Why do I need an NVQ?

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Permalink Reply by Mark Humphreys on July 8, 2008 at 13:14

The answer everybody expects is that you need an NVQ to be able to work on site after 2010. The truth of the matter is that in the construction world as a whole the government will not be able to get enough people qualified in that space of time in any trades not just tiling, so no matter how much legislation is put in place grandfarthers rites will still reign. I know personally some of the biggest names in construction in this country and privately they admit that if this is enforced it would simply halt house building in this country. They accept that the CSCS health and safety card will be essential but will have no choice but to carry on with the same terms of employment as at present.

In the domestic market you simply do not need an NVQ to work around someones house. At my training centres for short professional courses (www.tilingcourses.co.uk) you can choose the qualification that you require. We have written the new CAA award for City & Guilds, we can do the NVQ but that is a minimum of 10 weeks or on our four week course we have a new STAR (Specialist Training Aproved Registry) where we gaurantee the finish or asthetics of the tilers work to a value of £5000.

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Permalink Reply by Mark Humphreys on July 9, 2008 at 20:08

Hi Kenny
The ICA award will be known as the CAA award in August , this is the one that we have written. A branch of our training centre will be open in Nottingham soon where we will be delivering this award. My comments about choosing which qualification you require is based arround the time you have to do a course. A majority of people that we train need to change carreer fast and opt for the four week course , upon completion we do the application for the NVQ for them and it can be achieved over the ensuing months.If you see the clip on my website from the BBC you will see me say that its a different way of doing things ,business first qualifications later (if you need them) Only a small percentage want to apply for the NVQ though because of the ammount of work in the private sector and because as you know to work in the domestic market you do not need a qualification which is why we introduced the STAR registration as protection for the general public. I see the ICA or CAA award as a good stepping stone towards the NVQ but pretty pointless unless you are a school leaver. The ICA is not recognised on site anyway so anyone achieving it will still need an NVQ so why not do one of the courses that we deliver , start earning money then do your NVQ, its just common sense. So to answer your question Kenny yes we can deliver the NVQ and soon the CAA as quickly as anybody else if its required , i have dozens of tilers that now have one but also hundreds that dont so its not a case of choosing not to but a case of not having the demand. Its probably easier to explain over the phone if you want to call some time. Mark

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Permalink Reply by Dan on July 9, 2008 at 20:34

The Business Network is hard at work I see. It made me smile like this ----> :)

I hope to see more firms benefitting more from this point of contact.

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Permalink Reply by Dan on July 10, 2008 at 1:58

If you hang on a page you may find it ends before you get chance to end it (that's with all forms, not just this website).

Always reply quick or in notepad first (which is what I tend to do with important long replies).

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Permalink Reply by Mark Humphreys on July 10, 2008 at 11:19

Hi Kenny
Yes it is the new CAA (construction Alliance Award), The exact name of the award that we have written is the CAA Diploma level 2. Which now also includes 166 multiple choice questions. This is now apparently the replacement for the ICA.

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Permalink Reply by Pete on July 15, 2008 at 0:37

I took the PTS 4 week course earlier this year at warrington. Maybe I misunderstood the literature but I was under the impression that I would receive assistance in gaining my NVQ. Really it was just advice on how to achieve the qualification.

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Permalink Reply by Mark Humphreys on July 15, 2008 at 8:01

Hi Pete
Could you contact me at the centre as i am concerned why you havent been told. Your NVQ application is done by us as and when you want it. The forms are here on my desk as we speak, if you want to do your NVQ call me and its done. If you wanted one we would have registered you immediately. Remember though Its a collection of evidence over a period of time not an exam. Also if you have no other NVQs or less than five GCSEs it will cost you nothing through train to gain, and we source that funding too.
Pete please send me your full name and details and i will research what happened, you know we are here to help please call at any time. Mark

Pete said:

I took the PTS 4 week course earlier this year at warrington. Maybe I misunderstood the literature but I was under the impression that I would receive assistance in gaining my NVQ. Really it was just advice on how to achieve the qualification.

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