Dti Insists Aerial Scheme Remains On Track

摘要

The Department of Trade and Industry this week insisted that a scheme to create an accredited "army" of television aerial installers to cope with the demand of digital switchover was on track, despite signing up fewer than 100 members in a year. The Registered Digital Installers (RDI) scheme launched in April last year, backed by the DTI and Digital UK, with expectations that "thousands" of aerial installers would apply to become RDIs to "provide an army of trusted, qualified engineers" and "help drive out 'cowboy' operators". The scheme's National Vocational Qualifications (NVQ) allow members to use the government's "digital tick" logo (see story opposite). But the project has been slow to get off the ground, even after an "associate" scheme was established last October (NMM October 27, 2006), allowing installers to become RDI Associates if they agreed to take the NVQ within a year. The DTI said this week that all 743 NVQplaces in 15 colleges were filled and there were now waiting lists. In October 2006, 13 colleges were offering the training. In the Border region, where switchover begins later this year, there are still no qualified RDIs and no college is yet offering the qualification. I he DTI said that two colleges were now "gearing up" to offer training, with help from the Learning and Skills Council and Scottish Enterprise. The DTI said: "We recognised from the start that it would take time to bring colleges on board, and for significant numbers of installers to gain the necessary qualification. "We are seeing a significant increase in take-up by installers of training provision, with increased promotion of the scheme by Digital UK and others [...] we believe the scheme is on track." Digital UK said: "While take-up had been slower than initially expected, we're now encouraged by the number of installers in the process of becoming RDIs."