You can access the CIWM (WAMITAB) risk tier table by following this link: Click Here and you can also use an adapted version of this table, which is available on our website, which is laid out slightly differently with the appropriate qualifications side by side along with direct access to each of the purpose statements, you can access this table by following this link: Click Here.

Q2. How long does it take to complete?

A2 . Delegates have 12 months to achieve this qualification from the date of registration. However, the average completion time is between 3 and 5 months. It is however down to the Delegate, and we have had Delegates complete their chosen qualification in as quick as a few months.

Q3. Do I need any other qualifications?

A3 . No, this qualification is open entry which means you don't need to have achieved any other qualifications and it’s designed to support those who are both new and experienced, because it includes an in-depth knowledge training course which forms part of the process. 

Q4. Do I need to be working on a waste site?

A4. No, unlike the alternative route to achieve technical competence achieved through on-site assessment, this qualification does not require you to be assessed in the working environment. This also means it can be achieved in advance of any permit application. 

This qualification is not only suitable for those looking to act as the technically competent manager of a permitted waste management facility, but it can also be achieved by those in support roles such as SHE managers, waste carriers, brokers and sales teams who can apply the knowledge to assist with both compliance and customer support.

Q5. Is it transferable to any of the on-site assessment qualifications e.g NVQ, QCF or RQF?

A5 . No, this qualification is assessed differently, however there is an expanding range of optional units covering many medium and low risk activities to include but not limited to transfer and treatment of non-hazardous waste, end of life vehicles, metal recycling, contaminated land remediation, inert transfer and treatment, inert landfill, mechanical biological treatment, anaerobic digestion, in vessel and open windrow composting. 

Q6. Do I need to complete the qualification before my permit is issued?

A6 . Yes, the regulator will not issue any new permit until you can provide evidence of having achieved the appropriate competence. 

The process: 

The course material is delivered via PowerPoint presentation; however, this will not be death by PowerPoint, this will be an interactive fun learning process, with various exercises, question and answer sessions and much more!

This course will not only provide you with the knowledge and understanding to complete the written projects required, but this will set you up in a career in waste management.

The course covers the 5 mandatory units, which are as follows:

• VRQ401 - Health and safety in the waste and resource management industry
• VRQ402 - Environmental protection in the waste and resource management industry
• VRQ403 - Principles of sustainable waste and resource management
• VRQ404 - Legislation for the operation of a waste management facility
• VRQ405 - Stakeholder communication and other non-legislative factors affecting the waste and resource management industry

 Each Delegate will then select at least one optional mandatory unit, which will be their specialist subject and is relevant to a permitted waste management facility.

Optional Units Available:  

• VRQ406 – Principles and practices of managing a physical treatment processing facility (Transfer and Treatment of non-hazardous waste) ( For Further Info Click here )
• VRQ407 – Principles and practices of managing a biological treatment processing facility (Anaerobic Digestion and Composting) ( For Further Info Click here )
• VRQ408 – Principles and practices of managing a thermal treatment processing facility (Thermal Treatment such as incineration, pyrolysis and gasification) ( For Further Info Click here )
• VRQ409 – Principles and practices of managing land remediation activities (Contaminated Land Remediation) ( For Further Info Click here )
• VRQ410 – Principles and practices of managing an inert landfill (Inert Landfill & Recovery with Deposit) ( For Further Info Click here)
• VRQ411 – Principles and practices of managing a mechanical biological treatment facility (Mechanical Biological Treatment - MBT) ( For Further Info Click here )
• VRQ412 – Principles and practices of managing an end of life vehicle facility (End of Life Vehicles - ELV) ( For Further Info Click here )
• VRQ413 – Principles and practices of managing a metals recycling facility (Metal Recycling Facility) ( For Further Info Click here )
• VRQ414 - Principles and practices of managing a hazardous waste storage facility ( For Further Info Click here )
• VRQ415 - Principles and practices of managing land spreading activities ( For Further Info Click here )

After the course, you will be required to complete and submit a unit question paper for each of the 5 mandatory units and your chosen optional unit(s) in your own time, away from the course. 

These are submitted to us electronically or through the post for marking. Should they reach the standard required, we will store them until all of your unit question papers have met the standard. 

Any unit question paper(s) which do not reach the standard, will be returned to you along with feedback from the marker.

This will allow you to review the feedback provided by the marker and continue to research and learn, prior to making the required amendments to your question(s).

Once amended, they are sent back to us for marking. When all of your unit question papers have met the standard, they will go through an internal and external moderation process.  After this point, we can then claim your award!

Final points! 

The process to achieve this qualification, sounds rather straightforward however we must make you aware this does require the learner to apply the knowledge in their own words, and the responses required in the majority of the question papers assignments are in depth explanations or descriptions, which sit between A level and Entry level Degree. 

This doesn’t however mean because you didn’t do well at school or you haven’t been in education for 20 years that you can’t achieve this award, we have had accountants entering the sector who want to run a waste site, sons, daughters and partners not currently working in the sector, but whom want to start a family business with another relative, as well as those whom English is not there first language all of which have successfully achieved this award! 

Also remember, we are going to provide you lots of knowledge through our approved training course, as well as on going support, which includes attendance to the training again for FREE be it single units or days, or even the entire course if you feel it will benefit you!  

Why should we choose HSEC? 

We are not going to sit here and say we are the best, or the largest provider of this particular qualification, but we will advise you on some points to look out for when selecting a training provider, so you can decide for yourself!  

1) Is there advice on hand, at the outset of the enquiry? Are they passionate about the sector and qualifications they deliver? Can you speak to people be it via email or over the phone, and do they respond promptly to your queries, or do you often get left days between responses?

Can they demonstrate they have the basic knowledge and understanding of the sector, to ensure the award is correct for you and your facility, and more importantly that the award or route is achievable? 

2) Do the training materials get sent via email? If the answer is YES , then this can often be a red flag, certainly for such an in-depth qualification! 

It’s possibly not the end of the world if it’s a 1-day knowledge course, providing an update to your existing knowledge, but when your required to learn such large quantities of information and the question paper assignments take a concentrated amount of effort to complete, how can you continue to research and learn, when the notes you made days or weeks earlier, are just pages of scribbles and don’t link to the information taught on the course? 

It shows a lack of understanding of the level and process required to achieve the award, especially with many still working from home or on a phased return, it isn’t always possible to print all the materials required and why should you have to? 

3) Have they won any awards in recent times, have they got evidence of positive feedback from their learners and clients? Is this something which you can track and trace? Google there business, this is always a good start point, as you can see any reviews people have left, also consider is the feedback about the qualifications or training or general and more likely be a supplier.

You can access our client testimonials page, which includes both written and video feedback from our clients: Click Here.

4) Do they have a reputation for just teaching you to pass the qualification? Our courses are packed full of knowledge, as an innovative centre with years of experience we have adapted the knowledge to not only allow you to achieve the award, but it ensures you obtain lots of useful operational knowledge which you can apply to your business, as many things in waste are changing rapidly, far quicker than the qualifications.

Its worth noting that while the learning outcomes for this qualification are set by the awarding body CIWM (WAMITAB), each centre develops there own training materials which are then approved by CIWM (WAMITAB) before delivery can then commence, and this along with the trainer is what makes each centre unique! 

5) Are they approved to deliver this qualification? We often hear how other organisations have tried to steer people away from this option, telling them how much work it is or offering their negative views even though they have never delivered this qualification or achieved it, because they can only deliver qualifications through assessment in the work environment so it's in their interest to talk you away from it to something they can deliver, whereas we can deliver both options, so for us, the only decision is whats right for you as an individual!

Whether you go for this route, or the on site route they both take an equal amount of time, but with this route you have the advantage, because of the training which is included as part of the process and more now than ever before, as the Environment Agency and Natural Resources Wales start applying new measures, changes to legislation and best practice, knowledge is power, which will ultimately help you remain complaint and prevent prosecution. 

Remember have a better business, with better training!

Should you have any questions dont hesitate to contact the centre by phoning 01502 712209 , or alternatively send an email to info@hsecservies.co.uk , and one of the team will be happy to help! 

Why not take a look at our Qualification and Training course calendar, packed full of course options all the way through until the end of 2023! Click Here.