In today's competitive market, proving the competency of a companies workforce is crucial for many reasons:
- A requirement for pre-tendering.
- Compliance with ISO Quality Systems & Processes.
- Compliance with Company Risk Assessments.
- Compliance with Health & Safety Legislation.
- Compliance with client requirements.

The most comprehensive proof of competency in today's market are Awarding Body Competency Certificates. National Occupational Standards have been agreed and set for all major occupations and, if achieved, demonstrate and individuals competency to a nationally agreed standard. These are used by Industry Lead Bodies such as Energy & Utility Skills, in conjunction with trade bodies such as Water UK, to devise training and assessment programmes. These, in turn, give successful candidates certificates of competence which are recognised nationally.

To achieve a competency certificate for the above qualification candidates must attend an assessed training programme chosen from a suite of competency units.

There are a variety of units suited to both operatives (NVQ Level 2 equivalent) and supervisors (NVQ Level 3 equivalent).

Every programme will consist of a training element and assessment module, these vary in length depending on the unit chosen.

Units are designed to suit the various Water UK Classification of Entries:
NC1 - Low risk entry with adequate natural or mechanical ventilation, where access is simple and unobstructed and there is no likely risk of flooding.
NC2 - Vertical direct unobstructed access with continuous attachment to a man riding hoist or similar mechanical rescue device.
NC3 - When it is not possible to have persons permanently attached to a safety line. Usually it will be a team entry which moves away from the entry point e.g. Man entry sewers, utility service subway tunnels, aqueducts and complex wet wells. Working without an attached rescue line and includes working away from the point of entry.
NC4 - Non standards entries involving complex operations which introduce additional risks and require specific controls and rescue arrangements e.g. mechanical hazards, physical complexity of system introduced hazards, enhanced specific intrinsic hazards.