Training

Call on apprenticeship development

by Mark Rowe

Pat Allen has called on fire, emergency and security systems contractors to help develop a ‘clear and cohesive industry perspective’ on the new apprenticeship standard for the sector. Work on the Fire, Emergency and Security Systems Apprenticeship standard is in development and a consultation process on the draft plans is under way. 

Employers across the industry are being asked to give their views on areas such as the skills and knowledge requirements for apprentices, length of training and the level at which the apprenticeship is pitched. 

Mr Allen, pictured, director of Leicester-based installers Abel Alarm is the lead employer on the Fire, Emergency and Security Systems Trailblazer group. At the launch of the consultation he said: “This Trailblazer Programme provides a unique opportunity for employers of our specialist sector to develop our own apprenticeships and train our apprentices with the skills our industry needs. To do this, we need to hear from as many employers as possible so we can develop a clear and cohesive industry perspective on what we want our apprenticeship to look like. I urge any employer to take this opportunity to view and comment on the proposals so we can gather as much feedback as possible before they are submitted.” 

The project is part of the Government’s ‘Trailblazer’ initiative, which focuses on employer-designed apprenticeship standards to ensure apprentices’ training and assessment meets industry and business needs. Once launched, the new standard will replace the industry Apprenticeship framework.  The organisers say that the standard is designed to be a short document that describes the full level of skill, knowledge and competency required for the occupation

A Trailblazer Employer Group comprising 13 fire and/or security companies has developed the draft standard. The group, chaired by Pat Allen, comprises: Abel Alarm Company, Chubb Fire & Security Ltd, Christie Intruder Alarms Ltd, AAI Security, CSL DualCom, Kings Security Systems, Secom, Wessex Fire and Security, Banham, BDS Fire, Pointer, Stanley Security Solutions and Amalgamated Ltd.

SummitSkills is providing secretariat and coordinating the project, which is supported by wider stakeholders of the fire safety trade body BAFE, Chichester College, Electrical Assessment Services UK, Fire Industry Association, Fire Protection Association, Fire & Security Association, Gloucester College, JTL, Mercury Training Services, Security Industry Training Association, Skills for Security, Spiral Training, Swansea Council, Tavcom and the trade union Unite.

The consultation opens on April 13 and runs until April 24. Once all feedback has been collated a final version of the standard will be submitted to Government in June before work starts on the apprenticeship assessment plan. Once approved, the new apprenticeship should be delivered from 2016 onwards. To take part in the consultation – visit: http://www.summitskills.org.uk/apprenticeships/fess

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