John B McLaughlin Associates - NVQ's

What is a National Vocational Qualification?

National/Scottish Vocational Qualifications (NVQs) aim to increase the skills of people, just like you, working in a wide range of industries. Developing the skills of each individual, wherever they work and whatever they do, fulfils a basic individual need for personal growth. Developing your individual skills also fulfils the needs of your employer in the drive to be competitive and to succeed. It is a vital component for any business wishing for success, competing in domestic and world markets.

NVQ's have been, and will continue to be developed for all industries and are supported by government. They have been designed to provide valid and relevant vocational qualifications for people at work. They are about being competent in your work – being able to do something and understanding why it is done that way. They are written by industry and are known as 'national occupational standards'.

Each NVQ is made up of a number of different units of competence. Each unit describes the standards of a broad area of work that a competent person should be able to perform. There may be a unit summary which describes what the unit is about and clarifies key words and phrases.

Each unit is broken down into a number of elements. Taken together the elements show what needs to be done to achieve the whole unit.

The elements will include information about
- the standards of performance expected
- the types of evidence which you will need to produce
- the knowledge required.

There are two types of unit for this:
Mandatory – you will have to achieve these in order to gain the qualification overall
Additional – these are not a requirement for the award overall but will be certificated if you achieve them and will show additional areas of competence which you have achieved.

To gain your NVQ certificate you will be expected to show competence in the mandatory units and, when you have successfully completed the relevant units, you will be able to claim your N/SVQ. The certificate will be awarded by City & Guilds. Even if you only complete some of the units, you will still be able to claim unit certification.

Details about the structure of the qualifications(s), the units etc are listed under the following headings of NVQ's 3, 4 & 5, on the menu on the right hand side of the page.