Health and safety consultant Croner argues that compulsory minimum levels of vocational training and are unlikely to raise standards in the skilled trades.

An information provider and consultant for health and safety and employment issues has argued that setting minimum levels of qualification will not improve standards within skilled trades such as the electrical engineering and plumbing sectors.

"We hear scare stories of industry cowboys, but the fact is that these are the exception rather than the rule. Most sectors are already adequately regulated," claims Nasar Farooq, health and safety technical manager at Croner.

His comments come in response to the City & Guilds' calls for industries to become licensed in order to improve standards (EMC, March 2006, p9). The training body also urged compulsory reporting of training spend among publicly listed companies.

Croner believes that vocational qualifications are not a full indication of employees' abilities as they do not take into account experience and aptitude for the job, and are therefore not sufficient to guarantee a standard of workmanship.

"While we support training and education, it is unrealistic to equate an imposed minimum level of vocational qualifications to improve industry standards," says Farooq. "Employers should encourage best practice through recruiting competent workers, complying with industry regulation and providing on the job training.

"Forcing plcs to report on training spend is a 1970s approach and throwback to a time when firms used to spend money on ‘training' to avoid a levy from the training boards."

Source

Electrical and Mechanical Contractor