On Tuesday 30 July 2024, senior leaders from the six awarding organisations responsible for approving training providers and quality assuring the examination process joined representatives from Ofqual and the SIA to explore further measures for tackling training malpractice and fraud.

The awarding organisations in attendance were BIIAB, Highfield Qualifications, Laser Awards, Pearson, QNUK and SFJ Awards.

The summit convened by the SIA explored areas including:

the need for strengthened intelligence sharing to root out poor training centres and individual trainers, and the practical and legal obstacles to achieving this
the presence of organised crime in training malpractice and fraud, and the links to labour exploitation the operational implications of dual regulation by Ofqual and the SIA for the awarding organisations, and the need for joined-up working
a potential review of Get Training, the SIA’s published rules for awarding organisations and training providers

Commenting on the day, Paul Fullwood, SIA Director of Inspections and Enforcement, said:

The public safety role of SIA licence holders means that the quality and integrity of the training they receive at the start of their career is critical.

We all need to be confident that those who hold SIA licences receive the correct entry level qualification.

The aim of this summit was to bring everyone together to establish a joint vision for tackling this issue. We are not naïve and acknowledge this problem won’t be eradicated overnight or independently by each of the parties concerned.

What is clear from this summit, is there is a genuine commitment from everyone to do their best in creating a hostile environment for anyone seeking to undermine the integrity of the SIA licence linked qualification. This is the cooperation we need to build on in taking forward strategies to root out any training malpractice in this sector.