Fire, Emergency & Security Systems (FESS) Apprenticeships

As part of the government's Trailblazer Initiative, an employer group with the support of the FSA, BSIA, FIA and other industry stakeholders have developed a Fire, Emergency and Security Systems Technicians Apprenticeship which was launched in February 2017. It focuses on Empoyer-designed apprenticeships standards to ensure apprentices' training and assessment meet precise industry and business needs.

To find out more about the apprenticeship click on the grid items below to expand. Alternatively, you can download our pocket guide.

What's New
The standards is now a Level 3 Apprenticeship with a choice of Pathways, a core module and an end assessment. There will also be an opportunity to transfer Level 2 City and Guilds - Electronic Security and Emergency Systems (1853) & Providing Security and Emergency Systems (2882) - to this new apprenticeship.
What's the cost?
For the majority of employers, the government will cover 90% of the costs. A co-investment programme automatically pays the Training Provider via an online account.
Funding
The Digital Apprenticeship Service (from May 2017) creates a funding pot calculated on PAYE payments. For businesses with a payroll of less than £3m 90% of the funding comes from the Government and those with less than 50 Employees receive 100%. The Apprenticeship Levy encourages businesses with a payroll greater than £3m to invest in Apprenticeships. This contribution can be claimed back by employing Apprentices and the Government will provide a 10% top-up to the funding pot. More information can be found on pages 5 & 6 of this pocket guide.
Funding for less than £3 million Payroll
- SME employs an Apprentice

- Selects a Training Provider

- Funding band 12 - £18,000 (max) this is to cover 3 years (36 months) of training (not salary). You may find that your training provider will do this for less than the maximum.

- 90% paid by Government co-investment

- Extra support is available for 16-18 year olds or 19-24 care leavers. The Education or Health Care Plan is as follows:

- £1,000 to the Employer and £1,000 to the Training Provider

- 100% of funding if less than 50 employees
Funding for more than £3 Million Payroll
- Employers won’t pay the first £15k of the levy

- Select a Training Provider

- Employer will receive a 10% levy top-up

- This only applies if the payroll is in England

- Collected monthly on live HMRC payroll data

- Digital Account showing funds available

- The SFA draws down the levy funds monthly. These payments expire after 24 months

For full details on this, please refer to the pocket guide.
Recruitment & Training Providers
The Employer can choose the Training Provider from a National Network. The Employer can also choose an End Point Assessment (EPA) organisation - the third party company who are required to mark the final observations and exams.

Apprenticeship vancancies can be posted online at www.a4fs.org
Pathways & Assessment
Choose which pathway best suits both your business and the Apprentice’s journey:

- Security (combined Intruder, CCTV and Access Control Systems)

- Fire

- Fire & Emergency Lighting

- Fire & Security

All pathways include core modules with the addition of units relevant to the chosen discipline to create high quality engineers. 80% of the training will happen ‘on the job’ through experience and mentoring. 20% of the Apprenticeship will be knowledge based. The final part of the Apprenticeship is the End Point Assessment (EPA). This can be taken in the final 12 weeks of the Apprenticeship. The Apprenticeship will take 36 months to complete with the Apprentice becoming an increasingly valuable asset to your business each year.