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In my opinion the NVQ is a qualification that has been totally perverted from its original intention.The idea behind the NVQ was to give students with no academic ability, but some practical ability a bit of paper to say they could in fact do something.

comparison tables are given here National Vocational Qualification - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

So you were no good at maths and illiterate, but could lay bricks you got a bit of paper to say you had an NVQ in bricklaying.

Somewhere along the line it's status changed, now it seems everyone wants an NVQ, all it shows is practical skills, it does not show knowledge of the underlying theory.

ie: with the NVQ the person knows how to practically instal a ring main, but has no idea as to why they are using 2.5 cable and a 32A MCB.

with the C&G 2330 they know exactly why they can use 2.5 on a 32a mcb, but have no idea how to chase out the wall.

So although two 2 qualifications where meant to be alternatives, the powers that be seem to think practice overrides theory.

Myself I think this is a dangerous approach, practice should be built on theory, not offered as an alternative.
Alternatives? going by your description of the two is one without the other any good if taken today? I wouldnt say one without the other is worth anything!

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and the NVQ should be resigned to the bin where it belongs
5WW courses have seen to that. Only a few hold a more suitable method of training in high regard.

 
Thanks for all the opinions lads, think I'll book the course on a CC and just have to py it over a couple of months. So if you're on a site in the NW in the next few months and someone asks you could you take a picture whilst he just bends this pipe. Don't run away it probably will just be me.

 
Was the Nurse Fit ?
Well thats just typical that is !!!
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I don't know M8 , I never saw her. :C

The guy was working long hours , still in his work clothes at 7pm at college, then every other week could only do the first hour before dashing off.

 
Does that mean the JIB then issue an Electrician Grade card Vanderbilt ? And you don't need to take any C&Gs in future?

Thing is , none of us know how this trade will change in the near future , licenced, registered, Parts X Y Z looming !!! Who knows.

The JIB card made its appearance in the 1960's , ( I think I put some pictures on here of some old ones) The idea was , because many sparks moved from firm to firm, job to job , you presented the card and the new employer could see that you were graded Elect. Appd./Elect. or Tech. and you got the appropriate rate , no more -no less in most cases.

What I'm saying is , you may need that card , and it looks like it will cost you

 
Back to the OP have you tried Quickstep as i know they do online courses so you dont have to take even more time off work but i dont know the cost

 
As far as I know, the NVQ will not be awarded to those who only demonstrate practical competence. To gain the award, you either have to have the 2330 or equivalent (as underpinning knowledge) or sit a theory competence exam.

I can't quite understand the confusion around the requirements, as a quick look around any of the provider's websites (e.g. Quickstep) will soon reveal all that need s to be held or sat in terms of the academic side of things.

To conclude, you cannot become an NVQ spark without sitting some form of underpinning knowledge exam, either with them, or City and Guilds.

 
It's just another scam to be honest.

If you do a lot of site work and you tender on a site then it would probably be best if you got the graded card.

I rarely do site work as there is no money in it so the JIB can call me what they like.

If they grade a full scope spark a trainee then that's their problem in my eyes

 
The minimum theory qualification for fully qualified electrician is the NVQ L3.

C&G 2330 is the technical certificate required.

The purpose of the NVQ is to regulate that the person in question is at a national standard. It includes site visits to inspect your work and work attitudes along with over 100 questions to be answered to prove your knowledge . You are also required to document photos of you working as evidence as the NVQ as a whole is based on evidence of what you know and can do.

As well as the C&G 2330, NVQ L3 you are also required to have 17th addition.

Part P is not even considered when evaluating someone for a JIB card.

I am in training myself. I have my 206 exam on wednesday which is my final L2 exam. I start level 3 in 2 weeks. At the same time I am doing my NVQ L3 as the NVQ is expected to take 2-3 years! You can do it in a shorter time but as a 29 year old it's hard to fit working 60 hours a week studying and filling in NVQ paper work ha.

To date I have spent

 
Let's face a few realities here, the NVQ was introduced for those who were Not Very Qualified in academic studies. It also allows an easier option to the original apprenticeship, so allowing the Not Very Qualified to have access to opportunities that they wouldn't of had previously. In my mind making the quality and standards within the work place lower.

It has subsequently been ambushed by the different governments to allow an increase in so called skilled personnel that we are so short of in this country?

If the NVQ is so good why do scams still have to assess their members?

 
I completely agree about why 'scams' feel the need to reassess an electricians abilities when already proved by the NVQ.

Can't quite agree that the NVQ is an easier way of becoming qualified than an apprenticeship as an apprentice is required to get their NVQ too.

 
Quite right the apprentice needs to obtain the NVQ, but the you don't need to be an apprentice to take the NVQ? So whilst an apprentice is assessed by his mentor within the company, the non apprentice is assessed by a few photos and a site visit, with no professional reference to confer with.

 
Oh I see where your coming from now mate. And I agree. I do feel that a good training is also imperative. By the time I am qualified I will have been working with an electrical firm for 3 years so ok not quite the 4 years of an arenticship but I am also somewhat older so generally pick things up quicker than a 16 year old.

I also feel that the C&G 2330 technical certificate is also very important in someone been graded as an electrician as this proves you know the electrical science behind the day to say tasks we complete. This with a good few years of practical experience and an NVQ makes for an acceptable level to be classed as qualified. Let's be honest when someone is graded qualified that is just the start of being an electrician. Only then do you really start to learn!!

Rob

 
Have got my 17th, 2391, part P other little bits PAT testing etc have been enrolled with ELECSA for nearly 3 years now Deke. Have had my ECS card for nigh on 5 years now and had no problem with having trainee on my card which they always told me woud be the case unless I took a NVQ which didn't particularly bother me. That have now stated to me when I renewed that I was only granted on for the next twelve months and I had to gain a NVQ o they are going to withdraw my card. The
 
I completely agree about why 'scams' feel the need to reassess an electricians abilities when already proved by the NVQ. Can't quite agree that the NVQ is an easier way of becoming qualified than an apprenticeship as an apprentice is required to get their NVQ too.
how am I supposed to get mine then?

 
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