Dame Judith Hackitt presents the EAL Level 3 NVQ Diploma
As the first four people to complete the EAL Level 3 NVQ Diploma in Providing Electronic Fire and Security Systems; Shaun Wright, Daren Pool, Gary Flockton, and John Watts had the honour of having their qualifications presented to them by EAL’s Managing Director, Al Parkes and Dame Judith Hackitt DBE, Chair of the EAL board.
When it was launched in 2020, the EAL Level 3 NVQ Diploma in Providing Electronic Fire and Security Systems was a significant advancement in providing meaningful certification for the fire safety industry but, until now, no one has completed the challenging experienced worker assessment.
This is an important development for the fire safety industry as the qualification, simultaneously part of an apprenticeship in Northern Ireland and Wales, provides a pathway for those who have experience working in the fire sector but did not have the chance to undertake an apprenticeship meeting the same standard. It meets the requirements for industry recognition through the Electrotechnical Certification Scheme (ECS) for a Fire, Emergency and Security Systems (FESS) Technician gold card, meeting the baseline competency requirements part of the review into individual competence following the tragedy at Grenfell.
All four successful learners came through ZZEUS Training, which provides training and examinations for electricians and fire alarm engineers at its training centre.
Tom Brookes, Managing Director of ZZEUS Training and Chairman of the Fire and Security Association (FSA), comments, “I am delighted that four learners from ZZEUS Training have broken new ground in achieving the EAL Level 3 Diploma in Providing Electronic Fire and Security Systems. We’re exploring the possibility of making this qualification a recognised pathway to membership of the Institution of Engineering and Technology, which would elevate fire alarm engineers to professional engineering status.”
In attendance at the presentation, which also saw the learners receive their ECS Fire Systems Technician Gold cards, were Andy Reakes and Kevin Sparrow.
As Director of Growth and Development at The Joint Industry Board and the Electrotechnical Certification Scheme, Andy has been working on improving Fire and Security ECS cards to ensure they are meaningful and meet all the legislative and industry competency requirements.
Kevin Sparrow, EAL’s Industry Portfolio Manager for Building Services Engineering, worked with Tom and ECS, ensuring anyone completing the EAL Level 3 NVQ Diploma in Providing Electronic Fire and Security Systems would meet the Fire, Emergency and Security Systems (FESS) Technician Apprenticeship Standard and the new requirements of the ECS Fire Systems Technician Gold card.
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