Information is power. Lack of information equals control by the people who choose not to disclose or share information. That is not acceptable in a democracy. Basically they had us jumping through hoops. That has now ended.

Just a guess but we suspect they are unsure how to proceed, thus a suck it and see regime has been adopted. The regime will edge forward and any ‘difficulties’ will be addressed as the need arises. This may be the least painful route for the authorities but they have an immediate duty of care to prospective Installers, Employers and Training Providers, who are also employers; All revenue generating personnel.

There has already been a colourful and vociferous backlash from training providers but in my view they are addressing the problem the wrong way. Clearly any new regime should have been phased in to ensure a seamless transition without risk of causing disadvantage to those immediately affected or interrupting the flow of urgently needed new industry professionals.

We are particularly concerned about anyone who may have started a course in good faith only to have their prospects scuppered by the new arrangements. If that has happened to anyone we wish to know about it.

It is not too late to make the necessary adjustments in the bests interests of a developing industry. We would applaud rather than ridicule any new shift that favours common sense.

What we do know

We know very little actually. As far as I am aware, from August 1 2003 all new candidates for ACS assessment must be able to produce evidence of work experience. This is outlined in the information provided by Corgi.

Basically that is all we know. On the subject of work experience details I was bounced around the industry in my efforts to obtain information. I wrote to Corgi about the legality of trainees undertaking supervised work subject to the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations (GSIUR) but they refused me an answer, preferring to refer me to the HSE. That is manifestly Corgi’s role though I fully recognise their difficulty. Corgi can’t answer the question, hence I can’t answer the question. My trainees, my insurers and my customers may wish to know.

The September 2003 TGI included an overview of the new arrangements and finally invited requests for clarifications or further information to be addressed to the ‘CORGI ACS team’. So that is what I did, to no avail. The most fundamental and painfully obvious questions remain unanswered to this day.

Legality of Work Experience

It is still only assumed (by me) that work experience includes trainees undertaking hands-on work which is subject to the GSIUR, under one to one supervision of an appropriately qualified registered gas installer (RGI). We must proceed on that assumption for now.

Hitherto it has always been emphasised that anyone who is not a registered gas installer cannot work on live gas outside of an exempt College environment. The matter has been thoroughly exhausted and effectively closed sine die. However no one could have envisaged the current fundamental shift in the ACS regime.

I have no doubt those I allege have said no to trainees touching gas in the field will deny having said so. Indeed it has already happened to me but we are now becoming accustomed to this behaviour ? Regardless of any such arguments, my perception (and that of everyone else I know) is that trainees are not permitted to touch work subject to the GSIUR. On that basis alone a clarification is fully justified.

The authorities may well argue that by introducing the concept of work experience it is deemed to imply the necessary legal consent. Long experience has taught me to be cautious however and I need to have something in writing. Corgi remain tight-lipped beyond saying work experience is now required. I don’t blame them as the GSIUR does not appear to make appropriate provision. The Secretary of State may be empowered to make the necessary amendment without need to refer to Parliament.

Content of work experience

That said, we have no notion of what the work experience refers to at this point in time, more than four months after the new arrangements were said to started (August 1 2003). For all I know, the role of work experience may simply be to expose trainees to essential associated construction skills, with the ban on live gas work remaining intact.

Assuming trainees are to be allowed to undertake live gas work in the field, what curriculum exists in support ? The several certification bodies take their cue from UKAS to ensure consistent application throughout the UK. We must have sight of that curriculum. There is after all no obligation on anyone to undertake ACS training. Students can take ACS assessment without formal College based training (we could not recommend that). They at least will need to know from someone, what work experience is required and retain the option to qualify independently.

It necessarily follows that there must be a system for recording work experience undertaken, to a standard that will satisfy future examiners. We need also to be appraised of that. A potential opportunity for Corgi Services Limited to produce an approved format pad.

The system must not accidentally or otherwise preclude any registered gas installer, including sole proprietors, from providing qualifying work experience. To do so could well be a human rights issue. Any apparent cartel favouring large employers, will be vigorously challenged.

I repeat, the structure of work experience must not have the effect of creating a cartel favouring large employers and there is already evidence that such a situation has arisen. I cite the report by Bob Mansfield that his company with 18 employees cannot provide the necessary hours of work experience to enable a trainee to gain CKR1 or domestic cookers. That company at least must have received some information on work experience requirements.

Another real worry is the potential plight of those adult trainees undertaking S/NVQ at nightschool whilst pursuing a different career to sustain themselves and a family. They too will need to obtain work experience and I see no reason why they should not have an opportunity to do that. Many of those candidates are the most highly motivated. Again we may have a human rights issue if the system cannot cater for their needs.

The need for work experience

The need for work experience cannot be denied. An HGV driver may learn in the classroom and begin hands-on work in an off-road environment such as a redundant aerodrome but that is not enough. The real world is different from the sanitised reality of a training establishment. With gas and plumbing there is much to thwart the beginner that cannot be seen in a training centre.

As I have written before, we have the bizarre situation where someone qualifies first and gains experience afterwards. That is set to change and revert to the former common sense approach. Customers are entitled to expect a reasonably experienced response to their needs.

Any prospective new entrant aggrieved by the changes may draw comfort from the knowledge that existing registered gas installers cannot simply diversify into new areas of work. The same principles apply to all though the degree of experience required will obviously vary from person to person.

Someone with an essentially white-collar background may have no notion of construction skills or at least evidence of that. They may well excel in their rate of assimilation of the plethora of detail involved in gas work and if that be the case, the best of luck to them. Their expertise in boiler diagnostics may quickly outstrip that owned by long standing grey beards in plumbing but the need for construction knowledge is paramount if successful progress is to be made.

Construction based obstacles will be met with on seemingly the most humble of tasks. Routing pipework and creating a successful fixing in a variety of materials are the most obvious examples. The wholesale introduction of condensing boilers may see more vertical flues emerging through roofing to avoid pluming nuisance. Knowledge and experience is required to ensure correct detailing. None of this is seen on ACS courses.

It is now expected that experienced RGI will be faced with the need to undertake electrical training and assessment, to meet the modern day challenges posed by new technology. This additional hurdle will also face industry new entrants but not just industry new entrants.

Knowledge and experience is required to avoid the pitfalls of related subjects, including Building Regulations and obligations under the Health and Safety at Work Act. Asbestos is a good example. Did you know that many older thermoplastic tiles contain asbestos and are on the watch list of known hazards ?

Requirements

Common sense dictates there must be minimum standards of competence in any walk of life. That said, the system must be transparent. Nothing less will be acceptable.

Opportunity must be available to all. Again nothing less will be acceptable. That means flexibility must be introduced. Lines have to be drawn somewhere but current evidence suggests there is Nil flexibility. Not good enough and discriminatory. We need to yoke the strength of the majority army of sole proprietors. I recognise there is enormous potential for abuse but in my experience larger businesses present no less a risk.

Competence thresholds are being raised in all professions. That is a fact of modern life. Prospective new entrants should deal with this as a challenge rather than perceive it as a deliberate attempt to thwart their ambitions. Bear in mind RGI had no say in any changes. There is no professional association for RGI and those related remain curiously silent, preferring the comfort of watching from their stagnant pools, to the rigours and excitement of navigating the fast flowing stream of technological innovation.

There remains the interesting topic of work experience content. Anyone like to develop a treatise on that subject ? We will probably have a go for amusement and perhaps help relieve the pundits in their current dilemma.

Here I must be firm. If we are expected to raise our game then the authorities must make every effort to be equal to that themselves. On current evidence they have failed miserably and I would be pleased to report any improvement.