April 2020

We have created a dedicated Coronavirus (COVID-19) page where all our updates will be published. You can find this on our home page, menu bar or by clicking here.

Virtual Training Update

The COVID-19 pandemic is an unprecedented situation which has resulted in worldwide restrictions being imposed. To ensure the safety and wellbeing of employees and well operations crews is maintained, we have been investigating innovative ways for our accredited centres to deliver training during this time.

As a temporary measure, IWCF’s Board of Directors have approved the introduction of virtual classroom training. This solution allows us to accommodate the requirement for training during the COVID-19 pandemic, whilst maintaining our high standards and integrity. We are committed to collaborating with our accredited centres to ensure this can be delivered effectively to candidates globally.

Candidates must complete all assessments including practical assessments at an accredited centre once social distancing measures are lifted. There will be a maximum time of 90 days to complete assessments following training however this will be monitored in line with government advice regarding travel.

As virtual training applications are approved, we will update our virtual training page and locations map to show this as an additional delivery option. You can search for them on the map by using the the ‘Programmes’ filter and selecting “Virtual Training.”

Accredited Centres can download the guidance document and application information from our Members Login Area, or contact our accreditation team for further information.

We have created a dedicated Coronavirus (COVID-19) page where all our updates will be published. You can find this on our home page, menu bar or by clicking here.

IWCF have continued to monitor the developments of the COVID-19 pandemic over recent weeks and have been respecting and responding to local guidance as it has evolved.

We have been working closely with our centres and suppliers globally to follow regional advice. We advise our members to follow their government guidance and adhere to any restrictions that are in place.

In line with UK guidance, the IWCF head office remains closed. However, our operations and services have continued without interruption despite the transition and ongoing requirement for remote working. We are available to support you as normal so please contact us if you have any questions.

Member Questions

We have received questions from our members about accrediting virtual classroom training for all our current programmes. We are currently developing alternative solutions that will help us accommodate and adapt to the current situation without compromising our high standards or integrity. Our aim is to ensure that the delivery of training and competency can be maintained during the COVID-19 pandemic. We will continue to provide updates on this when they are available.

If you have any questions throughout this time, you can contact us at iwcfinformation@iwcf.org and we will collate these questions into an FAQ document on our website for all to access.

Certificate Extensions

The certificate extension procedure is continuing for candidates who have an IWCF eCert expiring between 17 February 2020 and 31 May 2020. Candidates are reminded to complete the online form then contact certification@iwcf.org to request a confirmation letter of this extension if this is required for their employer.

We will review this decision on 01 May 2020 and send out an update with further information.

Thank You

As we successfully navigate our way through these unprecedented times, never have our core values been more relevant or important.

• We will continue to display Courage as we are required to make important decisions.
• We will continue to maintain the highest standards of Integrity whilst we meet the evolving demands of this situation
• We will be required to adapt and Innovate suitable solutions to deliver our mission whilst meeting the needs of our members
• We Care for the wellbeing and safety of our members, staff and industry and we will continue to support you throughout these difficult times.

We would like to thank you all for your continued support and for helping to share our updates during this time.

Sharing Information – IWCF’s Communication Channels

Our communication channels all feature our latest COVID-19 news, so please share the following links with your colleagues and clients to ensure they receive our important updates too.

Our channels include:

• Our social media profiles on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
• A dedicated page on our website to host all COVID-19 updates in one place.
• You can sign up to our newsletters to receive our latest news directly into your inbox. (Please note if you receive an error message when signing up, this means you are already subscribed)
• Information Notices are available for members to view at any time in the Members Login Area.
• Updates are also saved into candidate FORUM accounts in the ‘Useful Documents’ section.