A new ‘state-of-the-art’ training facility has opened in Whitburn in a bid to combat workforce shortages across Scotland’s construction, road, and rail sectors.
Launched by Cambuslang plant hire firm, AB2K, the £250,000 AB2T (Able to Train) facility covers over 1,750 sq ft and is equipped with the latest heavy plant machinery. It offers courses such as on track plant RRV, CPCS plant, and CPC driver.
The purpose-built training area has been designed to replicate typical construction conditions – with rough terrain, steep inclines, and buried services, as well as plenty of operational space for mobile cranes to extend, lift, and move.
Also offering rail training, it will operate on two 150-metre twin rail tracks, which AB2K said are the longest training tracks in Scotland. Laid to Network Rail standards which include realistic overheads, AB2k added that the twin tracks are said to be the only ones in Scotland that reflect real working conditions for OTP training.
John Murphy, AB2T MD, said, “By investing in training, AB2T will educate candidates across a wide variety of occupations in industries where there is a severe shortage of workforce. Trainees will learn to operate state-of-the-art plant in the most realistic working conditions. When qualified, they will move seamlessly and immediately into a market with vast opportunity. AB2T is providing a solution, and the potential is enormous.”
AB2K, owned by The Quattro Group, will mirror its QOTA model (Quattro Occupational Training Academy) based in Lichfield. Dominic Harris, Lichfield Training Centre manager has been on site in Scotland overseeing the development.
He said, “AB2K has one of the largest fleets in Scotland. Bringing AB2K’s range and expertise together with the experience of QOTA made complete sense to us. The training has already started and the phone hasn’t stopped, which is incredibly encouraging as we advance to replenish the industry with skilled workers.”
