SummitSkills moves onto consultation stage of Horizon

SummitSkills is running a series of consultation workshops as the next stage in its Horizon project to create a sector skills agreement for building-services engineering. So far, SummitSkills has researched the skills required for the future and the quality of training provision that is currently available. Between now and the end of the year, industry partners and stakeholders will be brought together at the consultation workshops to consider the issues that have been uncovered by the research. Keith Marshall, chief executive of SummitSkills, explains, ‘The sector skills agreement is a deal between employers, training providers and the Government that we are facilitating. Employers lay out what their workforce and skills requirements are now and in the future. In return, the Government and training providers agree to fund and deliver training tailored to this need, within Government policy, providing employers are also willing to make a commitment.’ Dr Mike Hammond, research manager with SummitSkills explains that face-to-face interviews have been carried out with over 400 businesses across Britain, providing information that will help provide a solid evidence base to influence change. One of the key drivers is the impact of environmental technology, leading to increased opportunities to install and maintain combined heat and power, solar panels and photo-voltaic cells. At present, most firms are reactive rather than proactive in developing skills for renewable technologies — prompting the need for adequate training provision to meet these skill requirements.

Related links:

• www.summitskills.org.uk