(GBR) Managing National Vocational Qualifications

This chapter provides an overview of NVQs and discusses how to:

Set up NVQ information.
Track employees' NVQs.
Review NVQ summaries.
Run NVQ reports.

Understanding NVQs

National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs) reflect the skills, knowledge, and understanding that employees possess, much like competencies. As with other accomplishments, NVQs enable transfer and progression, both within areas of competence and between them.

The national Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) coordinates the development and specification of NVQ standards. Refer to the QCA website http://www.qca.org.uk for further information. NVQ competence areas derive from a functional analysis of business roles and provide structure for competence-based qualifications. The qualifications are unit-based; the number and size of units varies between areas of competence. A unit is achieved when an enrolled employee is assessed as having competent skills and knowledge.

The following areas of work are currently covered by the NVQ system:

Tending animals, plants, and land.
Extracting and providing natural resources.
Constructing.
Engineering.
Transporting.
Providing health, social, and protective services.
Providing goods and services.
Manufacturing.
Providing business services.
Developing and extending knowledge and skill.
Communicating.

NVQ competence levels include the following:

Level	Definition
Level 1	Competence that involves the application of knowledge and skills in the performance of a range of varied work activities, most of which may be routine or predictable.
Level 2	Competence that involves the application of knowledge and skills in a significant range of varied work activities and performed in a variety of contexts. Some of the activities are complex or non-routine, and there is some individual responsibility and autonomy. Collaboration with others, perhaps through membership of a work group or team, may often be a requirement.
Level 3	Competence that involves the application of knowledge and skills in a broad range of varied work activities performed in a variety of contexts, most of which are complex and non-routine. There is considerable responsibility and autonomy, and control or guidance of others is often required.
Level 4	Competence that involves the application of knowledge and skills in a broad range of complex, technical or professional work activities, performed in a wide range of contexts and with a substantial degree of personal responsibility and autonomy. Responsibility for the work of others and the allocation of resources is often present.
Level 5	Competence that involves the application of skills and a significant range of fundamental principles across a wide and often unpredictable variety of contexts. Substantial personal autonomy and significant responsibility for the work of others and for the allocation of substantial resources is important, as personal accountability for analysis and diagnosis, design, planning, execution, and evaluation.

Several organizations develop, deliver, award, and preserve the quality of NVQs:

Sector bodies identify, define, and update employment-based standards of competence for groups of occupations.
Awarding bodies also develop NVQ standards. Additionally, they monitor the assessment process and award NVQs and unit certificates. They verify that employees are assessed fairly and consistently across all assessment centers.

The National Database of Vocational Qualifications contains comprehensive information on NVQs, including the units that make up each qualification, key skills, and units specifically developed for assessors and verifiers.

Setting Up NVQ Information

This section provides an overview of NVQ setup and discusses how to assign awarding bodies to NVQs.

Understanding NVQ Setup

To track NVQs, you need to define the following:

NVQ content items.
NVQ Unit content items.
Element content items.

NVQ units are divided into elements and you track an employee's progress for each element separately.
Awarding bodies.

NVQs, NVQ units, and elements are stored in the content catalog. Use the following delivered content types for NVQs:

Content Type	Description
ELEMENT	Use to define the elements associated with NVQ units.
NVQ UNIT	Use to define the NVQ units that are required by NVQs.
NVQ	Use to define the NVQ codes.

The content types are related as follows:

ELEMENT is a child of NVQ UNIT. This enables an element content item to be defined for different NVQ Unit content items. Satisfying the element only satisfies it within a specific NVQ Unit.
NVQ UNIT is required by NVQ.

This enables one NVQ unit to be linked to more than one NVQ. Satisfying one NVQ Unit qualifies as completion within all NVQs that require the NVQ Unit.

When you set up NVQs, NVQ units, and elements use the Relationship page in the Content Item component to link these items.

Set up NVQ data as follows:

Set up the NVQs, NVQ Units, and elements in the content catalog.
Set up awarding body name and location using the Award Body component (NVQ_AWARD_BODY).
Assign awarding bodies to NVQs using the NVQ Award Bodies component (NVQ_DETAILS).

Pages Used to Set Up NVQ Awarding Bodies

Page Name	Object Name	Navigation	Usage
Awarding Body	NVQ_AWARD_TBL	Set Up HRMS, Product Related, Profile Management, Content Catalog, Award Body, Awarding Body	Define name and location information for NVQ awarding bodies.
NVQ Award Bodies	NVQ_DETAILS	Set Up HRMS, Product Related, Profile Management, Content Catalog, NVQ Award Bodies, NVQ Award Bodies	Specify awarding bodies for NVQs that you have defined in the content catalog. You must set up NVQs and Award Bodies before you can use this page.

Assigning Awarding Bodies to NVQs

Access the NVQ Award Bodies page.

Level

Displays the NVQ level that is defined for the NVQ in the content catalog.

Expiry Date

Displays the date on which current NVQ details will be reviewed by the awarding bodies.

Reference and Awarding Body

Select one or more awarding bodies. Enter the reference numbers for each awarding as provided by the NVQ.

Tracking Employees' NVQs

When you have defined NVQ data as content items in the content catalog, you can track employees who are enrolled in NVQs by assigning the appropriate NVQs, NVQ Units, and elements to their profiles.

The delivered PERSON profile type is configured for tracking NVQ information. You must use this profile type to record employees' NVQ progress if you want to use the NVQ reports or inquiry pages.

The PERSON profile type includes a tab called NVQ that has three content sections, NVQs, NVQ Units, and Competency Elements. Set up an employee's NVQ information on this tab:

Add the NVQs in which the employee has enrolled.

Click the Add New NVQs link to display the Add New NVQs page. Select the NVQ code, the NVQ status (Enrolled, Achieved, Cancelled, or Prev. Ach (previously achieved)), start and completion dates, and registration information.
Add the NVQ Units that are required for the NVQs.

From the Add New NVQs page, click the NVQ Units link. This takes you to the Related Items page where the NVQ units are displayed. Select the NVQ unit status (Planned, Not Started, In Progress, Submitted, and Completed), and dates for the stages of the NVQ unit.
Add the elements that comprise the NVQ units you added in the previous step.

From the Person Profile page, click the NVQ Unit link to display the Update NVQ Units page. Click the Competency Elements link. This takes you to the Related Items page where the Elements related to the NVQ Units are displayed. Enter the start date, expected completion date, and the remaining fields as required.

Reviewing NVQ Summaries

This section discusses how to:

Review an employee's NVQs.
Review employees associated with an NVQ.

Pages Used to Review NVQ Information

Page Name	Object Name	Navigation	Usage
Employee Summary	NVQ_SUMMARY1	Workforce Development, Profile Management, NVQ Reports UK, NVQs by Employee, Employee Summary	View all NVQs associated with an employee.
Qualification	NVQ_SUMMARY2	Workforce Development, Profile Management, NVQ Reports UK, NVQs by Qualification, Qualification	View the employees associated with an NVQ.

Reviewing an Employee's NVQs

Access the Employee Summary page.

The system lists the NVQ units sorted by status and date. Click a button in the View Options group box to see only those units of a given status.

Note. Only those NVQ units listed in the employee's PERSON profile are included. The system does not check employees' profiles of any other type.

Reviewing Employees Associated with an NVQ

Access the Qualification page.

The system lists all the employees associated with the selected NVQ, sorted by status and date. Click a button in the View Options group box to see only those employees of a given status.

Running NVQ Reports

This section lists the pages used to run NVQ reports and discusses how to run the Initialize Plan process.

Note. You must run the Initialize Plan process before running the Employee Plan (NVQ006) report.

Pages Used to Run NVQ Reports

Page Name	Object Name	Navigation	Usage
NVQ001	PRCSRUNCNTL	Workforce Development, Profile Management, NVQ Reports UK, Employee Status	Run the (GBR) UK NVQ - Employee Status report (NVQ001). This report lists employees assigned to an NVQ and their status.
NVQ002	PRCSRUNCNTL	Workforce Development, Profile Management, NVQ Reports UK, Unit Listing	Run the (GBR) UK NVQ - Unit Listing report (NVQ002) that lists all defined NVQ units.
NVQ003	PRCSRUNCNTL	Workforce Development, Profile Management, NVQ Reports UK, NVQ Listing	Run the (GBR) UK NVQ - NVQ Listing report (NVQ003) that lists all defined NVQs.
NVQ004	PRCSRUNCNTL	Workforce Development, Profile Management, NVQ Reports UK, Unit/Element	Run the (GBR) UK NVQ − Unit/Element Listing report (NVQ004) that lists the elements associated with NVQ units.
NVQ005	RUNCTL_NVQ005	Workforce Development, Profile Management, NVQ Reports UK, Initialize Plan, NVQ005	Run the Initialize Plan process (NVQ005) for a selected employee. This SQR process compiles the data required for the Employee Unit Plan report (NVQ006).
NVQ006	PRCSRUNCNTL	Workforce Development, Profile Management, NVQ Reports UK, Employee Plan	Run the Employee Unit Plan report (NVQ006). This report summarizes an employee’s NVQ Unit plan. Note. You must run the Initialize Plan process (NVQ005) before you can generate the report.

Running the Initialize Plan Process

Access the NVQ005 page.

Use this page to run the Initialize Plan process (NVQ005) that compiles the data required to generate the Employee Unit Plan report (NVQ006).

Language

Automatically populated based on the run control ID that you selected.

Override the default language if necessary.

Level	Displays the NVQ level that is defined for the NVQ in the content catalog.
Expiry Date	Displays the date on which current NVQ details will be reviewed by the awarding bodies.
Reference and Awarding Body	Select one or more awarding bodies. Enter the reference numbers for each awarding as provided by the NVQ.