10 November, 2015

New construction school for decorative concrete launching in Dubai


·       500 square metre school to include classrooms, workshop
·       4-week intensive course to focus on decorative concrete
·       Plans announced ahead of appearance at Middle East Concrete in Dubai
 
10 November, Dubai – A brand new trainingfacility complete with classrooms and a 500 square metre workshop will train hundreds of students how to use decorative concrete in construction, after a significant increase in demand has left the industry short of qualified craftsmen. 
Matthew Burns, General Manager of Taj Concrete, the man behind the school has 30 years of experience in the industry. Having spent much of the previous decade in Afghanistan building hospitals, roads, and schools, he said he expects to train 100 people and create jobs for them in the next six months.
The market for decorative concrete is huge at the moment. In less than 6 months I’ve had over 12,000 visits to my website and I’m also getting calls from contractors because there are just not enough people in the industry who understand how to use it,” he said.

We’ve received so many enquiries that we’ve decided to open a school to train young people. The school will have classrooms and a workshop, and will combine lectures with hands-on training using the same 4-week intensive programme our new staff undertake.”
 

Burns said that many of the current crop of young people that he trains are being sent by companies in Africa, but that the potential is also there for people in the Middle East to tap into this thriving industry at a time when regional demand is higher than it’s ever been.

The industry was moving along quite steadily about 8 years ago and there was a keen interest in it, which is why you see it at the Atlantis Hotel and other places in Dubai. But then it stopped, because people who were not qualified to use decorative concrete took on jobs and made a mess of them, so decorative concrete became seen as much more of a risk.” 

 

In order to build on the momentum that is currently underway, Burns will be among a team of experts to lead a free workshop at this year’s Middle East Concrete exhibition at Dubai World Trade Centre from 23-26 November 2015. Among those set to join him at the workshop are international experts from some of the big companies in the industry.

 

Those expected to make an appearance at the event include Jaime Villagomez of New Look International, Melanie Royals President and Creative Director at Modello Designs, and Bent Mikkelsen from Concrete Décor.

“We are excited to be at Middle East Concrete this year and promise to put on a show that will redefine what the industry currently thinks is possible to achieve with concrete.”

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