Who owns a grade card?

[Guest77]

Just wondering after seeing a few threads of late regarding them, I am aware it is a gold card today, out of interest who has a grade card of somekind? post up what you have, lets see how many on the forum is actually a card holder, just out of interest, it doesn't mean much, I know several brilliant sparks who never even did an apprenticeship, they are retired now though.


I will start, I am a JIB gold card holder with Site Technician stamped on mine, next please.

 

[Engineer54]

A NVQ3 is a benchmark showing a sustained period of real work experience usually under supervision in a variety of working environments and with different systems. Those that knock it, havnt got it and cant get a JIB card must fit into the list above.

That's what some would like the NVQ system to represent, unfortunately the assessment system doesn't work to well!! Usually under supervision is a perfect example of what i'm talking about!!


It makes me laugh when people knock them for trying to uphold some sort of standard. Especially time served old sparks who were not offered it ,cant you see its what separates alot of us on paper from the Electrical Trainee.

Laugh all you like, i wouldn't mind if the standard you talk about, could be classified as even remotely uniform unfortunately it's not!! No, what separates electricians from wannabe electricians is holding a full core qualification. As far as i know, even a Electrical Trainee can spend money to gain a NVQ 3...

Numbers wise it helps alot more people than it hinders, unfortunately those that struggle to get it a fairly vocal about it knocking the system that is upholding the standard while everyone else is in a race to the bottom.

You'll always get that ellement, but that's not what i'm talking about at all!!

My point is that far too much trust has been put on this NVQ 3, which in some ways has been accepted as a sort of alternative to real world experience and skill making...

I'd be much happier if these NVQ's were part and parcel of apprenticeships, where ongoing assessments are being made by the college tutors/lecturers, but hell, even some of them leave a lot to be desired these days!! lol!!

 

[UNG]

Im glad you didnt take offence as that was not my intention just getting my point across.

No harm in a good debate

The AM2 wasnt easy but it wasnt hard either, an extra hour would have been nice but i was always about quality rather than quantity in my work.

The AM2 wasn't hard a bit over rated TBH from an employer point of view always thought the time needed reducing myself

Can i ask when you did your CITB?

76 through to 1980

Why would you be forgetting anything by doing a NVQ3??? I just dont get that comment, its simply a portfolio of work you have done with explanations no need to forget what you have done previously.

Everything is a bit 1984 these days old quals bad new quals good

A lot of what I have previously done has long since been demolished to make way for modern fall apart buildings or closed down.

Do I really need to pay someone hundreds of pounds for

The electrical NVQ is a support, mentoring and assessment programme to help you gain this qualification whilst working on site.

I think I and a few others are long past needing support and mentoring and some one assessing our photgraphic skills

As for justifying a NEW course????????????? We have a member on here who did it in the early 80s, so its been around 34 YEARS if i had a car that was 34 years old would that be considered new?

And no doubt over that time it has been tinkered with let's face it standards are nothing like they were 34 years ago

 

[mayfair]

Got a spanishy sort of one

 

[wozz]

I'd be much happier if these NVQ's were part and parcel of apprenticeships, where ongoing assessments are being made by the college tutors/lecturers, but hell, even some of them leave a lot to be desired these days!! lol!!

I think you will find they have now, the city and guilds award includes to NVQ so you cant do one without the other. Its not the nvqs fault colleges allowed students to do the city and guilds and slope off without doing the nvq.

 

[Guest77]

No idea when the NVQ came out. I took the 236 parts 1 and 2, the C cert and the AM1 and AM2 initially, it was 10 years after being qualified as a spark I heard about the NVQ 3, this was in the early 90s, I sent my certs off and they came back with a NVQ 3 certificate with them, at that time the grades I had were sufficient to gain that qualification. Regarding it's merit today, I don't think many guys have any respect for it, the JIB card always was the bench mark.

 

[djw]

djw- your the only other one on here who mentions the am1, i did this too, was never any mention of am2 at the time, never heard if am1 since either does it still exist as a pre cursor to the am2??

Same here mate, no mention of it, just some mutterings about NVQ3. Don't know if it still exists
as such, no one mentions it - maybe someone who's in training now will tell us and what it consists of at the moment...

 

[ipf]

No idea when the NVQ came out. I took the 236 parts 1 and 2, the C cert and the AM1 and AM2 initially, it was 10 years after being qualified as a spark I heard about the NVQ 3, this was in the early 90s, I sent my certs off and they came back with a NVQ 3 certificate with them, at that time the grades I had were sufficient to gain that qualification. Regarding it's merit today, I don't think many guys have any respect for it, the JIB card always was the bench mark.

Yeah, compared to that C cert what's an NVQ worth. This wozz fella keeps going on about the value of it but, with previous quals and keeping up with 17th and Test and Insp, what is it worth....sfa.

 

[telectrix]

i've got a b&q trade card.

 

[ipf]

i've got a b&q trade card.

Snap!!! Get the cards out.

 

[wozz]

Yeah, compared to that C cert what's an NVQ worth. This wozz fella keeps going on about the value of it but, with previous quals and keeping up with 17th and Test and Insp, what is it worth....sfa.

The C course doesnt exist, and there is no replacement for it. times have changed for the worse in that respect.

So you are promoting academic only qualifications with no real life experience? is that how you want to trade progress? You want no new electricians to have something to separate them from Electrical Trainee? if so the colleges may as well shut and leave it to the training providers?

 

[wozz]

i've got a b&q trade card.

Same here radiators at very good prices.

 

[wozz]

This has gone rather off topic.

If you want a jib card get one if you cant get one maybe try to reason with them if you have other supporting evidence, something which i have heard they are fine with.

If you cant get one dont slag them off for sticking to their guns and bucking the downward spiral in this industry.

If you have a apprentice try to understand that they are trying to achieve before telling them its a waste of time.

If you do slag the JIB off for wanting a JIB card as a way of proving work experience , ask yourself where the industry is going without it, i think its only one place.

Im not a crusader for the jib, or the nvq both have their problems but i am yet to hear about a better system, and a new system isnt the answer it seems as change every 30 years is still too often!

 

[ipf]

The C course doesnt exist, and there is no replacement for it. times have changed for the worse in that respect.

So you are promoting academic only qualifications with no real life experience? is that how you want to trade progress? You want no new electricians to have something to separate them from Electrical Trainee? if so the colleges may as well shut and leave it to the training providers?

I'll guarantee 100% that every person who completed the A, B and C certificates, (as was, admittedly), completed a full apprenticeship.........unlike many NVQers

 

[7029 dave]

I'll guarantee 100% that every person who completed the A, B and C certificates, (as was admittedly), completed a full apprenticeship.........unlike many NVQers

I will go 100% with that statement too.!! Why is he banging on about NVQ, for guys that have been going for years. lol

 

[wozz]

it isnt coming back mate its a shame but there we go, i will take your word for it they all completed it, was it a purely academic course?

The point is why slag off what we have now? Do you honestly think the industry is better without some evidence of actual work included in a apprenticeship?

if so expect 'apprentices' to work in local supermarkets while not at college.

Many NVQers, so many who qualified in the last 30 years didnt complete apprenticeships? ok. Who was signing their portfolios?