Keeping you up todate with developmentswith qualifications andstandards in your industry

: Brooke House, 24 Dam Street,Lichfield, Staffordshire. WS13 6AA

t: 01543 254223 - f: 01543 257848e: info@paa-uk.org - w: www.paa-uk.org

WorkingTogether

Autumn/Winter 2008

I S S U E F I V E

If you want to comment on any of the stories in this issue, would like more information or to make a contribution to future issues pleasecontact Debbie on 01543 254223 or dhb.vqset@paa-uk.org

PAGE 4 -- ISSUE 5 - AUTUMN/WINTER 2008 -

Welcome to PAA\VQ-SET’s Autumn/Winter2008 Edition of Working Together.2008 has been another successful year forPAA\VQ-SET, our centres and candidates,and has seen the achievement of twosignificant milestones; PAA\VQ-SET has nowregistered over 20,000 candidates and issuedmore than 10,000 certificates.

Special congratulations to PAA\VQ-SETApproved Centre Altro Floors who wereawarded the following two ManufacturingExcellence Awards: Arup Award forSustainable Manufacturing and theProfessional Engineer Award for PeopleEffectiveness. Further information on this isgiven on Page 3 of this Newsletter.

PAA\VQ-SET’s fifth National Conference tookplace in November 2008 at the stunningvenue of The Belfry, West Midlands. Over100 delegates attendedthe event from across theUK and one delegatetravelled from Kuwait to bethere. There wererepresentatives from all thesectors PAA\VQ-SET workswith, including Chemical,Pharmaceutical, Paper, Nuclear,Science and Meteorology, andthe recently incorporatedPolymer and Signmaking sectors.

PAA\VQ-SET’s acquisition of theAwarding Body for the Polymerand Signmaking sectors, SASL, was completedin July 2008 and we were delighted thatsome of these new centres were able toattend the Conference.

For a full Conference Report, including areview of the workshops and seminars, andto read Ann Randall’s full speech, please visit

www.paa-uk.org.

2008 has alsoseen change inthe widerqualificationenvironment;the changefrom QCA toOfqual and the

introduction ofthe Qualifications and

Credit Framework(QCF). Further

information on this isgiven on Page 2 of this Newsletter.

PAA\VQ-SET UpdateIn 2009 PAA\VQ-SET will be holding BestPractice Workshops around the country forAssessors and Internal Verifiers. New thisyear will be Best Practice Workshops designedspecifically for those involved in the deliveryof the Laundry and Dry Cleaning NVQs, thefollowing dates have been confirmed forthese events:

Best Practice Workshop for Laundry andDry Cleaning: * NEW EVENT *• Thursday 12th February - Huddersfield• Tuesday 24th February - Birmingham

Best Practice Workshop for Assessors:• Tuesday 24th March - Middlesbrough• Thursday 14th May - Warrington• Tuesday 9th June - Loughborough

Best PracticeWorkshops for 2009

Best Practice Workshop forInternal Verifiers:• Wednesday 25th March - Middlesbrough• Thursday 21st May - Warrington• Wednesday 10th June - Loughborough

The above dates have been confirmed;additional events are currently being organisedand further details will be made available onPAA\VQ-SET’s website shortly.

Places are limited so we would recommendearly booking. All bookings must be receivedat least a week before each event.

Focus On:Standardisation

Ann Randall, PAA\VQ-SET’s Chief Executive,addresses assembled Conference delegates.

Ann Randall, PAA\VQ-SET’s ChiefExecutive, described the acquisitionof SASL as important to “ensure thatwe stand firm on strong foundationsproviding protection for our portfolioof specialist qualifications, the centresand candidates who use them.”

PAA\VQ-SET National Conference 2008.

The NVQ Code of Practice 2006 gives adefinition of standardisation as:

“A process to ensure that the assessmentcriteria for a qualification, unit or componentare applied consistently by assessors,moderators and verifiers.”

When External Verifiers visit centres, theyare required to check that standardisationhas been taking place, and often centres askfor guidance on what they could do.

Standardisation should be carried out for allNVQ programmes offered within a centre,and gives assessors the chance to share ideasabout assessment, discuss any difficulties theyhave with the NVQ (or unit) and developbest practice within the team, that will givea consistent, effective approach to assessment.

External Verifiers will want to see whatstandardisation activity has been carried outand so records should be kept of the meeting.

There are many different examples of suitableactivities, such as:

• discussing particular assessment methodsor types of evidence and their most effectiveuse – for example photographs, orprofessional discussion;

• a focus on a specific unit or element andthe best way of assessing it, which couldinclude the type or amount of evidence;

• how to assess difficult units, elements,performance criteria, etc;

• how to assess the knowledge andunderstanding requirements and therequired answers;

• design of assessment material or activitiesthat will support effective assessment.

These are just a few examples for centres;PAA\VQ-SET’s External Verifiers will be ableto give further guidance if required.

What Our Delegates Thought:“Very useful to confirm, refresh and share experiences with others.”“A concise and informative workshop.”

For further in format ion and to reg ister your interest on th is p lease contact Ann Randal l at PAA\VQ-SET.

- AUTUMN/WINTER 2008 - ISSUE 5 -- PAGE 3PAGE 2 -- ISSUE 5 - AUTUMN/WINTER 2008 -

Altro Floors’ Sustainability team collecting one of their Awards.

Congratulations to PAA\VQ-SET ApprovedCentre Altro Floors on the achievement oftwo Manufacturing Excellence Awards; theProfessional Engineer Award for PeopleEffectiveness which was hosted by the Instituteof Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) and theArup Award for Sustainable Manufacturing.

These accolades were won ahead of strongcompetition from companies such as RollsRoyce, Perkins Engines and Leyland Trucks.

Richard Kahn, Chief Executive of Altro Floorssaid: “These awards evidence our strongperformance in sustainability, and theeffectiveness of everyone working for Altro.”

Mark Leeks and Pat Patel collected the awardalong with Altro’s sustainability team.

Mark Leeks, Training Assessor, said: “Havingworked for Altro Floors for twenty years Ihave seen the company grow and developinto the world class business we are now.We have achieved numerous awards overthe years and have been in the Times Top100 Companies to work for the past threeyears as voted by our own people.

Two years ago we decided to introduce ourown in-house accreditation training workingclosely with PAA\VQ-SET. This was the firsttime we decided to enter the manufacturingexcellence “MX Awards” and entered threecategories. We managed to pick up twoawards one for ‘Sustainability’ and the otherfor ‘People Effectiveness’.

Picking up the award from Charles Kennedywas a great privilege, especially as I helpeddevelop the accreditation programme withPat Patel. At the end of the day without ourpeople these awards would not have beenpossible; it is their commitment and loyaltythat really made the difference.”

“I would like tothank PAA\VQ-SETfor their supportand expertise overthe years”.Pat Patel, Manufacturing Training Officer, added:

“Our culture has massively shifted throughliving our unique brand value behaviourswhich forms part of is just the way we dothings. Winning the award demonstrates weare a learning organisation where every areaof our business has engaged in some formof specific or behavioural learning includingour manufacturing Specialised Awardprogramme.

I believe each area has played its part towardsachieving the ‘People Effectiveness’ MX awardwhich will also give us both motivational andcommercial benefits! At the moment we areexploring certain modules of the programmefor delivery companywide as well as exploringhow we can move to the next level.”

Further information on Altro Floors’ Pathwayto Excellence Specialised Awards Programmeis available on PAA\VQ-SET's websitewww.paa-uk.org.

On 14th November 2008 the Departmentfor Innovation, Universities and Skillsannounced the approval of theimplementation of the Qualifications andCredit Framework (QCF).

QCA, Ofqual and the LSC have been giventhe go-ahead to implement the QCF overthe next two years in England. The devolvedadministrations also announced that the QCFwill be implemented in Wales and NorthernIreland respectively.

The QCF will ultimately replace the currentNational Qualifications Framework (NQF).An introduction to the QCF was given inPAA\VQ-SET’s Spring 2008 Edition ofWorking Together and can be found on ourwebsite www.paa-uk.org.

It is our intention to extend PAA\VQ-SET’scurrent qualifications until 31st December2010 and we are in the process of beginningto migrate qualifications to the QCF.PAA\VQ-SET will be organising briefingsto introduce centres to the QCF; details ofthese will be put on PAA\VQ-SET’s websiteonce confirmed.

Ministersapprove QCFimplementation

Employer Recognition ProgrammeOne of the new features of the QCFcompared with the NQF is it offers theopportunity for employers to have theirin-house training programmes accredited andtheir own units included in the QCF.

There are a number of ways employerscan do this but QCA’s recommendedapproach is for employers to work withexisting Awarding Organisations, such asPAA\VQ-SET, as they already have thenecessary expertise in unit writing andapproval to submit units and qualificationsfor accreditation.

PAA\VQ-SET has experience of accreditingorganisations’ in-house training schemesthrough its Specialised Awards.

As part of the development of the QCFQCA are keen to increase their employerengagement and would like to hear fromemployers who may be interested inaccrediting their in-house training.

Shell’s Stanlow Refinery has achieved its’ firstNVQ A1 Assessor Awards via PAA\VQ-SETcertification. Candidates Peter Davies, SeanRavenscroft and Kevin Thornton receivedtheir certificates recently from Dave Jenkins,PAA\VQ-SET regional External Verifier.

Site Scheme Coordinator Brian Burnscommented that: “Stanlow is proud to haveenhanced its’ standing as a Centre by achievingthese Awards via PAA\VQ-SET”.

In the past Stanlow has successfully usedexternal training providers for A1 Assessorcertification. However the provision of theA1 Assessor workbook by PAA\VQ-SET wasthe basis for undertaking this ‘in-house’ training.

L-R: Shell Scheme Coordinator Brian Burns,newly qualified A1 Assessors Peter Davies, SeanRavenscroft and Kevin Thornton with PAA\VQ-SET External Verifier Dave Jenkins.

“Cost and time are always issues in relationto ‘internal’ training, especially when usingyour own resources, but the workbook, asa “step by step job aid” was a first class basisfor facilitating the programme both forCandidates and their Assessors” added Brian.

“We achieved these Awardsin about half the time ithas previously taken and Icongratulate the Candidatesand their Assessors forthe work they put in. Ican only highly recommendthe workbook.”

AwardsSuccess forAltro Floors

The workbook, developed by PAA\VQ-SET,provides comprehensive guidance onachieving the qualification using a variety ofactivities. It is divided into easy to completestages and identifies the people involved inthe process, how the Assessor Candidateshould proceed and the evidence needed toshow competence.

The Assessor Candidate is guided on howto develop plans for assessing competenceand judging evidence, to providingfeedback and contributing tointernal quality assurance;the four cornerstones of anassessment process.

First A1 Assessor Awardsachieved at Shell Stanlow

An order form for PAA\VQ-SET’s A1Achievement Workbook can be downloadedfrom www.paa-uk.org; alternatively pleaseemail info@paa-uk.org.

A1 Achievement Workbook

For further in format ion and to reg ister your interest on th is p lease contact Ann Randal l at PAA\VQ-SET.

- AUTUMN/WINTER 2008 - ISSUE 5 -- PAGE 3PAGE 2 -- ISSUE 5 - AUTUMN/WINTER 2008 -

Altro Floors’ Sustainability team collecting one of their Awards.

Congratulations to PAA\VQ-SET ApprovedCentre Altro Floors on the achievement oftwo Manufacturing Excellence Awards; theProfessional Engineer Award for PeopleEffectiveness which was hosted by the Instituteof Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) and theArup Award for Sustainable Manufacturing.

These accolades were won ahead of strongcompetition from companies such as RollsRoyce, Perkins Engines and Leyland Trucks.

Richard Kahn, Chief Executive of Altro Floorssaid: “These awards evidence our strongperformance in sustainability, and theeffectiveness of everyone working for Altro.”

Mark Leeks and Pat Patel collected the awardalong with Altro’s sustainability team.

Mark Leeks, Training Assessor, said: “Havingworked for Altro Floors for twenty years Ihave seen the company grow and developinto the world class business we are now.We have achieved numerous awards overthe years and have been in the Times Top100 Companies to work for the past threeyears as voted by our own people.

Two years ago we decided to introduce ourown in-house accreditation training workingclosely with PAA\VQ-SET. This was the firsttime we decided to enter the manufacturingexcellence “MX Awards” and entered threecategories. We managed to pick up twoawards one for ‘Sustainability’ and the otherfor ‘People Effectiveness’.

Picking up the award from Charles Kennedywas a great privilege, especially as I helpeddevelop the accreditation programme withPat Patel. At the end of the day without ourpeople these awards would not have beenpossible; it is their commitment and loyaltythat really made the difference.”

“I would like tothank PAA\VQ-SETfor their supportand expertise overthe years”.Pat Patel, Manufacturing Training Officer, added:

“Our culture has massively shifted throughliving our unique brand value behaviourswhich forms part of is just the way we dothings. Winning the award demonstrates weare a learning organisation where every areaof our business has engaged in some formof specific or behavioural learning includingour manufacturing Specialised Awardprogramme.

I believe each area has played its part towardsachieving the ‘People Effectiveness’ MX awardwhich will also give us both motivational andcommercial benefits! At the moment we areexploring certain modules of the programmefor delivery companywide as well as exploringhow we can move to the next level.”

Further information on Altro Floors’ Pathwayto Excellence Specialised Awards Programmeis available on PAA\VQ-SET's websitewww.paa-uk.org.

On 14th November 2008 the Departmentfor Innovation, Universities and Skillsannounced the approval of theimplementation of the Qualifications andCredit Framework (QCF).

QCA, Ofqual and the LSC have been giventhe go-ahead to implement the QCF overthe next two years in England. The devolvedadministrations also announced that the QCFwill be implemented in Wales and NorthernIreland respectively.

The QCF will ultimately replace the currentNational Qualifications Framework (NQF).An introduction to the QCF was given inPAA\VQ-SET’s Spring 2008 Edition ofWorking Together and can be found on ourwebsite www.paa-uk.org.

It is our intention to extend PAA\VQ-SET’scurrent qualifications until 31st December2010 and we are in the process of beginningto migrate qualifications to the QCF.PAA\VQ-SET will be organising briefingsto introduce centres to the QCF; details ofthese will be put on PAA\VQ-SET’s websiteonce confirmed.

Ministersapprove QCFimplementation

Employer Recognition ProgrammeOne of the new features of the QCFcompared with the NQF is it offers theopportunity for employers to have theirin-house training programmes accredited andtheir own units included in the QCF.

There are a number of ways employerscan do this but QCA’s recommendedapproach is for employers to work withexisting Awarding Organisations, such asPAA\VQ-SET, as they already have thenecessary expertise in unit writing andapproval to submit units and qualificationsfor accreditation.

PAA\VQ-SET has experience of accreditingorganisations’ in-house training schemesthrough its Specialised Awards.

As part of the development of the QCFQCA are keen to increase their employerengagement and would like to hear fromemployers who may be interested inaccrediting their in-house training.

Shell’s Stanlow Refinery has achieved its’ firstNVQ A1 Assessor Awards via PAA\VQ-SETcertification. Candidates Peter Davies, SeanRavenscroft and Kevin Thornton receivedtheir certificates recently from Dave Jenkins,PAA\VQ-SET regional External Verifier.

Site Scheme Coordinator Brian Burnscommented that: “Stanlow is proud to haveenhanced its’ standing as a Centre by achievingthese Awards via PAA\VQ-SET”.

In the past Stanlow has successfully usedexternal training providers for A1 Assessorcertification. However the provision of theA1 Assessor workbook by PAA\VQ-SET wasthe basis for undertaking this ‘in-house’ training.

L-R: Shell Scheme Coordinator Brian Burns,newly qualified A1 Assessors Peter Davies, SeanRavenscroft and Kevin Thornton with PAA\VQ-SET External Verifier Dave Jenkins.

“Cost and time are always issues in relationto ‘internal’ training, especially when usingyour own resources, but the workbook, asa “step by step job aid” was a first class basisfor facilitating the programme both forCandidates and their Assessors” added Brian.

“We achieved these Awardsin about half the time ithas previously taken and Icongratulate the Candidatesand their Assessors forthe work they put in. Ican only highly recommendthe workbook.”

AwardsSuccess forAltro Floors

The workbook, developed by PAA\VQ-SET,provides comprehensive guidance onachieving the qualification using a variety ofactivities. It is divided into easy to completestages and identifies the people involved inthe process, how the Assessor Candidateshould proceed and the evidence needed toshow competence.

The Assessor Candidate is guided on howto develop plans for assessing competenceand judging evidence, to providingfeedback and contributing tointernal quality assurance;the four cornerstones of anassessment process.

First A1 Assessor Awardsachieved at Shell Stanlow

An order form for PAA\VQ-SET’s A1Achievement Workbook can be downloadedfrom www.paa-uk.org; alternatively pleaseemail info@paa-uk.org.

A1 Achievement Workbook

Keeping you up todate with developmentswith qualifications andstandards in your industry

: Brooke House, 24 Dam Street,Lichfield, Staffordshire. WS13 6AA

t: 01543 254223 - f: 01543 257848e: info@paa-uk.org - w: www.paa-uk.org

WorkingTogether

Autumn/Winter 2008

I S S U E F I V E

If you want to comment on any of the stories in this issue, would like more information or to make a contribution to future issues pleasecontact Debbie on 01543 254223 or dhb.vqset@paa-uk.org

PAGE 4 -- ISSUE 5 - AUTUMN/WINTER 2008 -

Welcome to PAA\VQ-SET’s Autumn/Winter2008 Edition of Working Together.2008 has been another successful year forPAA\VQ-SET, our centres and candidates,and has seen the achievement of twosignificant milestones; PAA\VQ-SET has nowregistered over 20,000 candidates and issuedmore than 10,000 certificates.

Special congratulations to PAA\VQ-SETApproved Centre Altro Floors who wereawarded the following two ManufacturingExcellence Awards: Arup Award forSustainable Manufacturing and theProfessional Engineer Award for PeopleEffectiveness. Further information on this isgiven on Page 3 of this Newsletter.

PAA\VQ-SET’s fifth National Conference tookplace in November 2008 at the stunningvenue of The Belfry, West Midlands. Over100 delegates attendedthe event from across theUK and one delegatetravelled from Kuwait to bethere. There wererepresentatives from all thesectors PAA\VQ-SET workswith, including Chemical,Pharmaceutical, Paper, Nuclear,Science and Meteorology, andthe recently incorporatedPolymer and Signmaking sectors.

PAA\VQ-SET’s acquisition of theAwarding Body for the Polymerand Signmaking sectors, SASL, was completedin July 2008 and we were delighted thatsome of these new centres were able toattend the Conference.

For a full Conference Report, including areview of the workshops and seminars, andto read Ann Randall’s full speech, please visit

www.paa-uk.org.

2008 has alsoseen change inthe widerqualificationenvironment;the changefrom QCA toOfqual and the

introduction ofthe Qualifications and

Credit Framework(QCF). Further

information on this isgiven on Page 2 of this Newsletter.

PAA\VQ-SET UpdateIn 2009 PAA\VQ-SET will be holding BestPractice Workshops around the country forAssessors and Internal Verifiers. New thisyear will be Best Practice Workshops designedspecifically for those involved in the deliveryof the Laundry and Dry Cleaning NVQs, thefollowing dates have been confirmed forthese events:

Best Practice Workshop for Laundry andDry Cleaning: * NEW EVENT *• Thursday 12th February - Huddersfield• Tuesday 24th February - Birmingham

Best Practice Workshop for Assessors:• Tuesday 24th March - Middlesbrough• Thursday 14th May - Warrington• Tuesday 9th June - Loughborough

Best PracticeWorkshops for 2009

Best Practice Workshop forInternal Verifiers:• Wednesday 25th March - Middlesbrough• Thursday 21st May - Warrington• Wednesday 10th June - Loughborough

The above dates have been confirmed;additional events are currently being organisedand further details will be made available onPAA\VQ-SET’s website shortly.

Places are limited so we would recommendearly booking. All bookings must be receivedat least a week before each event.

Focus On:Standardisation

Ann Randall, PAA\VQ-SET’s Chief Executive,addresses assembled Conference delegates.

Ann Randall, PAA\VQ-SET’s ChiefExecutive, described the acquisitionof SASL as important to “ensure thatwe stand firm on strong foundationsproviding protection for our portfolioof specialist qualifications, the centresand candidates who use them.”

PAA\VQ-SET National Conference 2008.

The NVQ Code of Practice 2006 gives adefinition of standardisation as:

“A process to ensure that the assessmentcriteria for a qualification, unit or componentare applied consistently by assessors,moderators and verifiers.”

When External Verifiers visit centres, theyare required to check that standardisationhas been taking place, and often centres askfor guidance on what they could do.

Standardisation should be carried out for allNVQ programmes offered within a centre,and gives assessors the chance to share ideasabout assessment, discuss any difficulties theyhave with the NVQ (or unit) and developbest practice within the team, that will givea consistent, effective approach to assessment.

External Verifiers will want to see whatstandardisation activity has been carried outand so records should be kept of the meeting.

There are many different examples of suitableactivities, such as:

• discussing particular assessment methodsor types of evidence and their most effectiveuse – for example photographs, orprofessional discussion;

• a focus on a specific unit or element andthe best way of assessing it, which couldinclude the type or amount of evidence;

• how to assess difficult units, elements,performance criteria, etc;

• how to assess the knowledge andunderstanding requirements and therequired answers;

• design of assessment material or activitiesthat will support effective assessment.

These are just a few examples for centres;PAA\VQ-SET’s External Verifiers will be ableto give further guidance if required.

What Our Delegates Thought:“Very useful to confirm, refresh and share experiences with others.”“A concise and informative workshop.”