Asset Skills seeks a pool of FM talent

08 April 2010

FM and cleaning professionals are being sought to become industry assessors for a range of new vocational qualifications.

Asset Skills, the Sector Skills Council for FM and cleaning, has established a pilot Virtual Skills Academy for Business Services, to help deliver a range of new vocational qualifications and apprenticeships, developed in consultation with industry.
“Work based assessment qualifications are new to facilities management and the demand from employers and candidates is strong,” says Karen Waterlow, FM and Cleaning Specialist at Asset Skills. “We are looking to recruit a pool of assessors to help providers deliver these new awards over several years. Ensuring assessors come forward with good industry knowledge will help maintain the quality and reputation of the qualifications.”
Extensive, hands on and up-to-date job experience and industry knowledge are crucial components. If you like communicating your skills to others, use your knowledge to support colleagues gain a qualification in the workplace. Assessors use their knowledge to deliver programmes that support candidates to meet the industry standard and gather appropriate evidence to gain the qualification. This is a good opportunity for someone looking to use their professional expertise to support learning and development in the FM sector. Assessors can combine the role with their existing job after taking a qualification such as the Level 3 Award in Assessing Candidates Using a Range of Methods - known as the A1.
The Asset Skills assessor pool will be made available to further education organisations such as awarding bodies, colleges and training providers as they move into this new market and seek the industry knowledge to support their efforts. There are also other opportunities to become involved in the quality management of the assessment process itself, through roles such as Internal Verifiers and External Assessors.
Work based qualifications are emerging for the Facilities Management industry – find out more from www.assetskills.org or email fm@assetskills.org. Becoming an assessor gives experienced FMs the opportunity to pass on their industry knowledge. Assessors can work within their existing organisation or for a training provider.
The main qualification is the A1 Assessors Award, available from colleges and training providers. Contact the Institute of Assessors and Internal Verifiers www.iavltd.co.uk
For more information contact Karen Waterlow by email at kwaterlow@assetskills.org or call 01392 423 399 or 07733 224 902.