Gemma Ollerton, company director at GMS Services and manager of the new Training Academy, added: 'The water hygiene industry is something we feel very passionate 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.'

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.

Drawing on its 25 years of experience, trainees 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/or individual requirements of a business. 

Legionella awareness courses cover theory and practical elements in relation to prevention and risk assessments. These courses are suitable for everyone, including plumbers and site maintenance staff. In addition to this, GMS offers training for people responsible for managing legionella control, such as duty holders, managers and health and safety personnel. GMS can also 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 (CPS) and/or Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) registration bodies.