Pipework training standards win Government approval
New standards which future apprentices in pipefitting trades will be expected to achieve by the end of their training have gained ministerial approval. The approved standards cover building-services-engineering craftspersons and building-services-engineers installers and were developed by a group of employers brought together under the auspices of the Building & Engineering Services Association.
They were the subject on extensive industry consultation and were submitted to the apprenticeship department of the Department for Business, Innovation & Skills in February.
Similar exercises will begin soon in respect of apprenticeships in the ductwork, services and facilities, ventilation and other relevant fields.
Formal notification of official approval of the pipefitting submission came from Nick Boles, Minister of State at BIS and the Department for Education at an event at Elstree Film Studios during National Apprenticeship Week.
Mr Boles said, ‘By giving employers the power to design and deliver high-quality apprenticeships, we can provide young people with the skills our economy vitally needs. I therefore congratulate the Employer Development Group on their involves in designing new apprenticeships for building-engineering services.’
Colin Acheson is chairman of the Employer Development Group, which was established to manage the standards revision. He comments, ‘This is excellent news for everyone involved in building-engineering services and will provide the competence and professionalism which our sector will require to meet the technological challenges of the future.
Consistent with the principles set out by the 2012 Richard Review of apprenticeships, the key objective of the undertaking is to ensure that future training delivery reflects employers’ business requirements.
Ensuring that apprenticeship standards are fully ‘Richard-compliant’ will be critical to accessing funding that the Government may make available for apprentice training. The present administration has set this at £2 for every £1 invested by the employer.
