The first building services engineering technicians have completed a year of their advanced apprenticeship developed by the Technician Apprenticeship Consortium, the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers has announced.

TAC was established to deliver the business need for skilled technicians as a response to the looming engineering skills gap facing the UK.


CIBSE supports TAC's progress as it encourages new routes into the profession, a key objective of the CIBSE Diversity Panel. Since it started just over three years ago, TAC, working with colleges across the UK, has been able to offer over 500 students the opportunity of advanced technician apprenticeships in civil and building services. The building services apprenticeship is mapped to the requirements for EngTech registration, which then offers a progression pathway to CEng, if appropriate.


Joseph Halliday, an apprentice benefiting from TAC, commented: "After completing A Levels I wanted to continue my education, however the selection of university courses I had looked into didn't appeal to me. After a careers meeting at my sixth form, I applied to engineering firms and obtained a building services apprenticeship at ARUP."


For more information on the Diversity Panel, visit www.cibse.org/diversity. If you are interested in further information about the Consortium or to become a member, contact the project manager Sheila Hoile at sheila@hoileassociates.co.uk.