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New Year, New Career

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Sometimes, you know it’s time for a change. When it comes to your career, you might be ready to take a new direction if any of the following applies:

  • You feel a lack of passion, motivation, or commitment to your current role
  • You feel undervalued or disrespected
  • You haven’t taken a step up in a long time
  • You’re bored or ready for a new challenge
  • Your current role doesn’t fit in with the lifestyle you have or the lifestyle you want
  • Your salary isn’t where you want it to be.

In fact, 1 in 3 of us considers making a career change at the start of a new year. After a Christmas recharge and with the motivation of New Year’s resolutions spurring us on, January can be the perfect opportunity to move into that new role.

Sound like you? Well, you’re in the right place. In this article, we’re going to offer some tips and advice on how to build a new career in the New Year.

The Role of an NVQ Assessor

If you’re reading this on the Brooks and Kirk site, then the likelihood is you have an interest in becoming an NVQ Assessor – a great decision, by the way!

An NVQ Assessor is somebody who uses the benefit of their years of experience in a vocational industry to assess newcomers to the field during their training and qualifications. To become an NVQ Assessor, you need a minimum of two years’ experience in your industry (or equivalent qualification) and to pass a CAVA qualification.

Becoming an NVQ Assessor in the New Year

You have your eyes on the CAVA course – the only course that leads to becoming a fully-qualified NVQ Assessor.

But how to make it happen? There are two routes to take:

  • Talk to your current employer

If you’re currently working in a vocational role, then you may be able to take advantage of training schemes within your organisation to upskill. Employee funded training is common in many industries. If you find there are none advertised, then use your next employee review as an opportunity to bring it up. Many employers reward their high-performance employees by investing in further training and career development.

  • Invest in your own training

Alternatively, you can make the decision to go it alone. Don’t worry! This isn’t as hard as it seems. You can even complete a CAVA course while continuing to work in your current role. Brooks and Kirk offer online CAVA courses – we’ll even provide students to assess. Once qualified, this will give you the ammunition you need to negotiate a new position or pay rise within your current organisation or arm your CV to win an NVQ Assessor role elsewhere.

When is the next enrolment date?

If you’ve studied before, you’re probably expecting to have to wait until the next enrolment date to get started. Perhaps you’ve got a September or January start date in mind.

The good news is, at Brooks and Kirk, there are no set enrolment dates to start a CAVA course. You can begin whenever you like. In fact, complete a course purchase before 4pm, and you’ll be enrolled on the same day.

If you want a new career in the New Year, you can start on January 1st. Or February, March, April… whenever works best for you. The great thing about training for CAVA with Brooks and Kirk is that timing will never be an issue.

How to get ready for a January start

  • Read up on the CAVA Find out what it entails, the eligibility criteria that apply, and read up on all other aspects of the course.
  • Decide when to enrol. If you want to start on January 1st, then you can enrol any time before or on the day. Start the process here.

I want to become an NVQ Assessor in 2020

Fantastic! Becoming an NVQ Assessor is the perfect way to apply the skills and knowledge of a career in a new way. Top up your salary by taking a step up or slow down by going freelance. Whatever your reason, and whatever your schedule for completion, Brooks and Kirk is here for you.

Got questions? Contact us today for free, no-obligation advice from an expert adviser. Bring on the New Year!

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How do I become a fully qualified Assessor?

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One of the questions we get asked most often at Brooks and Kirk is ‘How do I become an NVQ Assessor?’

The answer is probably not as complicated as you think! You simply need to meet two requirements to become an NVQ assessor:

  • You must demonstrate something called ‘occupational competence’
  • and you must have completed the CAVA qualification.

That’s it! It’s not a complex process, but some people who are new to assessment might find themselves a little confused over what we mean by occupational competence, or struggle to wade through the range of assessment courses on offer. Undoubtedly, all you need to know is that CAVA is the only course that makes you a fully qualified Assessor.

In the rest of this article, we’ll go through these two components in a little more detail to make sure you’re left with no grey areas.

Become qualified through CAVA

Firstly, nobody can become an assessor without being qualified in some way through the official framework of assessment qualifications (TAQA). The course we’ll be focusing on in this article is the CAVA course; which is the only qualification that will lead to you becoming a fully qualified NVQ Assessor.

What’s involved in the CAVA course?

CAVA stands for Level 3 Certificate in Assessing Vocational Achievement. Although, you may also come across references to the D32 and D33 awards or the A1 and A2 awards. These are predecessors to the CAVA course. In 2010, CAVA was introduced. At this time, it’s the course you need to take to become a fully qualified NVQ Assessor.

When you undertake the CAVA course, you’ll cover the three criteria that are essential to the assessment process:

Unit 1: Understanding the Principles and Practices of Assessment
Unit 2: Assess Occupational Competence in the Work Environment
and Unit 3: Assess Vocational Skills, Knowledge and Understanding

In short, you’ll learn the principles and practices behind the assessment process, and then learn how to assess both within a workplace and classroom environment.

What you need to be eligible to enrol in a CAVA course

To be eligible to enrol in a CAVA course, there is only one thing you need to be able to do. Demonstrate occupational competence.

Hmm… That’s the second time you’ve used that phrase, but what does it mean?

In the simplest terms, if you can demonstrate occupational competence, you can show you have sufficient knowledge and understanding of your industry to be able to judge whether someone else is doing the job well.

Not so hard, right? But what exactly makes my knowledge ‘sufficient’?

That’s a good question and one that can be hard to answer as different employers and training providers can interpret the ‘occupational competence’ criteria differently. However, in general, there are two ways you can demonstrate that you have sufficient knowledge and skill to train as an assessor.

1)      Work experience

This is by far the most highly regarded form of occupational competence you can demonstrate. Two years of work experience in your field (and at the right level) is generally considered sufficient to demonstrate occupational competence, although it’s always worth checking whether your training provider or employer is looking for a longer work history.

2)      Vocational qualifications

Vocational qualifications describe any type of accredited training you’ve done to get to where you are. For example, NVQs, BTECs, or relevant diplomas.

Generally, a Level 3 qualification is considered the right level to demonstrate occupational competence – but not always! Some training providers and employers will accept lower levels of vocational qualification or even none at all if you’ve got the right work experience.

To sum it all up

You’ve read the long version; now here’s the whole thing in a nutshell!

To become an assessor, you need to:

  • Already have a high level of occupational competence, i.e. two years of work experience in the industry and/or a Level 3 vocational qualification
  • Complete a CAVA course to become a fully qualified Assessor.

Remember, the eligibility criteria to take the CAVA course can vary depending on how the institution interprets ‘occupational competence’, so always check what’s needed from you before applying.

Get in touch with Brooks and Kirk

If you’re starting to get excited, knowing you’re only a stone’s throw away from becoming a qualified assessor, then get in touch today and let us help you go the last mile. We’re expert assessor training providers who’ve been delivering assessor training for over 20 years! We can offer expert advice no matter what your industry or career goals.

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6 Top Tips for Newly-Qualified Assessors

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It’s been a long road. You’ve demonstrated your occupational competence, you’ve completed your course, and now you’re ready to keep an eye on those learners; you’re a newly qualified Assessor!

First of all, good job on getting qualified! You’ve entered into a career that is both challenging and rewarding. You’ve shown you’re an industry expert and now it’s time to demonstrate your ability as an Assessor.

So, by following our six top tips, we guarantee you’ll build confidence and competence as a newly qualified Assessor.

1)     Shadow experienced assessors

There’s no better way to pick up the tricks of the trade than to see others at work. Shadowing an experienced Assessor is a great way to see what you’ve learned in action, to learn techniques to deal with obstacles, and to consider how your newfound skills might translate in a real assessment setting. When working with a long-time Assessor, you also have the chance to ask questions as you go.

However, a shadowing placement is usually unpaid, unless it’s employer-funded. So, you might find you’ll be out of pocket for the time you’re taking notes from a practiced Assessor. Nontheless, the experience you gain will be invaluable and will look great on a CV if you’re still looking for a paid position.

2)     Make sure you know your National Occupational Standards 

Of course, it’s important your industry knowledge is as sharp as your assessment skills. According to gov.uk, “A National Occupational Standard (NOS) is a document that describes the knowledge, skills and understanding an individual needs to be competent at a job.” These are used to assess NVQ learners.

As an NVQ Assessor, you’ll need to know what the NOS criteria are for the qualification(s) you’re assessing. These will be very specific to your industry and to the course being taken. Being up to date with these shows you’re prepared to assess within your field and that your knowledge of assessment within your industry is current.

All NOS documents can be found at UK Standards. You can use the finder tool here.

3)     Gain experience in End-Point Assessment

End-Point Assessment is a chance for newly qualified assessors to dip their toe into the world of assessment. The role of the End-Point Assessor is not to follow a student through the NVQ assessment process, but simply to determine whether their final result warrants a Pass, Merit, or Distinction. It’s a relatively new role in the assessment world that has appeared since the apprenticeship reform in 2017. You can find more information on End-Point Assessment through our EPA Knowledgebase.

4)     Promote yourself

Now your role has changed, you want to make sure everyone knows. Update your social media, CV, and business cards. If you’re not using LinkedIn – you should be! It’s the perfect platform for online networking, identifying job opportunities, and communicating with others in the field of assessment.

Some of the best LinkedIn groups for NVQ Assessors include:

5)     Stay ahead in your vocational knowledge

Even after you’ve qualified as an Assessor, you’ll find the landscape of your industry will always be changing. Standards change, best practice changes, and new ways of doing things come into play. It’s important your vocational knowledge always stays current.

To stay ahead of changes and stay occupationally competent, you should be actively making efforts to continue your professional development (CPD). Some of the ways you can do this are:

    • Subscribe to industry journals
    • Join relevant networks online and in the real world
    • Shadow classes
    • Keep on top of the latest NOS.

6)     Take the next step in your professional development

There are qualifications above and beyond CAVA. One qualification that we would recommend alongside your CAVA is the Level 3 Award in Education and Training. This qualification replaced a qualification that was commonly known as the ‘PTLLS’ Award. 

The Level 3 Award in Education and Training is the first step towards becoming a teacher in adult education. When working with adults, you don’t need a PGCE (required for teaching children). Instead, you can take the AET (Level 3 Award in Education and Training) to get your foot in the door at Further Education colleges and other adult learning institutions.

After more tips and advice?

Contact Brooks and Kirk today. We can give you advice about continuing professional development, including the AET qualification.

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What is TAQA?

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What is TAQA? A lot of people are confused by the term. Is it a qualification? A course?

TAQA is an umbrella term. It stands for Training, Assessment, and Quality Assurance. It’s the name of a suite of qualifications, but it’s not a course itself. In the rest of this post, we’ll go through each of these qualifications in this suite and who they’re for.

T – Training

Education and Training Qualifications

Under the Training section of this suite we have the Education and Training qualifications;

The Level 3 Award in Education and Training, formerly known as PTLLS, is the qualification you will need if you are looking at getting into teaching or training in the Further Education sector.

And, the Level 4 Certificate in Education and Training, formerly known as CTLLS, which is for those of you who are currently working in an educational setting and want to get to the next level in your teaching career.

A – Assessment

Assessor Qualifications

Under the Assessment section, we have four Assessor qualifications: UPPA, AVRA, ACWE, and CAVA.

These four qualifications each comprise a different combination of the following three units:

Unit 1: Understanding the Principles and Practices of Assessment
Unit 2: Assess Occupational Competence in the Work Environment
Unit 3: Assess Vocational Skills, Knowledge and Understanding

It is only when you take all three units (in the CAVA qualification) that you become a fully qualified Assessor. The other combinations seen in the UPPA, AVRA, and ACWE awards qualify learners to do part of the role of a fully trained Assessor.

Let’s take a closer look at each award and what learners are qualified to do when they complete them.

UPPA – ‘Level 3 Award in Understanding the Principles and Practices of Assessment’ (Unit 1)

This award is theory only. Its purpose is to refresh the knowledge of Assessors who are already in work.

AVRA – ‘Level 3 Award in Assessing Vocationally Related Achievement’ (Units 1 and 3)

This award qualifies the learner as an Assessor in classroom, workshop or virtual learning settings only. It doesn’t qualify the learner to assess in a workplace environment.

ACWE – ‘Level 3 Award in Assessing Competence in the Work Environment’ (Units 1 and 2)

On the other hand, we have ACWE which only qualifies the learner to become an Assessor in a workplace setting, but not in a classroom, workshop or virtual environment.

CAVA – ‘Level 3 Certificate in Assessing Vocational Achievement’ (Units 1, 2 and 3)

When you take the CAVA course, you are covering all three units, and therefore becoming fully qualified as an Assessor both in the classroom and in the workplace. It’s the most comprehensive qualification, and therefore the most popular!

QA – Quality Assurance

IQA Qualifications

Unlike the qualifications we’ve already covered, the IQA Qualifications focus on quality assurance in assessment.

In addition, the IQA Qualifications are Level 4 instead of Level 3, which mean they represent a higher level of learning than the Assessor courses.

However, just like the UPPA, AVRA, ACWE, and CAVA awards, each IQA Qualification is made up of some combination of three core units:

Unit 1: Understanding the Principles and Practices of Internally Assuring the Quality of Assessment
Unit 2: Internally Assure the Quality of Assessment
Unit 3: Plan, Allocate and Monitor Work in Own Area of Responsibility

The acronyms for the IQA Qualifications are much more of a mouthful, so we’re not even going to try and shorten them! Instead, let us go through each tongue-twister award in turn.

Level 4 Award in Understanding the Internal Quality Assurance of Assessment Processes and Practice (Unit 1)

This is another theory-only course and does not qualify you to become an Internal Verifier. Instead, it’s a great form of professional development for staff already in the industry, looking to expand their knowledge.

Level 4 Award in the Internal Quality Assurance of Assessment Processes and Practice (Units 1 and 2)

This award qualifies learners to fulfil some of the roles of an Internal Verifier, namely conducting quality assurance for assessment and assessment decisions. However, it doesn’t qualify you to lead others and therefore doesn’t fully qualify learners as Internal Verifiers.

Level 4 Certificate in Leading the Internal Quality Assurance of Assessment Processes and Practice (Units 1, 2 and 3)

This is the ‘Big Daddy’ of IQA Qualifications! In this certification, you will cover all three units, which qualifies you not only to quality assure assessments and assessment decisions, but also to manage internal quality procedures and staff. It also qualifies you to coordinate with External Quality Assurers.

A bit too much text?

Not to worry! We’ve produced a video we hope will clear up the last of any confusion.

To sum it all up…What is TAQA?

There are many roles to be had in the arena of training, assessment and quality assurance; but, to become qualified for any of these, you will have to dip your toe into TAQA. And TAQA is, as we’ve discovered, the umbrella term given to all the qualifications discussed in this post. But it is NOT its own course!

If you want more information about the courses that form TAQA, and to discover which one is right for you, contact us today. We’ll be more than happy to help!

Assessor Qualifications Acronyms

How to make sure you choose the right Assessor Qualification

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There’s no doubt that training for a new role/career can be costly; both in terms of money and time. That’s why it’s important to make sure you’re choosing the right Assessor Qualification from the start. Not only will this save you a considerable amount of money in the long run, it will also qualify you for that role or assessor job you want, even sooner.

Making the right choice will depend entirely on your career goals and what you want to be able to assess. At Brooks and Kirk, we offer a range of courses suitable for the trained Assessor looking to refresh their knowledge, all the way through to experienced individuals looking to become qualified as assessors for the first time.

What are my options?

The first step in choosing the right Assessor Qualification is knowing exactly what options are available to you and where these qualifications could lead.

You’ll see on our site that we offer four Level 3 qualifications – Does this mean they all do the same thing?

Not quite! Although all of our qualifications represent a high standard of training, each one equips learners for a different end goal.

What’s your end goal?

People undertake training for a number of different reasons. For example, some people are looking to update their knowledge after being in one role for a long time. Others may be working within an industry but are looking to sidestep into a new position. Then there are those who want a completely new career and are looking to become qualified in areas they’ve never worked before.

In the rest of this article, we’ll take a look at different learner goals and explain which Assessor Qualification is right for each one.

Assessor Qualifications Acronyms

1.     I want to update my knowledge

If you’re already a trained Assessor who is simply looking to refresh their knowledge or learn about updates in the industry, then you will need our Level 3 Award in Understanding the Principles and Practices of Assessment (UPPA) – Unit 1.

This course does not qualify a learner to become a trained Assessor. Its purpose is to upskill people who are already working in an Assessor role. Perfect for those looking to keep their skills sharp!

2.     I want to be a classroom assessor

If you’re looking to become an Assessor exclusively in a classroom, workshop, or virtual setting, then you need the Level 3 Award in Assessing Vocationally Related Achievement (AVRA) – Units 1 & 3.

This award will qualify you to assess learners in a classroom setting but is not suitable for people who want to assess in a workplace environment.

3.     I want to assess on the job

If you want to become an Assessor of occupational competency – i.e. you want to make sure people are doing their jobs right! – then you’ll want to take the Level 3 Award in Assessing Competence in the Work Environment (ACWE) – Units 1 & 2.

So on the flip side, this award will qualify you to assess in a workplace environment only. You won’t be qualified as a classroom Assessor upon completion of the course.

4.     I want to do it all

If you’re looking to dive in the deep end and become an all-around Assessor who can work both in the classroom and on-the-job, then you will want to take the Level 3 Certificate in Assessing Vocational Achievement (CAVA) – Units 1,2 & 3. On completion of this certification, you will be a fully qualified assessor. This is our only certificate that ensures you are fully-qualified in every setting.

Reading the fine print

It’s important when choosing the right Assessor Qualification that you’re aware of which awards actually qualify you for your desired role, and which are unaccredited training. At Brooks and Kirk, all of our awards are part of the NVQ Framework and are nationally recognised. You can choose to receive your certification from City and Guilds, Pearson Edexcel or Industry Qualifications.

Are you sure? What about A1, D32, D33 or the TAQA?

Okay, so a really brief history lesson for you here… The D32/33 awards were replaced by the A1 awards, which were later replaced by a suite of qualifications that is often referred to as ‘TAQA’ in 2010. If you still feel like you are a little bamboozled by all of these acronyms, assessor qualifications run-through should help.

But most importantly, don’t worry – we offer the most up-to-date qualifications!

I have a full-time job. What are my options for studying?

Over 70% of the trainee assessors we currently have on-programme are fitting their study around a full-time job. This is made possible by Brooks and Kirk’s completely unique delivery model.

Exactly what your course will involve depends on which assessor qualification you choose. That being said, even if you were to enrol onto the most prestigious of the lot – the CAVA, you would only be required to attend one day. You will be able to complete the rest of your course online, entirely at your own pace.

Still not sure?

If you’re still not sure what’s right for you, then there’s no need to worry. Our expert team is available to help and make sure you’re getting exactly the training you need.

Get in touch with us today and talk us through your career goals. We’ll make sure you choose the right Assessor Qualification to get you where you want to be.

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What is Recognition of Prior Learning?

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Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) is an assessment method that you may have come across as an Assessor. You may have even used in your own studying. Or, you may have never heard of it or used it before. That’s why we’re here to explain exactly what RPL is, and how you can use it within your work.

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What is Recognition of Prior Learning?

As we said before, RPL is an assessment method. This method takes into account any ‘prior learning‘ your candidate has done, that could be used to tick off certain criteria in the qualification you are assessing. So as the Assessor, you would need to cross-reference the relevant previous work against the criteria you are looking for. Using this method can reduce the time required to complete the course; in some cases, significantly.

But basically, Recognition of Prior Learning is about your learner being able to demonstrate they have met some of the requirements of said course, through knowledge or skills they already have. Meaning that they don’t need to develop this knowledge or skills to pass some of the criteria. 

However, this differs from ‘Unit Exemption’…

What is Unit Exemption?

Unit Exemption is used when the candidate has previously passed a unit of work, that is the same as a unit in the prospective qualification. Sounds a bit confusing, but let us break it down.

As an example from our perspective, some of our learners have only completed 2/3 units of the Assessor qualification (AVRA/ACWE); but now would like to complete the full CAVA. So in these circumstances, we would enrol learners onto the CAVA, and use their AVRA or ACWE certificate and exempt them from the Units they’ve already covered. This way they would receive the CAVA certificate upon completion, as opposed to unit credits.

So what’s the difference between RPL and Unit Exemption?

With Recognition of Prior Learning, the candidate would need to write a reflective account for each assignment being used. The reflective account needs to be about what they learned within previous work that shows they’ve met the criteria. This then proves their understanding and how it relates to this qualification you are assessing them on. Assignments can only be used for RPL if they were recently completed; normally at a maximum of around 2/3 years ago.

There is a really simple difference between this and Unit Exemption; as with Unit Exemption, the candidate does not need to do any further work. And, it doesn’t matter how long ago the unit was completed; it only matters that the unit is still exactly the same.

If you would like further information on any other assessment methods, take a look at our post on what exactly assessment methods are.

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Become an Assessor Before the New Academic Year

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Finally – the summer holidays have just begun! And what a way to start them with this heatwave we’re getting at the moment. 6 weeks of relaxing, spending time with the kids, going on holiday… what more could you want?

Well, you could be thinking about finding something new to do in September. Maybe you’re starting to get bored in your current job, or perhaps just fancy a change. Whatever the reason, we can make it happen. In the next 6 weeks, you could become an Assessor ready for the new Academic Year.

What is an Assessor?

An Assessor is someone who supports and guides learners through vocational qualifications. As an Assessor, your job is to collect various different types of evidence from your learners to meet all of the learning outcomes specified within their qualification. Generally, on a day-to-day basis, you would be expected to:

  • Plan and deliver NVQ training programmes and workshops;
  • Observe candidates’ competency in their workplace;
  • Examine candidates’ portfolios of evidence;
  • Question candidates about how they would deal with non-standard situations;
  • Provide feedback and offer advice if the standards are not met;
  • Sign off the NVQ when all the requirements have been met;
  • Keep records of candidates’ progress, according to the requirements of the NVQ awarding bodies;
  • Attend standardisation meetings with other assessors;
  • Work closely with the training staff and candidates’ line managers.

(this information has been taken from our NVQ Assessor FAQ).

How do I become an Assessor?

To become an Assessor, there are only a couple of things you need.

  1. Occupational Competence
  2. The Level 3 Certificate in Assessing Vocational Achievement

Occupational Competence comes in the form of accredited qualifications and/or work experience. It all depends on the Industry you wish to assess in, as to whether you will be required to hold a qualification in that area or not. For example, most Health and Social Care assessor jobs will ask for a minimum of Level 3 in Health and Social Care. On the other hand, a lot of jobs in trades will ask for a number of years work experience. It all depends on your sector – so we’d advise having a look at job sites to see what requirements employers are looking for!

Now, the Level 3 Certificate in Assessing Vocational Achievement (for short, CAVA) is the ‘universal’ Assessor qualification. By this, we mean that regardless of the sector you work in, you’ll need the same qualification. So whether you want to assess in Early Years, Construction, Dental – you need the CAVA. Find out more about this qualification on our CAVA page.

Can I become a Qualified Assessor by September?

You can indeed – we’ve designed our courses to have no start/end dates. This means you can start the course whenever you like, and take as long as you need to finish it. The quickest completion we have had to date is 2 weeks. So effectively, you could start the course today with just a deposit of £50, and have plenty of time to complete in the next 6 weeks*.

*subject to practical session availability.

For more information, give us a call on 01205 805 155, or send us an email at training@brooksandkirk.co.uk. You can also message us on Facebook.

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Is There A Difference Between an Assessor and an End-Point Assessor?

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A couple of years ago, this question wouldn’t have even existed. This is because End-Point Assessors didn’t exist, and there was only one Assessor involved in an Apprenticeship. Fast-forward to late 2018, there are in fact two Assessors involved in an Apprenticeship. Now, this question is one of the most commonly asked ones in the world of Assessing. So, let’s briefly sum it all up.

Assessor VS End-Point Assessor

First of all, yes there is a difference between an Assessor and an End-Point Assessor. More specifically, an ‘NVQ/On-Programme Assessor‘ and an ‘End-Point Assessor‘.

An NVQ Assessor and an On-Programme Assessor are more or less the same in terms of their roles and responsibilities. However, the End-Point Assessor has very different roles and responsibilities. Whilst an NVQ/OP Assessor’s main role involves guiding their learners through their qualification to get their KSB’s (Knowledge, Skills and Behaviours) up to the standards, an End-Point Assessor purely assesses the candidate at the end of their Apprenticeship in and End-Point Assessment.

For a clearer explanation, our very own Head of Marketing Sam wrote a blog on FENews detailing the exact difference between an Assessor and an End-Point Assessor! 

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How to Become an NVQ Assessor?

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Who knew one question could have so many answers! Trying to find out what you need to become an NVQ Assessor can be hard work. Especially when every job vacancy and training provider says differently. But that hard work ends here… If you want to find out how to become an NVQ Assessor, all you need to do is read on. 

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How to Become an NVQ Assessor?

What you need to become an NVQ assessor will vary based on the prospective employer and the qualification you are looking to assess. However, generally speaking, to become an NVQ Assessor, you need two things. These are occupational competence and the appropriate assessor qualification.

In addition to that, any assessor jobs that state assessment experience is required, will also likely require you to have an up to date CPD record. 

Just in case you would prefer a more visual answer to that question.

We hope that has helped! So that’s all you need from us, surely? If only…

Unfortunately, it’s not that straight forward for everyone. So let’s break that answer down into two parts and take a look at each part in more detail.   

Occupational Competence 

It almost goes without saying, but you need to be experienced in the field that you are looking to assess in. Experience of working within a certain industry and any qualifications or courses you have completed whilst working in that industry can both be used to evidence your level of occupational competence. Obviously, for anyone that has been working in in a certain role for over 5 years and has either achieved a level 3 or 5 NVQ, there shouldn’t be any issues with being able to provide prospective employers with occupational competence evidence. In fact, it would make sense for you to skip to the second part of the process for becoming an NVQ assessor; and that is finding the appropriate assessor qualification. 

If, on the other hand, you think you may be short on experience or qualifications; then you’ve got more to learn. 

What does Occupational Competence look like?

The most important form of occupational competence is undoubtedly experience of working within relevant job roles. And yes, ideally, you should have qualifications to back up that experience. However, if you haven’t, not to worry. As this isn’t always a necessity.

At this point, you may be thinking;

“Hold on! Are you sure? When I type ‘How to Become an NVQ Assessor?’ into Google and search assessor jobs, everyone says that I need at least a Level 3 NVQ?“

So, I want to clarify something quickly. No, you don’t HAVE to hold an NVQ, BTEC or even a degree to be eligible for an assessor job. Granted, a lot (but not all) of assessor job vacancies do say that you need a qualification. But that is because it is down to the individual employer to decide what they require their assessors to have to be deemed ‘occupationally competent’. You see, all that learning providers need to be concerned with is ensuring their assessors meet the requirements set out by the relevant awarding body (City and Guilds, Pearson Edexcel, Highfield etc).

The problem is, most awarding bodies’ qualification specifications have incredibly subjective requirements for assessors. They say things like;

Assessors must:

“have substantial operational experience that is current and appropriate to the unit(s) of NVQ/SVQ they are intending to assess.”

“be capable of carrying out the full requirements within the competency units they are assessing. This occupational competence should be maintained annually through clearly demonstrable continuing learning and professional development.”

Soooooo, in terms of requirements; what does that tell you exactly? Not a great deal! I have quoted those straight from specifications for the Level 3 NVQ Diploma in Hairdressing and Level 3 NVQ Diploma in Construction respectively. As you can see, it is pretty much left down to the training provider or college to decide what is acceptable. This means that whilst one training provider might decide that you’re not occupationally competent, another might say that you are. 

A general rule of thumb

Hopefully this has helped you to see the answer to; ‘How to become an NVQ assessor’ isn’t as simple as you may have first thought! But, we want to give you some kind of idea as to where you stand with being able to become an assessor. So, if you have:

  • Picked up at least 2 years experience working in a certain industry;
  • A good command of the English language and ideally have some form of Maths and English qualifications (GCSEs or Functional Skills);
  • Undertaken accredited vocationally related training;

… Then you will be deemed occupationally competent by most employers. So all that’s left for you to do before you can start applying for assessor jobs is to complete the appropriate assessor qualification. 

Assessor Qualifications

Ahh now, this part is far easier to advise on. You just need to get an assessor course under your belt and you are good to go. Presumably, we just need to take a look at the qualification(s) that all of the assessor jobs are asking for? So, for the purpose of this post, I searched ‘assessor jobs’ online and looked at the first 5 that I came across. Here are all of the terms I came across referring to the required assessor qualification:

  • D32/33
  • D Units
  • A1/A2
  • A1 Award
  • TAQA
  • CAVA
  • Formal Assessing Qualification
  • Assessor Award

*Sigh

Where do I start with this! Unfortunately, as you have probably witnessed for yourself, trying to find the name of the assessor qualification you need can be an absolute nightmare. But it doesn’t need to be; I’m going to explain what A1, D32/33 and TAQA all mean. But first, I am going to clearly talk you through the current assessor qualifications, so that you know which assessor qualification you need to become an NVQ Assessor. 

Current Assessor Qualifications

There are four current assessor qualifications to choose from. As I don’t like to beat around the bush, I’ll start with the most popular and highly regarded assessor qualification of the bunch…

Level 3 Certificate in Assessing Vocational Achievement (CAVA)

The CAVA is a 3-Unit qualification. In a nutshell, this qualification would make you a fully-qualified assessor. Upon completion of this qualification, you would be qualified to assess a learner’s occupational competence within a workplace. But on top of this, you would also be able to assess vocationally related knowledge and skills in learning environments. These learning environments could include classrooms, online learning systems, workshops and simulated environments, for example. 

Level 3 Award in Assessing Competence in the Work Environment (ACWE)

This assessor qualification comprises 2 of the 3 units that are covered in the CAVA. The unit that the ACWE leaves out is the one that would qualify you to assess a learner’s vocational knowledge and skills outside of the work environment. So, if you only are only interested in being able to assess occupational competence, then the Level 3 ACWE will be ideal for you.

Level 3 Award in Assessing Vocationally Related Achievement (AVRA)

Again, this Level 3 Assessor Award is also only 2 of the 3 units from the CAVA. If we were to tell you that the theory-based unit from the 2 aforementioned qualifications appears in all 4 assessor courses, you don’t need to be any Sherlock Holmes to work out what the AVRA is all about… This assessor course would only qualify you to assess a learner’s vocational knowledge and skills in learning environments. 

Level 3 Award in Understanding the Principles and Practices of Assessment (UPPA)

Finally, we have the UPPA. This single-unit assessor qualification does not qualify you to assess learners whatsoever. Given that you are probably reading this because you are looking to become an NVQ assessor, I can assure you that this course isn’t going to be the one for you. Whilst at first it can sound pretty strange and useless as an assessor qualification, the UPPA has its purposes. If you had previously qualified as an assessor and you needed a refresher course to bring your CPD record up to date, this would be the one. 

Your Next Step

I appreciate that is a lot to take in, so here’s a brief recap; to become an NVQ assessor, you need to be experienced and ideally, qualified in the area you wish to assess. In addition to this, you will also need to have, or be working towards, the appropriate assessor qualification. This would more than likely be the CAVA or the ACWE. 

Now that you know this, what’s your next step? Well, for anyone without an assessor qualification, getting one of the above added to your CV would be your starting point. Alternatively, if you are already a qualified assessor, then you just need to find yourself a job! FE Careers have got hundreds of Assessor Jobs live right now, so that would be your next port of call. 

BUT WAIT! Before you go anywhere, there’s one final matter that we haven’t gone over yet. I mentioned earlier about how quite a few assessor jobs say that you need the ‘D32/33’, ‘A1 Award’ or the ‘TAQA’? Well, I still need to address what each of these are so that you don’t think that I have given you useless information. So, without further ado…

Making Sense of Assessor Jobs

Old Assessor Qualifications

I’m not going to bore you to death with a history lesson. After all, you’re not going to be completing an old assessor qualification to become an assessor! But I just want to make sure that you can make sense of all those pesky, confusing assessor vacancies…

D Units – D32/D33

This was the very first assessor qualification.

National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs) were created in the 1980s. So, by the time we got to the year 2001, a lot had changed with both the structure of NVQs and the way that they were regulated. This meant that there needed to be a change in the training that assessors received as well. This is where the A1 and A2 qualifications come in. 

A1 Award

Although you will often see the ‘A1 Award’ mentioned on job applications, there was actually 2 units you could do. These were:

  • A1 – Level 3 Award in ‘Assess candidates using a range of methods’
  • A2 – Level 3 Award in ‘Assess candidates’ performance through observation’

Fast forward to 2010 and the introduction of the Qualification Credit Framework (which is no longer in use); this meant that another change was needed. Cue…

The Troublesome ‘TAQA’

The very first thing I will say is, notice how ‘The Troublesome TAQA’ is a sub-heading in itself. And that is because ‘TAQA’ is not a qualification… DER DER DERRRR. I know, it may look like it from what you may have seen on assessor jobs, but it quite simply isn’t. 

TAQA stands from Training, Assessment and Quality Assurance. It is the name that is given to the suite of Assessor qualifications I went through earlier (CAVA, ACWE, AVRA, UPPA) and the Internal Quality Assurance qualifications. So, you can do a qualification from within the TAQA suite, but you cannot do ‘a TAQA’. 

If you are still slightly confused, you might benefit from having a quick read up on what TAQA is. 

Now you know how to become an NVQ Assessor and what assessor jobs are really asking for. Good luck with gaining your assessor qualification and finding your ideal job!

Get Back into Education This Autumn

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As summertime comes to an end, so does the six weeks holiday which means one thing… the kids are back to school! You’re on a mad dash to get them all the latest stationary and new uniform for the autumn term. The nights are starting to draw in and it is starting to get colder. What can you do now the kids are back at school and it’s too cold to sit in the garden after work? Well, we’ve come up with an idea! Now is the prime time to get back into education as the new academic year starts. Why not gain a new set of skills or another qualification whilst sitting next to the fire with a hot chocolate. That way you can join in with the stationary hype too! Look at that notebook or that pen that rubs out! Yes, you heard a pen that rubs out… Why not put that new notebook and pen to use, we’ve got plenty of courses to keep you busy. You never know you could end up landing yourself a new career by Christmas! So let’s take a look at what courses we have to offer;

Assessor Courses

The Level 3 Certificate in Assessing Vocational Achievement (CAVA)

Level 3 Award in Assessing Competence in a Work Environment (ACWE)

Level 3 Award in Assessing Vocationally Related Achievement (AVRA)

Level 3 Award in Understanding the Principles and Practices of Assessment (UPPA)

Internal Quality Assurance Courses (IV)

Level 4 Certificate in Leading the Internal Quality Assurance of Assessment Processes and Practice

Level 4 Award in the Internal Quality Assurance of Assessment Processes and Practice

Level 4 Award in Understanding the Internal Quality Assurance of Assessment Processes and Practice

Education and Training Courses

Level 3 Award in Education and Training (AET)

Level 4 Certificate in Education and Training (CET)

If you are interested in enrolling on to one of our courses or would like to find out more information then please contact one of our sales team;

01205 805155

training@brooksandkirk.co.uk

 

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