The Engineering Construction Industry Training Board (ECITB) is taking steps to help tackle qualifications fraud with the launch of a new certificate validation tool.
As the industry-led skills body for engineering construction in Great Britain, the ECITB designs and awards a wide range of qualifications, covering craft, technical and professional and management disciplines.
The ECITB Awarding Organisation (AO), which develops and quality assures regulated qualifications in England, Wales and Scotland, has created a new feature for all its regulated certification to combat the issue of fraud.
Each year millions of regulated qualifications are awarded to learners across Britain. The UK Government says the value of the regulated market in England alone is over £800m in entry fees and millions more in salaries where qualifications lead to employment in licensed and regulated sectors.
It warns that “qualification fraud is an ever-present risk” and so regulators, government bodies and awarding organisations, like the ECITB AO, are working together to develop a coherent approach across at-risk sectors.
“Qualification fraud can lead to unfairness for learners and have damaging effects on the public.
“Individuals who have gained a certificate by unfair means may compete for employment with individuals who have obtained a certificate legitimately. At its most extreme, qualification fraud can create a risk to public safety or become a vehicle for criminal activity.
“The ECITB AO is committed to tackling qualification fraud alongside the regulators, which is why we have launched a new feature on all regulated qualification certificates.
“All certificates now include a QR code. Users can scan the QR code to verify the authenticity of a certificate. If it is not a genuine certificate a message will appear confirming it is not valid.”
Chris Mann
ECITB Director of Learning and Assurance
Certificate validation tool explained
When the QR code on a certificate is scanned, this will take users to a validator tool on Creatio, which is one of the ECITB’s two new online platforms for regulated qualifications.
If the QR code is valid, the learner’s name, the qualification title and certification date will be shown on screen. If this information does not match the certificate being validated, it is invalid.
If the ECITB has invalidated a certificate, for example due to malpractice or a replacement certificate having been issued, when the QR code is scanned, a message will appear saying the certificate is invalid.
ECITB regulated qualifications are the only ones designed specifically for engineering construction. Through extensive consultation with engineering construction industry (ECI) employers, they are tailored to meet the needs of industry.
The qualifications enable learners to demonstrate skills, knowledge and behaviours needed to move into, or progress in, ECI roles.
Chris added: “By working with industry, ECITB engineering qualifications are valued by employers because they deliver the skills industry needs and offer development opportunities to staff across a wide range of engineering construction roles.
“ECI employers should be able to trust that a certificate proves that the holder has undertaken specific training and demonstrated the appropriate level of competence. We believe this new feature is a positive step to help reduce qualification fraud.”
