The Mineral Products Qualifications Council (MPQC) Plant Operator Competency Scheme is migrating from being paper based, to smart card technology, throughout 2022.
The Plant Scheme, originally devised by MPQC as core to the mineral products sector, provides demonstrable evidence of structured training to agreed standards of performance to ensure fully competent workforces.
The move to smart card technology also heralds other significant changes, redefining the applicable sectors as Plant, Road Surfacing and Construction instead of Extractives, Road Building and Processing and amalgamating the Vocational Qualification (VQ) within extractives as a single VQ, encompassing both Plant and Processing.
In addition, the new Plant Scheme includes an improved Health and Safety test as standard, The health and safety test will also be sector specific, testing relevant health and safety standards, appropriate to Plant, Road Surfacing and Construction.
“As an Awarding Body, it is imperative that we ensure standards are fit for purpose and the smart card technology is a far more efficient way of proving the competency of individuals to companies. As part of the mp connect platform, the smart card also brings additional benefits, including integrating red and blue card details on the new smart card record and offering CPD e-learning to our audience”, said John Bussey, General Manager, MP Awards.
