Higher Apprenticeship – Building Services Engineering Senior Technician – Level 4

The typical duration for this apprenticeship is three years (does not include the EPA of 4 months) but this will depend upon the previous experience of the apprentice and access to opportunities to gain the full range of competence.

Successful apprentices will gain a Level 4 qualification HNC in Construction (Building Services – Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning) – please see relevant course page for more information – that meets the knowledge requirements of the standard and is approved by the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers as meeting the educational requirements for EngTech LCIBSE.

English and Maths at Level 2 will need to be achieved before taking the End-point Assessment and will form part of the Level 4 qualification.

This apprenticeship will include the knowledge, skills and behaviours required to achieve Technician status with the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (EngTech LCIBSE).  The Technician Professional Review process for EngTech LCIBSE is included in the End-point Assessment process for this apprenticeship and will lead to the designatory letters EngTech LCIBSE and the status of Engineering Technician. 

You can read more about this apprenticeship standard on this link Building services engineering senior technician / Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education

You need to be highly motivated and working in the building services industry. You should have at least one of the following:

• Level 3 qualification with an overall grade equivalent of “Merit”. This could be a BTEC Level 3 qualification in Building Services Engineering, a BTEC Level 3 qualification in Construction and The Built Environment, three A-Levels in relevant subjects or Level 3 in Engineering. An international equivalent of the above is also accepted.
• Relevant work/industrial experience of five years (Full-time). If this work experience is not supported by education qualifications such as GCSEs then a minimum proficiency in Maths and English at Level 2 need to be evidenced.

Offers of a place on the course are dependent on your achieved qualifications and successful interview.

Please note ‘In line with the Consumer Act and as articulated in our Student Protection Plan, we reserve the right to close a course, if there are insufficient students to make the course viable’.

The main duties and tasks of a Building Services Engineering Senior Technician are:

• Duty 1 Propose building services engineering solutions to well-defined technical problems, by preparing, producing and presenting engineering diagrams and documents, to engineering specifications, industry codes of practice, regulations, standards, and procedures
• Duty 2 Deliver appropriate and effective technical building services engineering solutions, by selecting, reviewing and evaluating data and technical information, and by using a range of appropriate engineering methods and processes, including the undertaking of complex calculations
• Duty 3 Manage building services tasks and supervise team members, by applying engineering management principles to effectively identify, organise and use resources within projects to specification, whilst recording and reporting against agreed budgets or costs, targets and timescales, and with consideration for quality, safety and the contracted terms and conditions
• Duty 4 Contribute to the design of building services systems, checking the systems designed meet the requirements of the end user or business need, and that relevant industry standards and procedures are adhered to
• Duty 5 Use a range of practical and workshop skills, selecting and applying appropriate materials, equipment, technologies and processes, to plan, undertake and analyse building services activities
• Duty 6 Use analytical and engineering analysis software (such as Computer Aided Design (CAD) or Revit), digital data modelling systems (such as Building Information Management (BIM) or Building Energy Management Systems (BEMS)) to inform, develop or manage building service engineering solutions recognising the limitations of the techniques used
• Duty 7 Ensure compliance with health, safety & welfare requirements, apply safe systems of work, for example the Construction (Design and Management) regulation, understanding the safety implications of their role, ensuring they apply and improve safe systems of work
• Duty 8 Identify, evaluate and mitigate risks associated with their own work, and in the projects and activities they are responsible for
• Duty 9 Comply with relevant policies, standards, regulations, legislation, strategies, technical guidance, and codes of practice, for example Building Safety legislation or BSI Flex 8670, ensuring they are interpreted, and communicated correctly and appropriately
• Duty 10 Comply with environmental policies and legislation, practice sustainable principles, and evaluate how these impact on the building services engineering projects they work on, and how these assist in the achievement of United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDG) and net-zero carbon emissions
• Duty 11 Use quality and information management, and assurance systems and processes, for example ISO 19650, recognising the need for these and their role in continuous improvement
• Duty 12 Communicate and liaise effectively with own project team, and those in other teams, such as customers or specialist contractors, and with internal or external stakeholders, respecting the need for the security of data and information
• Duty 13 Work reliably and effectively independently without close supervision, and as a member of a team, taking responsibility for their own work, and supervising others where appropriate
• Duty 14 Ensure compliance with equality, diversity & inclusion (EDI) and ethical standards, recognising the importance of these in the workplace
• Duty 15 Plan and maintain own learning and skills development by carrying out continuing professional development in line with professional codes of conduct and/or industry specifications and obligations, and promoting the benefits of this to others

Requirements:

Knowledge

• K1: Engineering principles, underpinned by relevant scientific, theoretical and technical knowledge and understanding to solve well-defined building services engineering problems
• K2: Building services engineering techniques, procedures and methods used for building services engineering systems, to either measure and test, design, install, commission, maintain or operate
• K3: Advanced mathematical, statistical and analytical problem-solving tools
• K4: Properties of, and selection criteria for materials, components or parts used in building services solutions
• K5: Techniques and methods to collect data and technical information for analysis and evaluation
• K6: Design principles and control processes used in the building services engineering consultancy, construction or manufacturing process, and the common constraints faced
• K7: Technical drawings, designs, and models, using analytical and computer-based software packages
• K8: Uses and limitations of computational and digital models, including Building Information Modelling (BIM)
• K9: Industry policies, standards, regulations and legislation, and codes of practice, including Building Safety legislation or BSI Flex 8670
• K10: Statutory health, safety and welfare policies, procedures, and regulations including Construction (Design and Management) (CDM)
• K11: Risk assessment and mitigation processes, and their importance in the building services environment
• K12: Principles of sustainable development and their impact on the lifecycle of building services engineering solutions, including United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDG), net-zero carbon emissions, environmental policies and legislations, and the climate change act
• K13: Project management techniques, including quality and information management and assurance systems and continuous improvement processes
• K14: Methods for planning and resourcing building services engineering tasks, and the impact on cost, quality, safety, security, and environment
• K15: Methods of communication and when to use them, using appropriate engineering terminology and conventions
• K16: Roles and responsibilities within the organisation, team dynamics and their own boundaries of authority
• K17: Relationships between key organisations in the building services engineering sector (for example organisations, customers, partners and suppliers)
• K18: Equality, diversity and inclusion, its importance and impact on building services engineering solutions
• K19: Ethical principles as applied to building services engineering including the need for security of data and information
• K20: Methods to maintain professional competence and technical knowledge including initial professional development (IPD) and continuing professional development (CPD)

Skills 

• S1: Apply engineering principles, using relevant scientific, theoretical and technical know-how to solve well-defined building services engineering problems
• S2: Apply building services engineering techniques, procedures and methods, and review the results, when measuring and testing, designing, installing, commissioning, maintaining or operating building services engineering systems
• S3: Employ a range of advanced mathematical, statistical and data interpretation tools, using analytical and computational methods to interpret and solve well-defined building services engineering problems
• S4: Interpret and compare performance information to choose compliant materials, components or parts
• S5: Select and use technical literature and other sources of information and data to address well-defined building services engineering problems
• S6: Produce and interpret building services engineering technical drawings, designs, and models, using analytical and computer-based software packages, recognising the limitations of the software used
• S7: Produce building services engineering technical solutions in accordance with relevant industry standards, procedures, codes of practice, regulations, and legislation
• S8: Comply with, and encourage others to demonstrate, statutory health, safety and welfare policies, procedures and regulation
• S9: Complete risk assessments to identify, evaluate and mitigate risks
• S10: Apply principles of sustainable development, and assess the impact of these in their work
• S11: Employ project management techniques, measuring and recording progress against building services engineering project plans
• S12: Assess and report on quality using appropriate management and assurance systems and continuous improvement processes
• S13: Identify and use resources, equipment and technology to meet project requirements, including specifications, budget and timescales
• S14: Monitor and manage individual performance, and supervise others, recognising the need to comply with appropriate codes of practice and equality, diversity & inclusion (EDI) requirements
• S15: Communicate using appropriate methods for the audience, using appropriate engineering terminology and conventions
• S16: Apply ethical principles to building services engineering projects, including the secure use of data and information
• S17: Plan, undertake and review their own professional competence, updating and reviewing their CPD to improve performance

Behaviours

• B1: Works to health, safety and welfare requirements, industry standards, statutory regulation and legislation, policies, and codes of practice, and ensuring others do likewise
• B2: Makes independent decisions when delivering building services engineering projects, whilst knowing their own limitations and when to ask for help or to escalate
• B3: Works individually and as part of a team, being aware of their actions and the impact they may have on others, and demonstrating awareness of diversity and inclusion issues so as to meet the requirement of fairness at work
• B4: Solves problems with attention to detail, accuracy, and diligence, and seeks to continually improve
• B5: Maintains professional and ethical working relationships with internal, external, and other stakeholders
• B6: Takes responsibility for their own professional development, seeking opportunities to enhance their knowledge, skills, and experience, and support others when requested

For more information on the qualification part of the apprenticeship, please visit the course page for “HNC in Construction (Building Services – Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning)” on DCG’s website.

This will be a combination or work-based learning and learning at the college by completing an HNC qualification on part-time basis. Please visit the course page “HNC in Construction (Building Services – Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning)” on DCG’s website for more information.

You will need to purchase a scientific calculator for the mathematical calculations in your course work. For voice-over PowerPoint presentations you will need access to a microphone. 

You will also need access to a computer or laptop with internet, Windows 7 Operating System or above, Microsoft Office 2010 or above, and the ability to run AutoCAD Architecture which can be downloaded for free. 

The purchase of appropriate books and e-books is encouraged and guidance on which books to purchase will be given by subject specialists. 

You will need to build a portfolio of work-based learning evidence with the help of your assessor in readiness for the end point assessment (EPA) at the end of your apprenticeship. For the assessment of the HNC qualification, please visit the course page for “HNC in Construction (Building Services – Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning)” on DCG’s website.

The purpose of BTEC HNC in Construction (Building Services – Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning) is to develop students as professional, self-reflecting individuals able to meet the demands of employers in the Construction and Building Services Engineering sectors and adapt to a constantly changing world. The qualification aims to widen access to higher education and enhances the career prospects of those who undertake it.

You could progress to an HND Level 5 or to a BSc/BEng degree or degree apprenticeship (Level 6) in a related discipline, drawing on the broad knowledge base you will have gained from this course.

Completing this Level 4 Higher National Certificate will pave the way into employment in one of the following job roles:

• Heating/Cooling System Designer
• Heating/Cooling System Installer
• Acoustics Designer/Installer
• Assistant design engineer
• Assistant engineer
• Building services engineering senior technician
• Building services engineering supervisor
• Building services site technician
• Infrastructure senior technician
• Mechanical engineering senior technician
• Senior BIM technician
• Senior construction technician
• Senior design technician
• Senior engineering technician
• Senior MEP technician
• Senior REVIT technician
• Senior site technician

We encourage you to become a member of the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE) at licentiate level.

For more information contact Derby College on 0800 0280289 or enquiries@derby-college.ac.uk