Achieving an NVQ

How to manage yourself

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NVQs

How to understand the jargon

• NVQs are made up of UNITS• Each UNIT consists of

– OUTCOMES,

– BEHAVIOURS, and

– KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING

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OUTCOMES

Once known as “performance criteria” (PCs).

These are the actions you undertake at work that will demonstrate your competence, e.g.

“Encourage everyone involved to welcome change as an opportunity”.

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BEHAVIOURS

When carrying out your work you will be demonstrating certain behaviours,

e.g. “You give people opportunities to provide feedback and you respond appropriately”

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING

While performing tasks, it is important you are aware of why and how you do them.

K&U falls into 3 groups:

1 General knowledge and understanding

2 Industry/sector specific k&u

3 Context specific k&u

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Unit by unit or holistic?

We recommend the unit by unit approach.

This is because it is easier for the candidate to understand the task and also to see progress as each unit gets signed off.

Even with this method, it is still possible to get the benefit of cross-referencing to save time (especially on K&U).

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Commonality

Certain units work well together.

C2 “Encourage innovation in your area of responsibility” and

B6 “Provide leadership in your a.o.r.”

are natural partners.

Your assessor will advise you about partner units.

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Route 1

Study a unit, understand it and the association between Outcomes, Behaviours and Knowledge. Keep the context of the unit in mind (the title of the unit is the best context prompt) so that you do not go off at tangents.

Prepare notes on what you want to say to demonstrate you are competent in this unit and then produce files and other evidence to support your oral testimony.

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Route 2

Take a piece of your work which significantly demonstrates your managerial abilities within the past 3 years. It may be handling a project, setting up a conference, dealing with staff issues… whatever.

Create the storyline (beginning, middle and end) with supporting documents (plans, correspondence, minutes of meetings, journal entries) and link to the NVQ standards at your level.

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Evidence

Product is the term used to describe physical evidence, usually documents, that can support your claim of competence. They may be appraisal reports, minutes of meetings, correspondence, certificates, logbooks, journals, fax records and so on. Some product stands on its own for value but expect to have to explain why the product is valid, authentic and realistically meets the criteria.

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Evidence

How to be observed carrying out your dutiesIt is not sufficient to invite an assessor along then carry out your normal duties and expect the assessor to make the match. Prior to the assessor’s visit, you should be identifying the criteria you expect to be meeting by your performance and advising the assessor of your desired outcomes.

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Evidence

How to prepare a presentation for a professional discussion.

You wish to explain by means of a presentation, how you meet the demands of your job in an effective and efficient way, meeting the national standards. The onus is on you and not the assessor to prepare to meet as many criteria as is possible.

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Personal Statements

A personal statement is your written testimony describing how you meet the national standards for a manager at your level. It can be written in essay style or as a report. It must contain references as to which criteria you are meeting with each claim. That means you identify where you are meeting Outcomes, Behaviours and Knowledge.

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Question & Answer

The reasons for Q&A might be to cover gaps in the criteria, so these gaps would be agreed and a session organised for the interview.

Other Q&A reasons might include to specifically test Knowledge (as there are a lot of questions in the standards beginning “Why is it important to…?”

Whatever the reason, you should prepare for the session by being clear what is you want to say about your performance and knowledge.

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Meeting your assessor

Agree with your assessor a time, day and place to meet up when you will not be disturbed and can give this the amount of time necessary. Your assessor will arrive, examine the product evidence, then record your discussion for the evidence record. The assessor should not be leading you through the standards, rather the other way round. Being led to best answers by the assessor can demonstrate weakness in your management skills and the evidence being rejected later during verification.

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Assessment and Verification

The assessor is examining your competence by a variety of methods – looking at the product of your work (typically documents), talking to witnesses, professional discussion, observation, reading your personal statements, carrying out Q&A.

The internal then external verifier test the portfolio of evidence and methods of evidence gathering for a number of reasons – a principal one being “is it rigorous?”

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FinallyAs a manager, there are high expectations that you manage the process of achieving the NVQ. This is demonstration of your skill and ability to manage workload, time, and information. Not being ready when the assessor comes for a pre-arranged meeting is unprofessional and does not demonstrate good management skills. Taking the NVQ seriously, as part of your work rather than a bolt-on (as a hobby or leisure activity), will keep you on track for accomplishment. Do discuss and negotiate with your manager for support and resources as it is the organisation that will benefit from you contemplating and evaluating your own performance.