BPEC celebrates 30 years of leadership in the provision of training and qualifications

This year BPEC will celebrate 30 years of delivering industry leading qualifications, assessments, learning materials and learning materials to the plumbing and heating industry and the wider energy sector. Established in 1992, it is a unique organisation led by employers for the benefit of the sector, and all surplus funds generated by its activities are re-invested by The BPEC Charity.

This anniversary comes at a time when BPEC is continuing its expansion into training and qualifications for Heat Pumps, Electrical Energy Storage, and Fire, Emergency & Security Systems, plus delivering services internationally.

BPEC’s Chief Executive Officer, Neil Collishaw says, “The last 30 years have been a huge success story for BPEC, and indeed the industry, as it has made a major contribution to raising the skills of so many people.  This is something the Directors and staff within BPEC are immensely proud of and their passion to continue to serve the industry remains as strong as ever – here’s to the next 30 years”.

Company highlights from the past 30 years include:

1992: BPEC established and recognised as an Industry Training Organisation

1996: Appointed as the National Training Organisation for the Plumbing & Heating industry

1997: Accredited as a Certification Body

2007: Opens UK Head Office in Derby 

2010: Accredited as an Awarding Organisation

2012: Launched a series of charitable awards to support the plumbing & heating industry

2014: The BPEC Charity Life Award supports plumbing improvements in Nicaragua

2015: Published the first edition of the BPEC Brief –  An Education & Training Policy Update

2016: BPEC supports plumbing projects overseas in the Gambia

2017: BPEC is added to the Register of End-point Assessment Organisations

2018: BPEC is the first End-point Assessment organisation to deliver Gas Engineering EPAs

2019: BPEC spearheads the campaign to promote the new L3 apprenticeship programme

2020: Approved to deliver End-point Assessments in Plumbing and Heating

2021: BPEC delivers plumbing training materials in New Zealand and Cyprus 

2022: Roll out delivery for End-point Assessments for the Fire and Security apprenticeship

2022 + beyond: BPEC working closely with MCS to develop new products for microgeneration and the renewable energy

In 2002 BPEC handed over responsibility for qualifications, careers and strategic skills planning to SummitSkills, who became the Sector Skills Council for the BSE sector.

At this point in BPEC’s history the Directors undertook a fundamental review of its role and how it should continue to support the industry in meeting its training and skills needs.  From this review BPEC’s strategy changed to focus on developing practical, cost effective and innovative training solutions delivered through a network of approved centres across the whole of the UK.

It is vital to mention The BPEC Charity and the role it has played as it has funded the development of many projects that promote the benefits of a career in the plumbing industry to talented young people. It organises the highly successful SkillPLUMB skills competitions for apprentices throughout the UK which can lead onto the opportunity for selection to World Skills. It launched the BPEC Awards for Excellence in 2021 and also funds a number of awards such as its Life Award, which supports plumbing professionals in using their skills to make a difference to the lives of people who are less fortunate, both in the UK and abroad.

For more information, please contact marketing@bpec.org.uk