Build real competence. Safely.
UK construction measures competence as skills, knowledge, experience and behaviours (SKEB). See how Tradefox builds all four: our teaching method, the evidence behind it, practical guidance and how we measure outcomes.
We teach by doing.
Every lesson follows the same loop, across electrical, gas, plumbing, carpentry and more. Bach the fox keeps score.
Built around SKEB.
Tradefox maps to the four parts of competence in the Building Regulations 2010, Part 2A (reg. 11F) and BS 8670-1:2024, which replaced BSI Flex 8670.
“The application of skills, knowledge, experience and behaviour (SKEB) to achieve a defined outcome.”
Skills
The “ability to perform tasks consistently to achieve the intended outcome”. How Tradefox builds it: step-by-step 3D simulations of real tasks, with instant feedback on the wrong tool or order, repeated until they’re right every time.
Knowledge
“Understanding of relevant facts, theories and practices for a given role, function or task”. How Tradefox builds it: bite-sized quizzes after every simulation and spaced reviews over days and weeks, with each “why” explained in context.
Experience
“Practical engagement in relevant activities, enabling the development and application of knowledge and skills”. How Tradefox builds it: varied, repeated scenarios, including rare or dangerous ones, plus a logged practice history that tutors and employers can review. It counts as practice evidence, not verified site experience.
Behaviours
“Professional attitudes and conduct that support competent performance”. How Tradefox builds it: PPE and safety checks are built into every task, and skipping one fails it. Streaks and XP reward doing it properly every day.
SKEB definitions: Managing Competence in the Built Environment, s.9.2.8.
What Tradefox is, and isn’t. Tradefox supports and evidences SKEB development. It doesn’t certify competence by itself. A simulation result doesn’t verify workplace experience or authorise hazardous work. That still needs qualifications, supervised site experience and workplace assessment.
The evidence behind the method.
Tradefox is designed around peer-reviewed research on simulation, practice and safety training, and around UK competence standards.
Technology-enhanced simulation for health professions education
Cook, D.A. et al. JAMA 306(9)
Across 609 studies and 35,226 trainees, simulation training showed large effects on process skills (1.09) and product skills (1.18), compared with no intervention.
The impact of virtual reality on practical skills for students in science and engineering education
International Journal of STEM Education
Across 37 studies, VR had a moderate positive effect on practical skills (g = 0.477). Hands-on VR practice showed the largest effect (g = 0.842), though the authors found the differences between approaches weren’t significant.
Improving students’ learning with effective learning techniques
Dunlosky, J., Rawson, K.A., Marsh, E.J., Nathan, M.J. & Willingham, D.T. Psychological Science in the Public Interest 14(1)
Of ten common techniques, only practice testing and distributed (spaced) practice were rated “high utility”, helping learners of different ages and abilities.
Distributed practice in verbal recall tasks: a review and quantitative synthesis
Cepeda, N.J. et al. Psychological Bulletin 132(3)
Across 317 experiments, the gap between study sessions that gave the best retention grew with how long the material had to be remembered.
Relative effectiveness of worker safety and health training methods
Burke, M.J. et al. American Journal of Public Health 96(2)
Across 95 studies and 20,991 workers, more engaging training (practice, modelling, dialogue) led to greater knowledge gains and fewer accidents, illnesses and injuries.
The gamification of learning: a meta-analysis
Sailer, M. & Homner, L. Educational Psychology Review 32
Gamification had significant small positive effects on cognitive (g = 0.49), motivational (g = 0.36) and behavioural (g = 0.25) learning outcomes.
BS 8670-1:2024 Competence frameworks for building safety. Core criteria
BSI. Successor to BSI Flex 8670.
Sets baseline competence criteria covering the knowledge, skills, experience and behaviours needed for building-safety work.
Managing Competence in the Built Environment: an industry guide to meeting the ICC principles
ITFG 01/2026
Defines each element of SKEB and stresses that “training alone does not create competence”: development should show improved performance, not just attendance.
Building Regulations 2010, Part 2A, regulation 11F
legislation.gov.uk
Individuals doing building or design work must have the skills, knowledge, experience and behaviours needed for it. People in training towards this are exempt.
No studies match those filters yet.
Get expert guidance.
Practical reading on competence and safe working, from Tradefox and the bodies that set the rules.
Frequently asked questions.
How well does Tradefox work, and what does it do? Straight answers.
Does Tradefox make someone competent?
Not on its own, and nothing that only happens on a screen can. Under UK frameworks, competence is skills, knowledge, experience and behaviours, evidenced for a specific task. Tradefox helps build all four and records practice evidence. Qualifications, supervised site experience and workplace assessment are still needed.
What is SKEB?
Skills, Knowledge, Experience and Behaviours. The Building Regulations 2010 (Part 2A, introduced under the Building Safety Act 2022) require individuals doing building or design work in England to have the SKEB needed for that work. BS 8670-1:2024 sets core criteria for building-safety competence frameworks.
Is simulation as good as real practice?
It’s a strong complement, not a replacement. Meta-analyses show simulation and VR practice improve practical skills, and simulation lets learners safely rehearse rare or dangerous situations. Real tools and real sites remain essential.
Which trades does Tradefox cover?
Electrical, gas, plumbing, carpentry and other construction trades.
Where does the research on this page come from?
Every finding links to the original published study, standard or legislation, so you can check it yourself.
How we’ll measure outcomes.
We plan to measure what matters and to be clear about what we don’t know. Colleges, employers and prison education teams can partner with us on future studies.
In-app evidence
We’ll look at accuracy, missed safety steps and improvement over repeated attempts to see how learners build each part of SKEB.
Real-world outcomes
With partners, we aim to compare qualification and assessment results with similar groups who didn’t use Tradefox.
Honest reporting
We’ll publish sample sizes, comparison groups and limitations, and we won’t present simulation scores as proof of workplace competence.
Start building real competence today.
Practise real trade skills with Bach, or talk to us about a partner study.