ECS has been shortlisted for the Fire and Security Matters (FSM) Awards as a joint finalist along with BPEC for the development of the Fire, Emergency and Security Systems (FESS) Experienced Worker Assessment (EWA).
ECS and BPEC’s FESS EWA is one of two routes created which allow experienced workers in the FESS sector, who have not completed an apprenticeship or hold the relevant qualifications, to be able to qualify for an ECS Gold card. The FESS EWA has been shortlisted in the Security Innovation of the Year category.
Through the JIB, an ECS FESS Industry Working Group was set up several years ago to give voice to all stakeholders in the sector, from the apprenticeship trailblazer group, awarding organisations, training providers, trade associations and certification bodies to reach consensus on the competence expectations for individuals.
BPEC is an awarding organisation with a history of operation across the building engineering services sector and an end-point awarding organisation for the FESS apprenticeship in England. The ECS/BPEC EWA route focuses on the principles of in-centre assessment to provide a route which maps the equivalent underpinning knowledge, vocational aspects and assessment of competence expected, to that of someone completing an apprenticeship. Crucially, these experienced worker assessment routes are not training courses, but assessments for those already working in the industry, and therefore do not require people to go back to college. They are based on the principles of work-based assessment and provide a more cost and time effective route to qualified status.
Andy Reakes, JIB & ECS Director of Growth and Development, said: “It is fantastic news for the FESS Experienced Worker Assessment to be shortlisted for this prestigious award and is deserved recognition for the hard work by a number of parties to establish a recognised industry route for experienced workers.”
The FSM Awards are the official awards of leading trade publications Fire Safety Matters and Security Matters. ECS and BPEC will find out if they have won on 12th June 2024 when the awards ceremony takes place at the Coventry Building Society Arena (formerly the Ricoh Arena) in Coventry.
Click here for more information about ESC FESS cards. Further information about the FESS Occupational Qualification Structure can be found here.