Skills – is it time to define them?

As promised, another guest blog – this time from Mike Kelt of Artem, another industry member of the Facilities Skills Council.

Skills – is it time to define them?

We all work in an industry that has, by and large, made no attempt to define the skills and competencies within it.  Where entering into and progressing through the industry is like driving in dense fog, with more hope than certainty of ever arriving.

So it is with some anticipation that Skillset have formed a Facilities Skills Council with the aim of dealing with these and other issues.  Myself and other industry professionals have agreed to sit on it and I am sure we will all be pushing for action rather than words.  It is a laudable move – after all, how can anyone truly say they know something if no one has ever defined what it is.  How can you ever arrive without knowing where you are going?

Of course all those in the industry, without such ‘qualifications’ may feel threatened if the existing skills they have are not recognised, so that has to be a prime consideration, but it is these groups of experienced practitioners that need to pass on their hard fought knowledge, and shape the industry of tomorrow.  We live in ever faster moving times, with demands placed on everyone to do it quicker, cheaper, sometimes better, sometimes safer, and the pressure is always mounting.  I often hear the thought expressed that the budgets can’t be squeezed tighter, but tighter they inevitably become, and along the way less and less experienced individuals are employed as a result.  It can only be a matter of time before the inexperience leads to unacceptable safety lapses and ever more dangerous situations.  As they say – accidents will happen.

By defining the skills and competencies in the industry there becomes a blueprint for measuring everyone against – a framework for employers and production companies that is clear and reliable.  And it gives clear objectives for individuals to measure themselves against, and a career structure that has been too long in the coming.

Artem, with UK Screen, have been pushing over the last six months to do exactly the above – it is with some excitement that I view the future of our industry.