Awarding organisation, EAL (EMTA Awards), has launched a national accreditation service that will give organisations in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, across the building services, engineering and manufacturing sectors the opportunity to obtain national accreditation for their in-house training programmes.

This opportunity has been presented to organisations as a result of the introduction of the new Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF). By working with EAL, formally recognised by Ofqual as a QCF submitting body, organisations can take advantage of EAL's expertise, particularly regarding the regulation and funding processes.

Although not guaranteed, organisations are eligible to apply for funding to JACQUA (Joint Advisory Committee for Qualifications Approval).

"EAL has more than 40 years of industry experience, specialising in the fields of building services, engineering and manufacturing. This makes us an ideal partner for organisations looking to tailor their training programmes to gain national recognition," said Ann Watson, managing director of EAL.

EAL will provide continuous support to organisations, beginning with what approach is right for them, offering guidance throughout the entire QCF submission process, culminating in acting as the awarding organisation once accreditation has been received.

EAL believes by offering nationally recognised in-house training schemes, businesses will benefit by being better able to demonstrate the competence of their workforces to potential clients. By its very nature, EAL's service aims to give companies a real competitive advantage in terms of providing employees with nationally recognised skills and knowledge, thus improving retention rates and recruitment opportunities.