Since the 6th April 2013 there has been much confusion in the industry with regards to the qualifications required to register on a Domestic Installer Scheme. Changes published by the IET in the EAS Scheme Document signalled that a new Qualified Supervisors Course was to become the main entry point to the industry.
Trade Skills 4U (as well as numerous other establishments) informed all our customers of the upcoming changes and naturally people looked to get registered before the 6th April deadline as there was a definite answer as to which qualifications would be required. Since the 6th of April there has been a lack of clarity in the industry as to who can register on a Domestic Installer Scheme.
This week NICEIC and ELECSA have been the first scheme providers to come out and firmly say that realistically it is business as usual, and that there are in fact several routes through to application. They have published a press release stating:
As of April 6 this year the technical competence requirements, as set out by the Electrotechnical Assessment Specification Management Committee (EAS), changed for proposed Qualified Supervisors.
A new ‘Level 3’ requirement was developed and introduced for anyone wanting to apply to become a Qualified Supervisor after April 5th. Believing this may have caused some confusion, NICEIC and ELECSA have moved to allay the concerns contractors might have, and have introduced some factsheets that explain the requirements.
“In the run up to April both NICEIC and ELECSA noticed a sharp rise in applications for its schemes as contractors sought to ‘beat the new requirements’ – largely due to stories circulating in the media saying the new requirements would make it harder to become a Qualified Supervisor” commented Alan Wells, Certification and Standards Director at NICEIC.
“We want to let contractors know that this is definitely not the case. The new qualification was designed to produce safer working practices within the industry and those with the relevant experience and technical competence really have nothing to fear.”
There are now five different routes for domestic installer schemes through to satisfying the requirements for registration as a Qualified Supervisor, including on-site assessment, off-site assessment, a mixture of both and the gaining of appropriate qualifications.
To help contractors understand the new requirements NICEIC and ELECSA have produced some handy information sheets.
To download them click here.