Candidate Articles

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.

This is one of a series of articles available at www.nvqweb.com that aim to develop understanding of NVQs and their assessment.

The following are some of the key events to expect during the first few months of an NVQ programme. Be aware that each NVQ Assessment Centre can do things differently in the order or way that they do things so it is hard to be specific about timing, how an individual programme is organised and the language used.

Before starting or in the first couple of weeks of the programme.
Initial assessment and introduction to your programme. This will include things like telling you about your NVQ and how the programme will work. You may be given written introductory information You may be assessed formally or informally to assess your individual needs such as what units match your job and to identify any special assessment or support needs. For example if you work nights then you might need an assessor who can visit at an appropriate time.

Agreement for assessment: There is often a process where you, the assessor, the centre and your workplace will agree on how assessment will take place and what is expected from each party involved. This may take the form of a written agreement or contract.

• Enrolment and registration. You will usually have some forms to complete that will enrol you as a learner with your training provider. At an early stage you will also be registered through the NVQ Assessment Centre with an awarding body. This is important, as until you are registered you will not be recognised or be formally protected by an awarding body.
• Induction: This will be a more in-depth explanation of the programme and what to expect. This will include letting you know about your rights as a candidate and information about the programme and NVQ Assessment Centre. You will often get a candidate booklet and documentation to go with your programme.
• Action Plan or learning agreement: This will be an agreement that sets out what actions will be required, it may include short and long terms actions that may be reviewed at regular dates.
• Allocation of an Assessor: Normally you will have a person allocated to you to be your assessor, some centres may use more than one person in this role. You may also find out about other people related to your programme such as tutors, mentors, internal verifiers etc.

First Couple of months:
Planning for assessment: Usually in discussion with your NVQ Assessor you will be given information on what unit or units you can start and what evidence will be needed. This may include arrangements for observation in the workplace of you carrying out your job or of workplace products you have produced such as a record in a care plan. It might also include evidence that you need to collect yourself such as completing course work or a witness testimony.

Assessment: Your NVQ Assessor will use this evidence to assess you against the criteria in the NVQ unit or units that you have agreed and you will be given feedback. This might show you what you have covered in the Units or might identify additional learning or evidence that you need. Note that the way NVQ works you do not pass or fail assessments. Your assessor will give you credit for whatever you have proved that you can do or know. Things you do not cover will be collected at a later date.

Completing Units: Normally to complete a unit you will need to complete several assessments. Once your assessor decides you have enough evidence to cover a whole NVQ unit they will let you know of this and you will have completed your first unit. A further check will then be made by another person called an Internal Verifier to confirm the assessor's judgements.

Portfolio building: Traditionally portfolios have been paper based but this is not always the case. Your portfolio allows the records of assessment to be organised in a way that shows how you have proved your competence.  

Review: At regular intervals a programme review might take place to see how things are going and to address any problems with progress.

Learning new knowledge and skills: In all NVQs you have to show you have any knowledge needed for you to do the job. This might include the need to learn new knowledge or skills. Some programmes may have a training programme or workshops to help you with this. This is sometimes called an underpinning knowledge course. Alternatively you might cover this with the assistance of your assessor or even independently using distance learning materials or workbooks. Evidence produced of your knowledge will be required by your assessor as part of your assessment.

This is one of a series of articles available at www.nvqweb.com that aim to develop understanding of NVQs and their assessment.

It is important to understand that it is normal to take a while to get your head around your NVQ programme. Where this is the case and things appear confusing it not because you are lacking or even that the training provider is not providing a good induction. The amount of new information and skills that need to be learnt by someone new to NVQ is significant.

As an example the following are some of the key skills and knowledge that you may need to learn before it all comes together and makes sense.

• How assessment planning works
• Different methods of assessment, how these work and how they are documented.
• How the NVQ units relate to your job.
• How the NVQ standards are organised and what you need to do in order to complete a unit.
• How evidence and other assessment documentation will be recorded and organised.
• Who does what, what is expected of the candidate and the role of others involved such as the NVQ assessor.
• How learning and assessment will take place and be arranged.
• Where needed, how to learn new skills and knowledge.

Looking at this list it is not really surprising that it does takes a few months or longer to grasp all of the necessary skills required. It also takes time for the candidate and their assessor to develop the relationship and planning to make this all happen.

In my experience full understanding does not happen until the first unit or units are completed. Once this stage has been achieved then all of the individual parts of the picture come together and things become a lot clearer. Until this happens it is important to realise that it is quite normal to be on a learning curve with the NVQ and this is not a problem. One consolation is that once you have achieved your first NVQ and gained this understanding the you will have mastered the NVQ ready for any future NVQs that you take on.