For more than 15 years, Energy Trust® has established itself as a prominent training provider within the energy assessment industry. During this time, Energy Trust® has obtained the prestigious Direct Claims Status (DCS), an important achievement that benefits our students significantly. Surprisingly, despite its significance, the concept of DCS remains relatively unfamiliar to many, leading to a lack of awareness among students regarding its importance. So, what is Direct Claims Status (DCS) and how does it benefit our students?
What is Direct Claims Status?
Direct Claims Status (DCS) is an earned right extended by an Awarding Body to an approved training centre. It grants these providers the authority to claim certificates for qualifications once approved by the Internal Quality Assurer (IQA) without the necessity of awaiting an External Quality Assurer (EQA) visit. This status represents an earned privilege, reserved for those providers that demonstrate consistent effectiveness, thoroughness, and reliability in their teaching and assessment practices, a reputation earned through regular External Quality Assurance activities. Once achieved, the provider must continue this exceptional standard to maintain their Direct Claims Status.
How Does This Benefit The Students?
The true beneficiaries of Direct Claims Status are undoubtedly our students. As mentioned earlier, in the absence of DCS, training providers are required to endure prolonged waiting periods for EQA visits before they can officially certify their learners. These visits can be spaced months apart in certain scenarios, leaving candidates in professional limbo, eagerly awaiting their hard-earned certificates. Instead, with DCS, a training provider can initiate the certification process immediately upon completing their portfolio assessment and internal quality assurance. This removes the waiting period for EQA visits, expediting the certification process and ensuring that students receive their credentials promptly.
Energy Trust and Direct Claims Status (DCS)
Energy Trust take immense pride in the strong and mutually beneficial relationships it has cultivated with Awarding Bodies such as City & Guilds and ABBE. These long-standing partnerships are underpinned by a high level of trust and collaboration, as evidenced by Energy Trust’s achievement of Direct Claims Status across all of its qualifications by both Awarding Bodies. These include:
- Level 3 Certificate in Domestic Energy Assessment
- Level 3 & 4 Diploma in Non-Domestic Energy Assessment
- Level 3 Certificate in Domestic On Construction Energy Assessment
- Level 3 Award in Introduction to Domestic Retrofit
- Level 3 Award in Energy Efficiency for Older and Traditional Buildings
- Level 5 Diploma in Retrofit Coordination & Risk Assessment
Our process is highly streamlined and makes qualification with Energy Trust smooth and efficient. Upon submission of a student’s portfolio work, our in-house team of assessors swiftly and expertly evaluate the submissions, offering constructive feedback. Working collaboratively, the Assessor guides the student to meet the qualification standards. Upon successful completion, our assessors promptly sign off on the work and it is verified by an Internal Quality Assurer (IQA). Upon verification by the IQA, and thanks to our Direct Claims Status, Energy Trust can order certificates without delay, potentially delivering them to learners in as little as 48 hours after sign-off!
If you are thinking of booking a training course with any provider, always ask: Do you hold DCS for this qualification? If the answer is no…then you could be waiting weeks or possibly months to receive your qualification certificate after completing the portfolio.
James Liggins, Sales Director
Find out more…
The energy assessment & retrofit industry is an ever-evolving sector, attracting more enthusiasts every week. If you’re eager to join this exciting field, we invite you to explore the opportunities we offer at Energy Trust and become qualified as efficiently as possible! Discover the path to your education journey with us today. You can book your space online or call us on 0333 012 0002 for more information. We’d be happy to discuss any of our course options with you.
You can also book a Zoom call to have a live face-to-face consultation with one of our friendly course advisors.
