ECA team up with BEST to offer new training initiatives for the electrical sector

The Electrical Contractors Association has engaged with BEST Electrical Assessment Services (BEAS), the electrical training arm of Building Engineering Services Training, to make available to its membership a new and innovative range of adult training initiatives.

BEAS was formed out of an alliance between BEST and Electrical Assessment Services (UK) Ltd in 2007 to service a growing demand for adult apprentices and existing worker qualification schemes in the electrical contracting sector. The alliance has since gone from strength to strength and now offers leading employers an innovative way to train.

Gain with no Pain

Through BEAS, electrical employers in England now have access to fully funded existing worker qualification schemes under the governments flagship Train to Gain skills programme. Designed primarily for either current practitioners or enhancement of existing and new labour force the BEAS Train to Gain programme uses an Assess/Train/Assess model to identify specific training needs to meet the requirements of the NVQ3 in Electrical Installation. A designated technical assessor will monitor progress against the individual learning plan and prepare the candidate for their NVQ submission and subsequent AM2 where applicable. The scheme is fully compliant with the JIB scheme and fulfils the requirement s for the ECS card and the current SummitSkills Assessment Strategy requirements.

College in the workplace

A new fully integrated apprenticeship programme from BEAS incorporates workplace delivery of all components of the apprenticeship framework and is delivered in full by BEAS technical staff. The programme can be delivered at a time, a location and a pace to suit the learner and employer. The employer effectively aids the design for the delivery of the programme to suit their needs, which and can be run as employer specific and/or open courses in the employers premises, BEAS offices or independent facilities. Learners find smaller class sizes, mixed age ranges and training in a non-college environment creates a more professional atmosphere, and they react accordingly. Employers also become more involved in the overall delivery, and in the expectations and aspirations of their learners. Total programme flexibility allows for a learner to be fast-tracked if appropriate, and for any learner holding previous qualifications to be absorbed into the programme at the appropriate stage. The programme can commence at any time as it is not tied to the traditional academic year.

Full details of these courses and how to take part can be found at

www.best-ltd.co.uk/apprentices/types-of-apprentices/electrotechnical.

Or by contacting BEST at                TraintoGain@BEST-ltd.co.uk

                                                            Tel: 0800 917 8419