Fire Systems NVQ: The Two-Year Appraisal

Back then, the qualification represented a major breakthrough. For the first time, experienced fire alarm engineers enjoyed access to a meaningful, practical and competence-based route that recognised real-world skills across design, installation, commissioning, maintenance, testing and auditing.

Two years on, the NVQ has not only proved its value, but also become an established benchmark for professionalism, progression and accountability within the fire sector.

Since the introduction of the Building Safety Act 2022, the competence landscape for fire safety has continued to evolve. Duty holders, principal contractors and clients now increasingly expect clear evidence of technician competence, auditable training and skills records, structured responsibility for system sign-off and technicians able to demonstrate currency and professionalism at all times.

The EAL Level 3 NVQ has become a core part of that picture. For many organisations, it provides a credible and defensible competence framework, while enabling engineers to obtain the ECS Fire Gold Technician card, itself now widely recognised as the standard for those managing or leading fire alarm system-focused work. Rather than being a course taken simply to gain a certificate, this work-based qualification has now embedded itself as a working tool for safer practice.

Professional pathway

Before the EAL Level 3 Diploma was introduced, many highly experienced engineers had no formal way in which to evidence their competence, despite years – and, in many cases, decades – of industry service.

The NVQ has helped to change that scenario. Through portfolio evidence, assessment against real workplace activities and an on-site audit, engineers can formalise and validate their practical knowledge, gain recognition for the responsibilities they already hold, progress from operative to technician or lead roles and strengthen their professional standing with employers and clients.

For many candidates, the qualification has also realised a stepping stone to professional registration through the Institution of Engineering and Technology and, ultimately, EngTech, thereby reinforcing the view that fire alarm engineering is a professional engineering discipline in its own right.

A defining strength of the Zzeus Training delivery approach remains its emphasis on hands-on and practice-led assessment. Every programme includes a minimum of four days’ practical, real-world equipment training, assessors and trainers who are active and working fire alarm technicians, structured portfolio evidence built from genuine workplace activities and a site audit that validates competence in context.

All trainers and assessors hold EQA, assessor and teaching qualifications, with lead trainer Buddy Squires holding a Master’s-level teaching qualification, in turn ensuring that assessment standards are rigorous, consistent and professionally delivered. This model has reassured employers that the NVQ is about competence, not box-ticking.

Accountability and assurance

For employers, the qualification has helped to strengthen competence evidence for audits and client assurance, internal progression and technician development pathways, confidence in appointing ‘lead person’ roles under BAFE SP203-1 and alignment with FESS occupational standards.

Organisations now report clearer structures around who’s competent to sign-off work, how technicians progress to greater responsibility and also how competence is demonstrated and recorded over time. In an environment where accountability matters more than ever, the NVQ has become part of a wider culture shift towards professionalisation in the sector.

Reflecting on the qualification’s journey to date, Zzeus Training’s managing director Tom Brookes stated: “When the first four Zzeus Training candidates completed the EAL Level 3 Diploma, it was a milestone not just for them, but also for the fire safety industry in general. Two years on, I’m proud to see the qualification firmly embedded as a recognised pathway for experienced engineers who want their competence to be properly evidenced and respected.”

Brookes added: “Our ambition was always to raise standards in a way that was practical, fair and rooted in real engineering work. Seeing learners progress in their careers, achieve their ECS Gold cards and gain professional recognition shows that the NVQ is doing exactly what it was designed to do. The early endorsement from Dame Judith Hackitt, acknowledging Zzeus Training as a pioneer in competency-led fire systems education, continues to resonate as the industry matures in response to new expectations around safety and responsibility.”

Across the last two years, a growing number of engineers have used the qualification to step into supervisory or senior technician roles, take formal responsibility for systems and sign-off, strengthen their employability and mobility across the sector and gain recognition for years of previously unrecognised experience.

The outcome? More competent practitioners, skills that are better evidenced and stronger confidence in those individuals entrusted with critical life safety systems.

The role of structured, practical and independently assessed qualifications will only increase. As such, Zzeus Training is constantly collaborating with industry bodies to develop qualifications that reflect real-world engineering practice, support technicians and employers through evolving standards and champion professionalism across the sector.

Reflecting on the NVQ

Gary Flockton, technical specialist for active fire systems at Part B (the award-winning fire engineering consultancy recognised for its ability to resolve complex fire safety challenges across projects of every scale throughout the UK) commented: “I was fortunate to be among the first individuals to achieve a Gold card through the Experienced Worker Route by completing the Level 3 NVQ in Electronic Fire Alarm Systems. This pathway enabled me to demonstrate my 20-plus years of experience at the same level as newly qualified technicians and to hold the same industry-recognised Gold card without needing to return to full-time education. This something that would not otherwise have been feasible given my lifestyle commitments.”

Flockton continued: “I’m grateful to Zzeus Training for championing the needs of experienced engineers and creating an accessible route to qualification. The team has clearly considered how mature engineers work. The online portal is exceptional. It’s intuitive, easy to use and suitable for users of any age or ability. It allows evidence to be uploaded remotely, eliminating unnecessary travel and disruption. In addition, Zzeus Training’s assessors visited me on-site to review my work, which made the process even more practical and flexible.”

Further, Flockton noted: “This approach offers a fair and robust way in which to evidence competency for individuals from a wide range of backgrounds, while keeping both costs and logistics reasonable. The financial investment is also very manageable. For any experienced fire alarm engineer, I genuinely don’t see why you wouldn’t pursue the qualification.”

In addition, Flockton observed: “Some assume the qualification is simply a tick-box exercise, but that has not been my experience. In my role at Part B, I serve as an active fire systems specialist within a fire engineering consultancy. As such, I’m often involved in evaluating contractors during competitive tenders. When several companies come forward for an active fire project and one of them evidences engineers who hold Gold cards, that immediately stands out.”

Embellishing that last point, Flockton explained: “The Gold card tells me they’ve been rigorously assessed, that they have invested time and effort into demonstrating their technical competence and that their work has been reviewed by some of the most knowledgeable and respected assessors in the industry. From a consultant’s perspective, that level of verified professionalism carries real weight. It reassures me that card holders are serious about standards, capability and the quality of the systems they’re delivering.”

In conclusion, Flockton commented: “Zzeus Training has made the process of gaining this qualification straightforward and accessible. Moving forward, I would be asking any professional operating in this field who doesn’t hold the qualification precisely why that’s the case.”

Holistic view

One of PartB’s USPs is the company’s ongoing commitment to look at fire safety in an holistic way, not only from a passive fire perspective, but also with the role and performance of active fire systems firmly in mind.

By investing in a dedicated active fire systems specialist role, Part B has strengthened the way in which fire systems are considered within the overall fire strategy. Gary Flockton’s role ensures these systems are technically robust, properly integrated and aligned with both the engineering design intent and real-world operational performance, thereby adding significant value for clients, design teams and end users alike.

*Further information is available online at www.zzeus.org.uk