Heres' the MCS Stuff
MCS 001 Para 17 requires
"All staff employed in installation, set to work and/or commissioning activities
must have received adequate training in each of the areas/operations in which they are involved.
The MCS Contractor
must have a training record for each employee which details training received, and any qualifications or certificates held by the individual. The record should be signed or verified by the employee.
The MCS Contractor must have a record detailing the MCS related activities for which each individual is approved on the basis of their competence.
The competencies required for MCS Contractors are detailed in the relevant installation standards."
So that points to MIS 3002 which says
"5.3
Please see Appendix A below which contains the required roles which will need to be fulfilled by the MCS Contractor for this MIS 3002 standard.
5.4
The competence criteria to be demonstrated by the MCS Contractor can be found via the MCS website (
www.microgenerationcertification.org). In addition to this, the MCS Contractor guidance on how to achieve compliance and the descriptions of the required roles which will need to be fulfilled can also be found on the MCS website (
www.microgenerationcertification.org)."
So that points back to the MCS Document
I have this document : MCS Scheme Criteria Matrix Issue 2.0 Last Updated : 21st November 2014 Con;t see it on the MCS Website......
which says
"This document should be read in conjunction with Section 5 and Appendix A of the relevant MCS Installer Standard, and the Installer Certification Scheme Competency Criteria Guidance.
Where criteria have been identified to underpin roles, as set out in the above documents, the matrices below show various pathways to demonstrating that competence.
The matrices provide links to the relevant pages of the Ofqual website which show the knowledge outcomes that must be demonstrated to the Certification Body.
These Ofqual links have been used because the same competency criteria underpin both the Experienced Workers Route and qualifications, and so the publicly available information on that site is relevant to both routes.
For clarity, there is no requirement(1) to gain qualifications."
(1) says
"Except where statutorily required"
This document MCS_Installer_Guidance_v1.0 (MCS025-20131216) then says:
"3. EXPERIENCED WORKERS ROUTE
The identified competency criteria provide a matrix of the knowledge required for a number of roles.
Some of this knowledge could be demonstrated through training and qualifications. However the roles also allow for an “Experienced Workers Route” for individuals wishing to be assessed who do not hold or wish to gain the formal qualifications relevant to the technology concerned
The Experienced Workers Route is designed to take into account demonstrable experience and other evidence such as internal and external training completed (such as manufacturer’s training).
This route will cover the same criteria as the approved qualification route and will be delivered in a similar way in terms of assessment outcomes.
All companies should consider which approach is best suited for their individual needs and circumstances."
The above -
"Some" definitely doesn't mean all of it can be demonstrated that way
Then 2 pages of tables then:
"Any evidence submitted to the MCS Certification Body shall be sufficiently robust so as to allow an audit trail to be followed when the evidence is evaluated by the MCS Certification Body.
Companies wishing to explore the Experienced Workers Route should contact their MCS Certification Body, who will be able to provide guidance on the application process."
SO, I'm going to call NAPIT - our body tommorrow - they have mentioned the qualifications before but never REQUIRED it, - we got all our technologies certified before this was a required route - they said that so long as the staff didn't change then we were OK on the on the experience route, new staff added to the list would have to have the qualifications.
THOUGHTS ......
