In the May edition of Security Installer we looked at some of the difficulties security apprentices face, as well as the opportunities. In this article I will look at how the apprentice, under our well established modern apprenticeship route, is expected to gain the skills to work as an engineer.
To recap: Our industry uses the time-honoured 1882 NVQ scheme to assess apprentices. The City and Guilds 1852 qualification Level 3 Certificate of Knowledge of Security and Emergency Alarm Systems is the scheme handbook and syllabus which operates as the essential examination in the electronic security systems industry.
This contains the underpinning knowledge needed to support the engineers employed in this sector in relation to the scope of 1882.
The occupational areas covered by these standards, which are currently being updated, are:
– Intruder alarms and technologies
– Fire detection & alarm system techniques
– Electronic access control systems
– CCTV
The 1882 City & Guilds document provides the details that apprentices need to collect evidence for the NVQ qualifications in terms of occupational competence and assessment methods. However, if the scheme is to be successful, it is up to our industry to determine the technical units that are to be included and how they are to be interpreted.
In this article I will look at the technical units that structure modern apprenticeship and some of the fundamentals of the site assessments. Is there is any way that we can improve it or bring in a few other factors that would make the scheme even more appealing? Remember, in this day and age, we are referring to systems which must be international in application.
The technical units: Are they correct?
A feature of the process involves an Assessor visiting the various sites to assess the apprentice carrying out all of the technical units and elements (sub-units) that are contained within the syllabus.
But what do the apprentices really need to learn and can we improve the scheme content overall?
In other words, does the syllabus really reflect our industry needs?
On-site assessments are carried out by an Assessor who has to be qualified, has studied the NVQ structure and observation techniques, can judge evidence by different methods and can provide feedback to candidates.
But this has to be to a syllabus that contains and reflects our current industry needs.
Many of us have never had the chance to see the content of 1882 NVQ L2 & L3 so I will give an overview of it here, up to achievement of Level 2 and its units for years one and two.
From that , you can judge for yourself if the technical units are what are needed for engineers.
Safe workplace
Contributing to maintaining a safe workplace and recognising and responding to risks within it.
This involves laws, regulations and company policies together with the use of PPE. Considers all of the different risk elements on the various sites, what reports may be needed and the measures available in the assessment of them.
Written evidence
Providing written evidence related to the work and communicating with others to include the use of electronic communication equipment.
It covers the gathering of information for installation work and the logging of data. Included in this is the provision of notes in regard to helping others. It also includes the use of communication equipment and any problems that can be generated by it and company policies to overcome these areas.
Positive image
Working with colleagues and customers, planning and organising work activities and presenting a positive image.
This involves how respect is shown by the candidate for those around them, how to cater for delays and changes that hinder progress and the elements that are needed to give an air of competence to the client.
Available materials
Confirming the plans, agreements and availability of materials for installations.
Contributing to the preparation of installations. This takes into account the on site facilities and specific working conditions and how to verify the availability of tools and working aids. It also covers the location of equipment to be installed, the architectural structures that may be encountered and the different forms of building material used as mounting surfaces.
Cabling & wiring
Preparing to install cabling and wiring containment systems and the restoring of sites.
It deals with the items and tools associated with cabling and the protective containments together with the routing to include the limitation of damage to the building surfaces and structure. Also involved is the checking and labelling of cables, the sealing of cable routes and the site clean up operations to cover the disposal of surplus materials.
Installation & restoration
Installation of system equipment, the termination of cables and wires followed by the restoring of sites.
This takes account of equipment accessibility and fitting to different building surfaces plus the connection and terminating of cables correctly. The restoration of sites also includes how to initiate temporary system arrangements in the event that all building work is not fully completed.
Commissioning & handover
Carry out tests to confirm required system operation to include data transmission.
Prepare for system commission and handover. This is the practical aspects of testing and recording of results. It includes analysis of signalling and concludes with the documentation evidence and handover to coincide with the agreed specification.
Options:
At Level 2 there are a number of options available such as:
– Determining the costs of systems and installations and producing quotations
– Identifying unacceptable system performance and the rectification of faults
– Liaising with customers during the repair period
– Preparing and making sales presentations
Going on a stage
Level 2 is to be completed over a two year period. This takes us on to Level 3 which involves surveying, the production of specifications, planning and organising installations and carrying out audits. It also includes bringing systems into operation, handing over, instructing end users, carrying out preventative maintenance and co-ordinating work control.
Options at this level are negotiating sales, planning team work, providing feedback and controlling contract progress against agreed programmes. As an overview, we can say that the technical units are so wide that much can be down to interpretation, governed by where the site workplace assessments take place.
Back to the fundamentals
But what are some of the important fundamentals in the scheme assessments:
– Assessments are carried out on a vast range of different sites. This ensures the widest possible scope of installation criteria.
– Syllabus remains wide. It enables very diverse practices to be included within the assessment process.
– At every visit, H&S and equal opportunities are included. Many work areas now have site specific H&S and induction courses. Licences may be needed to gain access to the site. Apprentices need to work alongside other trades and other age groups so this is a character-building exercise.
– Assessments do not need to be in any particular sequence. It helps flexibility of events and caters better for the needs of the employer in not disrupting their work commitments and time schedules.
– Apprentice takes responsibility to meet the Assessor on site at a given time. This puts emphasis on the candidate to make sure ‘wasted visits’ cannot happen and that the employer is not overburdened in dealing with the skills body.
– Staying with the fundamentals of mainstream systems. This is the best possible grounding before entry can be made into a specialist field.
What else can we do?
Perhaps we should provide an international perspective? We must deliver something that suits the long term aims of the candidate and makes their entry into an apprenticeship worthwhile. If this does not happen, we will either not get candidates or they will not complete the term. Perhaps they will even start to look for other learning programmes that give them more opportunities to work in interesting locations abroad in other sectors of electro-technical engineering and installation.
Although the assessments must be done locally, I believe that if we can progressively illustrate the use of EN/international standards equipment and the use of remote communications, networks and signalling to sister operations abroad it would certainly open up a much greater interest chapter for the candidate.
The set up of such technologies with companies overseas would always help to illustrate IP, remote signalling, monitoring and communications.
Wider world
Perhaps college collaboration with other institutions in Europe could work, although it would be necessary to use the funding, which covers the cost of study at college, to subsidise any such projects. Links with foreign networks, and the transmission of information between systems in different countries could be a college assignment as we even have the benefit of an international language.
Although our modern apprenticeship route is a national scheme, there is no reason why we should not look at the installation of systems in an international sense so that, in the long term, the candidate has an opportunity to see the much wider world. This has to be considered to give the scheme modern appeal as, at the end of the day, we see security systems as harmonised concepts.
In the short term it remains to say that by continuing to work with the widest possible scope and array of national installations we can help the apprentice to gain the confidence to work more diversely in the future.