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How to Choose the Right Assessor Qualification?
As there is a wide variety of Assessor qualifications, it can be hard to choose the right one! As the requirements for assessor roles are varied, depending on the employer and the qualification itself.
There are two things you need in order to become an assessor, these are occupational competence and assessor qualification. We’re going to look at both of them in more detail in separate blogs so don’t worry.
You may be familiar with the original course names, as it has been revamped a few times. First, we had D23 and D33 units in the 90s, then in 2001, it changed to A1 and A2 Awards. After that, it got changed to the ‘TAQA’ qualification. We’ve gone into what TAQA is in a previous post, but just to summarise, it stands for Training, Assessment and Quality Assurance.
PRESENT-DAY ASSESSOR QUALIFICATIONS
Sometimes employers will ask for the D32/33 or A1, but they really mean the CAVA course. Within the Assessment part of TAQA, you have 4 different Assessor qualifications. These are made up of a combination of these three units:
- Understanding the Principles and Practices of Assessment (unit 1)
- Assess Occupational Competence in the Work Environment (unit 2)
- Assess Vocational Skills, Knowledge and Understanding (unit 3)
We’re going to go through each one individually to give you an idea of what each qualification is.
LEVEL 3 AWARD IN UNDERSTANDING THE PRINCIPLES & PRACTICES OF ASSESSMENT (UPPA)
This qualification is a standalone unit, unit 1. This is a knowledge and theory-based unit, which covers everything behind vocational assessment, from what it is and how to plan them.
The UPPA qualification won’t qualify you to carry out assessments on learners, however, it is a great piece of CPD for already established Assessors or End-Point Assessors.
LEVEL 3 AWARD IN ASSESSING VOCATIONALLY RELATED ACHIEVEMENT (AVRA)
The AVRA qualification is a step up from the UPPA. As the qualification allows you to carry out some assessments. The key word is some! However, you can assess learners in their learning environments such as classrooms, workshops or online systems.
There are two units in the course. Units, 1 and 3. Which you can the vocational skills and knowledge of the learners. However, this qualification doesn’t allow you to assess in the work environment.
LEVEL 3 AWARD IN ASSESSING COMPETENCE IN THE WORK ENVIRONMENT (ACWE)
Similarly, if you want to assess in the work environment then this is the qualification you need. This course has Units 1 and 2, so the theory-based one and then the practical unit. This course is really ideal for people who are looking to become in-house assessors for a company they work for. But this won’t qualify you to assess in the learning environment.
LEVEL 3 CERTIFICATE IN ASSESSING VOCATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT (CAVA)
If you want to assess both the work environment and the learning place, then you will need the CAVA course. This is the most comprehensive course as it allows you to do both, meaning you become a fully qualified assessor. This covers all three units. Most if not all assessor jobs will want you to hold the CAVA or are working towards it. It certainly looks more appealing to employers if you hold the full CAVA qualification.
So now you know about all the qualifications! It’s not down to you to decide which one is the best for you. You can go over to our friends at Brooks and Kirk and see that they provide all the courses mentioned in this post. If you have any questions you can send us an email over on our email hello@nvqassessor.org.uk. Don’t be afraid too! We love answering your questions.
NEWSLETTER
Fortnightly Assessor Jobs, Blog Posts and Exclusive Content straight to your inbox.
Welcome!
As there is a wide variety of Assessor qualifications, it can be hard to choose the right one! As the requirements for assessor roles are varied, depending on the employer and the qualification itself.
There are two things you need in order to become an assessor, these are occupational competence and assessor qualification. We’re going to look at both of them in more detail in separate blogs so don’t worry.
You may be familiar with the original course names, as it has been revamped a few times. First, we had D23 and D33 units in the 90s, then in 2001, it changed to A1 and A2 Awards. After that, it got changed to the ‘TAQA’ qualification. We’ve gone into what TAQA is in a previous post, but just to summarise, it stands for Training, Assessment and Quality Assurance.
PRESENT-DAY ASSESSOR QUALIFICATIONS
Sometimes employers will ask for the D32/33 or A1, but they really mean the CAVA course. Within the Assessment part of TAQA, you have 4 different Assessor qualifications. These are made up of a combination of these three units:
- Understanding the Principles and Practices of Assessment (unit 1)
- Assess Occupational Competence in the Work Environment (unit 2)
- Assess Vocational Skills, Knowledge and Understanding (unit 3)
We’re going to go through each one individually to give you an idea of what each qualification is.
LEVEL 3 AWARD IN UNDERSTANDING THE PRINCIPLES & PRACTICES OF ASSESSMENT (UPPA)
This qualification is a standalone unit, unit 1. This is a knowledge and theory-based unit, which covers everything behind vocational assessment, from what it is and how to plan them.
The UPPA qualification won’t qualify you to carry out assessments on learners, however, it is a great piece of CPD for already established Assessors or End-Point Assessors.
LEVEL 3 AWARD IN ASSESSING VOCATIONALLY RELATED ACHIEVEMENT (AVRA)
The AVRA qualification is a step up from the UPPA. As the qualification allows you to carry out some assessments. The key word is some! However, you can assess learners in their learning environments such as classrooms, workshops or online systems.
There are two units in the course. Units, 1 and 3. Which you can the vocational skills and knowledge of the learners. However, this qualification doesn’t allow you to assess in the work environment.
LEVEL 3 AWARD IN ASSESSING COMPETENCE IN THE WORK ENVIRONMENT (ACWE)
Similarly, if you want to assess in the work environment then this is the qualification you need. This course has Units 1 and 2, so the theory-based one and then the practical unit. This course is really ideal for people who are looking to become in-house assessors for a company they work for. But this won’t qualify you to assess in the learning environment.
LEVEL 3 CERTIFICATE IN ASSESSING VOCATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT (CAVA)
If you want to assess both the work environment and the learning place, then you will need the CAVA course. This is the most comprehensive course as it allows you to do both, meaning you become a fully qualified assessor. This covers all three units. Most if not all assessor jobs will want you to hold the CAVA or are working towards it. It certainly looks more appealing to employers if you hold the full CAVA qualification.
So now you know about all the qualifications! It’s not down to you to decide which one is the best for you. You can go over to our friends at Brooks and Kirk and see that they provide all the courses mentioned in this post. If you have any questions you can send us an email over on our email hello@nvqassessor.org.uk. Don’t be afraid too! We love answering your questions.
NEWSLETTER
Fortnightly Assessor Jobs, Blog Posts and Exclusive Content straight to your inbox.
Welcome!
Building Services End-Point Assessor
The employer is a Training Sector organisation in Leamington Spa who specialise in developing qualifications for the Construction and Civil Engineering sectors. They develop a range of industry qualifications including Apprenticeships, which are developed and assessed by sector specialists with real industry knowledge. They currently have a fantastic opportunity an experienced Building Services Engineer or […]
Childcare Assessor (Trainee or Qualified)
KM have an exciting opportunity for a Childcare Assessor to deliver full Apprenticeships in Childcare! This opportunity is open to both Trainee and Qualified candidates. Trainee applicants – this is a great opportunity for a Room Leader (or above) to transition to a new and rewarding career within the training industry! Qualified Assessors – applications […]
Skills Tutor
Educated Appointments are delighted to be supporting a fast-growing premier provider of accountancy training and apprenticeships. Due to increased demand for apprenticeship training programmes they are looking out for new Tutor to join our team. This role sits within the Impact Skills Team and ultimately reports to the Programme Delivery Director. This role includes travel […]
Business and Education End-Point Assessor
The role of an Apprenticeship End-Point Assessor is to provide independent, fair, reliable, and consistent assessment services to Training Qualifications UK customers working with Apprenticeship Standards. End-Point Assessors are required to use assessment experience with robust and relevant industry knowledge to form judgements and grading decisions upon the completion of a variety of assessment activities, […]
What is TAQA?
When it comes to Assessor qualifications, there are a lot of them! From A1, D32/33 to CAVA. But have you heard someone refer to it as the Assessors Award or the TAQA? You would mainly see this when you’re looking through jobs, as some (or all) employers call it the TAQA qualification. If you’ve heard and seen it used and have no idea what it even is, then we’re your industry helpers. When it comes to assessing we know tonnes. So let’s answer some of your questions.
What is TAQA
TAQA is an umbrella term for a host of qualifications. This is an acronym which stands for Training, Assessment and Quality Assurance. TAQA is not a course in itself though. This isn’t a qualification, it is just a suite of different qualifications.
If you see a job advert asking for the TAQA, you need to figure out which one of these qualifications you need. So keep that in mind!
So you know what the acronym stands for, but what is actually within the letters?
T- Training
Within T you have the Education and Training qualifications. Now training qualifications are for people who want to start to teach or train adults in their area of expertise. Within the Education and Training qualifications, you have 3.
Level 3 Award in Education and Training (AET)
The AET was previously known as the PTLLS qualification. This enables you to teach in your subject industry, for example, you can teach in colleges. The qualification can be considered to be a foot in the door, as you don’t necessarily need to be in a teaching role.
Level 4 Certificate in Education and Training (CET)
However, the CET. This one does require you to already be in a further education role. Previously known as the CTLLS qualification. The specification requires you to be observed delivering real-life teaching to your learners.
The Level 5 Diploma in Education and Training (DET)
Previously known as the DTLLS qualification, it provides you with a wide range of skills and knowledge and will qualify you to apply for the Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills status (QTLS). This is the most advanced qualification available.
A- Assessment
This A in TAQA stands for assessment, this is where you have all your Assessor related qualifications. These are CAVA, ACWE, AVRA and UPPA. Don’t worry, we know that’s a lot of random letters! But we’re going to go through what each one means. So why all the different qualifications? Well, to answer your question it’s because they all hold a different purpose. There are 3 units and they all have a different combination of them. The three units are:
- 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
Taking all three units together is the only way you can be a fully qualified Assessor in your area of occupational competence. We’re going to take you through each qualification now.
UPPA- Level 3 Award in Understanding the Principles and Practices of Assessment (Unit 1 only)
This unit is theory only. It doesn’t qualify you to practice as an assessor. However, it’s a really great piece of CPD, to refresh your knowledge if you’re already a qualified Assessor. Or if you hold any previous qualifications such as the A1 Assessor qualification or the D23/33. The UPPA brings you up to speed and teaches you about the roles and responsibilities of an Assessor.
AVRA- Level 3 Award in Assessing Vocationally Related Achievement (Units 1 and 3 only)
This qualification is one which you can be qualified to assess in one particular setting. It allows you to Assess in a Learning environment, such as a classroom, workshop or virtual learning setting. However, it doesn’t qualify you to assess in the workplace. This is a great one to have if you’re assessing in a college environment.
ACWE- Level 3 Award in Assessing Competence in the Work Environment (Units 1 and 2 only)
However, if you only want to assess people in their work environment, then this is great for you. But this is the only thing you can assess in, you can’t assess in the learning environment.
CAVA – Level 3 Certificate in Assessing Vocational Achievement (Units 1, 2 and 3!)
If assessing in the learning and workplace environment sounds like something you want to do, or you need to assess in both, then the CAVA qualification is for you. Comprised of all 3 units, this fully qualifies you to become an Assessor. Being extremely sought after in the TAQA suite, this qualifies you to become an NVQ Assessor, End-Point Assessor (EPA) and On-Programm Assessor. This is what most employers are referring to when they ask for the TAQA qualification.
QA- Quality Assurance
Under this section of the TAQA suite, we have the Internal Quality Assurance qualifications. In this section, we have three different qualifications and we’ll get to that in just a moment. But why are they Level 4? With the IQA qualifications being a Level 4, they represent a higher level of learning than the Level 3 Assessor course. This is because being in an IQA role is a step up from being an Assessor.
Similar to the Assessor qualifications the three IQA qualifications are made up of a combination of three Units. Those Units are:
- 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
Level 4 Award in Understanding the Internal Quality Assurance of Assessment Processes and Practice (Unit 1 only)
Like the UPPA course, this is a theory-based qualification and does not qualify you to become an IQA. It’s another good piece of CPD for you to complete if you’re already in the industry. It can also be really good for managers.
Level 4 Award in The Internal Quality Assurance of Assessment Processes and Practice (Units 1 and 2 only)
This course qualifies you to become an Internal Quality Assurer, this is the closest qualification to the old Internal Verifier. As an IQA you will be quality-assuring assessments and assessment decisions. However, it doesn’t fully qualify you to manage the entire quality assurance process.
Level 4 Certificate in Leading the Internal Quality Assurance of Assessment Processes and Practice (Units 1, 2 and 3!)
Now if you want to manage the entire IQA process this is the qualification for you. Comprised of all three units, it qualifies you to quality assure the assessments and the decisions, but also manage the internal quality procedures and staff. It also allows you to coordinate with External Quality Assurers (EQAs).
If any of these courses take your fancy, then you can pop on over to our friends at Brooks and Kirk, who specialise in TAQA training and are industry specialists! We highly recommend them!
NEWSLETTER
Fortnightly Assessor Jobs, Blog Posts and Exclusive Content straight to your inbox.
Welcome!
When it comes to Assessor qualifications, there are a lot of them! From A1, D32/33 to CAVA. But have you heard someone refer to it as the Assessors Award or the TAQA? You would mainly see this when you’re looking through jobs, as some (or all) employers call it the TAQA qualification. If you’ve heard and seen it used and have no idea what it even is, then we’re your industry helpers. When it comes to assessing we know tonnes. So let’s answer some of your questions.
What is TAQA
TAQA is an umbrella term for a host of qualifications. This is an acronym which stands for Training, Assessment and Quality Assurance. TAQA is not a course in itself though.
So you know what the acronym stands for, but what is actually within the letters?
T- Training
Within T you have the Education and Training qualifications. Now training qualifications are for people who want to start to teach or train adults in their area of expertise. Within the Education and Training qualifications, you have 3.
Level 3 Award in Education and Training (AET)
The AET was previously known as the PTLLS qualification. This enables you to teach in your subject industry, for example, you can teach in colleges. The qualification can be considered to be a foot in the door, as you don’t necessarily need to be in a teaching role.
Level 4 Certificate in Education and Training (CET)
However, the CET. This one does require you to already be in a further education role. Previously known as the CTLLS qualification. The specification requires you to be observed delivering real-life teaching to your learners.
The Level 5 Diploma in Education and Training (DET)
Previously known as the DTLLS qualification, it provides you with a wide range of skills and knowledge and will qualify you to apply for the Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills status (QTLS). This is the most advanced qualification available.
A- Assessment
This A in TAQA stands for assessment, this is where you have all your Assessor related qualifications. These are CAVA, ACWE, AVRA and UPPA. Don’t worry, we know that’s a lot of random letters! But we’re going to go through what each one means. So why all the different qualifications? Well, to answer your question it’s because they all hold a different purpose. There are 3 units and they all have a different combination of them. The three units are:
- 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
Taking all three units together is the only way you can be a fully qualified Assessor in your area of occupational competence. We’re going to take you through each qualification now.
UPPA- Level 3 Award in Understanding the Principles and Practices of Assessment (Unit 1 only)
This unit is theory only. It doesn’t qualify you to practice as an assessor. However, it’s a really great piece of CPD, to refresh your knowledge if you’re already a qualified Assessor. Or if you hold any previous qualifications such as the A1 Assessor qualification or the D23/33. The UPPA brings you up to speed and teaches you about the roles and responsibilities of an Assessor.
AVRA- Level 3 Award in Assessing Vocationally Related Achievement (Units 1 and 3 only)
This qualification is one which you can be qualified to assess in one particular setting. It allows you to Assess in a Learning environment, such as a classroom, workshop or virtual learning setting. However, it doesn’t qualify you to assess in the workplace. This is a great one to have if you’re assessing in a college environment.
ACWE- Level 3 Award in Assessing Competence in the Work Environment (Units 1 and 2 only)
However, if you only want to assess people in their work environment, then this is great for you. But this is the only thing you can assess in, you can’t assess in the learning environment.
CAVA – Level 3 Certificate in Assessing Vocational Achievement (Units 1, 2 and 3!)
If assessing in the learning and workplace environment sounds like something you want to do, or you need to assess in both, then the CAVA qualification is for you. Comprised of all 3 units, this fully qualifies you to become an Assessor. Being extremely sought after in the TAQA suite, this qualifies you to become an NVQ Assessor, End-Point Assessor (EPA) and On-Programme Assessor. This is what most employers are referring to when they ask for the TAQA qualification.
QA- Quality Assurance
Under this section of the TAQA suite, we have the Internal Quality Assurance qualifications. In this section, we have three different qualifications and we’ll get to that in just a moment. But why are they Level 4? With the IQA qualifications being a Level 4, they represent a higher level of learning than the Level 3 Assessor course. This is because being in an IQA role is a step up from being an Assessor.
Similar to the Assessor qualifications the three IQA qualifications are made up of a combination of three Units. Those Units are:
- 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
Level 4 Award in Understanding the Internal Quality Assurance of Assessment Processes and Practice (Unit 1 only)
Like the UPPA course, this is a theory-based qualification and does not qualify you to become an IQA. It’s another good piece of CPD for you to complete if you’re already in the industry. It can also be really good for managers.
Level 4 Award in The Internal Quality Assurance of Assessment Processes and Practice (Units 1 and 2 only)
This course qualifies you to become an Internal Quality Assurer, this is the closest qualification to the old Internal Verifier. As an IQA you will be quality-assuring assessments and assessment decisions. However, it doesn’t fully qualify you to manage the entire quality assurance process.
Level 4 Certificate in Leading the Internal Quality Assurance of Assessment Processes and Practice (Units 1, 2 and 3!)
Now if you want to manage the entire IQA process this is the qualification for you. Comprised of all three units, it qualifies you to quality assure the assessments and the decisions, but also manage the internal quality procedures and staff. It also allows you to coordinate with External Quality Assurers (EQAs).
If any of these courses take your fancy, then you can pop on over to our friends at Brooks and Kirk, who specialise in TAQA training and are industry specialists! We highly recommend them!
NEWSLETTER
Fortnightly Assessor Jobs, Blog Posts and Exclusive Content straight to your inbox.
Welcome!
Building Services End-Point Assessor
The employer is a Training Sector organisation in Leamington Spa who specialise in developing qualifications for the Construction and Civil Engineering sectors. They develop a range of industry qualifications including Apprenticeships, which are developed and assessed by sector specialists with real industry knowledge. They currently have a fantastic opportunity an experienced Building Services Engineer or […]
Childcare Assessor (Trainee or Qualified)
KM have an exciting opportunity for a Childcare Assessor to deliver full Apprenticeships in Childcare! This opportunity is open to both Trainee and Qualified candidates. Trainee applicants – this is a great opportunity for a Room Leader (or above) to transition to a new and rewarding career within the training industry! Qualified Assessors – applications […]
Skills Tutor
Educated Appointments are delighted to be supporting a fast-growing premier provider of accountancy training and apprenticeships. Due to increased demand for apprenticeship training programmes they are looking out for new Tutor to join our team. This role sits within the Impact Skills Team and ultimately reports to the Programme Delivery Director. This role includes travel […]
Business and Education End-Point Assessor
The role of an Apprenticeship End-Point Assessor is to provide independent, fair, reliable, and consistent assessment services to Training Qualifications UK customers working with Apprenticeship Standards. End-Point Assessors are required to use assessment experience with robust and relevant industry knowledge to form judgements and grading decisions upon the completion of a variety of assessment activities, […]
Ultimate Guide to Setting Up Your Own Training Company
Setting up your own training company can be a natural progression if you’re already a seasoned freelancer or head of a small team. There are many reasons why you would want to start a training company. A lot of the time it comes from a need to have more training in certain areas. It also opens your time up, for you to spend it on more important aspects like family. Here we’ve made a comprehensive guide on what you need to consider before going ahead with the training company.
WHAT CAN I ASSESS?
We often get asked, “What can you teach or assess?”. The general rule for this is that you can assess or teach in any area you are occupationally competent in and have experience in. As well as the relevant qualifications. If you have the highest qualification in your specialism, with relevant and decent experience, you can assess or teach that qualification.
As you’re already considering becoming a training company, you may have an idea of what you’re going to assess and teach. However, if you only have a Level 1 or 2 qualification in your subject area and not enough occupational competence, it could be a good idea to upgrade your qualification. Allowing you to undertake other qualifications as well.
WHAT QUALIFICATIONS DO I NEED?
If you want to start your own training company, there are a few minimum qualifications that you or someone else need to hold. Firstly you need the full Level 3 Certificate in Assessing Vocational Achievement or CAVA for short. Furthermore, this enables you to assess learners in their workplace and learning environment. This is an important part of the training company! Secondly, you’ll need someone to have the Level 3 Award in Education and Training or AET. The AET is essential to anyone who wants to teach. Whether that’s workshops or small groups of learners.
Finally, the last two qualifications you need to have in the training company are:
- The Level 4 Award in the Internal Quality Assurance of Assessment Processes and Practice. (IQA)
- Level 4 Certificate in Leading the Internal Quality Assurance of Assessment Processes and Practice (Lead IQA)
It may be that you want to have one or the other if you want to completely standardise the complete process, which a Lead IQA will enable you to do, or if you just want to be part of the process. Where a standard IQA qualification will be beneficial. It really does depend on what you want as a company.
One thing you need to bear in mind is that you will need at least one Assessor and one IQA. However, you yourself can’t be both. You will need someone else to hold one of the qualifications.
For all these courses we do recommend Brooks and Kirk, as training providers!
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN COURSES?
Now, this may sound vague, but we have the answers for you! Frequently, we are asked what courses are required. The answer to this is, it all just depends! It depends on what your subject area is and what you want to specialise in. A lot of people ask us about the difference between accredited and non-accredited courses.
In order to be accredited, a course must have been approved by an awarding body that is nationally recognised. You’ll get a certificate for it and will usually have a Level attached, for example, CIBTAC Level 5 Award in Laser Tattoo Removal. SFJ Awards is an awarding body that moderates accredited courses. Qualifications and Awarding Bodies must be registered with a regulator, such as Ofqual.
There may be a certificate and a level on a non-accredited course, but the certificate will be an in-house certificate that won’t be recognized nationally.
When it comes to finding accredited courses, we know it can be extremely confusing. In your search for courses, you may be met with companies that aren’t transparent about their accreditation, such as smokescreen companies. The course may appear ideal and cheap, but once you investigate, you find a completely different experience. There will be no recognition if the course is not accredited or linked to an Awarding Body.
You can verify a course’s accreditation on the Ofqual website. The website will list a course if it is legitimate.
BESPOKE AND GOVERNMENT FUNDED COURSES
Additionally, there are two other courses you may want to think about. Bespoke and Government funded. It is possible to develop bespoke courses on your own or with the assistance of your company. You can customize the course to meet your specific needs. Companies commonly develop and deliver these types of courses in-house.
A government-funded course is one that is entirely or partially funded by the government. The ESFA manage any funding. Before you can offer the course, you need to be accredited and then be on the list of approved training providers.
WHAT IS AN AWARDING BODY?
You’re probably wondering what an Awarding Body is. As we have mentioned them quite a few times now! An Awarding Body is an examination board that sets exams, standards and awards qualifications. Here are a few that you may already know! Pearson Excel, SFJ Awards, VTCT (which are involved with beauty qualifications), NCFE, AQA and many more!
Different Awarding Bodies may have the same qualifications to offer, so it’s up to you who you want to go with.
WHICH ONE IS RIGHT FOR ME?
That’s a question you need to ask yourself as a business. What qualifications are you going to train? This often helps decide which Awarding Body you may want to go with. Do you want to go with more than one? What is right for your business? As some Awarding Bodies can be more pricey.
Here are a few other questions you should ask yourself before choosing an Awarding Body.
- What Awarding Bodies are well-known in your area of specialism?
- What are the requirements for a centre?
- how much do they charge for centre recognition, registrations and certifications?
- Do they align with your company’s values?
HOW MUCH IS IT GOING TO COST?
The overall cost of setting up a centre is going to differ from company to company. It again really does depend on what you need as a company. There may be additional qualifications you need to obtain before setting up the training company. You may also need to pay for registrations, certifications, and centre recognition.
In addition, there could be resources to create, such as booklets, packs or even a learning system. You also need to take into account the preparation and assessing time needed. In some circumstances, you may be initially paying out more than you’re bringing in. You may want to think about advertising and social media to try and promote your courses to the public. Know your audience as well! Who do you want to advertise the courses to? What is the age range?
SO WHAT’S NEXT?
This is just the start of the process! There will be a lot more things you need to do in order to set up your training company. Our friends over at Brooks and Kirk have a great consultancy service where they go into detail about how you can achieve your ideas and goals. If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us at our email hello@nvqassessor.org.uk. Otherwise feel free to share the post with friends, colleagues or even your social media.
NEWSLETTER
Fortnightly Assessor Jobs, Blog Posts and Exclusive Content straight to your inbox.
Welcome!
Ultimate Guide to Setting Up Your Own Training Company!
Setting up your own training company can be a natural progression if you’re already a seasoned freelancer or head of a small team. There are many reasons why you would want to start a training company. A lot of the time it comes from a need to have more training in certain areas. It also opens your time up, for you to spend it on more important aspects like family. Here we’ve made a comprehensive guide on what you need to consider before going ahead with the training company.
WHAT CAN I ASSESS?
We often get asked, “What can you teach or assess?”. The general rule for this is that you can assess or teach in any area you are occupationally competent in and have experience in. As well as the relevant qualifications. If you have the highest qualification in your specialism, with relevant and decent experience, you can assess or teach that qualification.
As you’re already considering becoming a training company, you may have an idea of what you’re going to assess and teach. However, if you only have a Level 1 or 2 qualification in your subject area and not enough occupational competence, it could be a good idea to upgrade your qualification. Allowing you to undertake other qualifications as well.
WHAT QUALIFICATIONS DO I NEED?
If you want to start your own training company, there are a few minimum qualifications that you or someone else need to hold. Firstly you need the full Level 3 Certificate in Assessing Vocational Achievement or CAVA for short. Furthermore, this enables you to assess learners in their workplace and learning environment. This is an important part of the training company! Secondly, you’ll need someone to have the Level 3 Award in Education and Training or AET. The AET is essential to anyone who wants to teach. Whether that’s workshops or small groups of learners.
Finally, the last two qualifications you need to have in the training company are:
- The Level 4 Award in the Internal Quality Assurance of Assessment Processes and Practice. (IQA)
- Level 4 Certificate in Leading the Internal Quality Assurance of Assessment Processes and Practice (Lead IQA)
It may be that you want to have one or the other if you want to completely standardise the complete process, which a Lead IQA will enable you to do, or if you just want to be part of the process. Where a standard IQA qualification will be beneficial. It really does depend on what you want as a company.
One thing you need to bear in mind is that you will need at least one Assessor and one IQA. However, you yourself can’t be both. You will need someone else to hold one of the qualifications.
For all these courses we do recommend Brooks and Kirk, as training providers!
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN COURSES?
Now, this may sound vague, but we have the answers for you! Frequently, we are asked what courses are required. The answer to this is, it all just depends! It depends on what your subject area is and what you want to specialise in. A lot of people ask us about the difference between accredited and non-accredited courses.
In order to be accredited, a course must have been approved by an awarding body that is nationally recognised. You’ll get a certificate for it and will usually have a Level attached, for example, CIBTAC Level 5 Award in Laser Tattoo Removal. SFJ Awards is an awarding body that moderates accredited courses. Qualifications and Awarding Bodies must be registered with a regulator, such as Ofqual.
There may be a certificate and a level on a non-accredited course, but the certificate will be an in-house certificate that won’t be recognized nationally.
When it comes to finding accredited courses, we know it can be extremely confusing. In your search for courses, you may be met with companies that aren’t transparent about their accreditation, such as smokescreen companies. The course may appear ideal and cheap, but once you investigate, you find a completely different experience. There will be no recognition if the course is not accredited or linked to an Awarding Body.
You can verify a course’s accreditation on the Ofqual website. The website will list a course if it is legitimate.
BESPOKE AND GOVERNMENT FUNDED COURSES
Additionally, there are two other courses you may want to think about. Bespoke and Government funded. It is possible to develop bespoke courses on your own or with the assistance of your company. You can customize the course to meet your specific needs. Companies commonly develop and deliver these types of courses in-house.
A government-funded course is one that is entirely or partially funded by the government. The ESFA manage any funding. Before you can offer the course, you need to be accredited and then be on the list of approved training providers.
WHAT IS AN AWARDING BODY?
You’re probably wondering what an Awarding Body is. As we have mentioned them quite a few times now! An Awarding Body is an examination board that sets exams, standards and awards qualifications. Here are a few that you may already know! Pearson Excel, SFJ Awards, VTCT (which are involved with beauty qualifications), NCFE, AQA and many more!
Different Awarding Bodies may have the same qualifications to offer, so it’s up to you who you want to go with.
WHICH ONE IS RIGHT FOR ME?
That’s a question you need to ask yourself as a business. What qualifications are you going to train? This often helps decide which Awarding Body you may want to go with. Do you want to go with more than one? What is right for your business? As some Awarding Bodies can be more pricey.
Here are a few other questions you should ask yourself before choosing an Awarding Body.
- What Awarding Bodies are well-known in your area of specialism?
- What are the requirements for a centre?
- how much do they charge for centre recognition, registrations and certifications?
- Do they align with your company’s values?
HOW MUCH IS IT GOING TO COST?
The overall cost of setting up a centre is going to differ from company to company. It again really does depend on what you need as a company. There may be additional qualifications you need to obtain before setting up the training company. You may also need to pay for registrations, certifications, and centre recognition.
In addition, there could be resources to create, such as booklets, packs or even a learning system. You also need to take into account the preparation and assessing time needed. In some circumstances, you may be initially paying out more than you’re bringing in. You may want to think about advertising and social media to try and promote your courses to the public. Know your audience as well! Who do you want to advertise the courses to? What is the age range?
SO WHAT’S NEXT?
This is just the start of the process! There will be a lot more things you need to do in order to set up your training company. Our friends over at Brooks and Kirk have a great consultancy service where they go into detail about how you can achieve your ideas and goals. If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us at our email hello@nvqassessor.org.uk. Otherwise feel free to share the post with friends, colleagues or even your social media.
NEWSLETTER
Fortnightly Assessor Jobs, Blog Posts and Exclusive Content straight to your inbox.
Welcome!
Building Services End-Point Assessor
The employer is a Training Sector organisation in Leamington Spa who specialise in developing qualifications for the Construction and Civil Engineering sectors. They develop a range of industry qualifications including Apprenticeships, which are developed and assessed by sector specialists with real industry knowledge. They currently have a fantastic opportunity an experienced Building Services Engineer or […]
Childcare Assessor (Trainee or Qualified)
KM have an exciting opportunity for a Childcare Assessor to deliver full Apprenticeships in Childcare! This opportunity is open to both Trainee and Qualified candidates. Trainee applicants – this is a great opportunity for a Room Leader (or above) to transition to a new and rewarding career within the training industry! Qualified Assessors – applications […]
Skills Tutor
Educated Appointments are delighted to be supporting a fast-growing premier provider of accountancy training and apprenticeships. Due to increased demand for apprenticeship training programmes they are looking out for new Tutor to join our team. This role sits within the Impact Skills Team and ultimately reports to the Programme Delivery Director. This role includes travel […]
Business and Education End-Point Assessor
The role of an Apprenticeship End-Point Assessor is to provide independent, fair, reliable, and consistent assessment services to Training Qualifications UK customers working with Apprenticeship Standards. End-Point Assessors are required to use assessment experience with robust and relevant industry knowledge to form judgements and grading decisions upon the completion of a variety of assessment activities, […]
What You Need to Know to Become an IQA / Lead IQA
Are you seeking a senior position within the company with equally senior pay? Maybe you wish to deliver a standard in Hair and Beauty or Childcare but need an IQA to receive accreditation from an Awarding Body? In this article, we will delve into roles and responsibilities of the job. Followed up by the exact steps you need to take to become an IQA / Lead IQA.
ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Maintaining that Assessments are conducted to a fair and high standard, as it should be outlined in the company policies. An IQA and a Lead IQA uphold the quality of the qualification standard delivered to clients. They are responsible for many key areas of a Training Provider such as;
- Applying standardised practice agreed in the Standardisation Meeting
- Supporting the improvement of Assessor practice by providing constructive feedback
- Plan, schedule and designate an IQA to monitor parts of an Assessment
- Sample learner work, assessment records and decisions to check for quality, consistency, and fairness
Traditionally, an Internal Quality Assurer is on the same level as a Manager/Supervisor due to their responsibility for managing Assessors. This means if you come from a managerial, supervisory or above position, you already hold some characteristics and experience needed to function in this role effectively. Below you can see the hierarchy of a Lead Quality Assurer, Internal Quality Assurer and Assessor:
You can expect the team Assessors you need to manage will be as small as yourself if you are starting your own company. Or, as large as fifteen people. Naturally, this is not an exact number, just an idea to get you thinking about how many people you should expect to oversee. Other factors like qualification standards will also affect the number of people below you
The Health and Social Care sector has consistently had a high demand for staff ever since the NHS staffing crisis of 1998. Therefore, quite a few companies deliver between Level 2 and 5 Health and Social Care qualifications to meet demand. As such, you can expect to monitor a larger team of Assessors in comparison to a company delivering an Apprenticeship standard in Cyber Security Technology.
HOW TO BECOME AN IQA / LEAD IQA?
We must preface this with that there are no requirements to become an IQA, however, that does not mean you will be accepted onto a course. Just like if you were to apply to a university, a training provider is required to judge if you are competent enough to complete the course.
“Centres should review the applicant’s prior qualifications and/or experience, considering whether this profile shows that they have the potential to achieve the qualification.” – (Edexcel Pearson, 2010)
As of writing this, there is no metric for ‘potential’, in our opinion, it is referring to common sense. A college graduate who has no industry experience is highly unlikely to be able to complete the course and go on to effectively apply that knowledge. Whereas, no one would bat an eyelid if a Hair and Beauty Assessor with three years’ experience wanted to become an IQA. If you do not possess an Assessor qualification (D32, A1 or CAVA), check out our article here.
INTERNAL QUALITY ASSURER
Currently, the way to become an IQA is to gain the ‘Level 4 Award in the Internal Quality Assurance of Assessment Processes and Practice‘. It is comparable to the old Internal Verifiers qualification (D34). This allows you to plan and maintain the internal quality assurance of assessment within your organisation.
It contains two units, with a Guided Learner Hours of 90:
- Unit 1: Understanding the Principles and Practices of Internally Assuring the Quality of Assessment
- Unit 2: Internally Assure the Quality of Assessment
It is perfect for people who want to take the next step in their career as an Assessor. Starting out you can expect an average income of £29,000 but after a few years’ experience, upwards of £38,000 (talent, 2021) unless you decide to train to become a Lead IQA with a higher potential salary.
LEAD INTERNAL QUALITY ASSURER
This is the more senior position of the Internal Quality Assurer. If you desire to become a Centre Lead or Quality Nominee you would need to gain the ‘Level 4 Certificate in Leading the Internal Quality Assurance of Assessment Processes and Practice‘ qualification. It is also the recommended role for the head of a training provider.
It is comprised of three units, with a Guided Learner Hours of 115:
- 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
Upon qualification, you can Internal Quality Assure for the entire training centre. This means developing and writing Internal Quality Assurance policies and procedures. Something that awarding bodies will want to see in an External Quality Assurance (EQA) visit. Expect that these will take place once a year, or sooner depending on the rating given to the training centre.
Taking into account factors that will affect your average salary such as; location, occupation and experience. You can expect your starting salary to be £31,000 and it should increase to £40,000 after a few years of experience (talent, 2021).
That sums up the meat and potatoes of what you need to know. You should be aware of what is expected of you from the role and what qualification you need to gain. If you found this article helpful or have any questions please let us know at; hello@nvqassessor.org.uk. Otherwise, feel free to share the post with friends and colleagues.
Are you seeking a senior position within the company with equally senior pay? Maybe you wish to deliver a standard in Hair and Beauty or Childcare but need an IQA to receive accreditation from an Awarding Body? In this article, we will delve into roles and responsibilities of the job. Followed up by the exact steps you need to take to become an IQA / Lead IQA.
ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Maintaining that Assessments are conducted to a fair and high standard, as it should be outlined in the company policies. An IQA and a Lead IQA uphold the quality of the qualification standard delivered to clients. They are responsible for many key areas of a Training Provider such as;
- Applying standardised practice agreed in the Standardisation Meeting
- Supporting the improvement of Assessor practice by providing constructive feedback
- Plan, schedule and designate an IQA to monitor parts of an Assessment
- Sample learner work, assessment records and decisions to check for quality, consistency, and fairness
Traditionally, an Internal Quality Assurer is on the same level as a Manager/Supervisor due to their responsibility for managing Assessors. This means if you come from a managerial, supervisory or above position, you already hold some characteristics and experience needed to function in this role effectively. Below you can see the hierarchy of a Lead Quality Assurer, Internal Quality Assurer and Assessor:
You can expect the team Assessors you need to manage will be as small as yourself if you are starting your own company. Or, as large as fifteen people. Naturally, this is not an exact number, just an idea to get you thinking about how many people you should expect to oversee. Other factors like qualification standards will also affect the number of people below you
The Health and Social Care sector has consistently had a high demand for staff ever since the NHS staffing crisis of 1998. Therefore, quite a few companies deliver between Level 2 and 5 Health and Social Care qualifications to meet demand. As such, you can expect to monitor a larger team of Assessors in comparison to a company delivering an Apprenticeship standard in Cyber Security Technology.
HOW TO BECOME AN IQA / LEAD IQA?
We must preface this with that there are no requirements to become an IQA, however, that does not mean you will be accepted onto a course. Just like if you were to apply to a university, a training provider is required to judge if you are competent enough to complete the course.
“Centres should review the applicant’s prior qualifications and/or experience, considering whether this profile shows that they have the potential to achieve the qualification.” – (Edexcel Pearson, 2010)
As of writing this, there is no metric for ‘potential’, in our opinion, it is referring to common sense. A college graduate who has no industry experience is highly unlikely to be able to complete the course and go on to effectively apply that knowledge. Whereas, no one would bat an eyelid if a Hair and Beauty Assessor with three years’ experience wanted to become an IQA. If you do not possess an Assessor qualification (D32, A1 or CAVA), check out our article here.
INTERNAL QUALITY ASSURER
Currently, the way to become an IQA is to gain the ‘Level 4 Award in the Internal Quality Assurance of Assessment Processes and Practice‘. It is comparable to the old Internal Verifiers qualification (D34). This allows you to plan and maintain the internal quality assurance of assessment within your organisation.
It contains two units, with a Guided Learner Hours of 90:
- Unit 1: Understanding the Principles and Practices of Internally Assuring the Quality of Assessment
- Unit 2: Internally Assure the Quality of Assessment
It is perfect for people who want to take the next step in their career as an Assessor. Starting out you can expect an average income of £29,000 but after a few years’ experience, upwards of £38,000 (talent, 2021) unless you decide to train to become a Lead IQA with a higher potential salary.
LEAD INTERNAL QUALITY ASSURER
This is the more senior position of the Internal Quality Assurer. If you desire to become a Centre Lead or Quality Nominee you would need to gain the ‘Level 4 Certificate in Leading the Internal Quality Assurance of Assessment Processes and Practice‘ qualification. It is also the recommended role for the head of a training provider.
It is comprised of three units, with a Guided Learner Hours of 115:
- 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
Upon qualification, you can Internal Quality Assure for the entire training centre. This means developing and writing Internal Quality Assurance policies and procedures. Something that awarding bodies will want to see in an External Quality Assurance (EQA) visit. Expect that these will take place once a year, or sooner depending on the rating given to the training centre.
Taking into account factors that will affect your average salary such as; location, occupation and experience. You can expect your starting salary to be £31,000 and it should increase to £40,000 after a few years of experience (talent, 2021).
That sums up the meat and potatoes of what you need to know. You should be aware of what is expected of you from the role and what qualification you need to gain. If you found this article helpful or have any questions please let us know at; hello@nvqassessor.org.uk. Otherwise, feel free to share the post with friends and colleagues.
Building Services End-Point Assessor
The employer is a Training Sector organisation in Leamington Spa who specialise in developing qualifications for the Construction and Civil Engineering sectors. They develop a range of industry qualifications including Apprenticeships, which are developed and assessed by sector specialists with real industry knowledge. They currently have a fantastic opportunity an experienced Building Services Engineer or […]
Childcare Assessor (Trainee or Qualified)
KM have an exciting opportunity for a Childcare Assessor to deliver full Apprenticeships in Childcare! This opportunity is open to both Trainee and Qualified candidates. Trainee applicants – this is a great opportunity for a Room Leader (or above) to transition to a new and rewarding career within the training industry! Qualified Assessors – applications […]
Skills Tutor
Educated Appointments are delighted to be supporting a fast-growing premier provider of accountancy training and apprenticeships. Due to increased demand for apprenticeship training programmes they are looking out for new Tutor to join our team. This role sits within the Impact Skills Team and ultimately reports to the Programme Delivery Director. This role includes travel […]
Business and Education End-Point Assessor
The role of an Apprenticeship End-Point Assessor is to provide independent, fair, reliable, and consistent assessment services to Training Qualifications UK customers working with Apprenticeship Standards. End-Point Assessors are required to use assessment experience with robust and relevant industry knowledge to form judgements and grading decisions upon the completion of a variety of assessment activities, […]
How to Become an NVQ Assessor in Health and Social Care
As an experienced Health and Social Care worker, you are accustomed to improving the lives of other people. Now you wish to carry this on by becoming an NVQ Assessor and assess the next generation of Health and Social Care learners. After combing through countless Health and Social Care Assessor job postings and paired with our own industry knowledge. We bring you a comprehensive guide on ‘How to Become an NVQ Assessor in Health and Social Care’.
UNDERSTAND YOUR ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES.
Let’s first clarify what exactly an NVQ Assessor is. Specifically in Health and Social Care. This way, you will have a clear and realistic understanding of the job.
NVQ or National Vocational Qualification, is by definition, a “work-based qualification that recognises the skills and knowledge a person needs to do a job.” (SVT). This is what you must assess.
Typically, a Health and Social Care learner will be working towards a Level 2, 3, 4 or 5 qualification, delivered through a course or apprenticeship. As an Assessor you will provide support and guidance whilst assessing their abilities to complete this. Therefore, it is required that you are occupationally competent or qualified to an equal level or higher than what your learner is trying to achieve.
We have comprised a shortlist of the standard duties you will carry out over the course of your new career;
- Observe and assess learners in their workplace / learning environment (face-to-face or online via video conference software)
- Examine candidate portfolios of evidence
- Offer advice and feedback if standards are not met
- Keep up-to-date records of the learner’s progress; in accordance with the requirements stipulated by the NVQ Awarding Body
- Participate in meetings with fellow Assessors
- Build a working relationship with the training staff and candidates line managers
- Question learners about how they would deal with non-standard situations in the working environment
- Sign off the NVQ when all the requirements have been met
If you are unfamiliar with some of what was mentioned above, do not worry. This will all be covered in your Assessor qualification training.
THE EASIEST METHOD TO BECOME AN NVQ ASSESSOR.
Our current recommendation is the ‘Level 3 Certificate In Assessing Vocational Achievement’ (or CAVA). Upon completion of the course, you become qualified to assess others in your area of occupational competence within the workplace and learning environments.
Comprised of three units, the course has a Guided Learning Hours set at 54. If you can spare an hour a day, in a little over a month and a half you would have completed it.
- Unit 1: ‘Understanding Principles and Practices of Assessment’
- Unit 2: ‘Assess Occupational Competence in the Work Environment’
- Unit 3: ‘Assess Vocational Skills, Knowledge and Understanding’
However, we want to inform you about a trap we see people fall into time and time again. As a part of the course curriculum, you must assess learners in their workplace. Do not presume the training company you choose to do your course with will provide the learners. It is not their responsibility to find the learners, but sadly yours.
We have provided all the information we could. From this point on the ball is in your court. If you need further guidance, you can email us at; hello@nvqassessor.org.uk, or reach out to us through our social channels.
NEWSLETTER
Weekly Assessor Jobs, Blog Posts and Exclusive Content straight to your inbox.
Welcome!
As an experienced Health and Social Care worker, you are accustomed to improving the lives of other people. Now you wish to carry this on by becoming an NVQ Assessor and assess the next generation of Health and Social Care learners. After combing through countless Health and Social Care Assessor job postings and paired with our own industry knowledge. We bring you a comprehensive guide on ‘How to Become an NVQ Assessor in Health and Social Care’.
UNDERSTAND YOUR ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES.
Let’s first clarify what exactly an NVQ Assessor is. Specifically in Health and Social Care. This way, you will have a clear and realistic understanding of the job.
NVQ or National Vocational Qualification, is by definition, a “work-based qualification that recognises the skills and knowledge a person needs to do a job.” (SVT). This is what you must assess.
Typically, a Health and Social Care learner will be working towards a Level 2, 3, 4 or 5 qualification, delivered through a course or apprenticeship. As an Assessor you will provide support and guidance whilst assessing their abilities to complete this. Therefore, it is required that you are occupationally competent or qualified to an equal level or higher than what your learner is trying to achieve.
We have comprised a shortlist of the standard duties you will carry out over the course of your new career;
- Observe and assess learners in their workplace / learning environment (face-to-face or online via video conference software)
- Examine candidate portfolios of evidence
- Offer advice and feedback if standards are not met
- Keep up-to-date records of the learner’s progress; in accordance with the requirements stipulated by the NVQ Awarding Body
- Participate in meetings with fellow Assessors
- Build a working relationship with the training staff and candidates line managers
- Question learners about how they would deal with non-standard situations in the working environment
- Sign off the NVQ when all the requirements have been met
If you are unfamiliar with some of what was mentioned above, do not worry. This will all be covered in your Assessor qualification training.
THE EASIEST METHOD TO BECOME AN NVQ ASSESSOR.
Our current recommendation is the ‘Level 3 Certificate In Assessing Vocational Achievement’ (or CAVA). Upon completion of the course, you become qualified to assess others in your area of occupational competence within the workplace and learning environments.
Comprised of three units, the course has a Guided Learning Hours set at 54. If you can spare an hour a day, in a little over a month and a half you would have completed it.
- Unit 1: ‘Understanding Principles and Practices of Assessment’
- Unit 2: ‘Assess Occupational Competence in the Work Environment’
- Unit 3: ‘Assess Vocational Skills, Knowledge and Understanding’
However, we want to inform you about a trap we see people fall into time and time again. As a part of the course curriculum, you must assess learners in their workplace. Do not presume the training company you choose to do your course with will provide the learners. It is not their responsibility to find the learners, but sadly yours.
If the last statement left you with some trust issues, do not worry. There are some amazing Independent Training Providers who do provide learners as a part of the course. You just have to look. One of which is Brooks and Kirk, who you can find out more about HERE.
We have provided all the information we could. From this point on the ball is in your court. If you need further guidance, you can email us at; hello@nvqassessor.org.uk, or reach out to us through our social channels.
NEWSLETTER
Weekly Assessor Jobs, Blog Posts and Exclusive Content straight to your inbox.
Welcome!
IQA Award and Lead IQA – What’s the difference?
By Katherine Little Published 7th Mar 2023 | Blog The world of education and training is full of acronyms and abbreviations that can be confusing to navigate. Two such terms are IQA Award and Lead IQA qualification. While these two terms may sound similar, they actually refer to two distinct roles within the quality assurance […]
Becoming a Hospitality Assessor
By Katherine Little Published 27th Feb 2023 | Blog The hospitality industry is one of the fastest-growing industries in the world, with a wide range of roles and opportunities. If you’re passionate about this field and enjoy helping others, becoming a hospitality assessor could be the perfect career choice for you. In this article, we’ll […]
Your Ultimate Guide to Quality Assurance: IQA & EQA
By Katherine Little Published 9th Feb 2023 | Blog Discover the Difference Between Internal and External Quality Assurance! Quality Assurance is all about making sure that products and services are the best they can be, avoiding problems, and improving them continuously. But did you know that there are two different methods of Quality Assurance – […]
Roles and Responsibilities of an Assessor
By Katherine Little Published 3rd Feb 2023 | Blog An assessor is a professional who is responsible for evaluating the skills, knowledge, and abilities of individuals in a particular field. The role of an assessor is vital in ensuring that the right training and development opportunities are provided to individuals and that their skills are […]
3 Amazing Reasons to Become an Assessor
In the UK people have between 4 to 8 hours per free day of free time (ONS, 2017). Even as a busy parent, a lot of assessor courses are flexible enough to fit into the hectic schedule! One hour a day, or 5 hours a week is all it takes to make progress towards becoming an Assessor. Let’s look at 3 amazing reasons becoming an assessor is the right step for you.
FORGET RUSH HOUR, WORK FROM HOME.
Most NVQ Assessor jobs posted online are stating 100% home-based work. This does come with the caveat of traveling to learners upon restrictions easing. However, do not let this put you off. Most companies are highlighting 50% or below of your hours will be spent traveling to learners, with some saying you will not have to travel at all!
To put that into perspective, 18.75 hours is half of an average working week or the equivalent of two- and a-bit working days. The rest of the week is at home. No commute to work (which if you think about the savings, it can be pretty tempting). Reduced daily stress and you get to be closer to your loved ones. There can be a lot benefits to be gained, especially if travel is not required.
INCREASED PAY? DON’T MIND IF I DO!
It always feels great the day you receive your pay packet. Especially the part where you end up looking at a holiday abroad (or maybe that’s just me?). Sadly, the feeling does not last. A day or two later and your bank account it is looking pretty empty. The direct debit for the bills and rent just went out. Urgh. And just when you think it’s over, you have to go out and do the monthly shop.
Goodbye holiday abroad, see you again next month.
(Source: Totaljobs)
Now apologies in advance, but this is going to get a little maths heavy. If you want the short and sweet version, the average salary of an assessor is £32,500 per annum. For a more detailed breakdown you can carry on reading or just skip to the next section.
(Information Source: Totaljobs)
Depending on many factors, namely; location, industry, employer and experience, the average salary can either go up or down. If you live-in North-West London, the average is £42,500. Understandably, due London being the capital of the UK it comes at a cost to live there. It has been reported that there is a “20% higher costs to achieve a decent standard of living in London, compared to the rest of the UK” (June, 2021). This of course is reflected by the £4,000 London Weighting, which would be factored into your salary if based in the inner and outer London area. Whereas Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham and Nottingham all fall in line with the £32,500 per annum figure.
Regardless of the money offered for a job, you must consider if it’s worth it for you. Do you have the experience? Is becoming an Assessor a pay-rise, you are willing to work towards. I would hope yes.
MORE APPRENTICESHIPS, MORE JOB OPPORTUNITIES!
Young people aged 16-24 were amongst the hardest hit in the employment sector this year. To combat this Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced that “£126m for more traineeships” would be allocated from the 2021 British Budget. This was with the aim to create “40,000 more traineeships”, including apprenticeships (BBC, June 2021). But how does this translate into more jobs I hear you ask? Here is quick list of the upcoming acronyms you need to know:
- IEPA (Independent End-Point Assessor)
- EPA (End-Point Assessment)
- EPAO (End-Point Assessment Organisation)
Becoming an Assessor can open a few different career doors. One of these is an End-Point Assessor or IEPA. As stipulated by the British Government, all apprenticeships require an EPA. For those who are not aware, an EPA must be presided over by an IEPA or End-Point. Therefore, as long as you are qualified/experienced in the specific field that you wish to assess, with the appropriate qualification (learn more here), you could work as an IEPA.
Even if the Government only reaches one fourth of their goal, that still equates to 10,000 traineeships and therefore 10,000 End-Point Assessor jobs. With an average yearly salary of £26,000 or £200 per day freelancing, becoming an IEPA looks to be a bullish employment sector. It even affords you the benefit of assessing learners remotely from home or at their place of work. Now I feel it is important that I mention why I have separated IEPA from the general Assessor. Technically they are both Assessors. The same qualification allows you to become an IEPA and Assessor. So why are they in their own separate sections? An IEPA is slightly more specialised than a general Assessor.
Those are our ‘3 Amazing Reasons to Become an Assessor!’. Regardless if you’re looking for the next step in your career or simply cutting out your commute to spend more time with your family. The time to become an Assessor is now. If you want more clarification on the relevant qualifications you need to assess, click here. Otherwise, if the sections above have helped, please feel free to share to friends and/or colleagues:
In the UK people have between 4 to 8 hours per free day of free time (ONS, 2017). Even as a busy parent, a lot of assessor courses are flexible enough to fit into the hectic schedule! One hour a day, or 5 hours a week is all it takes to make progress towards becoming an Assessor. Let’s look at 3 amazing reasons becoming an assessor is the right step for you.
FORGET RUSH HOUR, WORK FROM HOME.
Most NVQ Assessor jobs posted online are stating 100% home-based work. This does come with the caveat of traveling to learners upon restrictions easing. However, do not let this put you off. Most companies are highlighting 50% or below of your hours will be spent traveling to learners, with some saying you will not have to travel at all!
To put that into perspective, 18.75 hours is half of an average working week or the equivalent of two- and a-bit working days. The rest of the week is at home. No commute to work (which if you think about the savings, it can be pretty tempting). Reduced daily stress and you get to be closer to your loved ones. There can be a lot benefits to be gained, especially if travel is not required.
INCREASED PAY? DON’T MIND IF I DO!
It always feels great the day you receive your pay packet. Especially the part where you end up looking at a holiday abroad (or maybe that’s just me?). Sadly, the feeling does not last. A day or two later and your bank account it is looking pretty empty. The direct debit for the bills and rent just went out. Urgh. And just when you think it’s over, you have to go out and do the monthly shop.
Bye, bye, holiday abroad, see you again next month.
(Source: Totaljobs)
Now apologies in advance, but this is going to get a little maths heavy. If you want the short and sweet version, the average salary of an assessor is £32,500 per annum. For a more detailed breakdown you can carry on reading or just skip to the next section.
(Information Source: Totaljobs)
Depending on many factors, namely; location, industry, employer and experience, the average salary can either go up or down. If you live-in North-West London, the average is £42,500. Understandably, due London being the capital of the UK it comes at a cost to live there. It has been reported that there is a “20% higher costs to achieve a decent standard of living in London, compared to the rest of the UK” (June, 2021). This of course is reflected by the £4,000 London Weighting, which would be factored into your salary if based in the inner and outer London area. Whereas Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham and Nottingham all fall in line with the £32,500 per annum figure.
MORE APPRENTICESHIPS, MORE JOB OPPORTUNITIES!
Young people aged 16-24 were amongst the hardest hit in the employment sector this year. To combat this Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced that “£126m for more traineeships” would be allocated from the 2021 British Budget. This was with the aim to create “40,000 more traineeships”, including apprenticeships (BBC, June 2021). But how does this translate into more jobs I hear you ask? Here is quick list of the upcoming acronym you need to know:
- IEPA (Independent End-Point Assessor)
- EPA (End-Point Assessment)
- EPAO (End-Point Assessment Organisation)
Becoming an Assessor can open a few different career doors. One of these is an End-Point Assessor or IEPA. As stipulated by the British Government, all apprenticeships require an EPA. For those who are not aware, an EPA must be presided over by an IEPA or End-Point. Therefore, as long as you are qualified/experienced in the specific field that you wish to assess, with the appropriate qualification (learn more here), you could work as an IEPA.
Even if the Government only reaches one fourth of their goal, that still equates to 10,000 traineeships and therefore 10,000 End-Point Assessor jobs. With an average yearly salary of £26,000 or £200 per day freelancing, becoming an IEPA looks to be a bullish employment sector. It even affords you the benefit of assessing learners remotely from home or at their place of work. Now I feel it is important that I mention why I have separated IEPA from the general Assessor. Technically they are both Assessors. The same qualification allows you to become an IEPA and Assessor. So why are they in their own separate sections? An IEPA is slightly more specialised than a general Assessor.
Those are our ‘3 Amazing Reasons to Become an Assessor!’. Regardless if you’re looking for the next step in your career or simply cutting out your commute to spend more time with your family. The time to become an Assessor is now. If you want more clarification on the relevant qualifications you need to assess, click here. Otherwise, if the sections above have helped, please feel free to share to friends and/or colleagues:
IQA Award and Lead IQA – What’s the difference?
By Katherine Little Published 7th Mar 2023 | Blog The world of education and training is full of acronyms and abbreviations that can be confusing to navigate. Two such terms are IQA Award and Lead IQA qualification. While these two terms may sound similar, they actually refer to two distinct roles within the quality assurance […]
Becoming a Hospitality Assessor
By Katherine Little Published 27th Feb 2023 | Blog The hospitality industry is one of the fastest-growing industries in the world, with a wide range of roles and opportunities. If you’re passionate about this field and enjoy helping others, becoming a hospitality assessor could be the perfect career choice for you. In this article, we’ll […]
Your Ultimate Guide to Quality Assurance: IQA & EQA
By Katherine Little Published 9th Feb 2023 | Blog Discover the Difference Between Internal and External Quality Assurance! Quality Assurance is all about making sure that products and services are the best they can be, avoiding problems, and improving them continuously. But did you know that there are two different methods of Quality Assurance – […]
Roles and Responsibilities of an Assessor
By Katherine Little Published 3rd Feb 2023 | Blog An assessor is a professional who is responsible for evaluating the skills, knowledge, and abilities of individuals in a particular field. The role of an assessor is vital in ensuring that the right training and development opportunities are provided to individuals and that their skills are […]
What’s an NVQ Assessor and How Do I Become One?
In this comprehensive article, we are going to delve into becoming NVQ Assessor within the TAQA industry. So go put the kettle on and grab a snack because we are not going to miss a single detail.
BREAKDOWN FOR BEGINNERS
Firstly, we shall address exactly what an NVQ Assessor is within the TAQA industry. To make it easier on yourself, we shall split NVQ Assessor into two parts: NVQ and Assessor. NVQ or National Vocational Qualification is a work-based qualification. Taught in a: college, school, workplace or an independent training provider. According to the skills and knowledge you should have built up your work competency will be assessed through on-the-job tasks. And that in a nutshell is what NVQ is.
Now as for an Assessor, it’s a role that allows you to evaluate another person’s competency. This could be; a Business Administrator or a Hairdresser, it could be assessing an Astronaut set for the next Moon Mission. However, an Assessor must already be occupationally competent in the specific job that they wish to assess. Therefore, you must consider if you have enough knowledge and appropriate qualifications to successfully assess others in your specific field.
To put it all together, an NVQ Assessor is someone who assesses an individual working towards an NVQ of the same type the NVQ Assessor is qualified in. Hence the name: NVQ Assessor. For a business, this could be a company employee to save on hiring a freelancer. But for the individual, you could freelance around the country. Assessing learners in the workplace or learning environment.
Hopefully, by now that kettle would have boiled, so go finish off making your drink. But, if you already have your preferred beverage, let us move on to how you or one of your employees can become an NVQ Assessor.
HOW TO BECOME AN NVQ ASSESSOR?
There are a few paths to becoming an NVQ Assessor and not all of them are equal. Also, don’t be confused by the A1 Assessor course as this is not a current assessor qualification. However, we will only be mentioning 3 out of the 4 possible qualifications to qualify you to be an NVQ Assessor. As for the unmentioned qualification, due to it not qualifying a person to be an NVQ Assessor, it has been omitted. The order of recommendation is as follows:
- Level 3 Certificate in Assessing Vocational Achievement (CAVA)
- Level 3 Award in Assessing Competence in the Work Environment (ACWE)
- Level 3 Award in Assessing Vocationally Related Achievement (AVRA).
Depending on your circumstances and career investment plan one of these three qualifications is most suitable to you. Let me ask you, where do you intend and want to assess learners: in the workplace or a learning environment (e.g., an educational establishment)? If the answer was both, you would want The Level 3 Certificate in Assessing Vocational Achievement. This is the only qualification that allows you to assess people in a learning environment and the workplace. Even if you only need to operate in a learning or workplace environment. Consider the career flexibility of being able to assess both.
If time is a concern, do not worry, all NVQ’s have a two-year time limit to complete. Even with the busiest of schedules, sparing a few hours a week should be manageable. For more information look at our, number 1# recommended independent training provider Brooks & Kirk.
We understand you are dead set on assessing in either a learning or workplace environment only. In that case, let us start with the Level 3 Award in Assessing Competence in the Work Environment. This Award qualifies an individual to assess learners in the workplace only. So if you know that the learners you will be wanting to assess are in the workplace, then is this the one for you. Alternatively, if you want to assess learners in a learning environment, the Level 3 Award in Assessing Vocationally Related Achievement is the route for you.
If you want further clarification on each qualification, breaking down each Unit into bite-size chunks. Let us know at: hello@nvqassessor.org.uk.
THE NEXT STEP
Now we do not want to overload you with information, but we feel we must inform you of the: Award in End-Point Assessment Principles and Practice.
A possible career path after becoming a qualified NVQ Assessor is to become an IEPA (Independent End-Point Assessor). In the UK, at the end of all apprenticeships, an End-Point Assessment must be completed. Think of it as a final exam to graduate from an apprenticeship. This must be carried out by an IEPA with the learner. Now, why exactly are we mentioning this? “£126m for more traineeships” was unveiled at the 2021 British Budget by Chancellor Rishi Sunak. This included the aim of creating “40,000 more traineeships with the new investment” and increasing the cash incentive to businesses to “£3,000” until January 2022 (BBC, 2021). [NOTE: This incentive is now over]
Like we mentioned, apprenticeships require an EPA and the number of apprentices is projected to increase due to funding. A golden opportunity has presented itself in the assessing industry. However, we are not the only ones to realise this. More people are realising the employability gab too. As such, the market will become more and more competitive as time goes on, hence why we have mentioned the course above. Just to clarify, you are not required to do this course to become an IEPA. But it will certainly make you stand out from the crowd and allow you to better grasp what an IEPA does. As such we highly recommend you read further into an IEPA.
If this has helped you at all and you think it would be beneficial to others, please share this post with your friends and colleagues:
In this comprehensive article, we are going to delve into becoming NVQ Assessor within the TAQA industry. So go put the kettle on and grab a snack because we are not going to miss a single detail.
BREAKDOWN FOR BEGINNERS
Firstly, we shall address exactly what an NVQ Assessor is. To make it easier on yourself, we shall split NVQ Assessor into two parts: NVQ and Assessor. NVQ or National Vocational Qualification is a work-based qualification. Taught in a: college, school, workplace or an independent training provider. According to the skills and knowledge you should have built up your work competency will be assessed through on-the-job tasks. And that in a nutshell is what NVQ is.
Now as for an Assessor, it’s a role that allows you to evaluate another person’s competency. This could be; a Business Administrator or a Hairdresser, it could be assessing an Astronaut set for the next Moon Mission. However, an Assessor must already be qualified in that specific job that they wish to assess. Therefore, you must consider if you have enough knowledge and appropriate qualifications to successfully assess others in your specific field.
To put it all together, an NVQ Assessor is someone who assesses an individual working towards an NVQ of the same type the NVQ Assessor is qualified in. Hence the name: NVQ Assessor. For a business, this could be a company employee to save on hiring a freelancer. But for the individual, you could freelance around the country. Assessing learners in the workplace or learning environment.
Hopefully, by now, that kettle would have boiled, so go finish off making your drink. But, if you already have your preferred beverage, let us move on to how you or one of your employees can become an NVQ Assessor.
HOW TO BECOME AN NVQ ASSESSOR?
There are a few paths to becoming an NVQ Assessor and not all of them are equal. However, we will only be mentioning 3 out of the 4 possible qualifications to qualify you to be an NVQ Assessor. As for the unmentioned qualification, due to it not qualifying a person to be an NVQ Assessor, it has been omitted. The order of recommendation is as follows:
- Level 3 Certificate in Assessing Vocational Achievement (CAVA)
- Level 3 Award in Assessing Competence in the Work Environment (ACWE)
- Level 3 Award in Assessing Vocationally Related Achievement (AVRA).
Depending on your circumstances and career investment plan one of these three qualifications is most suitable to you. Let me ask you, where do you intend and want to assess learners: in the workplace or a learning environment (e.g., an educational establishment)? If the answer was both, you would want The Level 3 Certificate in Assessing Vocational Achievement. This is the only qualification that allows you to assess people in a learning environment and the workplace. Even if you only need to operate in a learning or workplace environment. Consider the career flexibility of being able to assess both.
If time is a concern, do not worry, all NVQ’s have a two-year time limit to complete. Even with the busiest of schedules, sparing a few hours a week should be manageable. For more information look at our, number 1# recommended independent training provider Brooks & Kirk.
We understand you are dead set on assessing in either a learning or workplace environment only. In that case, let us start with the Level 3 Award in Assessing Competence in the Work Environment. This Award qualifies an individual to assess learners in the workplace only. So if you know that the learners you will be wanting to assess are in the workplace, then is this the one for you. Alternatively, if you want to assess learners in a learning environment, the Level 3 Award in Assessing Vocationally Related Achievement is the route for you.
If you want further clarification on each qualification, breaking down each Unit into bite-size chunks. Let us know at: hello@nvqassessor.org.uk.
THE NEXT STEP
Now we do not want to overload you with information, but we feel we must inform you of the: Award in End-Point Assessment Principles and Practice.
A possible career path after becoming a qualified NVQ Assessor is to become an IEPA (Independent End-Point Assessor). In the UK, at the end of all apprenticeships, an End-Point Assessment must be completed. Think of it as a final exam to graduate from an apprenticeship. This must be carried out by an IEPA with the learner.
Now, why exactly are we mentioning this? “£126m for more traineeships” was unveiled at the 2021 British Budget by Chancellor Rishi Sunak. This included the aim of creating “40,000 more traineeships with the new investment” and increasing the cash incentive to businesses to “£3,000” until January 2022 (BBC, 2021).
As we mentioned, apprenticeships require an EPA and the number of apprentices is projected to increase due to funding. A golden opportunity has presented itself in the assessing industry. However, we are not the only ones to realise this. More people are realising the employability gab too. As such, the market will become more and more competitive as time goes on, hence why we have mentioned the course above. Just to clarify, you are not required to do this course to become an IEPA. But it will certainly make you stand out from the crowd and allow you to better grasp what an IEPA does. As such we highly recommend you read further into an IEPA.
If this has helped you at all and you think it would be beneficial to others, please share this post with your friends and colleagues:
Building Services End-Point Assessor
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The role of an Apprenticeship End-Point Assessor is to provide independent, fair, reliable, and consistent assessment services to Training Qualifications UK customers working with Apprenticeship Standards. End-Point Assessors are required to use assessment experience with robust and relevant industry knowledge to form judgements and grading decisions upon the completion of a variety of assessment activities, […]
