Education & Training Matters

QUALIFICATIONS
QUALITY NOT QUANTITY
Richard Evans, Chairman of the CIPHE’s
Education and Training Group, gives his
views on changing the status of plumbing
and heating installers.
Establishing the standard
I worked in FE during the 1970s/80s/90s
and witnessed a succession of funding
regimes, which encouraged the ‘dash for
cash’ and ‘bums on seats’. These insensitive
funding approaches disadvantaged
low recruiting/higher cost, but strategically
important, technical and vocational
programmes, which led to these being
cutback. Departments were closed,
merged or down sized, which resulted in
skill shortages in key areas including
plumbing. Many colleges chased high
recruiting programmes, with a resultant
over production of students graduating in
such areas as media studies and beauty
therapy. At present enrolments for nail
technicians are at an all-time high!
Sadly, the situation today continues with
college budgets being cut and institutions
finding it increasingly difficult to sustain
technical subjects, even with the national
promotion of apprenticeships. Long-term
policies on vocational further education’s
role are still absent; short termism rules
and colleges are driven to maximise
funding by marginalising low recruiting/
high-cost courses in technical and
practically based programmes.
One critical factor involved in this debate
is the level of the programme being
offered and this is particularly important
for plumbing and heating engineering. At
present the normal level is set at 2, whilst
other technical subjects are set at Level 3
e.g. electrical programmes. Interesting to
note that Scotland requires a Level 3 in
plumbing before a person can enter
employment. It is absolutely essential that
the level is adopted universally at 3 in
England. Plumbing and heating engineering
is a complex and highly multi-skilled
discipline, involving different materials and
requires expert knowledge of the dangers
of water and electricity. The continuing
acceptance of Level 2 as the ‘norm’ for the
subject is randomly discriminatory against
the subject. The funding methodologies
and sadly, the perception by some
employers and college staff, encourage
this lowest common denominator culture
by supporting Level 2. If Level 2 continues
to be offered and accepted by college
management and employers as the norm,
the professional will not gain the status it
deserves.
It is essential that Level 3 is established
as the norm and Level 2 discontinued in
order to align with other technical disciplines
and give plumbing the status it
deserves. Enhanced quality will come with
a higher level.
18 Summer 2015 ETM