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Rediscovery Centre Opens First Cytech Training Facility in Ireland

The Rediscovery Centre, the National Centre for the Circular Economy in Ireland, today announced its partnership with Cytech, the internationally recognised training and accreditation scheme for...

15 Apr 2024, more…

Talk the torque in the Cytech Tech Forum

Cytech, the internationally recognised training and accreditation scheme for bicycle technicians, has launched a new Facebook group - the Cytech Tech Forum –...

11 Mar 2024, more…

BikeBiz editor gets hands on with Cytech technical one

Daniel Blackham, editor of industry magazine BikeBiz, has been writing about his experience of completing the Cytech technical one qualification at training provider Spokes People in Milton...

8 Mar 2024, more…

JE James Cycles to open first Barnsley store

ACT member and Cytech-accredited retailer JE James Cycles – one of the largest independent cycle retailers in Europe – is to open a new 7,874 sq ft store shop in Barnsley town...

7 Mar 2024, more…

Activate Cycle Academy welcomes British Cycling to Cytech technical one training course

Cytech partner Activate Cycle Academy, the largest and most recognised training provider of bike maintenance and technical training courses to the UK’s cycle industry, recently welcomed a...

6 Mar 2024, more…

Local Bike Shop Day 2024 confirmed for Saturday May 4th.

The ACT is happy to confirm the date for Local Bike Shop Day 2024 as Saturday 4 May, the weekend of the early May Bank Holiday.

29 Feb 2024, more…

ACT tells Parliamentary Committee of the need for urgent systemic change to the Cycle to Work scheme.

With more than 500 cycle businesses having now signed up to its campaign for change to the Cycle to Work scheme, a delegation from the Association of Cycle Traders has met with All Party...

25 Jan 2024, more…

OPSS takes enforcement action over dangerous e-bike battery.

The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) is taking enforcement action and warning consumers about a brand of e-bike battery – UPP – that has been linked to a number of...

24 Jan 2024, more…

Cytech training to help Go Outdoors boost number of cycle mechanics by offering apprenticeships to store staff.

Go Outdoors, which operates 75 stores across the UK, has announced an apprenticeship scheme involving Cytech training with the aim of addressing what it terms a nationwide shortage of...

15 Jan 2024, more…

Cytech Scotland training provider launches Young Bike Mechanic Programme to empower Glasgow’s youth.

Bike for Good, the Glasgow-based cycling charity and social enterprise, which delivers Cytech training in Scotland, has announced a Young Bike Mechanic Programme designed to create opportunities...

3 Jan 2024, more…

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The ACT: Bike Builders needed now

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The ACT: Bike Builders needed now

Posted on 24 Apr 2020

workshop survey 2008Cytech and the ACT estimate that there are up to 20,000 bicycles awaiting delivery and building, which are either already sold or committed to by consumers in the UK.

The sudden demand from essential workers and the significant adoption of cycling for exercise, travel and family leisure during the pandemic, further fuelled by the unseasonally good weather is putting an extreme demand upon the industry.

Although there are growing concerns about stock supply the big bottle neck in getting the nation back onto bikes is the lack of resources to get them built and ready for customers.

The pandemic first began to impact the UK in late February, a seasonal low for the industry and well ahead of the normal recruitment drive for technicians. This has been further impacted by the large numbers of the general public who have dragged old and weary bikes out of sheds and garages to be made road worthy again. This demand has put huge pressures upon retail workshops with many reporting working into the night to deliver bikes back to customers in a timely fashion.

Whilst technicians are repairing they aren't building and the delay in supply is impacting even essential workers getting cycling. The ACT was contacted directly by nurse Shanee Franklin complaining that she was having to wait over 2 weeks to receive a built bike.

The ACT is therefore making a big shout out to technicians that are free to take on bike building work now. If you are not currently working in the trade, but would like to return or perhaps you or furloughed and would like to make some additional income during your furlough period the UK bike trade and essential workers need your help NOW!

Priority can be given to candidates with Cytech qualifications Level 1 and above as your skills are validated by qualification, but all candidates with proven and ideally recent PDI experience should apply.

Please refer to the jobs board here.

Retailers with technician requirements can place adverts on the Cytech, ACT, ActSmart and Indie Retail jobs boards, free to ACT members.

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