BSEE Electrical training routes launched by TESP
Recognising that not everyone will be able to secure an apprenticeship place, alternative routes are given for those eligible for Further Education funding and also those looking to fund their own skills development, such as career changers or re-trainers. Importantly, the routes clearly stress that becoming a fully qualified electrician can only be achieved with valid on-site work experience, as opposed to courses that offer no ‘real world’ practical skills.
With these routes now providing clear guidance on recommended electrical training and qualifications, TESP suggests this approach could be replicated in other industries to help everyone considering construction and built environment careers. “These routes aim to reduce the confusion around electrical training and promote what is valued by employers and will ultimately lead to qualified status,” said Ruth Devine, Chair of TESP and Managing Director of SJD Electrical.
“I, and many others, have countless experiences with people that have invested in training, only to struggle finding worthwhile employment as an electrician because their
Electrotechnical Skills Partnership (TESP) to provide clear direction on the right paths to becoming a qualified electrician.
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With over 150,000 UK redundancies made to date by businesses affected by Covid-19*, TESP hopes these routes will help individuals make informed decisions about how to spend their time and money to re-train as there are many electrical qualifications on offer, but not all provide the skills needed by employers.
Hosted on the Electrical Careers website, the routes are also designed
series of recommended training routes have been developed by The
to educate school leavers and those looking to upskill within the industry. The advice given to all is that an apprenticeship is the preferred route into the industry, as it provides the essential work-based experience needed to develop knowledge, skills and competence over a period of time.
Traditionally seen as only suitable for young people, in England employers can now access funding for apprentices of any age. Between August 2020 and January 2021, businesses can also receive an incentive payment of up to £3000 per apprentice, in a move intended to drive apprenticeship recruitment.
qualifications aren’t recognised. We need to send a clear message to individuals and careers advisers on the right ways to join the industry, progress and embed the skills and judgement that comes with work- based learning and experience. TESP is a not-for-profit Community Interest Company formed by the ECA, JIB, NET, SELECT and Unite the Union to support electrotechnical employers and deliver a wide range of projects to support the industry’s skills needs. Recommended training routes are available for England at present, with other nations of the UK to follow soon.
www.electricalcareers.co.uk /routes
*
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jul/23/uk-coronavirus-job-losses-data-on-redundancies-furloughs
NEWS
LED represents 14% of all household lighng appliances
ccording to AMA Research’s latest Lighting Market Report the move towards the use of LEDs has increased, where this technology is estimated to represent 14% of lighting appliances owned by UK households. LEDs growth in market share has been underpinned by energy efficiency regulations, which subsequently lead to the removal of sale of almost all incandescent lighting, and most halogen lighting. LEDs now represent the majority of UK lamp sales. LED lamps have seen significant improvements in light output and quality in recent years, including a wider spectrum and warmer white light, helping to boost their acceptability in the market.
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LEDs are a relatively ‘low tech’ product and the barriers to market entry are low. Initially, the introduction of LED lighting provided a boost to market value as LEDs commanded a premium price compared with ‘traditional’ incandescent lamps, as well as with halogen and CFL products. However, a massive increase in supply, as new market entrants have appeared, has led to an extreme level of price deflation
he Building Engineering Services Association (BESA) has condemned online retailers for “playing fast and loose with public safety” by selling specialised air conditioning equipment to unregistered installers and end users. BESA, which runs the UK’s main F-Gas certification body REFCOM, says products containing flammable refrigerant gases were being bought by DIYers and unqualified installers.
Online air condioning sales put lives in danger T
said Fox. “In many amateur installations, connecting nuts are not properly tightened and air in the pipes is not removed because the installer lacks the tools and knowledge to carry out work safely,” he explained. “The refrigerant used in this product is similar to the gas used to fire up barbeques. If it leaks, it will create a potentially explosive atmosphere and put lives at risk. It is just like taking a bottle of camping gas into your living room and opening a valve.”
Appliances Direct was specifically named for posting irresponsible messaging alongside one of the products for sale on its website after concerns raised by REFCOM members. It claimed that the product, which contains R290 (propane), “does not require installation by an F-Gas registered engineer or specialist equipment for typical installation – everything you need is supplied”. While selling these products online is not illegal, BESA is urging all retailers to take responsibility by only selling to properly qualified and registered installers. “This is just one of a number of instances where online retailers are undermining enforcement of the regulations by selling directly to end users and non-registered companies and operators,” said the Association’s head of technical Graeme Fox. “Dodgy operators, who undercut properly certified engineers, get their products online – so the best way to control them is to cut off their supplies at source.” “Selling air conditioning products containing propane to all and sundry online is an accident waiting to happen,”
BESA urged online sellers like Appliances Direct to take responsibility instead of leaving it to the authorities to try and track down dangerous installations once the public was already in danger.
“What they are doing is not illegal, but it is clearly dangerous,” argued Fox. “It is only a matter of time before these online retailers are legally prevented from doing this because the process to improve the F-Gas regulations will start later this year.”
Fox pointed to Dame Judith Hackitt’s post-Grenfell inquiry into fire and building safety, where she advised the construction industry not to wait for legislation to be passed before implementing the necessary changes. “Websites like Appliances Direct should want to be part of the solution – not part of the problem,” he said. “Why wait for regulatory change or a fire that kills people before putting a stop to this dangerous practice? If they fail to take responsibility now, eventually they will be held accountable.”
4 BUILDING SERVICES & ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEER SEPTEMBER 2020
The interruption of construction activity and the broader economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic will lead to a sharp fall in the value of the UK lighting market in 2020. Beyond 2020, the prospects for the lighting market are difficult to evaluate as the speed of recovery remains uncertain. It is currently forecast that the market is expected to decline 16% in 2020, with a return to growth in 2021, increasing 12% between 2020 and 2024. Fiona Watts, Editor of the Lighting Market Report states “The key driver for the lighting market is the rapid adoption of LED lighting in both the non- domestic and domestic construction sectors. The advent of LED lighting, and the retrofitting of higher priced LED products into conventional lighting, boosted market value significantly between 2015 and 2017 but a sharp fall in LED prices since then has led to a decline in market size in the last two years”. The lighting market supply chain has become more fragmented with the advent of LEDs, with organisations from non-traditional lighting backgrounds, particularly those with a background in semi-conductor manufacture, entering the market. LED technology will become increasingly dominant in the lighting market and is expected to be used almost universally by 2024.
The information was taken from the Lighting Market Report 2020-2024 by AMA Research, which is available to purchase now on the website or by calling 01242 235724.
www.amaresearch.co.uk Read the latest at:
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