The key to architectural ironmongery training for locksmiths need hinges on the work they do says Rachel Tipton, training and development manager at the Guild of Architectural Ironmongers
The Guild of Architectural Ironmongers (GAI) is the only trade body in the UK that represents the interests of the whole architectural ironmongery industry – architectural ironmongers, wholesalers and manufacturers. I joined the organisation relatively recently having had experience of it in various of my previous roles working for companies including Union and Laidlaw. Among the GAI’s hundreds of company members and its sister organisation, the Institute of Architectural Ironmongers’ (IAI) individual members are many locksmiths. Generally they either also work with architectural ironmongery on a day to day basis or have more of a passing interest because their work means they are expected to have a degree of expertise from time to time.
One of the main reasons that I was attracted to working at the GAI was to be able to be involved in and influence the development of its education portfolio. This has been built up over 50 years and is the only recognised programme in the world that leads to a Diploma in architectural ironmongery to British and European standards.
This intensive three year GAI Diploma programme is offered through blended learning – online, coursework, residential and in-house training courses and students are supported throughout their learning with telephone help, online forums, workshops and regional meetings that are facilitated around the world by the IAI.
However, for the majority of locksmiths, this level of training is not usually needed. For them it’s probably more appropriate to consider the recently launched Foundation in Hardware, which gives a thorough grounding in all the basics of architectural ironmongery through an online toolkit and tests. It has been designed to raise knowledge and standards among those who required who are more likely to need to understand the fundamentals but don’t live and breathe ironmongery in their daily working lives.
Take the case of well known and respected lock and architectural ironmongery supplier Carlisle Brass, which has been in business for almost 30 years. While the quality of its products is extremely important to its reputation and its continued business success, the company gives great emphasis to training its staff to ensure they provide the highest levels of customer service and support. The training course was offered to 85 of its people and more than 50 have already studied the course’s 12 modules and passed the online examination.
Carl says: “The course provided just what we needed to give our staff – a general awareness of the industry and the products so that they could talk to customers and suppliers with greater authority. Because it is made up of various teaching materials including videos, presentations and written materials the information was easy to take in regardless of how people learn best. All of our employees were given the opportunity to study for the Foundation qualification and the feedback from across the organisation has been extremely positive.”
The customer service team at Carlisle Brass found the information they learned through the Foundation programme particularly useful because they are dealing with customers day in day out. But other areas of the business including marketing and finance have also profited so that his investment in training has proved beneficial across the organisation in various ways.
Carl concludes: “Not only has studying for the GAI Foundation in Hardware improved product and industry knowledge it has improved inter departmental relations and communications too. People understand their colleagues’ roles better and what they need to get the best from each other so it has provided benefits over and above those that we initially foresaw.”
To find out more about the GAI Foundation in Hardware or other training programmes offered by the GAI visit www.gai.org.uk or call head office or Rachel’s number? Or email?