NCRQ - What is happening?
Update 28-10-22
Hi everyone, apologies for the delay in getting an update onto this blog. A reminder that this blog was set up to give some form of information to former NCRQ students, who have been seeking answers regarding their own individual circumstances.
I have tried to like share and comment as much as possible on the emerging news from the wider Linkedin community.
A lot has came to light and passed since the last update on the 7th of October. The regulating body for the qualification, AIM, have stated that the new company which obsorbed NCRQ’s qualifications (Hatten Education), has not met the requirements, to be certified as a training provider for their qualification.
Hatten’s website and Linkedin page are now not accessible, so we can draw our own conclusions from this. The future of the amazing qualification framework which revolutionised our profession (former NCRQ Certificates and Diploma) and the balanced learning style approach, is unknown.
AIM have now started issuing certificates for all completed qualification levels to learners who were registered with AIM (either by NCRQ before the insolvency or by you since registering with them). I urge all students who have not already done so to contact AIM and visit their information page: AIM
The problem is that learners who were currently half way through a qualification, or a certificate within a qualification, do not have any further information on how to complete these. Additionally, current ‘part way through’ learners have no further information on whether the work done by them up to now, will even be recognised or honoured by a new organisation, who may or may not take on the AIM qualification framework. Its a travesty that people are finding out via social media. There has been a NCRQ / Hatten saga group created on LinkedIn so I recommend signing up for that if you are affected in this way. Linkedin group
AIM are discussing and working with other training providers within the sector to try and work out a solution. I know the British Safety Council is one of those working hard behind the scenes along with other ‘larger’ organisations, so hopefully the qualifications that were NCRQ, come into the mainstream to allow learners to compete their studies.
I also feel it would be beneficial if these qualifications became licensable to other providers, large and small such as ourselves, to ensure the monopolisation by one company does not occur again.
As a training provision company ourselves, we have tried to get information on the specific learning outcomes applicable to the NCRQ qualifications, in the hope that we could map and match learners completed elements and units, to our NVQ Level 6 Diploma product.
The point of these enquiries, was to try and create an avenue for learners to continue studies on an alternative qualification, but limit costs due to a process called Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL). If we could do this, it would reduce the cost of the NVQ that we offer, due to reduced assessor hours for completion. Unfortunately we cannot do this, therefore anyone wishing to get back on the Diploma journey will have to start again, if choosing us. As a reminder we are offering this at cost price to former students left in the lurch at £980 and there is also a two payment option. We know there are other providers also offering this type of deal, so please peruse providers and select according to your own needs.
If you need to have a chat about this to get more information and to understand what is involved in this NVQ Diploma route, then please contact me at kelvin@2020safetytraining.co.uk or info@2020safetytraining.co.uk and we can ascertain whether this is a suitable and viable route for you.
Any likes or shares of this would be appreciated to ensure that everyone affected is as informed as possible.
Keep safe everyone.
UPDATE 7-10-22
IOSH now have an online form to register for updates, regarding any one impacted by the NCRQ qualifications and the transfer over to Hatten Education. Please sign up.
link removed - check the IOSH website.
UPDATE 6-10-22
Hatten education now have a site to register as a previous learner and to transfer NCRQ qualifications over to Hatten.
link here:
https://hatten.org.uk/ncrq-student-registration/
I notice there is definitely no selection point for the Fire Risk Diploma to transfer over.
Additionally there is a check box to be reminded about future training offerings from them…
enrolments to commence: 17th October
Portal access: 31st October
Assessment requests and submissions: 31st October
Marked submissions released: 14th November
you will receive an email once enrolment is complete
As many of you know, I am involved in Health in safety both as an active advisor and leader in the field, as well as an owner, trainer and assessor for a small consultancy, training and qualification provision company.
I do offer an alternative to this qualification on this website, however I am writing this, as I have had almost a hundred messages asking what I know and also a post which is being updated regularly by the NCRQ alumni, learners and wider HSE community.
I have never completed this qualification, however have heard great things about it. It falls in between the NEBOSH Diploma and the NVQ Diploma as balance between academic and vocational (doing) learning styles.
So NCRQ are insolvent, therefore cannot meet their financial obligations. link here:
https://www.ncrq.org.uk/ncrq-statement/
They are laying the blame on IOSH for court fees regarding a legal dispute regarding trademarks.
NCRQ have signed over/sold the rights to the training to Hatten Education, which happens to be some of the same people who ran the NCRQ qualifications.
It seems like they acquired a shelf company which was previously active, changed the name and started trading in August this year. Hatten have released a post on linkedin saying they will honour current learners except from fire risk diploma qualifications, so get in touch with them.
Link here:
Companies house link:
https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/11901248/filing-history
Please note, these are findings from links, statements and internet searches. additionally some personal opinion is presented here. Should you have any other information on this please get in touch and I can update the community.
NCRQ are a private company listed on companies’ house. You can search the information on their filings, accounts and directors here:
https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/09063141/officers
They seemed to have cash and assets in the bank as of last years financial returns, however their are some liabilities to creditors on the balance sheet. Nothing however which would give cause for concern regarding the companies ability to trade, except of course the court fees accrued due to infringement on IOSH trademarks (no data available on this online).
To deliver qualifications, the provision company (in this case NCRQ) need to satisfy the requirements of the awarding body or institution (in this case Ofqual). The private company NCRQ can then sell their courses as accredited by a leading awarding body, which satisfies specific requirements by protecting the efficacy of the materials and learning process, whilst offering validity to the learning journey and qualification achieved by the learners.
NCRQ do this through an organisation called: AIM Qualification
Link to their website here:
Telephone number courtesy of Faye on LI: 01332 341822 Please register with them.
NCRQ qualifications will no longer be recognised by AIM, however fro the Hatten education website, they have provisional acceptance from AIM for the relaunched and rebranded NCRQ products.
This does not implicate AIM in any way, and I would imagine they may have been the ones to pause the certification, if they were not happy with the learning journey or provision or the financial / legal status of NCRQ. It seems they are piggy in the middle and would not divulge any information on the process of the case, due to confidentiality and data protection clauses and laws.
See this LI thread
Over the course of the past weeks, people have received pass and fail emails with no tutor feedback, tutors and assessors have left the organisation and more worryingly, all directors have recently resigned from the board leaving one person in sole charge of the organisation.
All of this paints a worrying picture and the information shared online today states that NCRQ have indeed gone into administration.
What can you do now if you are a learner in the throws of the qualification? Well sorry to say but not a lot. Sit it out and wait for information from the companies involved and what is actually going on. Register with Hatten if you are still studying or awaiting a certificate. If you have paid for your Fire Risk qualification then contact your bank or credit card company to see if the cash can be reversed.
You can also contact AIM, who are taking the names of people who are currently studying, enrolled and / or waiting for certificates to be delivered.
Link to their information / contact form here:
https://www.aim-group.org.uk/contact/
Keep an eye on the LI post linked above, as there are lots of people feeding information into it and I will keep updating as best as I can in between work activities.
The wider HSE community has helped me out previously and can be a beacon for good. We need to support each other, regardless of the qualification route we have taken.
Final note, if you have a qualification through NCRQ, you have not lost that. Your qualification is valid, trusted and respected within the industry and sector and proves competence and knowledge, by achieving the required criteria as laid down within the framework. Any hiring manager or safety professional worth their weight in salt would still recognise these!
The brand is damaged to the current HSE community for any forthcoming offerings. In my personal opinion, once bitten, twice shy jumps to mind.
Remember, all information should not be relied upon until an official response is issued by the companies and awarding bodies involved.
I hope this has helped and best of luck and sorry to anyone affected by this. Keep an eye and interact with the LI feed if possible to keep everyone informed o movement or changes and thanks to all who are interacting with it.
Cover picture: screenshot courtesy of the NCRQ website on a browser
Warm regards,