4.1 HVCA Training Courses
4.2 SummitSkills Training Groups
4.3 Regional Training Awards (RTA)
4.4 Interest Groups 4.1 HVCA Training Courses
The training courses run by the HVCA are designed specifically for contractors which are active in the building services sector, and participating can qualify as evidence of Continuing Professional Development (CPD).
Below is a list of subjects covered by courses:
Construction Contracts Legislation
Commercial Contracting
Building Services Site Supervision
Cross Skilling for Building Services Supervisors
Managing Gas Safety
Health and Safety Management
CDM In Action
COSHH and Managing Asbestos in Buildings
Permit to Work Systems
Risk Assessment and Method Statements
NEBOSH Certificate
Self Certification Training
For more information on these and other courses, visit the HVCA website on www.hvca.org.uk, Education and Training section, email training.courses@hvca.org.uk, fax 020 7313 8682 or contact Alex Doig on 07780 682253 or adoig@hvca.org.uk 
4.2 SummitSkills Training Groups
SummitSkills Training Groups are a platform for employers to discuss their training and skills issues. Twelve training groups are held across the UK, with the feedback from each meeting being fed into the SummitSkills Interest Groups.
There are a number of good reasons why it is worthwhile for you to get involved:
- Air your views on skills and training
- Learn from others of their experiences of training, training policies and training management
- Play a part in shaping future NVQs/SVQs, NCs/HCs and HNCs/HNDs
- Learn about funding initiatives and how they could affect business
These are employer-led forums where you set the agenda and discuss what is affecting you and your organisation. They are held locally and are attended by local employers, representatives from trade associations, training providers, further education establishments and government bodies, ie LSCs and Business links.
Meetings are not just about apprentices and young workers. They are about Training & Development at all ages and levels of the business. Training people today means the success of your business and your industry in the future. This forum is your chance to be up to date with all the latest advances in training and development practices and the available funding support.
Group members are also encouraged to enter staff into the Regional Training Awards and show the industry the high calibre of training and employees undertaken through their business. The winners of the regional awards go through to the prestigious National Training Awards.
Traditionally a partnership between the HVCA, SummitSkills, BEST and Amicus, the National Training Forum handed over administration of these groups to SummitSkills in November 2004. SummitSkills is looking to maintain the existing high standards of the groups as well as to widen their membership to other industries within the sector.
For further information on SummitSkills Training Groups contact:
SummitSkills Sector Skills Council
0870 351 4630
Neil Collishaw
www.summitskills.org.uk
or
HVCA Heating and Ventilating Contractors Association
0207 313 4938
Sarah Wicks
www.hvca.org.uk
4.3 Regional Training Awards (RTA) and National Training Awards (NTA)
We have amazing people working within our industry, and most started out as apprentices. When many other industries have stopped providing apprenticeship opportunities our industry schemes just keep getting bigger and better.
We want to celebrate the hard work and effort that our employers and young people contribute to making Building Engineering Services Apprenticeships such a huge success.
The HVACR Regional or Local Training Awards were designed to celebrate the success and achievement of various apprentices who have completed their courses at college or apprenticeship frameworks. Categories may be as follows:
- Apprentice Domestic Heating Engineer of the Year
- Apprentice Ventilation Ductwork Installer of the Year
- Apprentice Refrigeration & Air Conditioning Engineer of the Year
- Apprentice Service & Maintenance Engineer of the Year
- Apprentice H&V Fitter/Welder of the Year
- Engineering Technician of the Year
The local/regional awards are usually managed and organised by the members of the training group meetings, who meet 3-4 times a year and are from a range of difference backgrounds including: - Local employers
- BEST training advisors
- College tutors
- Union members (amicus)
- SummitSkills representatives
- LSCs, Business Links etc.
- Trade association members (HVCA, ECA, PHIA etc)
These people are ideally placed to identify and nominate students that they feel stand out from the crowd and deserve recognition.
The local/regional awards are organised by a sub-group committee selected by each. Training Group. Nominations are required in June/July for the events which are held in September/October.
Winners from the Regional Training Awards are the main conduit for nominees for the National Training Awards held every year. These are a prestigious, industry recognised Awards which are attended by all major combustors to the industry including, Government, SSC, LSC, Trade Associations, Employers, Training Providers and Further Education representatives.
The format and nomination process is very similar to the regional awards that take place, with nominations being required in January for the National Training Awards event taking place in March.
Not all regions have yet set up award ceremonies, but already areas such as Scotland, North West and Yorkshire have held successful events for a number of years. If your region has not yet established its own local/regional training awards, we would like you to consider the benefits for your region by doing so. They could be added on to an existing event such as a regional dinner or local college award ceremony.
Award ceremonies are hard work to organise but extremely rewarding events to attend and they generate excellent PR for the region, its employers and its apprentices.
To help make the work of establishing and running an awards ceremony as simple and as little time-consuming as possible the HVCA Training Group will provide: - a submission pack which includes Section criteria, Nomination forms, Letters requesting nominations, Template letter requesting sponsorship and a Template submission document for entrants
- information on local college training awards to help you investigate the possibilities of organising joint events
- contact with other regions who run training awards so you can find out more about them and why they are such a success
- once established, we can help promote the awards and even gain sponsorships via our communications network of employers, newsletters, industry journals and websites.
For further information contact
SummitSkills Sector Skills Council
0870 351 4630
Neil Collishaw
www.summitskills.org.uk
or
HVCA Heating and Ventilating Contractors Association
0207 313 4938
Sarah Wicks
www.hvca.org.uk
4.4 Interest Groups
The SummitSkills Interest Groups provide an opportunity for employers to air their views and help develop solutions for skills and training needs in the sector.
Consisting of employers, trade associations, training providers and other partners, the groups exist to ensure that all parties in the building services sector can shape strategic skills planning. Ideas and 'burning issues' discussed at the meetings are prioritised and fed through to a Management Committee, which plays a key role in forming future strategy and objectives for SummitSkills.
Some of the SummitSkills Interest Groups include:
- Careers & Diversity
- Heating & Ventilating
- Refrigeration & Air Conditioning
- Micro & Small Businesses and Multi- skilling
- Plumbing
- Product Manufacturers
To find out more about the groups and how you can join them contact either:
SummitSkills Sector Skills Council
0870 351 4630
Neil Collishaw
www.summitskills.org.uk
or
HVCA Heating and Ventilating Contractors Association
0207 313 4938
Sarah Wicks
www.hvca.org.uk
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