What do you think a trading standards officer (TSO) of the future should look like? CTSI is posing this question to the membership and wants to hear your views. Shared, multidisciplinary and private sector-led services are fast becoming the norm in local authorities across the country in a bid to cope with the continued cuts. But how is this changing your role and the services your team provides? To meet this new demand and changing landscape, CTSI needs to adapt its training offering. To do this, the institute is asking the profession: ‘What does a TSO of the future look like?’ In a statement published in TS Updates e-newsletter, CTSI said: ‘It is only by addressing this now that we can effectively plan for the future provision of a suitable qualification and, in turn, other services, such as training and continuing personal and professional development. ‘We recognise that some work has already been completed in this area and we will draw on this to put forward for discussion what we consider to be the essential skills, knowledge and behaviour requirements for a TSO of the future.’ CTSI plans to use the Trading Standards Qualification Framework focus group to coordinate and communicate its work as it progresses. Members can share their views via their focus group representative, or directly by emailing qualifications@tsi.org.uk It is anticipated that initial proposals will be produced after the focus group in January 2016, with final options discussed by CTSI Council at its spring meeting in April. Champions reign supreme All articles featured in TS Today and TS Review are available in pdf format from CTSI press office, by emailing pressoffice@tsi.org.uk Schoolchildren who won a nationwide competition aimed at testing young people’s consumer knowledge faced a panel of experts live on national television in October. The students from Porthcawl Comprehensive School, Wales, were quizzed by consumer experts – including Gloria Hunniford – on a live edition of the BBC’s Rip Off Britain, while CTSI chief executive, Leon Livermore, faced them as a contender on the adults’ panel. After a lively performance, the students were declared the winners, beating the adults by seven points to six. The students had been selected to take part after winning the national Young Consumers of the Year Competition (YCOY), held at the House of Commons in June. In the competition, organised by CTSI, the winning students – Matthew Dang, Felicity Williamson-Sarll and Jack Bridger – appeared on screen in a three-round, buzzer-style quiz. During the episode, which was aired live on Friday 23 October, they faced questions on consumer issues, while experts from Rip Off Britain also quizzed them on various matters that had arisen during the week of live shows. Porthcawl Comprehensive students had beaten off tough competition from six other schools in the grand finals in June, scooping first place and the CTSI College of Fellows trophy. YCOY is an annual competition for schools and youth groups in England, Scotland and Wales to put their consumer knowledge to the test in the hope of winning £1,000 for their school, the YCOY trophy and a £50 voucher. A CTSI spokesman said: ‘Current and proposed changes to the consumer landscape make it even more vital that young people are equipped with the skills, knowledge and confidence to make well-informed choices and enforce their rights.’ Entries for the 2016 YCOY competition are now open. Visit CTSI’s website for more information on how to apply and to find out more about this year’s YCOY winners.