What is an SVQ or NVQ?
An SVQ is a Scottish Vocational Qualification, and NVQ is a National Vocational Qualification, the only difference between them is that the NVQ is a qualification delivered by the qualification awarding body for England, Wales and Northern Ireland, the SVQ is a qualification delivered under the Scottish Qualification authority (SQA).
NVQ/SVQ qualifications are work based, this means that they are gained by employees performing their normal duties and demonstrating their competence to carry these duties out over an extended period of time at their place of work during normal working hours.
Scottish Qualifications Authority booklet on SVQs in the work place click here Adobe Acrobat format
Where do National Vocational Qualifications fit into the Workplace?
You do not have to employ specialist teachers, you already have the expertise available in your own workforce.
The tried and tested way of passing on skills to young workers is to teach them the skills of their trade by being apprenticed to a skilled journeyman, in this way they have one-to-one tuition from an expert in their particular field.
The experienced tradesman acts as a guide, demonstrating how a task should be done and by explaining what they are doing as they go then allowing the apprentice to carry out the simpler operations under their supervision.
As the apprentice gains in confidence and experience the mentor steps back allowing more complex tasks to be carried out until the apprentice is capable of performing the work on without any intervention from the journeyman.