Careers Spotlight: Cavity Insulation Installer

What does a cavity insulation installer do?

As a cavity insulation installer you will be responsible for helping to insulate building to ensure they are energy efficient.

The job role of a cavity insulation installer may involve the following duties: 

• Carrying out pre-installation surveys to work out methods of insulation and the materials to be used

• Writing up survey reports for customers and managers

• Suggesting ways to improve the energy use of a building

• Working out volumes of space to be filled and the amount of insulation required

• Marking out wiring, ventilation and pipework ducts in walls and sealing openings

• Injecting insulation materials through drilled holes in a specific order

• Checking that all air bricks and flues are clear

• Making sure that the materials and methods used meet building regulations

• Wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) and being aware of health and safety procedures

• Working on-site, both indoors and outdoors in a variety of buildings, including homes, schools, hospitals and commercial buildings.

How to become a cavity insulation installer

There are several routes to becoming a cavity insulation installer. You can start on your career path by studying on a college course, an apprenticeship, or apply directly to an employer.

You may need a Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) card to work on a construction site. 

You may have to attend a specialist college/training provider to train as a cavity insulation installer.

You could complete an apprenticeship to help you become a cavity insulation installer, in construction insulation and building treatments or as a thermal insulation operative.

An apprenticeship with a construction company is a good way into the industry. Apprenticeships are open to anyone over the age of 16. As an apprentice, you will be fully employed by your company and expected to work a minimum of 30 hours a week. Your time will be split between on-the-job experience and a college or training provider.

If you have previous experience or qualifications in a relevant area of construction, such as brickwork, you may be able to apply to an employer directly for work as a cavity insulation installer. You might start out as a trainee assistant to a more experienced cavity insulation installer and progress as your abilities improve.

Additional skills which may benefit anyone considering a job as a cavity insulation installer include:

• Knowledge of building and construction

• Be thorough and pay attention to detail

• Excellent verbal communication skills

• Able to work well with others

• Able to use your initiative

Qualifications

To become a Cavity Insulation Installer, you could complete an  NVQ Level 2 insulation and Building Treatments - Cavity Wall Insulation.    

Specialised training certifications such as the LCL Awards Gas Safety Awareness for Cavity Wall Installers are often required to ensure you can work safely around flues and gas appliances.

How much could you earn as a cavity insulation installer?

The expected salary for a cavity insulation installer varies as you become more experienced.

Trainee cavity insulation installers can earn from £30,000

Trained cavity insulation installers with experience can earn up to £51,000

Salaries depend on location, employer, level of responsibility, any overtime you may do, and whether you have completed and industry recognised training route. 

If you want to learn more about cavity insulation installation click on the links below

Boosting your CV

So what is a CV?  CV is short for Curriculum Vitae and is a short document which summarises your unique skills, character, experience and achievements.  

For students it can feel difficult to know what to write as you haven't had the time to build up the experience that employers always seem to want.

In this section we look at ways of making your CV stand out for future employers so you can get that dream job.  With the summer holidays nearly here it is a good time to consider doing some voluntary work.

Consider volunteering for a few weeks:

A great way to improve your working experience is to volunteer for a few weeks.

And we’re not just talking about the local charity shop.

If you have a particular type of job in mind that you’d like to do, why not search for companies within that industry and request to do a couple of weeks volunteering with them? The company will benefit from having an extra pair of hands for a few weeks, and you’ll benefit from improving your knowledge, understanding and experience, which will look great on your CV!

Finding volunteering opportunities is easier than you think. The first place you should start looking is in your local area. Drop by some of the places that you wouldn’t mind working in for a few weeks and ask if they have the capacity to take you on as a volunteer, or click on the link below.

If you don’t have any luck in your local area, try searching online. There are a large number of volunteering websites out there that list opportunities all across the UK.

If you want to look volunteering opportunities click on the links below

Unifrog

In keeping with our commitment to provide students with outstanding careers education information, advice and guidance (CEIAG) and tailored support when choosing their next step after school. We have invested in an online application called Unifrog; an award-winning, online careers platform. All students in Years 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13 now have access to this excellent website.

The Unifrog platform is designed to support learners in making the most informed decisions about their futures and has a range of tools that are suitable for all year groups. Each student has their own personal account that provides a wide range of information related to their interests and aspirations.  Key features of the platform include:

Exploring Pathways – personality quizzes, career and subject profiles, MOOCs and webinars

Recording – self-reflection about extracurricular activities and key employability skills

Opportunities – search tools showing live vacancies/courses/placements for apprenticeships, universities (in the UK and abroad), FE, virtual work experience and much more

Applications – tools to help students build applications for a range of pathways (e.g., CVs, Personal Statements, Common App Essays)

All students have access to the platform, which is unique to them. They login to Unifrog using their email address and password and they can do so from any computer, tablet or smartphone. We would encourage all students to use the platform at home too, so parent/carers can support their child through the process of deciding their next step

Help for Parents and Carers

When it comes to education and careers, parents and carers have a large influence on a students choices. As an adult you are expected to have all the answers, but in a constantly evolving world it can be a struggle to keep up with the latest options out there.  In this section we will highlight resources that will help keep you up to date with careers and the choices available to young people.

With the summer holidays approaching it is natural to think about the new school year and what lays beyond.  

I want to talk at home about careers but don't know where to start

In terms of career choice, you should:

• Aid, but not dictate, the decision-making process

• Support your child’s decisions

• Give your children freedom and time to discover their skills

• Provide motivation to develop and achieve

• Provide encouragement to pursue interests and ambitions

• Try to instil a responsible attitude and mature outlook

• Instil an attitude of self belief by being positive and never critical – as a parent your words will have the biggest effect on your child.

Talking Futures have a website and lots of resources to help parents talk about careers, click on the image below to find out more.

Careers in Hertfordshire: Retrofit

Retrofit is the improvement of existing buildings to enhance energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions.

As demand for retrofit solutions accelerates, the county’s skills capacity is still developing, creating a unique opportunity for local businesses and tradespeople to secure new contracts and expand their services while offering residents a pathway into a high growth, future-focused career.

To support this transition, Hertfordshire Futures is focusing on training and schemes to help businesses and residents upskill or retrain and enter the retrofit market.

The Retrofit Challenge

The majority of Hertfordshire’s housing stock in old, built circa 1945. 3 in 5 Hertfordshire homes possess an average Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of ‘C’ and there are more failing certificates than passing in most districts. The retrofit roles most needed to improve these dwellings relate to the installation of energy efficiency measures, including:

• double or triple glazed windows and doors

• improved wall and loft insulation

• internal energy management systems

• smart heating controls

• modern heating technologies such photovoltaics, heat pumps, geothermal etc.

There is strong demand for both technical roles, e.g. retrofit assessors, installers and heat specialists, and non-technical roles, e.g. project managers, customer service and finance professionals.

For more information please go to www.hopinto.co.uk/ 

Current Opportunities

This month we have opportunities to learn about careers in the NHS, the RAF and the army as well as preparation for students who are considering becoming pilots.

 Fully funded commercial pilot licence training -next generation of pilots

I hope you are well. I wanted to make you aware that registration is now open for BECOME A PILOT, a live online aviation career preparation programme designed for GCSE and A-Level students interested in future careers within aviation.

The programme has been developed to help students understand the realities of modern aviation careers, while reinforcing key concepts from GCSE and A-Level Maths and Physics through practical aviation applications. Students explore topics including:
• Principles of Flight
• Meteorology and Weather Systems
• Aircraft Performance
• Navigation and Flight Planning
• Human Factors and Decision Making
• Airline Recruitment Processes
• Aptitude Testing and Interview Preparation

With the introduction of fully funded airline pilot training programmes such as the British Airways Speedbird Academy and Jet2FlightPath, aviation has become more accessible than ever before. However, these schemes attract many thousands of applicants each year for a limited number of places, making early preparation increasingly important for students considering aviation pathways.

Alongside technical aviation knowledge, the programme helps students develop the communication, teamwork, problem-solving and professional skills that are increasingly assessed during modern airline recruitment processes.

A School Partner Pack is attached, containing further information that may be useful for students, parents and careers teams. If you feel the programme may be of interest, I would be extremely grateful if you could circulate the attached information to relevant students, parents, sixth form groups, science departments or careers networks. More information can be found here www.theaviationguy.co.uk

Many schools have already begun sharing the programme with students interested in aviation, engineering, aerospace and STEM-related careers. 

www.theaviationguy.co.uk

Thank you for your time and continued support of student career development.

Kind regards,

Alex Brown
School Outreach Coordinator
The Aviation Guy

www.theaviationguy.co.uk

Get Into Medicine Conference 

Over the past few months, thousands of students have attended our Live Virtual Get Into Medicine Conferences to gain a clearer understanding of the medical school application process. Due to the popularity of these events, and following requests from schools and students who were unable to attend earlier conferences, we have arranged one additional conference this summer.

This final conference will take place on Sunday 19th July from 9:30am – 1:30pm and provides students with a comprehensive overview of the medical school admissions process as they prepare for the upcoming UCAS application cycle.

Students can register for free here: https://medicmentor.org/get-into_medicine_conference_signup/

Throughout the morning, students will receive guidance on:

• What medical schools are looking for in applicants

• UCAT preparation and admissions testing

• Choosing appropriate medical schools strategically

• Writing a competitive personal statement

• Gaining and reflecting on work experience effectively

• Interview preparation and common admissions pitfalls

• Scholarships, mentorship and strengthening an overall application

Many capable students are unsuccessful each year, not because of their academic ability, but because they lack a clear understanding of how the different elements of the application process fit together. This conference aims to provide practical, evidence-based guidance that helps students approach their applications with greater confidence and clarity.

As always, the conference is completely free to attend and is delivered live by experienced doctors, medical students and admissions specialists, with opportunities for students to ask questions throughout the session.

If you have students considering a career in medicine, I would be grateful if you could share this opportunity with them.

Registration is available here: https://medicmentor.org/get-into_medicine_conference_signup/

Thank you, as always, for your continued support in helping aspiring medical students access impartial guidance and support throughout the application process.

Warm regards,

Dr (Prof) Dhakshana Sivayoganathan 

Meet Your Army - Virtual Events

I hope you’re well.

We’re running a series of “Meet Your Army” events designed to give teachers, parents and students a clear, honest insight into Army careers.

We’d love you to register for any of the sessions below and share them with your students who may be interested in a career within the British Army:

Title: Joining the Army Series: Soldier

Date & Time: Wednesday 1 July 18:00 - 19:00

Register Now

Title: Virtual Harrogate Open Day

Date & Time: Wednesday 8 July 18:00 - 19:00

Register Now

Why this matters for you and your students

These sessions are a great opportunity for students to:

• Explore career pathways and apprenticeships

• Hear directly from serving soldiers

• Build confidence in making informed next steps

We’d encourage you to join and to share this with students/parents who don’t currently have an active application, as it’s a relaxed and informative way to learn more before making any decisions.

Thank you for your continued support.

Kind Regards

Amie

British Army Supporting Education | Army Recruiting Group

E: rg-armyineducation@mod.gov.uk | RPP – Recruiting Partnering Project, part of Capita plc

RAF World Online Event

Meet RAF personnel online at our RAF World themed events, which take place in the evening.

These events are the perfect opportunity to explore many different aspects of a career in the Royal Air Force. You will be able to learn from professionals who can guide you to help you find your ideal RAF career.