Which Assessor Qualification Course?
There are current four different assessor courses. There are the courses which some people refer as TAQA and CAVA. They are the courses that have replaced the old A1 Assessor Award. The assessor course you choose depends on your own requirements and working environment as illustrated below.
The Units
The different Assessor Qualifications (Courses)
The following illustrations show the four Assessor qualifications and the units that make them up.
Level 3 Award in Understanding the Principles and Practices of Assessment
Please note the Level 3 award in understanding the principles and practices of assessment is just a knowledge-based qualification, which does not make you become a qualified assessor. Its however mandatory when completing any of the full assessor qualifications.
Level 3 Award in Assessing Vocationally Related Achievement
This course has two units. Once qualified it gives you the competency to assess any courses that are vocational in nature. The course has to be class or workshop based and will not require the need to assess workplace competence.
Level 3 Award in Assessing Competence in the work environment
This award also has two units and gives you the competency of assessing candidates in the work place. It is not suitable for courses that also require some classroom teaching or testing elsewhere outside the work place.
Level 3 Certificate in Assessing Vocational Achievement
This is the course that is equivalent to the old A1. It has three units and gives you competency to assess both in a vocationally related and work place environment. We highly recommend candidates to consider the certificate or complete the two awards above to become an all rounder assessor.
History of the assessor qualification
The assessor course has evolved over the years. From the initial days of the D32, D33 and A1 where it was made up of one single unit. The award under the QCF framework expanded resulting into different units, qualifications and the introduction of credits. It is now possible for learners to actually get certified for any completed unit at any time. The biggest change for the qualification is that it is now more reflective to the needs of practitioners and different working environments. The initial assessor’s qualification is designed for people who just want to have an understanding of the principles and practices of an assessor.
The next two qualifications awarded at award level are specific to assessors who carry out their work in their learner’s workplace while the other for those practicing in vocationally related environments such as classrooms and workshops. Achieving one of these awards will make you a qualified assessor but only in that specific field. For example, assessors who achieve the Level 3 Award in Assessing Vocationally Related Achievement would not be deemed as qualified to assess learners in their workplace. And vice versa assessors achieving the Level 3 Award in Assessing Competence in the work environment will not be competent to assist in a classroom or workshop environment.
The solution is however easy. You need to consider the Level 3 Certificate in Assessing Vocational Achievement sometimes referred to as CAVA or TAQA which will give you the competence of assessing learners in the classroom, workshop and in their workplace. This is the best assessor qualification which is more equivalent to the old A1 assessor award. All assessor qualifications will enable you to assess at any level subject to your occupational competency in the subject matter.