Make the Correct Decision

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Ask yourself this question: when learning to drive a car, would you pay an airline pilot, who can’t drive a car and is not qualified to teach others to drive a car, to teach you to drive? 

Or would you choose a qualified driving instructor?

Sounds like a daft question, with an obvious answer!

However, that’s the trap hundreds, if not thousands, of engineering and construction operatives could fall into if they’re not careful.

If you’re looking to achieve your Ductwork Installation Level 2 or Level 3 qualification it can seem daunting when faced with a number of different training and assessment providers. So how do you choose which the best one?

Asking a few simple questions can make that decision a lot easier:

1. Does my assessor have experience working in the role he’s assessing? I.e. has my assessor worked on the tools?
2. Does my assessor have a relevant assessor qualification?
3. Does my assessor hold the qualification in which he’s assessing me?

If the answer to any of these questions is ‘no’ then why choose him and why give him your money? It’s that simple.

And don’t just take our word for it; these are the sector’s rules for judgement making:

Awarding organisations must ensure that assessors:

have sufficient, verifiable, relevant current industry experience, knowledge and understanding of the occupational working area at, or above, the level being assessed. This must be of sufficient depth to be effective and reliable when judging candidates’ competence. Assessors’ experience, knowledge and understanding could be verified by a combination of:

• possession of a relevant NVQ/SVQ, or vocationally related qualification

have sufficient occupational expertise so they have up to date experience, knowledge and understanding of the aspects of work they are assessing. This could be verified by records of continuing professional development achievements.

• only assess in their acknowledged area of occupational competence
• have a sound, in-depth knowledge of, and uphold the integrity of, the sector’s NOS and the Assessment Strategy (this document)
• are prepared to participate in activities for their continued professional development
• hold, or are working towards, a qualification as listed within ‘Assessing and Assuring Quality of Assessment’

Do your due diligence before signing on the dotted line and remember, if something seems too good (cheap) to be true, it probably is.