National Electrotechnical Training (NET) has launched the Fire, Emergency and Security Systems (FESS) Experienced Worker Assessment. It provides a new route for fire industry technicians to become accredited to the industry Level 3 standard (the technical equivalent to an A Level). The assessment is for people who have been working with fire, emergency or security systems for typically a minimum of five years. Successful completion of the Experienced Worker Assessment is recognised by the Electrotechnical Certification Scheme (ECS) and can be used towards a FESS ECS Gold Card application.
NET is a registered UK charity that owns, manages and develops End Point Assessments and Assessments of Occupational Competence for the electrotechnical industry. To ensure parity across the whole industry, the new assessment has been based on the same content as the FESS Apprenticeship, so new entrants and workers are being assessed and accredited to the same standard.
The assessment process must be completed within 12 months. Candidates will need to carry out and record a range of tasks in their workplace (health and safety, installation, commissioning, inspection and servicing) and upload the evidence to NET’s assessment system. These tasks will be verified by an authorised person to ensure it’s the candidate’s own work, then independently assessed and marked by a NET assessor to confirm they have met the Level 3 industry standard. NET will also carry out quality assurance audits after marking.
Then, in a NET-licensed centre, candidates also will need to complete safe isolation of a single-phase circuit, under controlled conditions. Finally, they will need to carry out a 90-minute online knowledge assessment in a NET centre, under observation. If they hold certain qualifications, they may be exempt from the online knowledge assessment. To develop the assessment, NET worked with industry bodies including the BSIA, FIA, FSA, FESS Employer Group, SELECT and SSAIB.
Andy Reakes, Head of Growth at ECS, said: “The FESS Experienced Worker Assessment is a welcome addition to the NET portfolio as it enables experienced workers to have their industry skills formally recognised. This is an important move in order to ensure standards and safety are maintained throughout this safety-critical industry.”
Visit: www.ecscard.org.uk.
