Why do we need NVQs?
How do NVQs work?
Who awards NVQs?
Who decides what is in an NVQ?
How can NVQs benefit me?
How can I progress with NVQs?
Who decides when standards have been reached?
Surely NVQs are for young people?
How do I get started?
Why do we need NVQs?
Most jobs, whether in tile or tableware manufacture, office administration or retail require practical skills and knowledge. These skills are learnt on the job, through experience and can be more valuable than formal qualifications. After all, exam results generally do not tell an employer how competently someone can do a job.
NVQs are not about going on courses, studying, or passing exams. They are about assessment, to a nationally recognised standard, of how competently someone does a job that their employer pays them to do. At last we have the opportunity for people, who have been doing a good job for years, to be recognised for their competence and achieve a worthwhile qualification.
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How do NVQs work?
There are five levels in the NVQ framework, starting with Level 1, through to Level 5. Many ceramic operatives work for NVQs at level 2, as this is the level for which specific, perhaps craft skills, are needed.
Someone who has a ceramic NVQ Level 2 in ‘Decorating by Hand’ would be qualified to a similar level of skill as a person with NVQ Level 2 in hairdressing, retail, or business administration.
The main difference between NVQs and academic qualifications is that you don’t have to attend formal training courses to achieve an NVQ qualification. NVQs are based on standards, which you can work towards at your own pace. You may already have achieved the required standards for certain NVQs. If you have, you wont have to start at Level 1, you can start working towards whichever level is right for your present skills and abilities.
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Who awards NVQs?
NVQs are awarded by Awarding Bodies such as City & Guilds, PAA (the Process Awards Authority), BTec, or OCR. The standard that you achieve is the same, regardless of which Awarding Body you get your NVQ from.
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Who decides what is in an NVQ?
Industry decides. The NVQ standards are based on what employers want. Employers, employees, colleges and training providers are all consulted on what should go into a new or revised NVQ. For ceramic NVQs, this consultation is led by the Association for Ceramic Training & Development (ACTD). Its role is to make sure that the NVQs are right for the needs of industry, from both employers’ and employees’ points of view.
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How can NVQs benefit me?
An NVQ is evidence that you can do a job properly and that you have the knowledge and skills required. Having an NVQ proves that you can work to industry standards, and they are recognised by employers and trade unions.
There is a great deal of personal satisfaction to be gained from doing something well; an NVQ is proof of achievement, and something to be proud of. It is also evidence to put forward if you change jobs or go for promotion.
NVQs are updated regularly and new options added to keep abreast of improvements in technology and working practices. This means that you can add to your qualifications and have a completely up-to-date record of how competent and skilled you are.
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How can I progress with NVQs?
NVQs have two great advantages; they are flexible and transferable.
Someone who changes jobs can retain the units and elements that they have acquired towards an NVQ in one area, and work towards those relevant to the new job. This may be to a different level of the same NVQ, or at the same level but in a different skill area. Some aspects of ceramic NVQs are common to more than one qualification, and it isn’t necessary to repeat them.
Most employers need two types of employee, those who are competent in one skill area and those who are versatile across a wide range of skills. NVQs are designed for what is best for individuals and the company for which they work.
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Who decides when standards have been reached?
The assessor will usually be a person who is in day-to-day contact with you as you work towards your NVQ.
Assessors must be able to use assessment techniques correctly and will be have been trained and assessed to national standards to do this. They must also be ‘occupationally competent’ which means they are able to do the job that they are assessing.
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Surely NVQs are for young people?
This is not the case. Anyone can obtain them, whether they are just starting work or have been working for many years. NVQs are about meeting standards of competence and it doesn’t matter how you have acquired that competence. People aged 67 have qualified for NVQs.
NVQs value experience and it is possible to achieve some elements of your NVQ by showing your assessor work you have done in the past, as long as you can prove it is your own work.
NVQs mean that you don’t have to do any unnecessary training. You can start at the level that is right for you and progress from there. At the end of it you will have a valuable City & Guilds qualification, proof that you can work to a nationally recognised standard.
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How do I get started?
You can start an NVQ at any time you want to. The best place to do it is in the workplace, although it is possible to start by studying at home as well.
Your training manager will assign you to a trained assessor who will look for evidence that you can consistently carry out different jobs to the required standards. Your assessor watches you at work and asks you questions to establish that you know what you are doing and why. There is no catch, and there is no pass or fail. You simply take the assessment when you and your assessor feel that you are ready.
You will also be given a workbook that contains the standards and spaces in which your assessments are recorded. When you have achieved all the units and elements you will be awarded a certificate from an Awarding Body such as City & Guilds.
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