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Electrical Qualifications: NVQ Explained
NVQ stands for National Vocational Qualification. These are vocational awards in England and Wales that are only achieved though assessment and training. The NVQ was established by the government to assess qualifications in the workplace.
As you go through your electrical apprenticeship, you will be asked to keep a record (in the form of a log book or a diary) of the NVQ training units you cover.
Your records will need to be corroborated by supporting evidence.
This evidence can take many forms, including:
• Job Sheets
• Photographic Images
• Risk Assessments
• Test Results
Your log book or diary, along with the supporting evidence, is referred to as a portfolio. The portfolio is examined by a person qualified as an assessor to ensure that you have completed this phase of your electrical qualifications correctly. The assessor will be associated with the college or training school where you are taking your electrical qualifications.
NVQ and Site Visits for Electrical Qualifications
You should be prepared to be visited approximately three times as you complete your apprenticeship to get your electrical qualifications. This will ensure that you have covered each of the required units successfully.
What Does the NVQ Cover for Electrical Qualifications?
In order to complete your NVQ and get your electrical qualifications, you will need to successfully complete the following NVQ course units:
• Safe Site Working Conditions
• Diagnosing and Correcting Electrical Faults
• Technical Terms and How to Provide Functional Information
• Occupational Health and Safety
• Preparation for Installation of Wiring Systems, Enclosures, and Related Equipment
• Installation Procedures for Wiring Systems, Enclosures, and Related Equipment
• Approved Methods for Connecting Wiring Systems and Related Equipment
• Procedures for Inspecting and Testing an Electrical Connection
After you have completed these units for your electrical qualifications, you will also need to successfully complete a practical assessment. The AM2 (Achievement Measurement 2) is an example of this type of testing.
The AM2 is a practical assessment of your skills, where you will be asked to perform certain tasks in simulated conditions.
Where to Find a NVQ Course
In order to start your apprenticeship to get your electrical qualifications, you will need to find an employer (if you are not currently working in this field) or ensure that your employer works in at least two of these areas:
• Commercial
• Industrial
• Domestic
You can choose to get on an NVQ course for your electrical qualifications in a few different ways. Cities and Guilds and EAL offer this course. It will likely take you between 3.5 and four years to complete the requirements for your NVQ and get your electrical qualifications.
An exception to this rule is a person who has industry experience but not formal electrical qualifications. In this situation, it may take you less time (perhaps a couple of years) to complete the requirements for your NVQ.
You also need to be aware that the requirements for obtaining your NVQ are being phased out. The government wants to have assessments for evaluating a person's knowledge for their electrical qualifications in a standardised fashion.
Once you have completed the requirements for your NVQ, you will have your electrical qualifications and will be graded as an electrician.