Investing in Fire Safety staff development is vital for improving performance and retaining talent. However, with many providers available, it’s essential to make informed decisions to ensure the training you fund is high-quality, credible, and delivers real results.

This guide outlines the key points to consider when selecting the right provider for your company’s needs.

Regulated providers offer qualifications overseen by governmental bodies such as Ofqual (England) or SQA Accreditation (Scotland), with qualifications listed on their respective national registers. These are subject to consistent quality assurance and are widely recognised both nationally and internationally.

Unregulated providers may offer CPD or bespoke training but operate without formal oversight. Their programmes are unlikely to be recognised beyond their own organisation.

Our recommendation: At FireQual, we recommend checking whether the provider and their qualifications are listed by Ofqual or SQA Accreditation or recognised by a regulated awarding organisation.

A regulated qualification is delivered through a recognised awarding organisation (AO). These organisations must meet rigorous standards, including clear learning outcomes, fair assessment, and regular quality checks.

Our recommendation: Some unregulated AOs operate without these standards. Always ask who the awarding organisation is and whether it is regulated.

Regulated qualifications are assigned levels and credits through frameworks like RQF (England/Wales) or SCQF (Scotland). This reflects both complexity and learning time.

This is not the same as a commercial credit rating, which relates to financial or internal quality ratings.

Our recommendation: If a course claims to be credit-rated, check whether it is formally part of a recognised national framework.

Regulated qualifications must meet robust quality assurance standards, including external verification of assessment and fair treatment of learners. Unregulated training may vary in quality and consistency.

Our recommendation: Ask what external checks are in place, how assessments are reviewed, and whether results are standardised.

For staff working in regulated sectors or applying for industry cards or licences, qualifications need to be recognised. Regulated qualifications are more likely to be accepted by employers, trade bodies, and government schemes.

Unregulated training may not meet these standards.

Our recommendation: Check whether a qualification is recognised by relevant industry bodies or Third -party Schemes before committing.

• When sourcing training for staff, choosing regulated qualifications through recognised awarding organisations offers greater credibility, transparency and long-term value.
• If considering unregulated training, clarify the expected outcomes and quality assurance arrangements in advance.
• Making informed decisions upfront helps avoid wasted time and resources later.

FireQual’s recommendation: If in doubt, consult the national registers or speak with the provider directly and ask those important questions.