Level 5 Diploma in Fire Engineering Design (Technician)

This qualification is for individuals who work or intend to work in a position where they are involved in auditing or risk assessing fire engineering premises and designing or assessing fire engineering design submissions.

The Diploma in Fire Engineering Design is a Level 5 qualification aimed at building control officers, approved inspectors, fire engineers, fire safety auditors, inspectors, fire risk assessors, managers, surveyors, architects and fire safety professionals so that they can work towards achieving Fire Engineering Technician status.

The qualification provides individuals with a practical understanding of fundamental engineering principles, enabling them to identify proven techniques and procedures to solve practical fire engineering problems and, when appropriate, to hand over to a fire engineer.

This qualification consists of 10 units which have been designed to provide individuals with knowledge, understanding and skills to identify proven techniques and procedures to solve practical fire engineering problems and, when appropriate, to hand over to a fire engineer.
To achieve this qualification, learners must successfully complete all 10 mandatory units.

Unit 1 – Principles of fire development and spread

Unit 2 – Principles of fire engineering

Unit 3 – Review the effectiveness of automatic fire suppression systems

Unit 4 – Fire engineering design and its impact on human behaviour

Unit 5 – Fire engineering design and its impact on the fire resistance of materials and structures

Unit 6 – Smoke control and heat exhaust ventilation systems

Unit 7 – Pressure differential systems

Unit 8 – Fire engineering design and its impact on the external spread of fire

Unit 9 – Fire engineering design and its impact on access and facilities for fire-fighting

Unit 10 – Principles of fire and evacuation modelling

SFJ Awards specifies that this qualification is recommended to learners aged 18 years and over. The qualification is regulated in England and Wales.

SFJ Awards support the use of RPL (recognised prior learning). Please get in touch if you wish to discuss this.

Learners are expected to be able to demonstrate their capabilities at their own workplace.

If you have any specific learning needs, including dyslexia please let us know before the course.  A good understanding of English is needed.

The Total Qualification Time for this qualification is 370 hours, of which 230 hours are Guided Learning.

This flexible timeframe allows learners to balance their studies with professional commitments, ensuring they can progress at a pace that suits their individual needs and schedules. The course includes a combination of theoretical learning and practical assessments, providing a comprehensive understanding of fire engineering design principles. 

Completing the SFJ Awards Level 5 Diploma in Fire Engineering Design (Technician) opens up several career advancement opportunities, including:

• Senior Fire Engineer: Take on more complex projects and lead teams in designing fire safety systems.
• Fire Safety Consultant: Provide expert advice to organizations on fire safety regulations and risk assessments.
• Building Control Surveyor: Specialize in ensuring that buildings comply with fire safety standards and regulations.
• Further Education: Pursue higher-level qualifications in fire engineering or related fields to deepen your expertise and expand your career prospects.

Compass Skills Training is not only an approved SFJ Awards centre, but is actively involved in improving the quality of fire safety training courses with Head of Operations and Curriculum, Debbie Williams, being involved in the working group with SFJ Awards in the development of the Level 3 Certificate in Fire Risk Assessment. Delivered by industry professionals, we place emphasis on the practical application of our fire safety qualifications, paired with theoretical input.