2.1 The Basics - how an apprenticeship works
2.2 Apprenticeships & Trainee Schemes
2.3 Funding Support
2.4 Specific Craft NVQ/SVQs
2.5 Work Experience - an alternative route into the industry
2.6 Health & Safety
2.7 Working Time Regulations - new restrictions on young workers

2.1 The Basics - how an apprenticeship works
A regular supply of well-trained young people is the lifeblood of our industry. In an ideal world, every company would have at least one young person on a training programme.

Your businesses may benefit greatly from the decision to take on new staff to train, however, employing people under an apprentice or work experience scheme represents a significant commitment for your firm. Even though a range of financial support options are available to help you to do so, the decision will still require a good deal of forethought and planning.

You need to bear in mind that an apprentice training programme means a two- to four-year commitment from both employer and trainee. Not all forms of training require this level of commitment. It is important to take into consideration the impact such a commitment would have on your business plans and budgets.

Throughout an apprentice's training period, they will need support, guidance and supervision. They will need time to adapt to the responsibilities and challenges that working life brings, and in the early days their productivity is likely to be low.

How quickly they start to contribute to the business depends on you. Choosing someone with the right qualities, being prepared to devote quality time to the programme and structuring the effort to develop their talents are all key to a successful outcome.

When to start an apprentice
Most apprentices usually begin their training in the summer, somewhere between July and September.

The recruitment process can begin up to a year before an apprentice is due to start formal training, and should start preferably no later than the spring - remember that young people reaching the end of compulsory education face many challenges and choices which could affect them for the rest of their lives.

By starting early, you give your company the best chance of having the widest choice of suitable available candidates and also give the trainee plenty of time to make sure they are making the right decision.

Selection criteria
It is very important to choose someone with the right qualities and qualifications for our industry. This is where the HVCA training provider, Building Engineering Services Training Ltd (BEST), can help. Its training advisors fully understand the implications and demands of our industry and offer a wide range of assessments to help screen applicants. BEST also has a strategy of encouraging the recruitment of under-represented groups.

Structured questionnaires or psychometric tests are very useful in selection and we also recommend a medical check to ensure that the young person will be able to complete the training. While you would normally expect entrants to be fit for the job, take care not to exclude a valuable candidate because they suffer from an impairment like colour blindness.

For more information please visit Building Engineering Services Training at www.best-ltd.co.uk or contact the HVCA Education & Training Department on 0207 313 4929 www.hvca.org.uk Work experience can also be a good way to monitor a young person's aptitude and attitude before making a long-term commitment.

Where to find your apprentice
The local Careers Services is a good place to start. The appropriate organisation depends on region of the UK:
England - Connexions (in England)
www.connexions.gov.uk
Scotland - Careers Scotland
www.careers-scotland.org.uk
Wales - Careers Wales
www.careerswales.com
Northern Ireland - Construction Industry Training Board Northern Ireland (CITB NI)
www.citbni.org.uk

It is also a good idea to establish a relationship with schools and colleges local to your area, in particular those that run engineering courses or are known for their academic abilities. Never underestimate that often your own employees will know of suitable youngsters looking for work.

14-19 Specialised Diplomas
14-19 Diplomas will be a 'made to measure' qualification designed by employers to provide the best possible workforce of the future. They are being introduced by the government, to provide 14-I 9 year olds with a new route to both work-based and academic achievement.

Sector Skills Councils are leading the development of the Diploma content and requirements, which will be designed to offer young people a programme of applied practical learning based on future industry needs.
Diplomas will aid a student's transition from college or school to adult working life and higher education.

Learners will gain the knowledge, work related skills and understanding to succeed as employees within our sector.

Vision of the Diplomas
Diplomas will attract the best and the brightest students. They will offer industry related content and leading edge thinking through a mix of work orientated and academic learning.

What do the diplomas consist of?
There will be three levels of Diploma -

• Levels I & 2 combined will be the equivalent of five GCSEs
• Level 3 will be the equivalent of three A levels

Each level of Diploma will include functional skills in English, Math's and ICT; wider employability skills, personal development skills; vocational related learning; work experience; underpinning general and academic knowledge.
Diplomas will form a simple structure which will provide a clear pathway to employment and further learning, while also allowing for changes in direction, switching to a standard GCSE or A level programme, and varying degrees of specialisation.

They will be delivered through local partnerships of schools, colleges and employers so that young people can be taught in environments by people with relevant and up to date skills and practical experience.

Diplomas covering Building Services Engineering
Two diplomas are being developed which will contain Building Services Engineering elements:

• Construction & the Built Environment Diploma
• Engineering Diploma

SummitSkills is working in conjunction with built environment and engineering related Sector Skills Councils to develop both Diplomas, which are expected to be launched in 2008.

For more information:
To find out more contact Graeme Dryden on 01908 303967, Catherine Moss on 01908 303975 or visit the following websites:
www.engineeringdiploma.com
www.cbediploma.co.uk

Entry qualifications
There are excellent opportunities in the industry for all young people, whether they are highly practical with limited formal qualifications, GCE 'A' level entrant candidates or entrants with Scottish Certificate of Education (SCE) Highers.

However, all apprentices and learners must have completed their secondary education, and their achievements will determine the course of study they take within the industry.

There are, of course, many other considerations apart from a trainee's formal qualifications, but they do at least give an employer some indication of how well an apprentice is likely to cope with his or her studies. No young person should be turned down on the basis of their educational qualifications alone.

The requirements may vary from region to region:
England and Wales- Typically, an employer would expect apprentice craftspeople to have four GCSEs at Grade C or above in appropriate subjects, including Maths, English, Science and a further subject which is usually a practical subject.

Scotland - Qualifications in Scotland are slightly different, as they are based on the Scottish Certificate of Education (SCE) system. The normal entry standard for craft entrants is four SCE Standard Grades 1 to 4 in Maths, English, Science and one further subject of a practical nature.

Student Engineers need SCE Standard grades at credit level, or SCE Highers. Acceptable alternatives include GCE 'A' level or a General National or Scottish Vocational Qualification (GNVQ/GSVQ) in construction and the built environment at intermediate or advanced level - with the built service engineering pathway clearly being the most valuable.

For further information contact Ann Galbraith at BEST on 0131 445 5900 anne.galbraith@best-ltd.co.uk or your HVCA Regional Manager Bob Dyer on 0131 445 5580.

Northern Ireland - The hvacr sector in Northern Ireland is in scope to the CITB (NI) where a levy/grant system applies. CITB (NI) encourages the recruitment and training of young people. Education and training for school leavers in Northern Ireland also follows a different route.

The Government-sponsored Department for Employment and Learning (DEL) directs vocational training in the province rather like the LSC in England and Wales and the LECs in Scotland. Anyone with the required entry qualifications, who has completed their compulsory education, can apply for an apprenticeship. Successful candidates attend one of the recognised training organisations, usually a college, which is approved to deliver the industry's schemes.

New entrants normally start in September, but this is at the discretion of the nominating employer and the approved training provider. The apprenticeship comprises both on-the-job and off-the-job training and the latter includes two days per week in the first year and one day per week thereafter with the training organisation, until the completion of the NVQ.

The remaining working days are spent with the employer, practising and developing their skills. The apprenticeships are funded through the DEL.s Jobskills/Modern Apprenticeship Framework. CITB (NI) levy-paying employers are also grant-aided for apprentices who obtain an Engineering Services SKILLcard and for successful completion of the apprenticeship. A number of hvacr NVQs are available, mainly for the Industrial & Commercial and Refrigeration sectors.

For the latest information and details on training in Northern Ireland contact your HVCA Regional Manager Bob Dyer on 0131 445 5580.

Equal opportunities
Training and employment opportunities must be open to all candidates, irrespective of sex or sexual orientation, race, religion, disability or age. By going outside the traditional recruitment sources, employers can choose from a wider catchment area. Of course, it is equally important that this policy applies throughout the whole company and not just to apprentices.

Colleges and assessment centres are bound by these same principles. Making sure that equal opportunities are monitored and that discrimination is eradicated is an important part of the operating agreements with the funding support bodies.

Rates of pay
The terms and conditions of employment, including salaries and linkage of pay and progression, are covered in the National Agreement for staff in the industry. For employees not covered by the Agreement, terms should be agreed between the employer and the apprentice. However, most employers base the payments on the salary scale agreed by the National Joint Council for Environmental Engineers and Allied Staffs. The current salary scale is available on the HVCA website (in the Download area, Employment Affairs section).

2.2 Apprenticeships and Trainee Schemes

What are Apprenticeships?
Apprenticeships offer people over 16 the chance of paid employment combined with the opportunity to train for jobs at craft, technician and management level They are designed to help create a high-calibre workforce and to strengthen the training system in England Ireland Scotland and Wales. Apprenticeships were originally developed in 1994 by employer-led partnerships between NTOs and LECs.

All Apprenticeship frameworks are developed by the Industry or Sector in which they will be implemented and encompass all the skills required to become a craftsperson, technician or manager in that area. Modern apprenticeship frameworks can also be used as the basis for training of more mature employees.

There are two kinds of Apprenticeships:
Apprenticeships - leading to a Level 2 NVQ These do not apply in Scotland
Advanced Apprenticeships - leading to a Level 3 NVQ/SVQ

The key objectives of all Apprenticeships are that they build knowledge, skills and expertise and test competence. They do this based on a combination of five distinct features:

• On the Job Training - provided by the employer
• Off the Job Training - provided by a Futher Education (FE) college or training centre
• Allowing an employee to earn while they learn
• They closely involve employers as a large element of the training is work based learning - gatheriung evidence for the NVQ/SVQ from activities under taken in the workplace. This allows them to demonstrate that they know the theory of the systems and can also carry out their practical installation

All Apprenticeships are based on the principle of achieving pre-determined achievement 'milestones', rather than being based simply on the time spent in the programme. The schemes lead to either NVQs(National Vocational Qualifications) or SVQs (Scottish Vocational Qualifications).

The apprenticeship is complete when all the milestones have been achieved. Themilestonesinclude Technical Certificates and Key Skills for England & Walesand Core Skills for Scotland. In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, the recentlyintroduced Technical Certificate provides the 'theory' part of the Apprenticeshipwith the existing NVQ and KeySkills qualifications providing the practical element.

In Scotland there is no additional Technical Certificate within the Apprenticeshipframework, just the SVQ and Core Skills qualifications.

There is no upper age limit for students wishing to enter a Apprenticeship althoughfunding presently is only available for students up to the age of 25 years oldwith a large proportion of this funding being concentrated on the 16-19 yearold students. This is not the case in Wales however, where there is no age limitto the distribution of funding The specific educational and skill requirementsneeded by applicants for Apprenticeshipsand Advanced Apprenticeshipsare shown below.

Individual apprenticeship plans for Apprentices
All apprenticeship frameworks in the hvacr sector are designed to meet the needs of the individual. But they have also been designed to satisfy the operationalrequirements of all types of employers - from the largest multinational rightthrough to the self employed.

Training routes
There are several routes open to new entrants to the industry who want to gainrecognised qualifications. These are:

• SummitSkills Craft Advanced Apprenticeships (leading to NVQ/SVQ Level 2 and 3)
• SummitSkills Technician Advanced Apprenticeships for Building Services Engineers (leading to NVQ Level 3 or 4)
• SummitSkills Foundation Modern Apprenticeship (leading to NVQ Level 2)
• In-company training schemes

HVACR apprenticeship frameworks
There are three main types of hvacr craft apprenticeship frameworks:

• Refrigeration & Air Conditioning
• H&V Service & Maintenance
• H&V Installation (3 routes available)
  - Domestic
  - Industrial & Commercial
  - Ductwork

as well as the Building Services Engineering framework for Student Engineers

Model Statement of main terms and conditions of employment
(for further information see the Employment Affairs Section of the HVCA Website at www.hvca.org.uk

Each apprentice must agree to an employment contract between themselves and their employing firm. This forms the legal basis of their relationship with their company. There are several different kinds of employment contracts available:

Student Engineers: A Training Agreement and Individual Apprenticeship Plan set out the key steps and milestones to be achieved and become supplemental to the contract of employment between the employer and apprentice or trainee.

Individual Learning Plans: The Model Statement of main terms and conditions of employment for apprentices refers at several stages to an individual Training Plan, which will be provided by the Managing Agent, training provider or college responsible for providing or overseeing the training of the apprentice. The Individual Learning Plan will set out the programme of training which the apprentice will be expected to follow. This is not intended to be contractual

Training Agreements: In many cases, the statement of main terms and conditions of employment may be accompanied by a training agreement which should be regarded as supplementing the statement of main terms and conditions and as having contractual force. Whether a training agreement is issued will depend on the policy and practice of the managing agent, training provider or college responsible for providing or overseeing the training of the apprentice.

Craft apprentices and trainees: Under the Advanced Apprenticeship and Apprenticeship frameworks for craft apprentices, the contract of employment ties into the training agreement by linking pay scales to the achievement of milestones.

As the trainee/apprentice becomes more competent, their rate of pay is increased accordingly. The current hourly pay rates are provided on the HVCA website, (in the Download area, Employment Affairs section, an under Staffs promulgation). All Apprentices are engaged under the terms of a regular (non fixed-term) contract of employment.

Employers will need to ensure that the statement of main terms and conditions of employment is compatible with the terms of any training agreement they may be required to use. Employers may also need to change the wording of the statement of main terms and conditions in the light of any particular provisions of the training agreement.

Progress and monitoring
A significant part of the employer's responsibility to an apprentice is to develop an Individual Apprenticeship Plan (IAP). All apprentices' progress should be monitored regularly, and no more infrequently than every 12 weeks.

Any changes to the IAP should be agreed with the apprentice. Managing Agents can help and guide employers through this process, and the Modern Apprenticeship frameworks also assist in defining specific achievement and review points.

The employer must provide the experience, facilities and training to support the objectives of the apprenticeship framework. For some firms that may require sending the apprentice on a course or temporarily transferring them to another company that offers the required resources.

Personnel registration - SKILLcard
All Apprentices and Advanced Apprentices must be registered with SummitSkills. Their qualification details are recorded on the Engineering Services SKILLcard Register. At the start of their apprenticeship they are given a security-sealed Red SKILLcard, free of charge. Their grading is updated as they progress and subsequent SKILLcards will show an updated list of their qualifications

For further information, contact SKILLCard at www.skillcard.org.uk or telephone 017680 860400

Completion
The majority of apprentices can reasonably be expected to complete their training and be awarded their qualifications within the following guidelines:

• National Certificate (NC) in two years, and a Higher National Certificate (HNC) in a further two years.
• NVQ/SVQ Level 3 is unlikely to be completed before the age of 21, and NVQ/SVQ Level 4, for student engineers, is unlikely to be completed before the age of 25.

The timescale is very flexible and dependent on numerous factors, such as the work experience opportunities available to apprentices and their ability to take responsibility for their actions.

On completion of Apprenticeship,apprentices will receive a National Completion Certificate from SummitSkills. This is separate from the other certificates awarded for the various elements of the Apprenticeship such as NVQ/SVQs, Key Skills (Core Skills in Scotland), Technical Certificate or National and Higher National Certificates.

It is the responsibility of the Training Provider or the Managing Agent to claim the National Completion Certificate via application to SummitSkills, which will then issue the certificate. It is also the responsibility of the Training Provider or the Managing Agent to make sure the final grant payment is made to the employer.

Dismissal of apprentices
The effect of the model statement of main terms and conditions of employment is to put in place a normal permanent contract of employment.

Termination of the contract of employment would give rise to the statutory obligations on employers - such as those to ensure fair dismissal and to avoid discrimination etc. However, employers should note that, if the contract of employment is supplemented by a training agreement, it is possible that such an agreement could provide employment protection for an apprentice until the apprenticeship is completed.

Many forms of training agreement are in use with different managing agents, training providers and colleges. They may place obligations on the employer or managing agent or training provider to use their 'best endeavours' to transfer the apprentice to another employer, in the event that the apprentice is unable to complete the training programme with their first employer.

The training agreement may thus prevent dismissal of an apprentice outright while it remains in force. Even if a training agreement of this kind is not explicitly in place, apprentices enjoy a protected position under common law until they have had the opportunity to complete their training.

Considerations for employers
Before making a final decision on the recruitment of an apprentice, employersshould consider the following:
n What academic qualification will the young person need to have and/or be studyingto enable them to complete their training successfully?

• Are they practical? For example, do they have practical hobbies?
• Do they understand the nature of the industry?
• Is travelling to site going to be a problem?
• Are they able to work in extreme conditions - for example, when it is very hot, cold, dusty or wet?
• Can they explain what they are doing and why?
• Will they adapt to new ideas and technologies?
• Will they cope with studying at college?

National Agreement Grade titles & funding terminology
From time to time, the Government changes the terminology used in relation to the funding of apprentice training - and the terminology also varies in differentparts of the UK see below. shows the variations in titles from region toregion.

2.3 Funding Support
In order to ensure maximum funding support, the apprentice should sign the apprentice agreement before their 19th birthday.

A variety of funding support is available to help you with the vocational education, training and development of your apprentices.

Note that Grant levels change each year. For current funding opportunities see the Download section of the HVCA website.

Managing Agents
Many employers believe employing a Modern Apprentice is too costly, both directly financially and in time spent recruiting and training.

While it is necessary for employers to make financial and time commitments, by working alongside the learner from the outset, it is usually not long before that young person has become an effective, valuable member of your team.

One of the ways that the management overhead of an apprentice to their employer can be significantly reduced is by using an intermediary, called a Managing Agent, to handle some of the legwork.

There are two main types of Managing Agent in our industry the first being the Industry Specific Managing Agents such as BEST for the hvacr sector and JTL for the electro-technical industry, and the second being the Training Providers themselves.

Industry-specific Managing Agents
Both BEST and JTL deal with not only accessing funding to support the apprentices' training but also offer recruitment and selection services. They also providemonitoring services so you are kept aware of the progress of both your apprenticeand the Training Provider you have selected.

BEST: In England and Wales financial support is available from BEST for CraftApprentices undertaking a Apprenticeship or Advanced Apprenticeship (AA) bothof which are funded by Learning and Skills Councils (LSCs), unless you are tradingin Scotland where they are funded by Local Enterprise Companies (LECs)
Currently BEST do not operate in Northern Ireland

For apprentices studying an Apprenticeship towards a Craft NVQ, funding is paiddirect to the employer to assist in the payment of college fees. Fees do varygreatly from college to college and from region to region, but in most instancesapprentices between the ages of 16-18years will attract a level funding thatcovers the majority, if not all, of their course fees. Funding is available forlearners of over 19 years of age, but at a reduced level.
Full details of current funding levels can be found on the BEST website: www.best-ltd.co.uk

If you wish to contact a BEST Training Adviser to talk about the services theyprovide contact:
Building Engineering Services Training, The Mere 2nd Floor Milestone House UptonPark, Slough, Berks, SL1 2DQ
BEST Helpline: 0800 917 8419
Tel: 01753 531188
Fax: 01753 531151
Email: info@best-ltd.co.uk

JTL: Financial support is available from JTL for Electrical Craft Apprentices
undertaking an Apprenticeship or Advanced Apprenticeship (AA) both of which arefunded by Learning and Skills Councils.

As with BEST, for apprentices studying an Apprenticeship towards a Craft NVQ,funding is paid direct to the employer to assist in the payment of college fees.Fees do vary greatly from college to college and from region to region. For learnersbetween 16 and 18 years of age, funding will usually cover the majority if notall of their course fees. For learners of over 19 years of age, funding is availableat reduced level.
Full details of current funding levels can be found on the JTL website: www.jtlimited.co.uk

If you wish to contact a JTL Training Adviser to talk about the services theyprovide contact:JTL, Stafford House, 120/122 High Street, Orpington, Kent BR60JS.
JTL Helpline: 0800 0852308
Tel: 01689 884100
Fax: 01689 891658
Email: headoffice@jtlimited.co.uk

Training Providers/College Managing Agents
Most colleges and training providers now operate as profit-making businesses. As such, many have established their own Managing Agent services. This often means that the college/ training provider will attract funding direct from government and offset this against the course fees.

A negative side of using a college as a Managing Agent is that you do not attain the additional services provided by the Industry-specific Managing Agents, such as selection and monitoring. In addition, your contract is directly between your company and the college and as such, should any issues/conflict arise, it becomes difficult for the HVCA to intervene as they are not a party to the contract.

Financial support is available from many local colleges and training providers for Craft Apprentices undertaking an Apprenticeship or Advanced Apprenticeship, both of which are funded by Learning and Skills Councils (LSCs), unless you are trading in Scotland where they are funded by Local Enterprise Companies (LECs)
All applications must be made directly to the college by the employer. A comprehensive list of contact details for local colleges can be found in the HVCA Guide to HVACR Courses, which is available in hard copy form or to download from the HVCA website www.hvca.org.uk

Funding for Student Engineers (office-based design engineers and site based project engineers)
Currently, in England and Wales, there is funding available for Student Engineers studying towards an NVQ Level 3 in Site Supervision or NVQ Level 4 in Design, alongside the traditional route of National Certificate (NC) and Higher National Certificate (HNC).

At present the availability of such NVQ qualifications is highly limited due to the current development of the higher Level NVQ/SVQ which is set to replace them in 2006. These qualifications have been designed to provide the practical element of training to complement the theoretical element currently provided by the National Certificate and Higher National Certificate qualifications

Funding can be obtained directly from the college/training provider you are sending the student to or via a Managing Agent although at present BEST and JTL offer limited funding for Student Engineers due to the constraints placed on them by Government. Where funding is available, NC funding is paid directly to the employer and HNC funding is paid directly to the Training provider. Consequently, the employer will not see the funding as cash but as a cheaper course costs

In Scotland the NVQ Level 3 in Site Supervision and NVQ Level 4 in Design have never been offered and therefore at present the NC is fully-funded, direct to the employer and the HNC is funded in terms of a lower course cost than that of the NC.

2.4 Specific Craft NVQ/SVQs
There are a number of specific craft-based NVQs/SVQs available within the industry. They are:

• Refrigeration & Air Conditioning NVQs/SVQs
• Service and Maintenance NVQs/SVQs
• Heating & Ventilating Installation NVQs/SVQs (Including Ductwork)

Refrigeration & Air Conditioning NVQs/SVQs
There is a common core Level 2 vocational qualification which provides the basic technical skills, knowledge and understanding of small commercial refrigerationand air conditioning systems. This is the Level 2 Refrigeration & Air ConditioningNVQ/SVQ.

The Level 3 vocational qualification allows candidates to focus on specific typesof systems. The Level 3 NVQ/SVQ provides three distinct pathways to certification,which are, depending on the evidence of competence, brought to assessment withinone of three specific system contexts:

• Commercial and Industrial Air Conditioning Systems
• Ammonia Refrigeration Systems
• Non-ammonia Commercial and Industrial Refrigeration Systems.

The types of system and their principle components that Refrigeration & AirConditioning Engineers will be expected to work with are shown below.

Optional courses: Some colleges and private training organisations offer short courses on specific refrigeration topics which are ideal for enhancing an apprentice's basic knowledge. These additional skills mean allow the vocational qualifications to be tailored to an employer's needs. In most cases these can be used towards an NVQ/SVQ award and are just as valuable for adult employees.

Safe handling of refrigerants: City and Guilds (2078) and the CITB both have certification schemes in the safe handling of refrigerants. Either qualification will enable the candidate to become registered with the Air Conditioning & Refrigeration Industry Board (ACRIB) as a person competent to handle, recover and dispose of potentially environmentally damaging refrigerants.

ACRIB registration must be renewed every three years with a short assessment to demonstrate understanding of recent developments and any new legislation. Again, this qualification is equally valid for experienced adult operatives and is one of the key qualifying criteria for registration with the REFCOM register of companies competent in safe refrigerant handling.

For further information on REFCOM, contact the administrator Joan Bainbridge on 01768 860411.

Service & Maintenance NVQs/SVQs
Service & Maintenance Engineers - due to the nature of their work involving service and maintenance of a wide variety of different systems - need to be multi-skilled. The technical skills training is covered by SummitSkills Training Specifications, with NVQs/SVQs at Levels 2 and 3 providing the occupational standards and qualification structure.

Level 2 (H&V Maintenance of System Components) provides a sound background for carrying out routine service tasks (in commercial buildings) and diagnosing component faults and malfunctions.
Level 3 (H&V Rectification of Systems) prepares the candidate for diagnosing problems on whole systems.

The types of system and their principle components that Service & Maintenance Engineers will be expected to work with are shown below.

Optional courses: Most of the large service and facilities employers need a broader range of competence than the Service & Maintenance NVQ/SVQ Level 3 can provide.

For example, there is often a need for electrically competent operatives to maintain high-voltage switchgear systems and this is not covered by Level 3. It trains candidates to join and terminate cables, test systems, diagnose faults and repair electrical equipment, but the qualification needed before an individual can progress to 11kV switchgear is outside the scope of the Level 3 NVQ/SVQ.

The employer may wish to consider extending their apprentices' studies to include electrical installation courses from City & Guilds, such as C&G 236 Parts 1 and 2, or electrical NVQs/SVQs.

Similarly, a number of specialist companies need evidence of refrigeration training beyond the general scope of the NVQ/SVQ. Usually, they will supplement their apprentices' training with other courses, such as City & Guilds 2078, the refrigeration NVQ/SVQs or a series of short refrigeration courses.

Heating & Ventilating Installation NVQs/SVQs (including Ductwork)
The Heating & Ventilating Installation NVQ/SVQ Level 2 is a qualificationthat can be taken in one of three separate contexts:

• Industrial & Commercial H&V Installation
• Domestic Installation
• Ductwork Installation

After completing and NVQ/SVQ Level 2, a candidate can then move on to Level 3, taking optional units depending on which of the three contexts he or she choosesto pursue:

There are three contexts within the Industrial and Commercial H&V InstallationNVQ/SVQ:

• Welding
• General Service and Maintenance
• Design and Specify Programmes
  
  There are two contexts within the Domestic H&V Installation NVQ/SVQ:
• General Service and Maintenance
• Design and Specify Programmes
  
  And there are two contexts within the Ductwork Installation NVQ/SVQ:
• General Service and Maintenance
• Design and Specify Programmes

Industrial & Commercial H&V Installation NVQs/SVQs: The types of systemand their principle components that Industrial & Commercial HVACR Engineerswill be expected to work with are shown below.

Domestic H&V Installation NVQs/SVQs: There are two important options to consider within the domestic installation NVQs/SVQs, depending on the preferred scope of the work.
H&V Domestic Route: This route has been specifically designed to meet the occupational needs and provide the necessary skills of domestic heating installers.

Although the Gas ACS is not an essential element in this NVQ/SVQ, Domestic H&VInstallation apprentices cover the learning required and they can be assessedonce they have the necessary pre-assessment experience.

Plumbing Route: This route may be more suitable for members who require:

• Leadwork and roofing skills
• Sanitation and below groundworks
• Gas ACS as part of the NVQ/SVQ (Note: this can delay achievement of the qualification).

Availability of the appropriate course is sometimes a consideration, althoughthe similarity between the H&V Domestic and Plumbing courses means that trainingcentres can run them jointly but with separate assessments.

The maximum funding periods for Advanced apprenticeships on these routes are:
H&V Domestic - 42 months
Plumbing - 39 months.

The types of system and their principle components that domestic hvacr engineerswill be expected to work with are shown below.

Ductwork Installation NVQs: Ductwork installers following the Modern Apprenticeship route can take their NVQ at college, since the college course will provide underpinningknowledge linked to on-the-job assessment. Experienced workers can take advantageof Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL) arrangements to achieve an NVQ in aboutsix months.

For further details of Ductwork Installation NVQs, contact Gareth Keller at theHVCA on 020 7313 4937.

Optional courses: Welding is one of the H&V Installation NVQ/SVQ Level 3options.Candidates choosing this option will be assessed against one of two welding skills - oxy-acetylene or metal arc welding. Employers who wish their apprentices to become qualified in a second welding skill must plan to use the study time in the fourth year of college.

Gas competence: This option is generally applicable to both Domestic and Industrial & Commercial NVQ/SVQ routes). All the relevant Mechanical Engineering Services (MES) NVQ/SVQs incorporate the relevant gas installation or maintenance training to meet the entry criteria of the Nationally Accredited Certification Scheme (ACS) for Individual Gas Fitting Operatives. Candidates with enough experience should be able to take the assessments without further training.

Note: If a trainee already holds a current Gas ACS certificate, they can use this as evidence of their competence towards their NVQ/SVQ.

Normally there is no funding for Gas ACS as a separate qualification.

Student Engineers
Student Engineers normally follow an Advanced Apprenticeship programme combining the National Certificate (NC) and the Higher National Certificate (HNC). In England and Wales the NC acts as the Technical Certificate providing the theoretical knowledge requirement to the framework.

To provide the practical element, a new suite of NVQ/SVQs is being developed by SummitSkills to compliment the NC and HNC. These are scheduled to be in place in time for the September 2006 Student Engineer intake. Note: There is no Modern Apprenticeship framework for Student Engineers in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
For further details of these qualification please contact the HVCA E&T Department on 0207 313 4938

Colleges and training organisations providing Heating, Ventilating, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Engineering Courses A Guide to Courses in Heating, Ventilating, Air Conditioning, Refrigeration and Building Services Engineering is available from the HVCA website at www.hvca.org.uk.

Visit the Education/Training area, click on Guide to Courses, and view and/or download the information. This may be helpful in providing up to date contact names and phone numbers for some of the assessment centres.

Hard copies of the guide can be obtained by emailing rbrown@hvca.org.uk or, by phone, from 020 7313 4931.

Summary of apprentice training routes Download PDF this shows a flow diagram of the various training routes to NVQ/SVQ that apprentices may take.

2.5 Work Experience - an alternative route into the industry
School Work Placements
Work experience placements are becoming increasingly popular. They are not only an innovative way of getting young people into the industry but can also add to their personal and social development and help them develop a mature approach to the world of work.

Placements usually last one or two weeks and are taken during their final two years of compulsory education. Offering work experience not only gives young people an insight into your company but also the whole hvacr industry. They will learn about the various career opportunities that are available at an early stage, which could lead to them choose an industry apprenticeship/traineeship after leaving school.

Higher Education Work Placments
Taking on a higher education student for work experience can have major business benefits - a student can bring a fresh perspective on your business, offers a cost effective staffing solution and could be a future employee!

Well structured work placements also help students combat a complaint they commonly hear upon graduating that they don't understand enough about the world of work

Taking on a student means that you are making a positive contribution towards the skills development of our future workforce. Think of taking on a student to undertake a project or task in much the same way as you would recruit a new member of staff The main difference is that they will only be with you for a certain period of time determined by you Students are Increasingly aware of the need to prepare for the world of work and you may already have had some knocking on your door asking for the opportunity to be taken on.

There are now a variety of programmes both inside and outside universities offering students for work experience in addition the number of international students attending universities here is rising, resulting In an increased demand for work placements in the UK.

The following are the types of work experience and placement activity available to you. We hope it will encourage you to offer opportunities and make a more informed decision that will have a positive Impact on your organization.

Undergraduate Work Experience
A temporary period of employment from which the student learns about the realities of the world of work. Students undertake a project or tasks that can benefit the employer. It is suggested at students should be paid at least the minimum wage- This is sometimes arranged in conjunction with the University or by the Students directly themselves

Sandwich Placement
An assessed paid work placement which forms part of a Students degree course. These placements are generally of one year's duration and ideally should be in an organisation where the work they do is relevant to their degree.

Internship
Another phrase for a work placement. An internship can be of any length of time and either paid or unpaid.

Part Time Work
More and more students are taking on part time work in order to help fund their studies, and valuable employability skills can be gained. Many Universities now have Job Shops which help students to find such work.

Course Embedded Work Experience
An academically assessed period of work experience forming a structured part of a degree programme and which draws on and develops course content skills. This type of experience is common with MBA programmes

Work Shadowing
A student observes a member of staff working in an organisation and thus gains an increased understanding of what a particular job entails. Shadowing is usually organised by an academic department in partnership with an employer.

Voluntary Work
Any type of work undertaken for no financial reward. Voluntary work tends to be part-time extra curricular activity and is often in a charitable or not-for-profit organizations. There are also a number of schemes around which place students with employers for varying lengths of time Specifically:

Year In Industry
A not-for-profit organization working nationwide to provide companies with access to young talent www.yini.org.uk

STEP
A UK wide programme offering undergraduates project based work within a small to medium sized businesses and community organizations www.step.org.uk

IASTE
IASTE is the International Association for the Exchange of Students for Technical Experience, and aims to offer employers well qualified and motivated student trainees www.iaste.org

AIESEC
AIESEC's management and technical
traineeships provide organizations with cost effective personnel to deliver short term projects or cover seasonal HR needs www.aiesec.org

Go Wales
The business development and employability programme for undergraduates, graduates and businesses in Wales www.gowalesco.uk

Trident Trust
The Trust arranges work experience and work related learning for 16-19 year olds and international students www.thetridenttrust.org.uk

Graduate Apprenticeships
Graduate apprenticeships aim to enhance graduate and diploma entry into the labour market through a framework of learning opportunities www.dfes.gov.uk/graduateapprenticeships

Interested??
First steps to setting up a work experience placement

• Establish exactly what gaps you have that an undergraduate may be able to fill.
• Get the buy-in of all relevant personnel - the Managing Director may be enthusiastic but who will oversee theday-to-day running of the placement?

For more information amd advice Speak to the Careers Advisory Service at the National Council for Work Experience t 0845 601 5510 or visit their website www.work-experience.org for further information and advice.

• England - National Education Business Partnership Network 01635 279914 www.nebpn.org
• Northern Ireland - Department for Employment and Learning 028 9025 7777 www.delni.gov.uk
• Scotland - Scottish Enterprise 0845 6078787 www.scottish-enterprise.com
• Wales - Welsh Assembly Government 0845 088 066 www.elwa.ac.uk
• Wales - Careers Wales 0800 100 900 www.careerswales.com

Benefits for the employer
Offering a work experience placement will give you closer links with local schools, colleges, training centres and other organisations involved in work based learning
It will help you identify young people who are able and willing to take up a Modern Apprenticeship in a building services engineering discipline.

In addition, work experience raises awareness among young people about career opportunities within the industry; it increases the sector's skills pool and attracts young people into the industry. It provides employers with an inexpensive and a proven reliable route to new-entrant recruitment.

Will you need special insurance cover?
It is likely that any work experience placements that you take on will be covered by your employer liability insurance. However, you must inform your insurance company that you will be providing work experience to pre-16 year olds on your premises to make sure they are in fact covered by your insurance.

Work experience for young people - Health & Safety Basics for Employers
When you offer work experience placement to students you have the same responsibilities for their health, safety and welfare as for all your workforce. Under health and safety law these students will be regarded as your employees.

As an employer, you will already have to carry out a risk assessment. This means looking at what in your work would cause harm to people, so that you can weigh up whether you have taken enough precautions or should do more to prevent harm.

The Health and Safety Executive have produced a leaflet THE RIGHT START Work experience for young people Health and safety basics for employers which tells you what you need to do when assessing the health and safety risks to all the young people in your workforce below the age of 18, including work experience students.

It will also give you an idea of the sorts of questions work experience organisers (and this may include schools) are likely to ask about your health & safety arrangements.

For further information or to obtain a copy of this booklet contact the HSE on 01787881165 or via their website on www.hsebooks.co.uk.

Definitions of young people by age
It is helpful to know how people are defined by age in Health and Safety Law, especially when working out what a young person is allowed to do

• A young person is anyone under 18 years old
• A child is anyone who has not yet reached the official age at which they may leave school, just before or just after their 16th birthday (this is often referred to as the minimum school leaving age (MSLA)).

2.6 Health and Safety
Health & Safety legislation requires employers to take account of the particular problems and risks associated with young persons (and their behaviour) in view of their immaturity and inexperience.

It also aims to address the potential conflict presented by, on the one hand, their lack of confidence and, on the other, their keenness to impress. This is also an opportunity to instil in young people the importance of Health & Safety in the workplace, which should serve them well throughout their working life.

The Health & Safety Executive (HSE) recognises these additional responsibilities towards young persons and, particularly, the need to:

• assess risks to all people under 18 years of age before they start work
• ensure that this risk assessment takes fully into account their psychological and physical immaturity, inexperience and lack of awareness of existing or potential risks
• introduce measures to eliminate or minimise the risk, so far as is reasonably practicable.

2.7 Working Time Regulations - new restrictions on young workers
It is important to read this in conjunction with the full text contained on pages 4 to 7 of the December 2003 edition of the HVCA publication Workforce 19.

This is available on the HVCA website www.hvca.org.uk (Members section, Employment Affairs, Workforcepublications).

For some time, the Working Time Regulations 1998 have imposed more stringent restrictions on young workers than on adult workers. Employers need to be aware that further restrictions on the working hours of young people came into force on 6 April 2003. These new restrictions affect all 'young workers' - ie, workers (whether employed or not) who have attained compulsory school leaving age, but are under the age of 18.

Apart from in very narrowly defined exceptional circumstances, young people cannot work:

• more than eight hours a day
• more than 40 hours in any given week
• at night - ie, from 10.00pm to 6.00am or from 11.00pm to 7.00am.

here is no opt-out facility for young workers, and weekly working hours for young workers cannot be averaged over a longer reference period. Therefore, all of the above limits are absolute.

Working Time is defined as the time when a person is 'working at his employer's disposal and carrying out his activities or duties'. For the purposes of these regulations, this includes time spent travelling as part of his/her work and undertaking job-related training. It does not include routine travel between home and work, rest breaks when no work is done, time spent travelling outside normal working time or time spent on non-job related training (eg, evening classes).

Young workers are entitled to:

• a rest break of at least 30 minutes after working for more than four-and- a-half hours at a stretch
• a rest period of 12 consecutive hours between one working day and the next
• a rest break of at least 48 consecutive hours in each seven-day period, with the result that weekend working can only occur if the young worker is given a two-day break during Monday to Friday.

Apart from these specific obligations, young workers should also be given adequate rest breaks where their work pattern potentially puts their health and safety at risk. It is up to individual employers to ensure compliance with the above. They need to bear in mind the new restrictions apply when hiring and allocating work to workers who are 16 or 17 and have attained the compulsory school leaving age.

The Working Time Regulations allow
various calculations to be made in order to enable employers to stay within the letter of the law. It is likely that the HSE and local authorities will take a dim view of an employer who takes such an approach at the expense of ensuring, through a comprehensive risk assessment programme, that the risks for that young person have been fully taken into account and properly controlled.

Working Time - Frequently Asked Questions
Member companies often ask the HVCA for guidance on complying with the aspects of the Working Time Regulations that relate to young people. Below are some of the most frequently asked questions:

Q: Our apprentices usually spend all day with a qualified craftsperson who may need to work more than eight hours a day. In order to make sure our apprentices don't work more than eight hours a day, should we tell them to take a longer lunch break, and/or tell them to go to a rest room and study their training notes?
A: A longer lunch break is a possible option, provided it is actually a rest break. Time that a young worker is required by his or her employer to spend studying training notes (whatever the location) forms part of working time. If the young worker is told to take a rest break in the rest room and then voluntarily decides to use that free time to study his/her training notes, then the time spent on that break is unlikely to constitute working time. Whichever approach is used, the employer's priority is to carry out a separate - or to extent an existing - risk assessment for the apprentice(s) covering any specific risks associated with taking the lunch break or occupying the rest room.

Q: If a young worker is picked up from home, or from a designated collection point, by another employee in a company vehicle, transported to the site and later returned at the end of the day (as a means of controlling or shortening their attendance times at work), does this travelling time count as working time?
A: There are essentially two types of travel. "`'`;One is business travel, where a worker has to travel as part of his work and the time spent on business travel constitutes working time. The other is personal travel, and the time spent on this is excluded from working time. Routine personal travel between a worker's home and their place of work will not constitute working time. Nor will time spent travelling outside normal hours of work. In simple terms, the purpose for which the young worker is travelling and the time of the journey should be considered in the context of the working day. The health and safety position concerning the transportation of an apprentice to and from work can become complex. In most situations where the young person makes his/her own way to the place of work, this will be outside the scope of the employer's health and safety duties. However, in this example, the employer makes available a company vehicle. This automatically imposes a responsibility on the employer. The employer takes on the duty to ensure any persons carried are not put at risk for their health and safety - including ensuring that the work equipment (ie, the vehicle) provided is safe and well maintained.

Q: If a young worker is told to make their own way to a site, does this travelling time count as working time? Does it make any difference if the employer pays the young person's travelling expenses?
A: The answer is similar to the previous question. Paying a young worker's travel expenses does not in itself mean that the travelling time will be deemed to be working time - for example, if expenses are paid by reference to personal travel which takes place at the beginning and end of the day (ie, between home and work), the assumption is that such travel time is not working time. If reference is made to travel taking place during the normal working day, the presumption is that such time is working time. The moral duty on the employer is likely to be far greater in situations where the young person is travelling very early or very late to and from work, or in situations where the site is located in an area already well-known to involve potential risk to personal safety.

Q: If a young worker makes their own way to their employer's depot, and is then transported to a site in a company vehicle, does this count as working time?
A: Assuming that the travel to his/her depot is a routine journey from his/her home, this will constitute personal travel and will not form part of his/her working time. However, their working time may commence from their arrival at the depot. This would need to be determined in each individual case. In health and safety terms, the employer is responsible for them as soon as he/she arrives at the depot. Therefore, in addition to the health and safety approaches described above, additional obligations may need to be considered in the light of any specific risks that may exist within the depot itself - eg, storage of materials, moving vehicles, etc.