Archive for December, 2011

NVQ Course Level 2 in Professional Cookery for homeless


Price Waterhouse Cooper and Big Issue Invest have teamed together to help homeless individuals train for qualifications in order to improve their job prospects.

The Fire Station near London Bridge is to be converted into a social enterprise hub, where those faced with homelessness can study over 6 months for the NVQ course Level 2 in Professional Cookery, working part time at the Brigade bar/eaterie.

NVQ Level 4 in Business and Administration


NVQ Level 4 in Business and Administration

NVQ courses in Business and Administration will help develop a number of administrative and business skills within many industries – from a secretary to a managerial position. The key is good organisational and technical skills along with good communication and management.

You would be required to get through two main (core) units:

– employment within a business setting

– following duties within your place of work

 

Other units for this course will be similar to these:

– risk management

– managing customer relationships and contracts

– In charge of budgeting

– Implementing business strategies and policies

– Project management

– Looking after data systems

– In charge of meetings and being innovative

 

More information:

The Open University

City & Guilds

NVQ Level 3 in Business and Administration


NVQ Level 3 in Business and Administration

As mentioned previously, a course in Business and Administration will help develop a number of administrative skills within many companies. The key is good organisational and technical skills along with good communication and management.

You would be required to get through two main (core) units:

– employment within a business setting

– following duties within your place of work

 

Other units will be similar to these:

– Organising travel and accommodation as well as diaries.

– Assimilating notes from a variety of sources.

– Reducing the risks to safety and health

– Looking after and supervising customer relationships

– Researching and reporting data

– Giving presentations and arranging events

 

Recommended books:

S/NVQ Level 3 Business & Administration Student Book (S/NVQ Business & Administration)
Business and Administration NVQ: Level 3
NVQ/SVQ Level 3 Business & Administration Candidate Handbook (NVQ Administration)

 

More information:

The Open University

City & Guilds

EDEXCEL

NVQ Level 2 in Business and Administration


NVQ Level 2 in Business and Administration

As mentioned before, an NVQ course in Business and Administration will help develop a number of administrative skills within many businesses – from a secretary to a managerial position. The key is good organisational and technical skills along with good communication and management.

You would be required to get through two main (core) units:

– employment within a business setting

– following duties within your place of work

 

There are also optional units which include:

– looking after diaries and customer relationships

– communicating with any visitors, travel and booking accomodation

– archiving data and organising meetings

– operating various office equipment such as phones, faxes etc.

– preparing copy from shorthand, notes and recorded audio.

– preparing other documents as required.

 

City & Guilds Business Administration Level 2

The Open University

NVQ Course in Business and Administration – Level 2, Level 3 and Level 4

An NVQ Business and Administration course will enable you to build on skills required fora whole range of administrative roles within many industries – from a secretary to a managerial position. Administrative roles can be pretty challenging, requiring good organisational and technical skills along with good communication and management.

 

NVQ courses Level 2 Business and Administration

Types of roles include secretarial and administrative, looking after administration tasks such as diary management and preparing documents.

 

NVQ courses Level 3 Business and Administration

Roles include those using software that’s quite advanced and supervising colleagues.

 

NVQ courses Level 4 Business and Administration

Your role would need to be experienced and in a managerial role, looking after your department, budget negotiation, resource responsibilities and chairing meetings.

 

 

 

NVQ Level 3 and Level 2 in Childcare and Education


NVQ course in Childcare and Education

An NVQ in Childcare and Education is suited to those who are employed in the field of childcare. There are two popular levels – level 2 and level 3. Childcare covers children from birth to the time they are 16. It’s important to learn how to develop and support their emotional and physical needs at all ages. It’s also important to provide safe environments for them to learn and play, but also be aware of legal requirements around childcare.

 

NVQ Level 2 Childcare

Those who are working in supervisory roles such as childminders or playgroup assistants are best suited in gaining this qualification.

Typical areas you will work on are working with babies and young children, ensuring safety within the child’s environment. You will also work in a pre-school environment.


Recommended book:

S/NVQ Level 2 Children’s Care, Learning and Development: Candidate Handbook (S/NVQ Children’s Care Learning and Development)

We recommend this book for an NVQ level 2 in Childcare. It’s comprehensive and easy to read, making it one of the best study guides for particular course.

This book will help with coursework and ensuring you understand what is required of you at this level.


Mandatory units:

– promoting positive relationships

– children’s rights

– supporting positive play

– developing healthy and safe environments for children

– encouraging learning and development

– children’s needs

 

Optional units:

– Organising environments for children plus their families

– Assessing children’s progress

– Supporting children under three

– Supporting children with learning difficulties

– Promoting well being of the child

– Working in a team

 

 

NVQ Level 3 Childcare

More senior childcare works are suited to this qualification, with lots of childminding experience. The tasks involved with an NVQ level 3 in childcare include special needs of children, family support and day care.


Recommended book:

S/NVQ Level 3 Children’s Care, Learning and Development: Candidate Handbook (S/NVQ Children’s Care Learning and Development)

We recommend this excellent study guide for an NVQ level 3 in Childcare. This book/CD ROM is the most up to date and enables you to understand the course very easily. We found this book easy to read and has helped many NVQ level 3 childcare students get through coursework.

Every chapter will provide you with questions and case studies. There are also multiple optional units since the revised edition.


Mandatory units include:

– developing positive relationships

– promoting children’s development

– protecting children’s rights

– maintaining healthy and safe environments for children

– legal requirements looking after children

 

Optional units include:

– planning positive environments for children and babies

– assessing progress for early education

– promoting positive behaviour

– maintaining childcare businesses

– childcare within the home

– promoting physical development of children

– promoting well being of children

– assessing children’s progress in accordance with early education frameworks

– team leadership

– physical care of children under three.

NVQ Level 2 in Health & Social Care


NVQ Level 2 in Health and Social Care

 

What NVQ level should I be at?

An NVQ level 2 in Health and Social Care is the level of the following roles:

 

– healthcare assistants/support workers employed in acute health environments

– healthcare assistants/support workers employed in community and primary care environments

– care assistants/key workers employed in residential settings

– care assistants/key workers employed in domiciliary services

– care assistants/key workers employed in day services

– support workers employed in supported living projects

– community based care assistants/key workers including those employed in specialist areas such as dementia and learning disabilities.

– Personal assistants employed by the individual they support or their families

 


Recommended book:

NVQ/SVQ Level 2 Health and Social Care Candidate Handbook (NVQ/SVQ Health and Social Care)

Author Yvonne Nolan really captures the necessary performance criteria for this course and details how to prepare for assessment, what you should know and the trends in health and social care. The book is fully illustrated and extremely easy to follow, making this book one of our favourites.


 

 

What types of tasks will be required for NVQ Level 2 in Health and Social Care?

Essential:

Identify all sorts of hazards in the workplace
Assess risk levels and recommend action plans
Review your workplace assessment of risks
Carry out specific plan of care activities
Provide feedback on care activities
Contribute to revisions of care activities plan
Communicate with specific individuals
Access/update reports and records
Listen to individuals’ questions or concerns
Support individuals in the way they prefer
Treat people with respect
Assist in protecting individuals

Typical optional units:

Support individuals in how to obtain, store and prepare food
Support individuals in how to obtain household goods
Help others keep their homes safe and secure as well as healthy
Support others to maintain mobility
Support individuals to go to the toilet and getting dressed
Support others in moving from one place to another
Help those who are undertaking medical examinations or recovering from treatments
Recognising and dealing with risks of harm and abuse
Help maintain materials or equipment

Taxi company requested staff to take NVQ course in Road Passenger Transport


A Sussex taxi company has requested a number of the company’s drivers to take an NVQ course in Road Passenger Transport (Level 2). The company, based in Sussex, want more of their drivers to adapt to their roles and feel the NVQ course is best suited in getting them up to speed.

 

The NVQ course was such a success, all 80 drivers are now going to complete the level 2 NVQ course!

A snapshot of the 4 month NVQ level 2 course in Road Passenger Transport includes:

– disability awareness

– dealing with emergencies

– good customer service

 

The company’s administration team will also take an NVQ course in customer service and administration.

 

NVQ course portfolios/ePortfolios – what should I include?


NVQ courses – what are portfolios?

When taking an NVQ course, it’s important that all achievements are logged so that all evidence of tasks performed is kept in one place. The portfolio can be on paper or in the form of an ePortfolio, stored online, or you can use both formats.

It’s crucial that the portfolio is well organized and easy to follow – your NVQ assessor should be able to help you. Tracking sheets can be included so information within your portfolio can be found. The point is that when it comes to being finally assessed you need the content in your portfolio to be easy to find. You certainly don’t want crucial evidence disappearing under a heap of loose papers.

The evidence included must demonstrate your abilities, so don’t be too concerned about adding irrelevant content such as training manuals for example. Keep in mind that the evidence included should demonstrate your abilities and nothing else.

Usually you will need to include the ‘Declaration of Authenticity’ which is signed by the NVQ course student to state that the portfolio work is their own.

So how should I plan my portfolio/ePortfolio?

 

Firstly, it is advisable that you discuss all course content with your NVQ assessor or employer:

-discuss the course content (units) and the order in which you would like to complete them.
– read through all information related to each unit and ensure you understand what is being asked of you.
– perhaps you can put together evidence of tasks/work that cover multiple units.
– collecting evidence can be time consuming and needs forethought, so it’s advisable to plan ahead.
-discuss how to gain evidence with relevant members of staff involved so they can make adequate time for you.
– it’s essential you are clear of your unit objectives and gather the relevant evidence.


So what should I include in my portfolio/ePortfolio

– (if paper based) ensure you include your name, centre/employer, and NVQ course details at the front.

– (if online based) carefully name each file and keep all files together in one folder so the relevant documents can be found easily. Each unit can have its own folder.

– Each unit should be clearly signed off by verifiers and assessors. A contents sheet with all signed off units is advised.

– Declaration of authenticity, as mentioned before, should be signed off by you stating that all the work is your own.

– Include your CV so any verifiers and NVQ assessors are aware of your employment/academic history. Be sure to highlight all tasks/roles undertaken.

– You may want to include a departmental chart depicting your current role and members of staff who you report to and who reports to you.

– Include all details of witnesses and how they are involved with your course.

– You may want to include an index for all evidence collected so each piece is easily found.

What can I use for evidence?

– Word documents – witness/personal statements, emails and other correspondence (if applicable).
– Spreadsheets – observations, Q&As
– Audio content of performance conversations

NVQ courses – structure of who is who


NVQ Courses Online

NVQ courses online are becoming more and more popular. Course work can be updated and maintained online ready for sign off from assessors. NVQ Assessors can use view your employment tasks over webcams, too, making the whole course possible online!

There are a number of NVQ online course providers online including Learn Direct.


NVQ Courses structure – Who is Who?

Who Role
Employer Company representing NVQ course employee To plan and ensure NVQ course content is met to high standard
Works with NVQ assessor to ensure NVQ course employee receives support
Helps assess NVQ course employee
NVQ Centre Colleges, schools or universities offering NVQ courses Responsible for NVQ course content and quality.
Will arrange NVQ assessors
Assessor Those assessing NVQ course employee’s ability and tasks Assesses NVQ course employee’s performance and competence
Advising NVQ course employee and employer
Internal verifier Those checking NVQ assessor has followed correct guidelines. They can be managers/supervisors etc. Supports assessor and samples assessments to check for quality
External verifier Those from the qualification organiser assessing standards are being met Checking quality and making regular visits
Witnesses Employees skilled in area of the NVQ able to evaluate NVQ course employee Gives evidence of performance in workplace
Qualification Organiser The organiser of the NVQ course award Issues certificates if qualification has been gained
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