HVCA expresses concern on workforce registration

A complete review of the multitude of workforce registration schemes, along with changes in attitudes to quality, has been called for by the Heating & Ventilating Contractors’ Association. At recent industry meetings, Robert Higgs, director of HVCA, has spoken about the fundamental issue of a qualified workforce. He has said. ‘We must accept that the plethora of stand-alone registration schemes has created confusion throughout the construction industry and among its clients. We need to rationalise these schemes, and it is vital that we get this right. Organisations like the HVCA have a duty to, and a vested interest in, making sure that clients are able to differentiate between qualified and unqualified firms. ‘We accept that we must provide a workforce that is competent and able to provide independent verification of its credentials. That is why we have already called for a set of principles common to all registration schemes to be drawn up and agreed, allowing qualified firms to register only once. ‘We also want clients to recognise the importance and value of schemes that independently verify the technical competence and commercial capability of contractors and the skills of their workforce — schemes like the HVCA’s own independent member inspection and assessment. ‘There will be little point in the industry spending time and resources putting its house in order if clients are going to continue specifying on lowest price. It is vital therefore that we have active client support, otherwise there is a danger of the industry slipping back into its bad habits and adversarial ways.’ The HVCA has also called for the Government to take a lead on these issues. It points out that as a major construction client, it needed to clear up the uncertainty caused by different departments adopting different approaches to the establishment of contractor competence.