BFPA's Education & Training Committee has been producing formal fluid power qualifications for over 20 years, devised and developed by the industry's foremost engineers and trainers from many of the UK's top fluid power companies

The BFPA's series of ‘Industry Standard' qualifications cover pneumatics and both static and mobile hydraulic plant.

Qualifications amongst many include:-

• Industrial Hydraulics & Control - Level 3
• Mobile Hydraulics - Level 3
• Power Pneumatics & Control - Level 3
• Hydraulic System Design - Level 4

The courses provide a progressive awards structure. See Publications facility for scheme guidelines/programmes.

These schemes are in line with CETOP's own European recommendations for fluid power qualifications. They not only guarantee recognition by the industry, but also have the added advantage of assured quality as BFPA themselves will carry out the approval and verification of Approved Centres. The content of the schemes is complementary to formal education but will continuously change as technology advances and the need for new skills emerge.

Through extensive lobbying and participation, BFPA has helped CETOP - the industry's European federation - develop a qualification structure for the whole of Europe. Through BFPA, the UK is the first country to develop ‘competence-based' qualifications in line with this pan-European initiative.

The BFPA Hose Assembly Technology (HAT) scheme is currently in development with affiliated, major hose and connector manufacturers/distributors.

It is expected that some, if not all of these companies, will be in a position to offer HAT training to their own customers by Autumn 2008, and later to independent users of hose and connectors.

BFPA and its member companies have fully supported the £2 million development of a national centre for fluid power. Based centrally at Worksop, Nottinghamshire, the centre has the very latest, up-to-date equipment and an outstanding team of lecturers and staff.

Please visit the National Fluid Power Centre website for more details http://www.nfpc.co.uk