Monthly Archives: April 2015

Semta review of standards

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Semta is seeking the feedback of employers and learning providers after it launched a UK-wide review of a number of standards that may have an impact on HABC qualifications.

The review, which is scheduled to be completed by November 2015 and will include employer and stakeholder consultations, will focus on a number of key areas such as relevance to career pathways and job roles, changes to processes and procedures, whether the specified outcomes can be achieved in the workplace and if there are any missing NOS that should be developed and be included in the NVQs.

The national occupational standards (NOS) being reviewed that could impact on current HABC qualifications include Business Improvement Techniques Suite 2 and Performing Manufacturing Operations Suite 2 (see business and administration qualifications and performing manufacturing operations qualifications ).

Other standards included in the review include:

  • Business Improvement Techniques Suite 3
  • Business Improvement Techniques Suite 4
  • Installation and Commissioning Suite 3
  • Mechanical Manufacturing Engineering Suite 2
  • Mechanical Manufacturing Engineering Suite 3

NOS form the basis of all vocational qualifications in the UK, including NVQ, SVQs and those used in apprenticeship frameworks, and set out the skills, knowledge and understanding that employers require learners to have in order to undertake a particular task or job role.

To take part in the review, please contact the Semta Standards team at standards@highfieldabc.net , or for more information, go to http://www.semta.org.uk/policy/workwithus

HABC approved provider takes centre court for Andy Murray wedding

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Core Security Andy Murray Wedding Core Training and Security Ltd and its learners found themselves centre court this spring after being chosen to provide security for tennis champ Andy Murray’s wedding.

The Lanarkshire-based training provider, which was established earlier this year by director Tony Hendry, was asked to step in for Scotland’s wedding of the year between Wimbledon-winner and London Olympics gold medallist Andy Murray and long-term partner Kim Sears.

Tony Hendry said, ‘ As a successful HABC approved centre specialising in security qualifications, I decided that instead of passing my students onto other security suppliers I would set up my own security company. I’ve been working within the industry many years so had many contacts.

Which is why earlier this year in January I started trading as Core Training and Security Ltd, formerly GTS Training, and hit the ground running by taking over the security contracts in the West of Scotland from my previous employer.

At the end of February, my office got a call from a hotel in Perthshire asking if I could supply security staff for an event they were holding in April, and if I could join them for a meeting. I went to the hotel along with one of my senior colleagues. I delivered a presentation on what we do, and they seemed impressed by our experience in the industry, how we trained our own staff and the obvious quality of my team.

At first, they were very coy about what the event was and told me that if I was engaged to carry out the job, I would be entrusted to keep quiet about the event’.

He continued, ‘Having worked on the proposal and tendered for it, I received an email to say it been successful and I was invited back to the hotel to go over details with the client.

You can imagine my shock when I walked into the meeting and met with Miss Kim Sears , her family , wedding planners and representatives of world famous tennis star, Andy Murray. I realised that this was no ordinary job.

Many weeks of planning went it the wedding from our side. It started off supplying management and staff at the Cromlix hotel, the wedding venue, but as the event grew, so did the security demand. It ended up a four-day job, at various locations, including Dunblane Cathedral, from the Thursday through to the Sunday, involving a total of 52 staff for the full event.

The event was a major success and the plaudits from the client and the families are still ringing in our ears. We’ve received many letters of thanks and congratulations from parties associated with the event for our efforts in ensuring the security of the wedding and the safety of the families was prioritised’.

For more information on Core Training and Security Ltd, go to www.core-office.co.uk

Update to cleaning qualifications

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Cleaning (resized) Our suite of cleaning qualifications has been updated with new documentation and assessment methods.

Based on feedback from Centres, changes have been made to the support provided for the HABC Level 2 Certificate in Cleaning Principles (QCF) and HABC Level 2 Certificate in Cleaning and Support Services Skills (QCF) .

This includes:

Qualification specifications – these have been updated with improved layout and further clarification on IQA and tutor requirements, assessment ratios and guided learning hours. For the HABC Level 2 Certificate in Cleaning Principles (QCF), we have also elaborated more on the technical aspects of the qualification requirements including further amplification on unit requirements for the three mandatory units.

Learner packs – again the layout has been updated for clarity, whilst we have also included each learning outcome and assessment criteria for the mandatory units in the Evidence Tracking Sheet to support Centres.

Assessment strategy – the latest version of the Asset Skills (now The Building Futures Group ) Assessment Strategy has been added to the HABC website.

Assessment – a new series of multiple-choice examination papers for the mandatory units of the HABC Level 2 Certificate in Cleaning Principles (QCF) has been released, covering:

  • Dealing with routine and non-routine waste R/502/2250
  • Health and Safety for the Cleaning and Support Services industry Y/502/2251
  • Working with customers and others in the Cleaning & Support Services industry D/502/2252

The following papers have a final use date of 11 May 2015:

  • Dealing with routine and non-routine waste R/502/2250 (Paper code CLM 1201);
  • Health & Safety for the Cleaning and Support Services industry Y/502/2251 (Paper code CLM 2201); and
  • Working with customers and others in the Cleaning & Support Services industry D/502/2252 (Paper code CLM3201).

If your Centre is holding stock of these papers, please speak to your HABC account manager about exchanging them for new papers.

Portfolio of evidence – for those learners with a fear of exam-based assessment we have now included portfolio of evidence as an assessment method for the units in the HABC Level 2 Certificate in Cleaning Principles (QCF) listed above. This means Centres have a choice to assess learners either by multiple-choice examination or portfolio of evidence.

If you have any questions, would like to discuss this further or have any feedback please do not hesitate in contacting your HABC account manager.

Care certificate e-learning from official workbook developer

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One of the most comprehensive e-learning systems for workers taking the Care Certificate has been launched by the group that developed the official workbook.

The software, from Highfield e-learning , is designed to support delivery of the knowledge elements of the Care Certificate. It can be fitted into existing workplace induction programmes and covers all 15 standards included in the Care Certificate, with a 30 minute course for each of the standards to test knowledge and understanding.

The e-learning is flexible so that each learner can complete the standards specific to their role, and is mapped to official health and social care qualifications so that prior learning can be recognised. It is also fully customisable so that it meets the needs of individual organisations, and trackable so that learner progress can be monitored and verified.

HF Care Cert2 Highfield e-learning is part of the same group as Highfield Awarding Body for Compliance (‘HABC’) , which was commissioned by Health Education England , Skills for Care and Skills for Health to develop the official Care Certificate workbook to support its introduction across the health and social care sectors from 1 April 2015.

Chris Sprenger, Highfield E-Learning Managing Director, said, ‘Our e-learning has been put together by many of the key people involved in the development of the official Care Certificate workbook, and goes the extra mile in making delivery of the Care Certificate – which may seem a burden to some – an engaging and motivating experience for learners.

The feedback we have received from the health and social care sector is extremely positive, and we have already begun working with some of the leading training providers and employers to help make sure their learners and staff are compliant with the requirements of the Care Certificate’.

HF Care Cert1 Prices per licence are (not including VAT):

  • 1-9 users – £35 plus VAT each
  • 10-99 users – £30 plus VAT each
  • 100+ users – £25 plus VAT each

We also plan to offer the modules from the Care Certificate as 15 individual courses. Each one will be priced at £2.50 per unit.

To order, call 0845 226 0350 or email sales@highfieldabc.net

For more information, go to www.highfieldelearning.com/products/care-certificate

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ENDS
Media Contact: Mark Phillips, Communications Manager
Tel: 0845 2260350 ~ Email: mphillips@highfieldabc.net