Latest News from BPCA

23 February 2017

New draft of the Trailblazer Apprenticeship Standard available for comment

TarilblaziersBPCA announced a few weeks ago that it's Pest Control Employer Development Group (EDG) had produced the Pest Control Technician Apprenticeship Standards ready for submission for approval. Based on the feedback, a new draft has been created and is ready for feedback.

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The Trailblazer Scheme

The Association first signalled an interest in exploring apprenticeships internally in early 2016 following the release of the government's improved ‘trailblazer' scheme in 2015.
An extract from HM Government's, Guidance for Trailblazers document released in December 2015 states,

‘Employers working together to design the standards and assessment plans for apprenticeships is a key feature of the new system, as it leads to apprenticeships that are of higher quality and more relevant to your industry'Quicklook: A to Z of pests

BPCA's EDG

In April 2016 BPCA formed a project working group that has since established the Employer Development Group (EDG), and has facilitated the development of the scheme for pest control employers to date. The EDG brings together 13 employers from its Servicing and Executive Board Committees consisting of the following people:

  • Paul Rodman, Monitor Pest Control
  • Phil Halpin, Countrywide Environmental Services
  • Jim England, Protext Pest Control Services
  • Martin Harvey, Harvey Environmental
  • Lewis Jenkins, Check Services
  • Chris Corbett, Aderyn
  • Dan Gaskin, Acclaim Environmental
  • Andy Gray, Ecolab
  • David Cross, Rentokil Initial
  • David Lodge, Beaver Pest Control
  • Martin Rose-King, Bountry Pest Control and Environmental Services
  • Ryan Overton, Thermokill
  • Martin Cobbauld, Dealey Group
  • Mandy McCarthy Ward, BPCA

Update on 21 July 2017:

Please note the invitation to feedback comments and/or signal your interest to join the ECG is now closed.

Source: BPCA.org.uk

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01 September 2025

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Policy Watch: New rules on wages, contracts and vehicles explained

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Lessons from across the channel: Yellow-legged (Asian) hornets

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Non-pest invertebrate biology, behaviour and advice

Niall Gallagher, BPCA Technical Manager, provides an overview of several insect species that, although often distressing, are not classified as public health pests

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11 September 2025

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Know your enemy: the key to tiny fly control

In this article, Killgerm’s Avril Turner explains the importance of species identification in fly monitoring and control programmes

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