What is a Scottish Vocational Qualification

 SVQ’s are benchmarks of competence. Their purpose is to show that someone who achieves an SVQ really can do the work their SVQ covers, and can do it to a standard of competence which has been defined nationally.

They are:

• National – because they present a common standard for the whole of the UK and were developed to a specification established for all working environments.
• Occupational – because they describe what is done in the workplace on a routine, everyday basis: they are about job roles and job activities.
• Standards – because they are an agreed minimum best practice and take account of all statutory requirements.

To make sure that the qualifications are worthy of the high value that employers are increasingly placing on them, SVQ’s are given formal recognition by S.Q.A. (Scottish Qualifications Authority)

An SVQ qualification is recognised worldwide as a competence measure.  It tells either your current employer, or a future employer, that you have the necessary skills and abilities to carry out a specific job.

What are the benefits to me?

• You will receive a certificate which shows you are competent in a specific occupational area
• You will gain valuable work experience throughout the time you work towards your SVQ
• This shows your employer that you are committed to working for the organisation and that you want to develop your skills wherever possible

How they work:
There are no formal written exams – people doing SVQ’s collect and submit evidence, usually from the work they do, and are assessed against the standards the SVQ is based on.
SVQ Level 2 comprises of 6 Units – 4 mandatory and 2 optional, which you choose from a wide range.
SVQ level 3 comprises of 8 Units – 4 mandatory and 4 optional.

WHO IS INVOLVED IN MY TRAINING/ASSESSMENTS?

North Highland College aims to provide you with an individual service that will assist you in achieving your SVQ. 

Detailed below are brief outlines stating the responsibilities of each person involved:

The candidate (that’s you!)

• Collect the evidence required to prove your competence
• Organise your portfolio
• Meet with your trainer/assessor to discuss any issues/questions that you have
• Meet with your assessor regularly to allow assessments to take place

The assessor

• Will have experience in your line of work
• Is responsible for making sure you are competent in your job, through workplace assessments
• Will help you to organise your portfolio of evidence
• Will be able to support you as much as required
• Will be able to help you generate evidence

The internal verifier

• Ensures that your assessments are carried out in line with SQA quality requirements

The external verifier

• Is an SQA employee who ensures that North Highland College verification meets the appropriate standards

 WHAT SUPPORT IS AVAILABLE?

An assessor, or member of the SVQ team will visit your place of work whenever required.  They will help you with any aspect of the training that you are unsure of, and will make sure that you are ready to be assessed.

The assessor will make sure that the evidence you have gathered is sufficient to cover a specific element/unit.  They will make sure that you have the required level of knowledge and practical experience to pass the element/unit.  They will work through the assessment plan with you and record whether you have passed or that further work is required.

We, at North Highland College have a ‘drop-in’, (at both Alness and Wick campuses) night for all VQ students, so that you can keep your portfolio up-to-date, carry out some self-study, and work on your units and access the internet. A member of the team will be there to help you if required.

IT facilities are available, and all computers include Microsoft packages i.e. word, and also the Internet.

The North Highland College Library is also available for use as and when required, and contains a lot of reading material that you can use to help you through your VQ.

MY PORTFOLIO

Throughout your training, you will gather a lot of paper-based evidence that is used to show your competence in the job that you do.  To enable you, and North Highland College, to keep track of the evidence you collect, a ‘portfolio of evidence’. This is usually a ring-binder folder, which allows you to insert evidence as you work through the qualification.

Your portfolio will need to be well organised and structured in such a way that your assessor and other people can find their way through it.  Your Assessor will help you get your portfolio started, by supplying you with some initial information to file in it.

You can keep your portfolio with you at your place of employment.  Your assessor will take it away from time to time to ensure that you have all the necessary evidence in it, and to carry out regular assessments etc.  Support will be given to ensure that your portfolio is maintained to a high level of quality.

It is your responsibility to ensure that your portfolio is kept in good condition.