Posted By Bill Dark Hi Has anyone any experience of an "Army Certificate of Qualification"? We have an employee with a "TA Plant Operator (V) Equip Module - MWT course" who we would like to operate a front loader. But I'm unsure how this compares to other civilian qualifications. I'm sure the Army are very thorough but it would be useful to get a comparison. Many thanks Bill

Posted By LynneR Bill, Frustratingly the Army (Navy and Airforce) military qualifications have no bearing in the Civvy world: unless you get the rarety endorsed by CITB (i think that those are now out of date on grandfather rights). They do mean that technically they should be able to operate plant and upgrade to a civvy ticket with little problem. i know many a plant op (of the highest and finest RE callibre - there are no better!!!!) and plant op trainer who are all in the position of having to re-train to get civvy qualificaions on leaving the services. Like i said Frustrating . . . . if they can work safely in foreign (hot and dangerous)parts why not here? apparently it is to do with second jobs, exhaustion etc etc

Posted By Bill Dark Thanks everyone for the reponses and information. I think we will probably accept that his training is likly to be be of good quality, but we will put him through a "competent person" assessment course on thevehicle first. Thanks

Posted By Davelfc Bill, Graham is exactly right, This chap is going to be a trained plant operator, with a minimum two weeks full time training on the machine type, then he may have converted through the various machines the military use in that category. for instance if he was a LWT Op (light Wheel Tractor operator)he may have initially trained on a MuirHill followed by a hydrema and now they operate JCB, so this chap may have conducted conversion courses, he also does what they call plant management modules and service and maintenance to ensure the equipment is well maintained serviced and recorded. These people have more training than you can shake a stick at, though his competence would still need to be assessed, by the route mentioned. I was a Royal Engineer, and plant trained, am also now a Safety Manager in construction, and now serve in the engineer TA and am in charge of the Plant Troop as troop commander. I am sure you will have a good quality guy, that needs to transfer his skills which he may have in abundance in comparison to his civilian counterpart with recognised qualifications. What is barking is this lad may be jumping on the exact make and model of machine that he has more training on and experience than many of his civilian counter parts. maybe the Military need to catch up in this area, all that is missing is a piece of paper and a CPCS log book and card? Dave

Posted By Graham Summersgill Dav, Thanks for the supporting message. My Plant Instructor wonders if he knows you - ex RE Plant SSgt - Garth Adram.(22 years)

Posted By MF I was on holiday in Crete last year and spotted a mighty 'Muirhill' working in a quarry half way up a mountain. Had to turn round and go get a photo, family wondered what was going on. Sad I know.

Posted By Andrew Joule Land Slightly off the beaten I know. I am shocked to see that the services are still not giving the equivalent quals. When I left in 1990(after 30yrs boy and service time) I had completed 6 years out of my total service completing trade / promotional and specialist training also done 2 years instructing. When I left my discharge note said - qualified electrician !!! was not best pleased. I thought that it was brought in at the same time as Health and Safety reps Managers etc that the equivalent NVQ / C&G trade quals had to be part of the service training . Totally shocked !!! Regards to those who served. Andrew J. Land