Having attended the city and guilds course I would say that the main problem was the fact that a lot of time in the class was spent signing ALL of the forms, which in my opinion wasted time as we could have simply taken documents home to sign. I understand that for you if a candidate takes them home and never comes back, you will probably lose the money.
The course would greatly benefit by having max two days in a classroom and one day in the field as a group, as well as being assessed a few weeks later on your own work.
I also believe that in order to gain an NVQ a candidate should be expected to gain training and passing perhaps at least two of the following - Safety Harness Training – PASMA – IPAF – Ladder Training- IRATA.
Cradle training should be made available and perhaps this is something the Clean it up board could help create, as there seems to be nothing available formally, and as a collective group this should be achievable.
I also think that an outdoor training facility should be made available this could possibly be held at a large building, where techniques such as water fed poling, laddering, correct use of squeegees and showing how to rig up a cradle and use one safely. Perhaps even adding in a demonstration on a mewp. This would then demonstrate working at height safely, as I believe many of the window cleaners who have trained are possibly single guys working on houses using water fed poles only. The danger being that they manage to secure a fifty storey building for window cleaning because they have shown their NVQ and believe themselves to be capable, then set about getting INTO a cradle for the very first time, ( I know on the course you recommend training by the manufacturer but will this be done?) and as you are aware this would be very dangerous for the PROPERLY untrained/unskilled window cleaners. I know as well as the rest of you that this is very unlikely, but what would happen if it did? Would you be held liable/responsible anyway?
For me as a company owner I will put my staff through the course, and will continue to put them on many types of courses throughout their working life whilst in my employment. BUT first I will fully train them in ALL of the methods and practices I have acquired over the past twenty five years or so, which I myself were taught by window cleaners who had themselves been working as window cleaners for up to fifty years.
I know I don’t know everything, and I am still capable of learning more, but I think before an employee goes on an intensive course of any kind they should have a good understanding of health and safety as well as being competent at what they do within their industry.
I fully understand your business model and I think it is great, well thought out and I am sure very profitable for all concerned, however I really think that with effort it could be a MUST for all window cleaners.
It however is NOT a joke nor a waste of time for anybody to be trained and undertake qualifications - WHAT HAVE YOU GOT TO LOSE BY DOING ANY COURSES?