
A few words from Stuart’s NVQ assessor, James…
“Stuart had a really positive, can-do attitude and was very enthusiastic about completing his NVQ in a timely manner. He also had a lot of enthusiasm and pride in his new build site.
“On this occasion, COVID didn’t have much of an effect on the assessment process as I still went to see him on site and adhered to company and government guidelines on social distancing.
Stuart has been with Connolly a long time and started as subcontractor joiner before being given the opportunity to progress to site management.
He continues to develop his knowledge and experience but did comment that one day he would like to progress to contracts manager. I feel he will achieve this as he is very focused and puts a lot of effort and passion into his career.
Stuart was assessed on-site, and this was supported with one-to-one phone calls and emails. He completed all of his knowledge questions on the e-portfolio and his answers were detailed with plenty of good examples. He also submitted a lot of evidence from his project to back up his on-site observation to hit the required performance criteria.”
Skills Support For the Workforce
Stuart’s NVQ Level 3 in Occupational Work Supervision was funded by the Skills Support for the Workforce programme – part-funded by the European Social Fund. Funding is available for construction companies and workers in Greater Manchester, Lancashire and parts of the Sheffield City Region. Contact us today to find out if you’re eligible.
