Hi Ultraviolet

Hasn't anyone told you that you are actually completing a modern apprenticeship rather than just an NVQ? - oops I think it's an advanced apprenticeship as it's at level three.

An apprenticeship consists of the NVQ, Keyskills in two or more disciplines such as numeracy, communication, IT etc which involves sitting an exam and also producing a portfolio of evidence if your current qualifications are not high enough and completing a Technical Certificate.

It makes me so angry when training providers and assessors don't give the correct information to candidates and explain exactly what they are doing and why.

Hope this helps.

Dave

Hi Dave

Nobody told me that I am completing an apprenticeship, I was told it was NVQ3! Now I have been raised to this exulted position, maybe my wages will break through the £6 per hour barrier, or is this just a figment of my imagination!!!

Ultraviolet

I am also confused ultraviolet

Nobody has mentioned anything about apprenticeships. I will have to find out just exactly what else my colleagues have been told. I do know for sure though that they were told that these ''exams" are new to NVQ recently. They were told that if they had started their NVQ's a few months ago these "exams" would not have been part of it

Hi Annne

That is exactly what I have been told, so does this mean that everyone who undertakes NVQ3 now is doing an advanced apprenticeship?? Is the advanced apprenticeship a higher grade than the basic NVQ3?? No wonder we don't know whats going on, I don't think the assessors do!!

I have 2 O levels in English and English Literature, so why am I doing keyskill tests?? Will be having a chat with my Assessor I think!! If you find anything out or anyone else knows anything, please let me know.

Ultraviolet

I have been trying to find out more about this and what I was told yesterday was that my employer is getting free funding for these NVQ courses whereas previously my employer had provided the funding and that the advanced apprenticeship one is the one you do if it's free funding.

I don't think one or the other is a higher grade or anything, both are just NVQ3 is the bottom line I think

Hi Annne

Thanks, thats interesting. All I can say is the grade may not be higher but there is more work. The Technical Certificate alone took me 2 months.

I have also found out that you need to have sat your GCSE's in the last 5 years to be exempt from keyskills tests and this will soon be dropped to 3 years.

Ultraviolet

Ultraviolet, I don't actually know if one is a higher grade than another, it might be the case, I was only assuming because nobody had mentioned it at work that one was higher than the other but they might not know either.
I think I may have said further up these posts but one of those doing NVQ2 has actually sat GCSE recently, she is only 18 but as her grade wasn't high enough she is having to sit another exam (which I expect will be the keyskills test you mentioned)

(you need to have sat your GCSE's in the last 5 years to be exempt from keyskills tests )!!!!! I did CSEs over 30y ago . I think I'm a little to old for skills tests .

Me too but the link that utraviolet provided (www.keyskills4u.com) gives some good practice tests

A bit late for the first reply, but for anyone else wishing to know or have been placed in a similar position here is a link that the NHS use for testing HCA's literacy & Numeracy.


http://www.move-on.org.uk/practicetestsResults.asp

I have had a look at the mini tests on there and it's the exact same test as the keyskills4u site

I've looked through most sites and the tests are exactly the same. I completed my keyskills tests last week and thankfully passed. I will say that these practice tests helped me, its been 23 years since I left school and if I can do it anyone can!!

Ultraviolet

I have been told that because there has been so many problems with this 'new' NVQ3 with exams and all, that they are changing back to the previous way of doing it from November 2008.

Whether or not this is true I do not know by was told this by my employer

ultraviolet
ultraviolet
Hi i amgoing in for my nvq2 teaching assistant & i am wondering where you got the practice tests from cos same as you i have not been at school for many years (39yrs) and am a bit worried at what stage i should be at in literacy & numeracy,HELP!! PLEASE!!!!:confused::

Hi. I've just become a member and I'm glad of the company. I did my level 2 HSC last year and now doing level 3. I also had to do the literacy & numeracy tests for level 3. Almost had a heart attack! I left school 46 years ago. At 64 years old, it can scare the hell out of you. Never mind,I did it and now I'm enjoying the course. What I will do with it after is another question. Any tips? I can't go on for ever being a carer.