Cleanzine: your weekly cleaning and hygiene industry newsletter 18th April 2024 Issue no. 1110

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BICSc upgrades training programme

The British Institute of Cleaning Science is about to release an updated version of its internationally recognised qualification, the CPSS (Cleaning Professionals Skills Suite).

The new CPSS 2.0 is due for release on the 1st of August 2014. Certain skills from the original CPSS have been removed completely whilst other new skills that are now a requirement within the industry have been included.

“CPSS version 2.0 takes into account practices in the cleaning industry that have changed over time, reflecting both the cleaning task and the cleaning operative,” explains BICSc Head of Education & Qualification, Maureen Kelso. “The changes are based on health & safety and best practice which are reflected in how we should be carrying out the skills with the welfare and safety of the cleaning operative and others being the main concern as well as the preservation of assets.”

CPSS 2.0 has been designed in the following ways:

The Licence to Practice Qualification: This section is mandatory and candidates cannot move forward in the programme commence without successfully completing their Licence to Practice Assessment. Cleaning Operatives will receive their Licence to Practice ID card upon completion of the Assessment (typically completed in one day).

Within the mandatory section BICSc has also introduced a recommended unit, which may be used as an alternative to renewing the Licence to Practice on expiry after the three-year period or can be used as a unit in its own right. It’s a simple but effective way of renewing the licence.

In the previous version of CPSS, once the candidate had successfully completed their Licence to Practice they would then choose from the core skills, which allowed them access to 25 skills. This is where BICSc has introduced the main changes to the skills suite, breaking the skills down into a further three descriptive sections. The units are as follows:

·        Base units – these are tasks that the cleaning operative would carry out on a daily basis with a total of 13 skills from which to choose.
·        Additional units – these are tasks that may be performed frequently and again there are 13 skills from which to choose.
·        Specialist units - the specialist units are for tasks that may only be used occasionally. These include skills such as graffiti removal, strip dry and re-apply emulsion polish. These skills will be available to assessors that comply with the Rules of combination. Skills such as these require prior knowledge and experience from other sections before cleaning operatives should undertake them. 

Those interested in undertaking Accredited Cleaning Skills Training are able to select from the ‘pick and mix’ skills collection, choosing only the most relevant cleaning skills for the individual’s or organisation’s needs. CPSS Version 2.0 will be rolled out over 2014 and 2015.

BICSc Licenced Assessors delivering training via Accredited Training Organisations will be able to switch over to CPSS 2.0 upon their annual audit date free of charge. For those wishing to collect their kits prior to this date, there will be a CPSS 2.0 Exchange Seminar at the Forest of Arden Hotel and Country Club, Birmingham on the afternoon of 18th September (just before the BICSc Annual Awards Dinner).

The list of CPSS 2.0 cleaning skills is available to view on the BICSc website, where, from 1st August, there will also be an online feedback form.
Comments will be used to incorporate the needs of the industry and its operatives into BICSc qualifications when the organisation reviews CPSS version 2.0 in three years’ time.

T: +44 (0) 1604 678 713 
W: www.bics.org.uk

31st July 2014