New facilities management qualifications in Scotland

Feb 2011

Working with Asset Skills Scotland and its partner organisations, the Scottish Qualifications Authority has accredited new qualifications for the facilities management sector.

The Scottish Vocational Qualification (SVQ) at Level 2 in Facilities Services is designed for staff who are new to the industry while the Level 3 SVQ in Facilities Management would support someone who is taking, or preparing to take, their first steps into a supervisory position.

Both qualifications are designed to demonstrate the breadth and diversity of the industry to someone who may have come from a specific service background or someone who is new to the sector. The qualifications are applicable to all types of FM work but would be especially useful to a staff member working in "soft" FM where there have been few qualifications available previously.

First of its kind

Not only are the qualifications new to Scotland, the Level 2 SVQ in Facilities Services is the first qualification of its type anywhere in the world.

Being SVQs, both qualifications are passed through the demonstration of competence in the workplace, for example, through the development of a portfolio and other work-based assessment practices rather than through attendance at classes or the sitting of exams.

It is estimated that the Level 2 SVQ would be achieved in 6 - 9 months, the Level 3 in 12 - 18 months, dependent on the level of regular commitment able to be made to achieving the qualification by both the staff member and the employer.

Working to deliver

Asset Skills is working with four colleges: Anniesland College in Glasgow; Forth Valley College in Falkirk; Edinburgh Telford College; and Dundee College. It is also working with a training provider, TIGERS Ltd, in order to ensure that there is an accessible network of provision of both these new qualifications.

Further progression for candidates completing the new SVQ qualifications is available through the existing qualifications of the industry professional body, the British Institute of Facilities Management, or Higher National qualifications available at colleges throughout Scotland.

For further information on the new qualifications, and other work that Asset Skills is currently undertaking to support FM employers in Scotland, please contact the Head of Asset Skills Scotland, Tim Pogson, on 0131 667 2448 or tpogson@assetskills.org.