Latest News & Articles

Water UK Updated Guidance – Personnel Qualifications

The latest ‘Principles of Water Supply Hygiene’ guidance from Water UK has updated the recommended qualifications for constructors and operators of water networks to minimise the risk of possible contamination of supplies.

TGN2 - DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM (NEW MAINS AND SERVICES) “Laying new mains and services requires personnel to hold registration under an approved hygiene scheme and carry a v...

Spotlight on ... Pressure Testing

Water Industry Information and Guidance Note IGN 4-01-03 Issue 2 has recently been published. This sets out the most up to date guidance for water professionals and has been prepared with the benefit of experience gained from the original note.

One of the main reasons for the refurbishment of water distribution, transmission and sewer pressure pipelines is to replace and renovate pipes with un...

Accreditation by the Institute of Leadership and Management

We are pleased to announce that we have recently gained accreditation by the Institute of Leadership and Management allowing us to add to our apprenticeship offering. We are now approved to offer qualifications in Team Leading and Management at levels 2 and 3 respectively. This has been in response to requests from customers and enables to offer learners progression following their original appren...

Spotlight on ... NRSWA New Roads & Streetworks

Under the New Roads and Street Works Act (1991) (NRSWA), the installation, renewal, maintenance and inspection of underground apparatus in any streets or roads must be under the control of competent people.

Your team, working, or supervising, works in the highway could be required to hold one or more of the Street Works qualifications, depending on their job. There are sixteen units of competen...

Merits Skills awarded with Achilles UVDB Verify accreditation

Merit Skills is pleased to announce that it has been awarded an Achilles UVDB Verify Category B1 accreditation.

Achilles UVDB Verify is an independent audit of an organisation’s Safety, Health, Environment, Quality (SHEQ) management systems and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).

The accreditation allows us to pre-qualify as an approved supplier to the utilities sector - a process that...

Merit Skills Wins Framework Contract With Scottish Water

Water Skills is delighted to be appointed as a supplier of technical training and assessment services by Scottish Water.

With an Area Manager already based in Scotland to lead the delivery, Water Skills will use their extensive experience as a foundation to build programmes that meet the business needs of Scottish Water and enhance the learning experience of their employees’.

Delivery will ...

Leading the way in new Trailblazer Apprenticeships

Trailblazer Apprenticeships

The re-shaping of Apprenticeships in England following the publication of the Richard Review, is well under way. The first waves of ‘Trailblazer’ Apprenticeships, based on a published Occupational Standard, are equivalent to level 3 and aligned to Engineering Technician registration requirements. Completion of the transition from the existing to the new model is exp...

Successful Appoval for New Level 4 Water Industry Qualification Gained

Merit Skills has successfully gained approval to deliver the new Level 4 Water Operations Management qualification certificated by CABWI.

This new qualification is aimed at managers and aspiring managers within the water industry. The water operations management qualification has been designed to cater for the varying roles within the water industry. There are many routes through the qualificat...

Another Successful Win!

We are very pleased to announce another contract win! Water Skills has recently won a new contract with Dwr Cmyru Welsh Water to deliver Level 2 Competency Training following the recent tender process.

Over the last 12 months Water Skills has worked closely with Dwr Cmyru Welsh Water to deliver apprenticeship programmes, trainee programmes and 1-1 training.

For further information please co...

Successful approval for CABWI Level 4 qualification

Water Skills has recently gained approval for Level 4 Diploma in Utilities Network Planning and Management. The submission came about due to customer demand, and the first learners are due to enrol this summer.

This is the 28th CABWI qualification to be added to Water Skills license.

The level 4 qualification is aimed at those working in network planning and management within the water sec...

Successful Re licencing Visit for 2014/15

Merit Skills Ltd has received a positive external verification visit with its license being renewed for a further 12 months.

CABWI's exterbal verifier made the following comments;

'Since CABWI approval in 2010, this Centre has made very good progress with the quality of CABWI provision over the past 4 years. Through a process of continuous development, the overall standard of assessments ...

New Website For Gas Skills

Merit Skills will be officially launching an exciting new arm to its business on the 1st March 2013. Our new division will deliver training and assessment to the Gas Industry, branded Gas Skills a new website will go live at the same time.

We will keep you up to date with all the latest developments over the coming weeks so please keep checking our website.

If you would like further inform...