2 Nov 2021
Throughout 2021 meetings took place with employers and specialist trainers, with support from the Institute of Refrigeration and City & Guilds, to review the RACHP "Trailblazer" apprenticeship originally developed by an employers’ group in 2021-2015 and approved for delivery in 2015. In 2021 the first successful new Apprenticeships have been awarded.
The Occupation Standard and Assessment Plan below will set the requirements for government-funded Apprenticeships at Level 3 and are aligned to the Engineering Council requirements for Engineering Technician. The documents follow the mandatory requirements of Government funded Apprenticeship programmes. The review has identified some areas for amendment to ensure that the apprenticeships continue to meet employer needs, are practical to deliver and provide a consistently high standard of assessment across centres.
Input is now sought from a wider group of employers of apprentices on the proposed changes as part of industry consultation. The documents showing proposed changes are available for download from these links. The deadline for the consultation is 15th December 2021.
If sufficient support for changes is received by employers these changes will be proposed to the approvals body The Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education and in due course the changes will be introduced to training centres and assessment bodies.
For more background on the Apprenticeship please see https://ior.org.uk/careers/apprenticeship-trailblazers
We also expect to hold a webinar later in the year to review the proposed changes and industry feedback.
2 Mar 2026
Members are invited to attend the launch of the IOR's Industry Skills Alliance. This event is open to individuals interested in shaping the future of the skills agenda for the RACHP sector. Find out more about the evet and the role of the Skills Alliance here.
3 Mar 2026
The Engineering and Building Services Skills Alliance (EBSSA) published recently their strategic Sector Skills Plan, as part of the work undertaken by the Construction Mission Skills Board.
2 Mar 2026
The paper for the IOR TechTalk on “Unscrambling the Refrigerant Clutter for the Future” on 5th March is now available. This is a great chance to hear the authors explore the topic in depth and put your questions to them.
26 Feb 2026
We're delighted to announce that the IOR Technician App has been shortlisted as a finalist for the ACR News Awards in the Training Initiative of the Year Category.
24 Feb 2026
A review of the IOR Constitution has been carried out to ensure it complies with current Charity Commission guidance and improve the wording for clarity. Open for consultation and comment by members until 30th April 2026.