This is one of a series of articles available at www.nvqweb.com that aim to develop understanding of NVQs and their assessment.
Where a person has concerns or is unsure that they know what they are doing there is a temptation to keep quiet, keep a low profile and if things are not going well to stop actively working on the programme. Whilst this is a natural reaction, especially when a person is worried that it is their own fault, this approach will have the result of making things worse.
An assessor or centre may have a large number of candidates and other priorities so they may not be aware that an individual candidate is struggling and therefore will not realise there is a support need. If you do feel there is a problem therefore it is vital that you let someone know. It may simply be a need for reassurance or there may be some action that needs taking.
It is also important to complete and return work. Again where there is a feeling of being unsure what is expected then it is difficult and even embarrassing to have your work looked at. However the most important part of learning what is expected is to get feedback. You will often be pleasantly surprised to find out that your work is actually very good. Remember that NVQ does not have the same academic requirements as traditional education and things like grammer and presentation are not what is being assessed. The quicker you can complete work and get it looked at the quicker you will know what is expected.
Rather than fall to the temptation to wait for things to happen be proactive and get involved. For example if you have not been allocated an assessor then ask for one. If you do have an assessor then contact them to request your first meeting. There may often be reasons why things have to happen at a certain time but if you are asking this can be explained.
There can also be times where things appear to be going wrong or the programme is not being delivered correctly. As a new candidate it can feel very hard to be able to address this, especially if it related to a person that they are dependent on like an assessor. However it is important to raise any concerns as this will allow the problem to be addressed at an early stage. Remember that an Assessment Centre cannot know everything that is happening and will often appreciate the chance to address a problem before it becomes serious and they lose candidates.