BESA assessor scheme to address ‘critical shortage’
The Building Engineering Services Association has launched a programme to tackle a shortage of trainers and assessors which it says threatens to “leave the building services industry on its knees”.
Following a detailed study of the sector’s skills requirements, the Association believes the “critically low” number of trainers and assessors is undermining the industry’s whole further education (FE) process. It said that failing to address this issue would leave the industry unable to plug skills gaps and meet demand for its services by the end of this decade.
It has, therefore, launched the ‘BESA Skills Legacy’ programme to enlist the help of experienced members of the industry who can help education providers deliver the courses needed to increase the number of qualified people entering the sector.
BESA said the scheme could give colleges and other education providers greater reassurance that building engineering training courses would be supported so they could invest in the necessary resources. The lack of appropriately qualified people to operate and run training and apprenticeship schemes means the sector is regarded as a high risk by the FE sector leading to a shortage of training capacity nationwide.
“Our workforce is ageing and is already under intense pressure,” said BESA’s head of skills and policy Stuart Rattray. “The average age across construction related sectors is 53 so without a dramatic increase in numbers of young people coming in, a labour force crunch is looming.
Demand
“However, simply improving recruitment will not address the fundamental problems we face. Unless we address the shortage of trainers and assessors who can deliver programmes, the industry will be unable to meet demand within a few short years.”
Rattray said the Skills Legacy scheme was aimed primarily at engineers with practical experience and who may be in the later stages of their careers who were looking, either for a new challenge, or the chance to “give something back” to their industry by helping to foster a new generation of engineers.
Launched to coincide with National Apprenticeship Week 2025 (#NAW25), BESA’s nationwide scheme is bringing together employers, represented by BESA, and the FE sector to provide a pathway for anyone with the right skills, experience and qualifications to become a qualified trainer or assessor.
Individuals must be qualified to the level they assess and will be supporting courses in their own technical discipline. The Association has already put in place a national network of FE providers to deliver the nationally recognised training, assessor, and quality assurance (TAQA) Level 3 programme in every part of the UK.
“However, being a qualified assessor isn’t just about working in a local FE college,” said Rattray. “Businesses can also benefit from having trades assessors in-house for a variety of assessment requirements.
“End Point Assessment Organisations (EPAOs) are always looking for qualified assessors and quality assurance personnel, as are private training providers. So, individuals have lots of different ways to ‘give something back’ that will be of premium value to the industry and themselves.”
BESA is using NAW 2025 to launch a recruitment scheme, in partnership with the education sector, to sign up candidates for the Programme. It will also create an assessor register and work with educators and employers to celebrate those who complete the programme before embarking on their crucial role to help a new generation of apprentices.
Training to become an assessor/trainer will be delivered by the FE provider via a ‘hybrid’ remote and in-person format. On completing the course, the candidate will be added to the BESA Assessor Register and waiting list for their geographical area. They will then be allocated to their nearest BESA partner training provider.
“Without recruiting more trainers and assessors, we simply cannot address the skills shortages that building services employers say are the biggest threat to their businesses,” said Rattray. “This initiative is, therefore, urgently needed.
“Engineers often undervalue their own knowledge and experience because it might come naturally to them, but by offering to share it with a whole new generation they will be making an enormous contribution to the advancement of our industry, a new cohort of apprentices, and to the future of our built environment.”
For more information about joining this vital initiative go to the Skills Legacy Programme page.
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