EAL closer to industry

Setting up as a new Centre to assess vocational qualifications offers an ideal opportunity to establish good practice from the start and ensure that both employers and learners get the most from the experience.

EAL External Verifier, Cameron Holt, looks at how Wilkinson Star’s Welding Academy approaches the Performing Engineering Operations (PEO) qualification to develop staff from the company and its employer partners.

Putting assessors through their paces ...

“As well as ensuring staff are occupationally competent and have the appropriate assessor qualifications, Wilkinson Welding Academy has gone the extra mile by putting their assessors through the PEO programme themselves.

“Taking this approach encourages assessors to really study the performance criteria within the NVQ and identify the most suitable assessment methods from the full range that’s available to them.  They understand the process inside out, and can pass that understanding on to their learners which will improve their portfolios as a result.”

Collaborating to find the best approach ...

“Rather than simply seeing assessments as a classroom and workshop exercise, the Academy is committed to helping employers and learners understand the quality of information that can be captured, whether using witness testimonies and reports, video footage, personal professional discussions or method statements.

“Agreeing the methods an individual wants to use to complete their qualification helps to take away some of the fear factor.  Instead of requiring written responses to knowledge questions, a discussion or phone conversation may work better for some learners – and make them comfortable and more confident in the process.”

 Focusing on transferable skills ...

“Every page of learners’ PEO portfolios has a unique evidence reference number, which means that you can look at the performance criteria and instantly find the corresponding evidence.  Because the Academy involves its learners involved in this level of detail from the outset, it gets them into good habits and gives them a chance to practice and improve their literacy and numeracy skills.”

 The employer’s view

Allan Chettoe, manager of Wilkinson Welding Academy, has used EAL’s events as a chance to network and share best practice with other Centres in an effort to further improve the Academy’s offering:

“We are always keen to attend the networking and standardisation events our EV organises and have been able to build a relationship with a local college following a recent event.  By inviting them to look at our setup and going to visit the college ourselves, we can get a flavour of different approaches and share ideas on delivery and assessment that can help to take us forwards.”