Earlier this year, MCS consulted on the competency requirements associated with achieving and maintaining certification. This consultation closed on the 11th April 2022, having received responses from a wide range of organisations.
MCS would like to thank those who provided responses to the consultation. This consultation process has supported the implementation of the new MCS Competency Framework, to be defined through:
(1) A rewrite of MCS 025 as the MCS Competency Standard.
(2) The adoption of a new approach to the approval of training programmes assessed to be in alignment with the industry’s competency criteria for the installation of a given technology, and their delivery.
We expect to publish our new Competency Framework in September 2022.
Overview: revision of MCS 025 – The Competency Standard
Responses to the consultation broadly agreed with the proposal to streamline the previous range of ‘company roles’ described in MCS 025 to the two key roles of ‘Nominee’ and ‘Nominated Technical Person’ (NTP).
- Feedback suggested that the roles of Nominee and NTP would benefit from greater clarity, with a minority of respondents suggesting a change to the role titles. The upcoming revision to MCS 025 will now clarify the purpose of these two roles in achieving and maintaining MCS certification. As the roles are now generally understood by the sector, MCS intends to retain them as part of its competency framework.
- Responses requested that an NTP be able to evidence competency in more ways than had been listed in the proposed MCS 025 clause 3.2.2. This clause will now also refer to attaining personal certifications aligned to ISO 17024.
- The majority of respondents suggested that a contractor must notify their certification body (CB) of a change in Nominee or NTP within a shorter timeframe than was described in the proposed revisions to MCS 025. The upcoming revision to MCS 025 will require contractors to notify their CB of a change in Nominee or NTP within 30 days. Plus, given the importance of the NTP role, contractors will not be able to complete any installations until a replacement NTP is assigned.
Determining MCS competency requirements and approved training
Here is a summary of responses related to the basis of MCS competency requirements and an associated list of approved training that matches these competency requirements:
- Respondents welcomed the new MCS competency framework described in the consultation, including aligning MCS competency requirements to the Minimum Technical Competencies (MTCs) to create a consistent set of competency requirements across the industry.
- Respondents requested clarity on the approval process for new training provisions. This is provided in the response to Question 4 in the final section of this summary.
- Some respondents questioned the validity of qualifications ‘approved’ in the past and whether MCS would honour these qualifications. MCS will continue to recognise existing training provision, until such a time that retraining and/or reassessment is considered necessary e.g., if there is a significant change to the sector’s technological and/or working practices.
- Respondents requested clarity on the competencies necessary for heat pump system design, in line with MIS 3005 The Heat Pump Design Standard. MCS will publish separate heat pump design competencies and seek feedback from the sector, providing a basis for MCS approval of ‘design-only’ heat pump courses, given that the MTCs do not provide a distinct set of design-based competencies.
In-depth overview of the consultation responses
Here is a summary of feedback to the questions asked in the consultation. These responses have been used to support the design of the new MCS Competency Framework.
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We expect to publish the new MCS Competency Framework, which includes the revised MCS 025 Competency Standard, in September 2022.