The electrotechnical, heating and ventilating, air conditioning, refrigeration and plumbing industries are close to having a new champion for training in the shape of SummitSkills.
SummitSkills' two-year journey to become the Sector Skills Council for the electrotechnical, heating and ventilating, air conditioning and refrigeration and plumbing industries appears to be nearing its final destination now that it has undergone its licence assessment panel.

As EMC goes to press it is likely that SummitSkills will be receiving the licence from Charles Clarke, secretary of state for education and skills, before Christmas.

This licence to proceed is the last step in a process that has been ongoing for more than two years. If given the green light, SummitSkills will replace training bodies NET (National Electrotechnical Training), ESTTL (Engineering Services Training Trust Ltd) and BPEC (British Plumbing Employers Council).

"Once received, SummitSkills will be able to begin updating existing occupational standards as well as developing new ones," commented Simon Bartley, chair of SummitSkills. "It will be able to start developing a career structure for the sector that embraces apprenticeships and degrees, as well as entry at all ages from 16 to 65, allowing new entrants and existing staff to see the opportunities available, both technical and managerial.

"Equally importantly, it will start to gather accurate and timely intelligence about future demands on the workforce and work to ensure that in the future there is the right amount and mix of skills available to employers and clients alike to avoid both skills shortages and skills gaps," said Bartley.

SummitSkills is also finalising its governance with the appointment to its board of, amongst others, Paul Corby and Jim Sims from Amicus. There remains three board places to fill, including that of a representative from the professional bodies active in the sector. The appointments will complete a board of 18 and these are said to be imminent.

SummitSkills is also recruiting senior staff to complement those positions filled earlier in the year with the appointment of Keith Marshall as chief executive and Lindsay Gillespie as development director. These new posts, including that of operations director, will allow SummitSkills to move quickly to ascertain the requirements of the sector and deliver its, and the Government's, agenda.

Source

Electrical and Mechanical Contractor