The Fire Protection Association (FPA) has announced the launch of a new Level 3 Certificate in Fire Safety Training, accredited by the Awarding Body for Building Education (ABBE).
According to the FPA, the course is designed to meet rising demand for accredited training and to support organisations aiming to improve workforce competency in fire safety.
The qualification is structured as a train-the-trainer programme and includes a four-day in-person attendance requirement, followed by eight weeks of additional learning and assessment.
The course delivers 13 Level 3 credits and comprises seven mandatory units, covering educational methods and core fire safety knowledge, including safe use of portable firefighting equipment. The Fire Protection Association stated that the qualification equips learners to deliver fire safety and fire warden training tailored to specific workplaces.
It explained that the seven required units include: ‘Roles, responsibilities, and relationships in education and training’; ‘Using inclusive teaching and learning approaches’; ‘Facilitating learning and development’; ‘Understanding assessment’; ‘Principles and practice of assessment’; ‘Fire safety principles’; and ‘Using portable firefighting equipment safely’.
The FPA said the qualification involves a total learning time of 130 hours and is designed for those wishing to gain a formal training role in fire safety.
In addition to the new certificate, the Fire Protection Association provides a series of fire safety qualifications categorised by level and total qualification time. The FPA explained that an Award consists of up to 120 hours, a Certificate ranges from 121 to 369 hours, and a Diploma exceeds 370 hours.
All qualifications are awarded by organisations regulated by the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (Ofqual), it added. The organisation confirmed that current offerings include the Level 3 Certificate and Level 4 Diploma in Fire Risk Assessment, both of which support compliance with fire safety legislation in the UK, as well as Level 2 and Level 3 qualifications in Passive Fire Protection and Fire Door Inspection.
FPA Head of Training, Kelly Donoghue, said: “The launch of our new Level 3 Fire Safety Training qualification marks an important milestone in supporting the competency agenda for organisations as it is designed to meet employers’ needs whilst providing industry professionals with key knowledge and understanding.”
Kelly Donoghue added: “Along with our Training Delivery Team, I am excited to welcome learners onto this qualification which has been developed because of the high demand for our Train the Trainer course to become an OFQUAL registered qualification.”
