T Levels Training - is it the right option for Electrical Appliance Repairs

It could have helped solved it, if Government had spoken to us.  Did you know that the UN forecasts Electrical Waste is set to double by the year 2050?

This is a problem for many reasons, notwithstanding the shortage of Global raw materials many of them critical to the electrical products we use in household items as well as industrial, NHS, government and military sectors.  This is why Defra, multiple UK Gov and business stakeholders have put repair and reuse into policies for sustainability and environmental reasons.

EEESafe offers Repairers Certification and pathways to an Apprenticeship, and it's own potential qualification that will also support the one man band repairers out there, as well as an Electrical Repair Safety Standard that consumers can understand is similar to Gas Safe, but solely for Household Electrical Items.  This also includes certain ICT products as well, which is differentiated as White Goods Repairers (EEESafe) from ICT using the UEEESafe standard.

EEESafe & LocalitEEE have designed a different structure to push Repair Skills out into all UK Communities. It will use existing provider potential and put repairers into a position where they could cut average repair cost by 2/3rd's and earn between £14-£33k per annum, working from where they live.

The Treasury gives guidance on how to Manage Public Money (MPM) and section 2.42 states that Ministers in their depts should appreciate “the need for efficiency, economy, effectiveness and prudence in the administration of public resources, to secure value for public money.”  We ask has this T-Level been based solely on the premise of always selling new Appliances and driven by the Manufacturers themselves, who ?

So why do we think that T-Levels are not the best option and use of taxpayers money.

• Since 2017 there have only been 125 people take up the only similar Apprenticeship via 7 colleges who were listed to deliver it?

• Consumers state that if a repair cost is 30% or more than the price of a replacement, then it's unlikely they will repair?

• 90% of consumers we surveyed stated that cost of repair is likely to influence their decision on repairs?

• T Levels are for 16-19 year olds and need to be engaged with an employer, but unlikely to get a job if consumers are not asking for repairs.

• Existing Independent Appliance Repairers will face increased competition and may result in loss of valuable skills to the UK

• The Transition to the EQA by providing EPA and EPAO's is an increased cost to the T Level Delivery, which seriously questions Gov is getting best value for money.

• When we asked the independent repair industry if they would have time to take a placement with them, they gave us a resounding NO.

• T Levels funding isn't available for anyone over 19, therefore missing a huge proportion of people who could be gaining green skills and work where they live.

• If anyone can repair anything electrical, how is the consumer going to trust the used electricals market?

Points of Note:

It's a lower Education Cost to deliver an EEESafe Qualification in an EEESafe Training Centre, with a quicker outcome.

There are additional amazing and evidenced metrics (as seen below) including Critical raw materials in circulation, reduction in GHG's and the donation of funds to repairers customers.

T Levels doesn't solve Right To Repair challenges whilst EEESafe offers a solution.

EEESafe Repairers are Community based (home and workshop) and likely to have lower repair costs and access to local genuine recycled spares, available through EEESafe's platform.

There were 267k Burglaries in England & Wales in 2021. EEESafe encourages Self DBS checked repairers but also offers a “workshop only” based Repairer to support rehabilitation.

Why would an Apprentice take on a job with an employer for 2 years at £9,700, traveling thousands of miles when they could potentially earn 3 times more working from home and being EEESafe Registered. (Subject to repair categories)

Watch our Video and see the potential.