Are GQA Centres really getting the most out of GQA On-line?

It just hit me – like a truck – Are our Centres really getting the most out of GQA On-line?

Confused with certain areas?  Want to save time? Want to know the benefits of using GQA On-line?

Q.  What is GQA On-line?

This web-based system was built for our GQA Centres to access live information on their centre activities.  It is the only method of registering, certificating and administering candidates.

Our GQA On-line system went live in May 2013; there are guidance notes available but are you really getting the most out of our on-line system?

There continues to be changes to the system as we continuously look to improve functionality of the system (and implement the required changes for fenestration MTC) but the basic premise will remain the same.

Over the next few months I will be targeting certain areas to show you how to access a variety of functions and to show you just how you can get the most out of our system. 

If there is a certain part of the system that you would like me to deal with first then please do let me know; similarly please don’t hesitate to get in touch with myself or Jodie if you would like individual help on the system.

Amanda Fearnehough, GQA Systems Supervisior

Work wanted for experienced GQA people!

Every so often we receive requests from our centres who are looking to add to their teams. We know it is not an easy task sourcing qualified assessors who understand our industries and our qualifications; there’s not many with the right knowledge and experience out there, and those that fit the bill tend to already be working within one of our Approved Centres.

 

There is the option of ‘growing your own’, those with the right experience and people approach, that you can work with to achieve their assessor qualifications, but this does take time. We do get contacted from time-to-time by people who are looking for other / additional opportunities to work within GQA related sectors, and as always, we try to put these people in touch with our centres who have told us that they are looking for additional resource.

 

We currently have info on a couple of individuals with extensive experience of working with GQA qualifications who are looking for opportunities – please do get in touch with us if you are looking to add experience to your team.

Allan Murray: in Memoriam

It has been a sombre and sad end to 2013 and start of 2014 with the news of the sudden and shock passing of Allan Murray on the 23rd December. Family, friends and colleagues said a final farewell on the 8th January in a private ceremony in Warrington, the town of his birth.

 

Allan was instrumental in setting up Glass Qualifications Authority within the then Glass NTO, Glass Training Limited, eventually overseeing the official split from the parent organisation in 2001, and running the Awarding Body as Chief Executive until his retirement in 2010. Allan continued to contribute to GQA beyond his retirement, first as a contracted External Verifier and then additionally as a Director of the Board.

 

Allan was very well respected, not only by his friends and colleagues at GQA, but also by Approved Centres and those within the wider realms of the glass and related industries and the Awarding Body community. Many of you will have a connection with Allan, whether directly as one of the centres he was EV for, or indirectly through his work in the early development of standards and qualifications or through his development of Glass Qualifications Authority as the glass industry’s specialist Awarding Body; and I am sure you will have had the benefit and influence of Allan’s experience, knowledge and fervour for learning.

 

Our thoughts are with Allan’s family and friends at this time, his presence within and around GQA will be sorely missed.

 

Please do get in touch with us with your thoughts and comments on Allan as we will be putting together an online remembrance book that I am sure will highlight the breadth of Allan’s influence and the regard in which he was held.

Payment Changes for English Apprenticeship Certificates

Applications for English Apprenticeship Certificates will be made to a central point from the end of September, instead of to one of 25 certification bodies.

The Federation for Industry Sector Skills and Standards is the certifying authority for Apprenticeships in England and hosts Apprenticeship Certificates England, to whom applications for certificates and payments will be made with effect from 30 September. The assessment of applications will continue to be carried out within ten days.

The change will generate greater consistency in terms of how applications and payments are received, providing a ‘one-stop-shop’ for individual applicants, employers, training providers and colleges.

Payment rates will not change but will normally be made with the application, although some of the larger training providers will be able to purchase ‘credits’ in advance to simplify their own processes.

The change follows a period of consultation with the Department for Business, Innovation & Skills and the National Apprenticeship Service, as well as with employers, training providers and colleges.

The Federation is piloting credit card and BACS payment systems in the early summer and welcomes training organisations and employers who would be interested in participating.

The original article can be found at http://www.mps-academy.co.uk/news/changes-in-payment-for-english-apprenticeship-certificates For more information please contact The National Skills Academy for Materials, Production & Supply/Proskills on 01235 432030 or info@mps-academy.co.uk

GQA Centres - Free Workshop - Green Deal

Have you heard about The Green Deal but don’t really understand what it is and the potential benefits to Assessment Centres and Industry?

GQA are holding a seminar to give you the facts and help you understand how your business can benefit from The Green Deal. This interactive event is being run by Neil Whitfield who has over 38 years experience in the Construction Industry and has been working with GQA Qualifications for many years.

The event will focus on:

What is Green Deal?
What are the financial aspects of Green Deal?
How is Green Deal likely to work in practice?

The event will take place at GQA's Sheffield office on January 29th and is available to you FREE OF CHARGE as a GQA Approved Centre and, as we expect demand to be high, early booking is recommended.

You can reserve up to 3 spaces for your Centre by e-mail to emma@gqaqualifications.com or by calling 01142 720033

Don't accept imitations – look for the green Q

It is highly likely that your QCF qualification in Glass, Coatings or Print will have been developed by GQA Qualifications. Others may attempt to imitate but GQA's strength lies in their experience, industry knowledge and relentless drive to bring the best work place qualifications to the table.

 

Work based qualifications have undergone recent changes, The National Qualifications Framework (NQF) is now the Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF). These changes have opened the door for Awarding Organisations to sell qualifications without any input or hand in their development. GQA have been developing and offering accredited qualifications for over 20 years and have forged a strong affinity with key industry players such as Pilkington, Anglian, Ardagh, Auto Windscreens and Schueco, all of whom have, and continue to, use GQA qualifications. Mick Clayton, CEO of GQA said “Many Awarding Organisations just sell qualifications, we on the other hand create them, moulding them to the needs of today's industry. We know this business inside out, and have an inner drive to see quality qualifications developed and achieved that really make a difference to companies, employees and consumers”. Our approach in qualification development is to work with recognised industry experts to develop draft documents, which are then circulated to the wider industry as part of the consultation process. Mick continues to say “Our strength is in our experience and commitment to quality, this quality being throughout the development, delivery and quality assurance of qualifications, and being able to react to requests  as we advise, support and guide our Approved Centre network. “

 

But GQA don't stop at specialising in the Glass and Glazing industry, they now develop and accredit qualifications for the Coatings and Print industry, with a move into construction, using Cskills developed units enabling GQA centres to expand their offer to current clients, but staying with GQA’s quality provision of advice and guidance . 

Current QCF qualifications accredited by Ofqual within the Glass, Glazing and Coatings industries were developed by GQA Qualifications, with the majority of the qualifications available for the Print industry also being developed by GQA. Others may copy, but GQA originate and innovate – when looking for work based qualification, always look for the big green Q.

 

View GQA Qualifications

 

Find your nearest GQA Approved Training Provider

1st round of GQA CPD events well received

Following on from our 2nd Conference in November 2011, and following requests from  Approved Centres, GQA ran 5 CPD events during April and May. There were 3 topics covered: Best practice in Assessment, Professional Discussion and the new Assessor and IQA awards. To give the opportunity for as many Centres as possible the events took place across a number of venues. 


The events were attended by Assessors, Internal Verifiers and Centre Coordinators from the Glass and Print industries, with all welcoming the chance to compare their Centres and Industries. Feedback from those attending was very positive with all asking to be kept informed on future events and offering suggestions for other topics to cover. 


The following is just a selection of the comments received:

• “Rewarding and informative, will use information gained in my job role”- David Edwards, NLTG 
• “Very useful day to clarify some questions”- Chris Whitehead, Manchester College School of Printing
• “Very good, helping me to focus on areas within my own Centre” –Tony Blake, Schueco
• “Realised how far we have come - facilitator was very good”- Roy Pusey, NLTG
• “Good opportunity to see how other industries assess”- Geoff Lowe, Manchester College School of Printing
• “Interesting and informative, will definitely use the knowledge gained today”- Tony Green, Autowindscreens
• “Feel I gained clarification on changes to aid reinforcement of our own systems and procedures”-Jo Taylor, IPS International
• “As someone new to assessing I got so much information and knowledge”-Ray Yonnish, Freelance Assessor
• “Good course, made enjoyable and all topics were covered”- John Cook, Pilkington
• “Understanding and knowledge of new Assessor requirements is now much clearer, very good”-Lee Harland, IPS International 

The events were delivered by GQA External Verifier Martin Sadler, supported by GQA Technical Officer/EV Sean Hayes. Martin said “It was a pleasure to be able to help our Centres understand the changes in assessment and Quality Assurance and also get them to share best practice and look at new assessment methods, as the GQA mantra is “advice, support and guidance” the opportunity to be involved in delivering CPD events was too good a chance to miss” 


Sean said “It was good to have Centres from Print and the wide ranging Glass industries attending the same event; the commitment to quality shown by all those attending was great to see. I would also like to thank the Centres who generously helped by providing venues and catering facilities and look forward to the next series of CPD events and hope even more of you take the time to attend”


Venues were provided by North Lancs Training Group, The Vocational College, Schueco, Autowindscreens and CTS Ltd. 


If you would like information on future events or have particular topics you would like to see GQA run CPD events on then please email GQA or speak to your External Verifier. 

Lets take a look at the Coatings Industry

The Coatings Industry is described by some as the ‘World’s Most Visible Industry’, and by others as ‘The World’s Oldest Industry’, both of which may well be true. As Paints and Varnishes, Coatings are indeed highly visible, but often ‘overlooked’;  most of the surfaces around us are painted, to achieve both decoration and protection; we take their presence for granted. In terms of age, there is clear evidence that our long dead ancestors, sometimes working in teams, or even using apprentices, decorated their dwellings and meeting places. Cave ‘art’, often using sophisticated techniques, has been dated back to 40,000 BC, some of which could not have been achieved without teamwork. Today, coatings infiltrate our lives to a greater extent than most of us realise. Our lives would be almost unimaginably different without them. For anyone who is considering the Coatings Industry as a career, but is uncertain of its value, a challenging exercise is to answer the question ‘what would life be like without it?’ The answer is not simply that life would be a bit dull, or monochrome, without their colourful decorative properties. There would be no ‘Old Masterworks’ in our art galleries; no books, newspapers or inkjet printers; metal objects would corrode away – no cars, motorcycles, no Forth Road Bridge. The examples are endless.

Today’s Coatings Industry is genuinely high-tech and is essentially a sub-division of the Chemical Process Industry. Coatings development laboratories rival any modern university facility. Polymers, a key, perhaps the key component in any coatings material are produced in complex chemical reactors, as are pigments, which impart specific properties; colour, opacity and corrosion resistance, to name just a few. Coatings, themselves are made in sophisticated process plants operated by skilled process operatives. Their quality is maintained and assured via rigorous testing regimes, specified by formulators, clients, National and International Standards Organisations. New products may undergo five years, or more, of test procedures before their release into the marketplace. The UK market for coatings is valued, annually, at circa £2 billion and employs approximately 21,000 people, which excludes the hundreds of thousands of employees involved in their application. Coatings Industry clients are involved in decoration, metal finishing, structural steel, fire protection, motor vehicles, shipbuilding and repair, wood finishing, plastics, packaging, medicines, electronics, glass, ceramics, print, road construction and marking etc. etc.

There are any number of fulfilling careers in the Coatings Industry for which training and nationally recognised qualifications are available and achievable. Within technical functions – Research and Development, Quality Control and Assurance, there are GQA QCF Technical Certificates available at levels 2, 3 and 4, a level 5 Diploma and a level 3 Competence Diploma in Laboratory Practice. In process functions – Manufacturing, there three QCF qualifications available at levels 2 & 3, a level 2 Certificate in Coatings Production, a level 2 Diploma in Coatings Production, a level 3 Diploma in Coatings Production. These GQA qualifications were written and compiled by experienced Coatings Industry Professionals, specifically for the Coatings Industry. Technical Certificates are delivered only by licenced providers, normally, but not exclusively, by distance learning and one-to-one tuition. The competence qualifications are delivered ‘on-the-job’, and are assessed only by licenced assessors.

These qualifications can be undertaken by new starters or their experienced counterparts in the industry, at any age. There are funded apprenticeships available, awarded by Proskills, the Sector Skills Council for the Process Industries, albeit levels of funding are age dependent. University graduates may also find, especially the Technical Certificates, useful as industry re-orientation programmes.

Are GQA Centres affected by the Ofqual General Conditions of Recognition for Awarding Organisations?

In May 2011 the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (Ofqual) launched the General Conditions of Recognition. The Conditions specify the requirements that any organisation wishing to become recognised as an awarding body needs to fulfil. All awarding bodies currently recognised by Ofqual are required to notify Ofqual of their compliance with the Conditions by 5pm on 18 May 2012.

In preparation for the 18 May 2012 deadline to notify Ofqual of compliance with the Conditions, GQA are carrying out a self-assessment activity against the requirements of the Conditions. This self-assessment activity may result in the identification of changes that are required to ensure full compliance with the Conditions. Some of these changes may impact on GQA Approved Centres.

Whilst we will endeavour to minimise the impact of the Conditions on Approved Centres, we will update you early in 2012 on any changes required.

Have you Considered - A bit on the side?

I thought the title might get your attention, however it is not what you think!

Have you considered the real reasons that we deliver NVQs? For some it may be one of the following:

• · To help a candidate gain a qualification
• · To help a candidate to get a CSCS card
• · To train and assess and apprentice
• · Because you have funding to use
• · Because a company contacted you

However one of the side effects of learners gaining a qualification is to improve how a company works, to improve their health and safety, improve or develop work processes, improve productivity or teamwork.

Hence the bit on the side - a by-product of qualifying and developing staff is that the company can see some real (b)usiness (i)mprovement occurring through (t)echniques that their candidates have developed through undertaking their qualification.

Do you ever ask the companies you work with how having qualified staff has helped them to improve or develop their business. As I am sure that if you asked them they could give you some examples of how it has helped them. If you have some good examples of how having their staff gain a qualification has improved their business let GQA know as we would like to publish it in our newsletter.

Also if you have some good testimonials it could help you to sell NVQs to new customers, especially if you can show tangible results for a company.

If your customers are not seeing improvements in their business, perhaps a change in approach to assessment is needed. Are you really developing the learners or just ticking the boxes?

To encourage others to use NVQs in their business they need a reason to – tell them about the benefits, and the bit on the side.

Martin Sadler (GQA)

GQA Conference 2011

After months of preparation, the GQA Conference 2011 took place last week at the Schueco Network Centre in Milton Keynes.

Keynote Speakers, Martyn Roads and Tom Bowtell, discussed e-assessment and the Glass Academy respectively with delegates and initial feedback has been excellent on the content of the 2 speakers.

The workshops were also well received, with sessions running into the break times as delegates took a full part in the discussions on topics including:

• PV Installation
• Best Practice in Assessment
• GQAOnline
• E-portfolios - A centre's view
• Green Deal and Quals in the Glass Industry

The removal of a speaker and addition of an extra coffee break from last years schedule to increase the opportunity for networking was also more favourable as this gave delegates the chance to talk to GQA staff, EV's, fellow centres and speakers.

All in all the Conference went well, it was great to see so many people representing our Approved Centres in one place and GQA staff received great feedback from delegates.

Many, many thanks to our sponsors - Schueco, GGF and Proskills, speakers - Martyn Roads and Tom Bowtell, and presenters - Grenville Bramley, Paul Gray & Steve Hill, Martin Sadler, Giles Willson and Paul Nolan, and we look forward to seeing you again next time.

GQA Qualifications for the Coatings Industry

The first Centre to offer the new GQA Coatings Industry Qualifications was launched, at Hull College on 22nd September, the result of a collaborative project involving the GQA, Proskills, the British Coatings Federation and Hull College. The event, held at the College’s Process Annex, known as the ‘CATCH’, was hosted, jointly, by the College and the BCF. Those attending included members of the BCF Board, along with representatives from several Coatings Manufacturers, the National Apprenticeship Service and the Oil and Colour Chemists Association. It goes almost without saying that, for the GQA, this event was a genuine milestone, marking the intention to expand its remit to cover a wider range of industries, alongside Glass. The Hull Centre has provisional approval to offer the new GQA, Ofqual accredited, QCF Coatings Qualifications from levels 2 to 4 and, for the future, level 5.

Additionally, via Proskills, Coatings Apprenticeship Frameworks, have been developed, at levels 2 and 3, both of which attract age dependent Government funding. These are based upon the level 2 and 3 competence and technical certificates and will also be offered by Hull College.

The new QCF Qualifications are:

• level 2 Certificate in Production of Coatings

• level 2 Diploma in Production of Coatings

• level 3 Certificate in Production of Coatings*

• level 2 Certificate in Coatings Technology

• level 3 Certificate in Coatings Technology

• level 4 Certificate in Coatings Technology

• level 5 Diploma in Coatings Technology

*The level 3 Production Certificate includes both Process and Laboratory pathways, depending on the learner’s job role.

The apprenticeship frameworks also include Personal Learning and Thinking Skills (PLTS), Functional Skills (Maths, English, ICT), Employment Rights and Responsibilities (ERR).

In practice, the production competence certificates and diplomas will be delivered by industry and assessed in the workplace by qualified Industry Assessors. At Hull, technical certificate learning material will be provided and delivered by British Coatings Federation tutors, albeit assessed by the College Assessment Team. Other proposed centres however, may choose to develop, deliver and assess their own learning material.

PLTS and Functional Skills within the apprenticeships can be delivered by Colleges or other approved providers. ERR is delivered as part of the GQA Technical Certificate or assessed via a standard workbook, issued by Proskills.

Industry response, to date, has been encouraging, enquiries having been received for all the qualifications, currently on offer, also the apprenticeship frameworks. Discussions are also in progress towards a second Coatings Centre, within a major coatings manufacturer in the North East, hopefully to commence operation early 2012.

For further information, the qualification structures can be viewed in the GQA web-site: www.gqaqualifications.com or the Ofqual Register of Qualifications http://register.ofqual.gov.uk

New Qualifications for Assessors and Verifiers

GQA are currently working on Submissions for the replacement qualifications for the A1 and V1 awards for Assessors and Internal Verifiers.

All currently qualified Assessors and Internal Verifiers do not have to achieve the new qualifications but must prove that they understand the requirements of the new qualifications and are working in accordance with them.

The qualifications currently within the submission process are:

• GQA Level 4 Award in Internal Quality Assurance of Assessment Processes and Practice (QCF)
• GQA Level 3 Certificate in Assessing Vocational Achievement (QCF)

We anticipate the 2 above qualifications being available to centres on the 1st December 2011.

Proskills Awards 2011 - Finalists Announced

Proskills have announced the finalists for their awards evening to be held on the 3rd November at Alton Towers.

There are a number of GQA linked finalists, from qualifications candidates to GQA Approved Centres.

We at GQA congratulate all the finalists on getting through the in depth judging process to be named as finalists and wish them all the very best of luck on the night.

For further details on the Proskills Awards visit http://www.proskills.co.uk/awards/home and to see the finalists visit http://goo.gl/JGX2c

The secret to being positive.

by Martin Sadler (GQA EV)

As a Personal Performance Coach, one of the top questions I am asked by either business clients or private clients is “ How can I stay positive when things around me are going wrong”

This is a very common question in life you hear people say “ Today is not going well” “Everything I try goes wrong” “ Why does it always happen to me?” If you ask someone how they feel 9 times out of 10 you will get the response “Not Bad, OK I suppose” All of these are very common reactions to things in our life that do not go as well as we thought they could have or how we currently feel inside.

The issue is when you have this view of the world you tend to find a lot more things in your life or business that are not going as well as they could have. The more you place you focus on the negative aspects around you, the more you find and the worse you will feel.

So, what is the secret of being positive, the answer is very simple it is CHOICE!

We all have a choice in how we view the world around us, we can either see all of the negative or we can see all of the positive and that all just boils down to where we place our focus in life.

§ The only person who can make that choice is you.

§ You can choose how you respond to events that are happening around you

§ You can chose to respond to what you hear people say about you

§ You can choose how you view life both now and in the future

§ You can choose to be positive or to be negative

§ You can choose to be the cause or the effect of things around you.

In life and business you can choose to blame others for where you find yourself currently of you can take action and make things different for you.

Instead of blaming others for how you feel, you need to start to look much closer to home, in fact it starts with the person you see looking back at you in the mirror

The only person who can change how you respond to any situation is YOU. You have a choice on whether you want to be positive or negative, you can either look for everything that is wrong with something or everything that is right about it. If you think that you will never be able to change something you are right. However if you feel that you can change something you are also right. You just choose which one you prefer to act on.

How do you stay positive in a world of negativity?

It is all about what you choose to focus on, when you hear people saying negative things about you or your situation, it says more about them than it does about you. They do not know what you feel inside and what you can do, only you know that.

I am not saying that you should look at every situation as being fully positive, what I am saying is look at the positives you can get from a situation, because when you start to look for them you will find them.

If you would like to receive a copy of my 5 steps to being positive please email me: martin@expandyourpotential.co.uk

Have you considered?

Digital Voice Recorders

We have all done it, carried out a candidate observation either in driving rain, freezing cold conditions, stuck on top of a 50ft scaffold or squeezed into a small area in a workshop trying to observe the learner carry out a task. Then as you stand there shivering with cold with rain dripping off your chin or wedged in a tight space with your arm going numb you have to write a detailed report of what you have seen the candidate carry out.

I expect that NASA have already invented a waterproof pen, pencil and paper, however with limited budgets it is not something we can all go out and purchase straight away. So we struggle on writing on the wet paper with a ball point pen and as we write down our well thought through statements you seem them wash off the page or just melt into one big blue mess on the paper. At this point we give up and rely on our memory to record what we are observing and get distracted by the thoughts of that hot cup of tea and a digestive biscuit and trying to keep warm, and considering if this is really the job for me.

Then when you get down from the scaffold, you make some quick notes of what you have seen, wave goodbye to your learner and trudge back to the office to write up the observation. You sit down and look at your notes and you have either written it in a shaky spider like written or you just cannot read what you have written and need to rely on what you can recall However you may find that somewhere between being freezing cold and lovely and warm, the thawing process seems to have affected your brain and you forget what your saw and spend the next hour looking through the standards to see if something jogs your memory.

There is a much more effective way to carry out an observation without using pens, pencils, folders and laptops.

The answer is to use a digital voice recorder to record a narrative of what you are seeing the learner do, this means that you have not got to struggle holding down bits of paper in the wind and trying to keep everything dry at the same time.

The benefits of using a voice recorder are:

• No need to carry out around, pads and reports, pens and pencils
• No looking for somewhere to lean on to write down the report
• An accurate report of what you are seeing as you can focus on what the candidate is doing rather than what you are writing
• Better chance to catch everything the learner does and not bits and pieces of it
• You can add much more description to the audio recording and get a fuller report than if writing a report.
• Also use the process to record oral questions or professional discussions
• Do not need to rely on memory when writing up the observation
• Once recorded the work is done, all that is needed is to review the recording and reference to the appropriate standards
• When using e-portfolio systems much easier to upload than scanning documents and waiting for learners to send in their work

So, perhaps next time you are up a scaffold on a freezing day making notes and blowing on numb fingers you may consider using digital voice recording to carry out your observation.

Martin Sadler, GQA EV.

GQA's QCF Qualifications - An Assessors View

When I heard that the qualification suite from GQA was going through a revamp, trepidation, anxiety and frustration reigned in assessors thoughts – “if it isn’t broke don`t fix it”

However, having utilised the QCF units for the last 12 months or so the benefits and positives are there for the candidates and assessors alike.

At first glance of the QCF standards there seems little has changed but now the individual units are user friendly enabling both candidate and assessor to identify and understand requirements without endless interpretation particularly of the knowledge.

Simple “BE ABLE” and “KNOW HOW” criteria enables holistic assessment to be undertaken precisely, fully involving the candidate without hesitation, confusion and frustration and the need to try and interpret them. In turn unit achievement is enhanced which is a major motivation factor for candidates and, of course, assessors.

The cost effectiveness angle when delivering these qualifications as part of an Apprenticeship is also important as timescales and funding are being reduced, the QCF qualifications assist in the candidates development and candidates can now own their standards and fully understand what they have been ultimately assessed against.

Steve Hill - The Vocational College Assessor & I.V

DEL NI Announce Changes to funding for Adult Apprentices

Changes have been announced to the funding arrangements for adult (25 years +) apprentices in Northern Ireland. As part of the draft Department for Employment and Learning (DEL) Budget, the proposal to fully remove funding for adult apprentices was originally included as a savings measure. However it has now been announced that DEL intend to retain funding for adult apprenticeships at a rate of 50% which is good news.

ApprenticeshipsNI funding rates for apprentices aged 16–24 year olds remains unchanged at 100%. (Those who are over 24 years and who are currently signed up, and those signed up by 30 September 2011, will continue to be fully funded).

The DEL Minister has also announced a policy review of adult funding to inform the priority skill needs of the local economy, to ensure that resources are targeted more effectively and the specific needs of adult learners are addressed. It is anticipated that the revised policy and funding position for adults will be implemented during 2012-2013.

For further information contact Diane Weatherup, Proskills Northern Ireland Manager, diane.weatherup@proskills.co.uk or 07795 011812

Coatings Industry Apprenticeship Programme Launch

Hull College launch the Coatings Industry Apprenticeship Programme tonight (16.00 – 19.00 - 22^nd September) at The CATCH, Redwood Park Estate, Stallingborough, Grimsby, DN41 8^TH.

Presenters from AkzoNobel, Hull College and Jotun Paints will give a flavour of the industry and qualifications need while representatives of Hull College, The British Coatings Federation, Proskills and GQA Qualifications will be on hand to discuss all things linked to qualifications in the Coatings industry.

See you there.

GQA Qualifications - 2011 Conference and Awards Event – Proskills added to Sponsors

HAVE YOU BOOKED YOUR PLACE YET?

The 2011 GQA Conference taking place at the Schuco Network Centre in Milton Keynes on the 16^th November 2011, is nearly upon us and is taking shape. Confirmed Conference sponsors Schuco and The Glass & Glazing Federation have now been joined by Proskills, following up their sponsorship of the 2010 GQA Conference with further support for GQA.

Speakers / Workshops:

Keynote Speakers

·Martyn Roads of Assessment Tomorrow (http://www.assessmenttomorrow.com) will be our opening keynote speaker; Martyn has researched and implemented the use of IT in assessment including work with QCA, and will discuss the benefits of technology in the delivery of qualifications.

·Tom Bowtell / Terry Watts of Proskills, the Sector Skills Council for the Glass, Coatings and Print industries will give an overview of their activities and plans within our industries.

Workshops

· Schuco’s Grenville Bramley will deliver a session on the installation of PV Panels, linking to the new GQA Qualification in this area.

· GQA EV, Martin Sadler, will deliver a workshop on Assessment, discussing good practice in delivery of GQA QCF qualifications.

· Paul Gray of The Vocational College will deliver a workshop on their experiences of using the GQA E-portfolio system which is to be launched at the conference.

· Paul Nolan of Web Products Direct and Amanda Jennings of GQA will give an introduction to GQAonline – the new web based system for centre administration of GQA qualifications.

· The GGF will deliver a session introducing the Green Deal, Minimum Technical Competencies and Qualifications.

There will also be the opportunity for delegates to get their hands on the new GQAonline system and the GQA e-portfolio system via a number of PC’s within the conference venue. This will give delegates a real feel for the new systems ready for using within their centres

Demand for places has been high, if you haven’t already booked your place please contact GQA on 01142 720033 or info@gqaqualifications.com to avoid disappointment.