Candidates required for pilot apprenticeship programmes

May 2010

The Asset Skills Virtual Academy for Business Services pilot is seeking candidates to take part in five facilities management apprenticeship schemes.

The plans to trial the Level 3 FM Apprenticeship will start in the autumn in Newcastle, Cambridge, Manchester, Leeds and London.

As part of this, we are keen to hear from industry professionals who are interested in becoming vocational qualification assessors. Building a pool of assessors will help deliver the range of new vocational qualifications and apprenticeships which Asset Skills has developed in consultation with industry.

"Work based assessment qualifications are new to facilities management and the demand from employers and candidates is strong," says Karen Waterlow, FM and Cleaning Specialist at Asset Skills.

"We are looking to recruit people on to the apprenticeship scheme in five areas, and in the longer term, find experienced facilities managers who can help training providers deliver these new awards over several years."

Sharing industry knowledge

Extensive, hands on and up-to-date job and industry knowledge are crucial components. Assessors use their expertise to deliver programmes that support candidates to meet the industry standard and gather appropriate evidence to gain the qualification.

"Ensuring assessors come forward with good industry knowledge will help maintain the quality and reputation of the qualifications," says Waterlow.

Assessors can combine the role with their existing job after taking a qualification such as the Level 3 Award in Assessing Candidates Using a Range of Methods - known as the A1.

The Virtual Academy assessor pool will be made available to further education organisations such as awarding bodies, colleges and training providers as they move into this new market and seek the industry knowledge to support their efforts.

There are also other opportunities to become involved in the quality management of the assessment process itself, through roles such as Internal Verifiers and External Assessors.

• Work based qualifications are emerging for the Facilities Management industry - find out more from www.assetskills.org or email fm@assetskills.org
  
• Becoming an assessor gives experienced FMs the opportunity to pass on their industry knowledge
  
• Assessors can work within their existing organisation or for a training provider
  
• The main qualification is the A1 Assessors Award, available from colleges and training providers. Contact the Institute of Assessors and Internal Verifiers www.iavltd.co.uk
  
• If you like communicating your skills to others, use your knowledge to support colleagues gain a qualification in the workplace

For more information on the apprenticeship trials or in becoming an industry assessor, contact Karen Waterlow at kwaterlow@assetskills.org or call 01392 423 399.

Alternatively, contact the Asset Skills Virtual Academy at virtualacademy@assetskills.org or call 0844 822 2525.