The BSE National Progression Award

National Progression Awards (NPAs) provide those preparing for work with opportunities to develop skills much sought after by employers.

The Building Services Engineering (BSE) National Progression Award has been re-accredited by the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) and is ready for delivery in August 2016.

The NPA in Building Services Engineering at SCQF level 5 introduces learners to techniques that are important in our sector. The NPA has been developed to provide a bridge between the school age group and the Apprenticeship. It is based on National Occupational Standards (NOS) and is aimed at those who do not necessarily have any prior experience or knowledge of the BSE sector.

The main purpose of the award is to make learners aware of and prepare for employment within any of the BSE industries of Electrotechnical, Plumbing & Heating, Heating & Ventilation and Air Conditioning & Refrigeration.

The NPA is, in effect, a pre-apprenticeship award which enables learners to think differently and aim towards progressing on to the full apprenticeship.

SELECT unveils survey of its Members at EDA event

Less than a quarter of electrical firms want to buy products online, a SELECT survey has revealed.

Most would far prefer to have face-to-face or phone contact with distributors according to a questionnaire put to Member companies.

Newell McGuiness delivered the findings at a regional business forum for Electrical Distributors' Association members in May.

In his 'Great Expectations' presentation, he said that the results had come as a bit of shock to him, given the increasing shift to online.

"Initially I was surprised about that," said McGuiness. "But then I thought, maybe no, because at SELECT our unique selling point is getting face-to-face contact with our Members. We spend a huge amount of time visiting our Members and speaking to them personally and they tell us they really, really like that."