The glazing and home improvement industry is entering a new phase of leadership and accountability as the updated Mandatory Technical Competence (MTC) framework begins its rollout.

As the primary authors of both the current and previous MTC frameworks, the Certass technical team is said to have worked closely with government and industry partners to modernise how competence is defined, assessed, and maintained.

According to Certass, the move from Minimum to Mandatory represents a cultural shift toward verified, behaviour-based professionalism rather than box-ticking.

Jon Vanstone, chair of Certass and the National Home Improvement Council (NHIC), explained: “This is about raising the bar in a way that supports real people doing real work. The new MTC ensures that competence is not just about what you know or what you can do, but how you apply that knowledge in practice. It sets a higher standard for accountability and trust across our sector, helping show consumers to distinguish good from bad.”

The revised framework introduces separate criteria for domestic, non-domestic, and high-risk buildings, providing clarity across different working environments. It also integrates behavioural expectations drawn from the BS 8670 standard to ensure ethical, quality-focused working is recognised as an essential part of competence.

Certass adds that it has already been assessing against the principles of the new domestic MTC criteria for over two years. The organisation will expand assessments through its Learning Management System (LMS) in early 2026, offering tailored modules for non-domestic and higher-risk projects.

“This evolution has been a long time coming,” added Vanstone. “For too long, competence has been reduced to paperwork, often favouring large organisations over skilled tradespeople. The new framework turns it into a living standard, one that reflects how good businesses really operate.”