ACAD, a not for profit Trade Association in the Asbestos sector, is pleased to announce the Asbestos sectors first dedicated S/NVQ centre is now available to ACAD members as well as commercial training providers who are members of the IATP or UKATA.

Background

ACAD undertook a significant research project into the S/NVQ challenge facing the Asbestos sector throughout 2016 and early 2017.  The resultant information was provided to CITB who subsequently invited bids from mainstream organisations in the Asbestos sector to step up and take responsibility for the S/NVQ challenge.  This challenge involves ensuring high quality VQ assessment standards whilst increasing assessing capacity and the supporting infrastructure.

In late 2017 the forward thinking and innovative plan put forward by ACAD was selected by CITB.  This decision by CITB, the standard setting body for the Asbestos sector, is the latest in a growing list of recent achievements for ACAD.

The Cost of the CLC Challenge

The typical budget cost for an S/NVQ is £1,000.  Overall the sector requires around 3,000 L3 qualifications and 8,500 L2 qualifications over the next few years.  Simple maths puts the burden on the sector at £11.5 Million.  As a trade association that works for and represents our members best interests, ACAD didn’t just accept this.  Instead ACAD has been working on ways to reduce the impact since 2014 when the early draft of the CLC decision was provided to us.

• ACAD jointly developed Specialist Apprenticeship Programmes, (SAP), that created a route to S/NVQ L2 that attracted over £8,000 of funding.
• ACAD successfully bid for qualifying the workforce funding from CITB that meant we delivered S/NVQ for £97.
• ACAD helped our members with various funding bids meaning the typical ACAD member has been accessing S/NVQ for a net cost of zero…

The new S/NVQ centres for the sector are available for LARC’s to attach their qualified assessor to, thereby delivering SNVQ in-house.  This means the budget cost thanks to ACAD has been slashed to less than £300 per S/NVQ, scaled up that means ACAD could save the Licensed sector over £7 million!  CITB levy payers will also be able to claim £600 S/NVQ achievement grant per qualification.

The average LARC is facing a budget cost of £28k.  By undertaking these assessments in-house the cost is lowered to around £9k.  If a LARC is also a CITB levy payer then they stand to make a profit of almost £8k.  All facilitated by ACAD.

Don’t forget you do not have to be a CITB levy payer to access and benefit from the ACAD centres.

If you haven’t spoken directly with ACAD then you are missing out on the knowledge that will help you successfully navigate your business through the CLC challenge.

Next Steps

Part of the CITB funding has been earmarked for the qualifying of new assessors and lots of ACAD members as well as IATP & UKATA commercial training providers have embarked on this route.  In addition many qualified assessors have been in touch with ACAD with a view to being able to deliver S/NVQ with the assurance that ACAD is ensuring high quality S/NVQ assessment.

ACAD and partner organisations will be hosting meetings throughout the UK later this year explaining the process in more detail to all, to ensure you don’t miss out or simply to request more information get in touch with the S/NVQ centres for the Asbestos sector via VQ@tica-acad.co.uk or 01325 466 704.