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FAQs - National Vocational Qualifications

Would you like an opportunity to gain a valuable qualification while working in your current job? Then consider taking an National Vocational Qualification (NVQ), a sure way of gaining new skills and experience, while enhancing your career development.

Here is a selection of answers to the most frequently asked questions, so see for yourself why gaining an NVQ could be your best move yet.  

What are NVQs?  

NVQs prove you are capable of actually doing a job, rather than stating that you can do it theoretically. They provide recognition for your skills and experience, while enabling you to gain new skills.

There are over 600 NVQs available in the UK, covering all industries and are based on national standards of competence recognised by employers throughout the country. An NVQ for contact centre personnel will be entirely specific to the customer contact sector.   

Who are they designed for?

There are no special entry requirements so whatever your age or stage of career, you are considered eligible for entry. Most people do them while at work, but other groups that choose to do them include:

• Young people still in full-time education who decide to get a vocational qualification rather than an academic one.
  
• Young people who do not wish to stay in full-time education, but who need a qualification before starting work.
  
• Unemployed adults looking to develop their skills set document.write.

How are they structured?

They are organised into a classification from level one to level five, based on the competence levels required. Level One covers basic work activities and Level Five covers professional and senior management roles.

There are different levels for agents, advisors, senior advisors and team leaders. Each level is made up of units, both mandatory and optional, which have to be achieved in order to gain a full NVQ award. The optional units allow the qualification to be tailored to an individual job role.  

How are they achieved? 

Here is a step-by-step example of how an NVQ may be achieved:

1. Initial assessment
   You decide with your assessor which NVQ and training programme is appropriate for your current working needs and future progression.
   
2. Training Needs Analysis (TNA)
   Once the specific NVQ has been chosen, a detailed TNA is carried out to determine all the training requirements. You choose and agree on activities that allow you to learn what you need. The trainer or assessor on site will regularly make workshops and training forums available if required.
   
3. Induction
   You're then introduced to the assessment portfolio, methodology and timetable of assessments.
   
4. Personal Development Plan (PDP)
   With the help of the assessor, you confirm your individual personal development plans to encompass all aspects of personal, work-based and NVQ development.
   
5. Assessment
   A structured programme follows where assessments are undertaken. These will normally be through on-the-job observation and questioning. You will look at what you have achieved, how much you still need to do and how you should go about it, until you are assessed as competent for a unit or a whole NVQ. When a unit has been achieved, assessors can 'sign off' that particular unit.
   
6. Certification
   Once the candidate has met all the requirements of the awarding body, the NVQ certification is awarded. You can expect to be qualified after three months.

What are the benefits?

• NVQs prove you have up-to-date skills sought by employers and you can do the job competently, based on national standards. They help you prepare for work and assist with career development.
  
• They are rewarding because you can put your learning into practice while at work, and you have no exams at the end.
  
• They are flexible and accessible; you can take them while working, at college, through open learning and private study or a combination of these. Within limits, you decide the pace, place and way in which you learn.
  
• Most people who take them believe they directly enhance the quality of their work and their overall productivity and commitment to the job. Some subsequently take on increased responsibility or gain a promotion.

What is required of you?

• On-the-job training. You do not need to give up your evenings, go to college, or write essays. This qualification is challenging but relevant to your job.
  
• You will need to provide details of your strengths in relation to your job.
  
• Your assessor is with you all the way, discussing and developing your skills on a one-to-one basis.
  
• Commitment. You will need to show your continued enthusiasm in completing the qualification - in return you will receive regular updates from you assessor.

What topics might I cover?  

Here's a sample list of topics you may cover:

• Telephone techniques
  
• Effective customer service
  
• Successful telesales
  
• Communication skills
  
• Goal setting
  
• Stress management
  
• Managing teams
  
• Strategic business management
  
• Effective appraisals

Misconceptions about NVQs

They are not worth as much as qualifications like GCSEs, A levels or a degree.
They are not the same thing. NVQs are practical and geared towards performance and job competence - not tests or exams. They are highly relevant to contact centre work.

They are time-consuming for the employee and distracting for the employer.
They reflect the actual job so gathering evidence should be easy. There should be no disruption for the employer.

They're too easy.
They are user-friendly but challenging; the individual really has to focus on what they do and why.