Why doesn’t every Glass Processor do an SVQ?

Why doesn’t every Glass Processor do an SVQ? That’s what Gavin Nelson of Glasgow-based Reglit, a Westcrowns Group Company, asked Glass Qualifications Authority (GQA) External Verifier Alan Aspey during a quality assurance visit in January 2008. At that time Gavin was only part way through Glass Processing Level 2 SVQ.

Gavin completed his SVQ in February and was delighted to get his hands on a nationally recognised certificate. He recently reflected on his assessment experience. ‘I learned a lot doing the SVQ and also realised how much I already knew. By doing my job and explaining to my Assessor how and why I did things a certain way I was demonstrating my skill, knowledge and experience — things I didn’t think about previously. When you do a job day in day out you take for granted all that you’ve learned over the years and being assessed on the SVQ made me realise I am a skilled worker. The qualification is a good way of reinforcing the messages about health and safety and moving and handling too, which can only be a good thing. It gave me a huge confidence boost and I would recommend it to others working in the industry.’

Ken MacLeod, Operations Manager at Reglit, has seen Gavin come on leaps and bounds in completing his SVQ. ‘I am a firm believer in developing people and encouraging them to achieve their full potential. Gavin has demonstrated that he is a skilled operator and I hope he will use the achievement of his SVQ as a stepping stone to go on to develop himself further. As a company, we would like to see as many employees as possible achieving an SVQ.’

Gavin isn’t the only member of staff at Reglit to undertake an SVQ. Staff in a range of disciplines, including installation and management, are working towards SVQs with Ayr-based GQA centre R T Resources Ltd.

The GQA centre, R T Resources Ltd, deliver five different Glass and Glazing qualifications at Levels 2 and 3 in a range of companies throughout Scotland. Whether staff process, fabricate, glaze or install windows, doors, curtain walling or glazing systems R T Resources can deliver a qualification to suit.

Having won the title of ‘Scottish Training Provider of the Year’ in both 2006 and 2007, R T Resources Ltd continue to work very closely with the glass and glazing industry and its employers to deliver solutions to their training needs. They have delivered over 200 qualifications through GQA and are currently working with over 50 candidates. They employ a team of five experienced Assessors and deliver the qualifications on site to ensure employees get the best out of the experience.

Claire McCallum, Marketing Executive at R T Resources Ltd, is delighted that both employers and employees have embraced SVQs in the glass and glazing industry and are now reaping the rewards. Claire stated ‘When we started delivering Glass and Glazing SVQs very few companies knew they existed for the industry. Now, through our marketing effort and the word spreading throughout the industry, people are familiar with the qualifications and what SVQs can do for them and the companies they work for. Site-based employees have the driver of CSCS cards but factory-based staff can also see the benefits in SVQs, not least in the quality improvements that are seen. In a very competitive marketplace skilled, competent workers can make all the difference in securing and maintaining work. Employers are starting to see SVQs as an investment instead of a cost and I would love to see every individual in the industry given the opportunity to undertake an SVQ.’

SQA’s SCQF Credit Rating Service — Credit for your learning

If your organisation awards qualifications other than those currently in the Framework, or offers learning programmes that don’t result in recognised qualifications, the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) provides a new opportunity to make these products more attractive and useful to learners.

For qualifications or learning programmes to be included in the SCQF, they must have their credit rating formally confirmed. SQA is a recognised credit rating body for this purpose and SQA Accreditation offers a credit rating service.

Many qualifications and learning programmes have been credit rated on the SCQF through the credit rating service since it began in 2005. One recent organisation to have made a submission was Mountain Leader Training Scotland (MLTS). MLTS submitted their Winter Mountain Leader award at the end of February this year and the credit rating was approved at the beginning of May. The programme was credit rated at SCQF level 9 with 31 credit points.

MLTS worked closely with their sector skills council, SkillsActive, to make the submission and both are very happy with the outcome.

Pam Scott, SkillsActive’s National Manager for Scotland — Sport and Recreation, said ‘Our sector has a number of ‘industry’ awards that are recognised by employers and very valued by them, but being vocational they have not been given as much respect as they deserve.

We felt that it would be an excellent case study to have one of these awards credit rated, to provide a bit of a benchmark for the outdoor industry to have one of their key awards on the SCQF, but also to have people outside the industry understand it and respect it better.’

Like all successfully credit rated programmes, the Winter Mountain Leader Award had to meet the following key criteria before the submission could be taken forward:

• The qualifications/learning programmes must be based on learning outcomes.
• The outcomes must be formally assessed, and the results must be recorded.
• There must be a documented process of external quality assurance for the assessment of the learning outcomes.
• The qualifications/learning programmes must have a minimum of 10 notional hours of learning for the average candidate.

In order to process a submission the associated forms must be completed providing full details of the submitting organisation, the qualification, and the recommendations for credit points and levels. Organisations making a submission are allocated a dedicated Credit Rating Officer from within SQA Accreditation who they liaise with for the duration of the submission and beyond.

Learners who successfully complete credit rated qualifications and learning programmes will be able to make the most of credit transfer opportunities and it will also be easier to identify progression routes and plan learning. The credit rating service provides the opportunity to give learning a currency and recognise learners’ achievements.