Wigan-based legionella experts launch specialist training academy for water industry

Standish-based GMS Services will deliver courses for plumbers, maintenance teams, duty holders and site managers through its GMS Training Academy.

Drawing on its 25 years of experience, trainees will benefit from teachers with industry experience and flexibility of course delivery.

Training is delivered at GMS' Wigan-based centre or on-site, depending on the course and individual requirements of a business.

Carl Ollerton, technical director for GMS Services, said: "As an industry leader in legionella control, we are well-placed to offer associated qualifications. Apart from our own courses, based on the way we train water hygiene engineers and plumbers working for GMS, we are LCL Awards-approved to provide WRAS Water Regulations, with Unvented Hot Water coming soon."

Gemma Ollerton, company director at GMS Services and manager of the new training academy, said: "The water hygiene industry is something we feel very passionately about. Ultimately, we want to become the ‘go to' training centre for all water hygiene and water safety-related courses in the north west of England. We really know the industry inside-out, so bring a level of professionalism and ‘real-world' know-how that just can't be replicated."

Legionella awareness courses at GMS Training Academy cover theory and practical elements in relation to prevention and risk assessments.

The courses are suitable for everyone, including plumbers and site maintenance staff.

GMS also offers training for people responsible for managing legionella control, such as duty holders, managers and health and safety personnel, and can tailor training to suit the individual needs of a business, delivering it on-site if appropriate.

For plumbing and heating engineers, GMS Training Academy currently provides the LCL Awards qualification WRAS Water Regulations, a necessary requirement for installers looking to join their local water industry-approved plumber scheme, related competent persons schemes and/or microgeneration certification scheme registration bodies.

GMS Services was set up in 1997 to specialise in the management and control of legionella bacteria within domestic and commercial buildings, using the most cost-effective solutions available.

For more information about the new academy, visit www.gms-training.co.uk