In a landmark moment for Group Horizon and its BEMS Experienced Worker Assessment (EWA) course, the first EWA learners have now received their ECS Gold cards.

The EWA programme – developed in in collaboration with the Building Controls Industry Association (BCIA) – assesses and validates the skills and knowledge of workers who did not have the opportunity to undertake an apprenticeship or regulated training route but have gained significant experience in the Building Energy Management Systems (BEMS) field. It offers a much needed, highly efficient and cost-effective way of assessing skilled professionals to the same nationally recognised standard as those completing a BEMS apprenticeship, without the need for them to return to college. Importantly, it also enables experienced professionals in the building controls sector to obtain an ECS Gold card.

The purpose of the BEMS Experienced Worker Assessment was to put the building controls sector in a strong position in terms of setting out an industry approved route to qualified status and detailing routes for continuing professional development.

The freshly qualified Gold card holders will be the first of many and further validate Group Horizon’s and the building controls industry’s collaborative efforts to address the industry’s need for formal competency recognition following the retirement of ‘industry accreditation’.

On receiving his ECS Gold card, EWA learner Asanka Kankanige said: “I joined the EWA program with the intention of reflecting on my professional journey and seeking a meaningful form of recognition in the UK. What I found was a process that not only validated my achievements but also challenged me to articulate my growth with clarity and purpose.

“From the very beginning, the experience was thoughtfully structured and genuinely supportive, and the guidance from the Group Horizon team was invaluable. The program encouraged me to look beyond titles and instead focus on the impact I’ve made and the values that guide me.

“Receiving the Gold Card is a personal milestone in my professional career. To be the first candidate to achieve this through the EWA program is both humbling and affirming. It represents not just a recognition of past efforts but a renewed sense of confidence in the path ahead. I want to thank the Mitie BMS Team, including my manager, Chris Plunkett, who supported me throughout the process.

The EWA program offers something truly valuable: a space for professionals to reflect, recalibrate, and be celebrated for who they are and what they bring to their profession. I would wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone seeking to reconnect with their purpose and take ownership of their narrative.”

Peter Behan, Director of Group Horizon, commented: “The awarding of ECS Gold cards to our first EWA learners is an important moment as the industry strives to alleviate concerns about validating existing skills and preventing shortcuts to competency. This is a significant step forward on the path to raising standards and ensuring professionalism across the sector.”

Stacey Lucas, President of the BCIA, added: “With the drive to raise competency standards across the construction industry, it was a natural decision for BCIA to invest in the development of an Experienced Worker Assessment scheme. The issuing of the first Experienced Worker ECS Gold Cards is a landmark moment – one that celebrates the depth of expertise within our industry and reinforces our commitment to quality and professionalism.”