Skills Pay, the Train to Gain scheme run by Building Engineering Services Training (BEST) has seen its first batch of candidates become certificated by City & Guilds for NVQ level 3 and NVQ level 2 in Heating and Ventilating (industrial and commercial) Gas.
Pictured, BEST assessor Steven Robbins (centre), with Ivan Parker on left and Alan Hughes, right, from Birchall. and Brett Mason, Daly Engineering Services.

Ivan Parker of Birchall and Brett Mason of Daly Engineering Services were awarded NVQ level 3 certificates, and Alan Hughes, also of Birchall, obtained an NVQ level 2.

Skills Pay allows building services employers to take advantage of free or part-funded training for all employees to help them achieve an NVQ level 2 qualification or higher.

'Having a carded workforce can mean the difference between winning and losing a contract,' said Christine Wright, BEST technical and qualifications manager.

'Obtaining a SKILLcard requires employees to be qualified to at least NVQ level 2 and, in the case of Electrical Installation, NVQ level 3. By taking just a little time to provide these qualifications to the workforce, an employer shows both commitment to the individual's development and to raising the profile of skills standards in the industry.

'The Skills Pay scheme funding enables employers to up-skill employees to the industry's minimum requirements. There is therefore no better time for a company to show its commitment to its employees and for employees to assist in winning those valuable contracts.'

'Ivan, Brett and Alan are all proof that working behind the scenes in many companies there are plenty of employees who already have the skills to do the job and with a little guidance can quickly achieve NVQ level 2 or 3 qualifications,' said Steven Robbins, one of BEST's Skills Pay assessors.

'Take Ivan and Brett as examples, when I visited them on-site to assess competence, they produced excellent evidence of accredited prior learning (APL). In-fact, I often find that experienced workers, with no formal qualifications, actually shine out on-site in both work and attitude. It was easy to see that they would quickly manage to complete the remaining elements of portfolio evidence to enable them to achieve their NVQ.'

The first batch of candidates and their companies applied for Skills Pay funding in August 2008, and following an initial interview to establish work currently being undertaken and the qualification level that could be aimed for, all were accepted for full funding.

Employers and employees can access the scheme in the UK by contacting BEST which will carry out an interview and assessment of eligibility and training need.

For more details: email TraintoGain@best-ltd.co.uk or call 0800 917 8419.