If you decide to work with us, the first thing we will ask about is your assessment process.
We believe that your assessors need to be trained on your assessment process if you want them to be able to apply this back in the work place.
Assessor training is one of the critical activities in implementing your competence assurance system.
When you are thinking about training for your assessors, there are a few things for you to think about.
We can train your new assessors on your paperwork and processes in a location that suits you, perhaps on site where they are working or you might prefer to consider e-learning.
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Options |
Benefits |
What to watch |
|
Training only |
Covers the essentials. Minimal time required. Easy to roll out. Tailored to your processes. |
No opportunity to practise. Usually no post course support. |
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Training + Certificate of Competence |
As well as the above benefits, your assessors are signed-off as competent using your assessment process. We will support them with their assignments. |
Not always internationally recognised. |
The training is most effective when we focus on your own assessment process as well as the softer skills involved in assessing.
We prefer to provide the assessors with good quality guidance that they can refer to when they return to work.
Please get in touch if you would like to know more.
If you are looking for a qualification for your assessors, we find the Assessor Awards from SQA are a good option.
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Options |
Benefits |
What to watch |
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Qualification: SQA Assessor Award (L & D 9d or L & D 9di)
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Your assessors are signed-off as competent using your assessment process. Your employees will receive a recognised qualification. |
Some assessors can find it to be a lot of work. Remember to make sure the qualification aligns to your assessment process, or it might not go as well as you hoped! There are different requirements for L & D 9d and L & D 9di. We can talk you through these. |
We can tailor our approach to fit with your processes and style of working.
For example, we often run a two day workshop which includes part of the assessment required for the qualifications.
Once back in the workplace, the employee will complete an assessment and return this to us for review.
When we are happy that the employee is competent to assess, we can arrange for the employee to be issued with the SQA award.
Please get in touch if you would like to know more.
To give your assessors the skills and knowledge they need to be able to assess competence in the way you require, there are a number of options available.
You might find it helpful to first think about the following areas to help you choose the best route for your organisation:
Achieving your training objectives:
Looking at practicalities of rolling out training or qualifications:
For most organisations, the front line supervisors and managers will perform the sometimes difficult role of assessing their staff.
Like learning to supervise, getting to grips with assessing can be a bit of difficult learning curve for some individuals. So how can you help them?
The first step is to ensure your assessors understand what is meant by assessment.
We also find that if your assessors understand why competency matters and how important the competency management system is to your organisation, then they are more likely to be committed to the process.
The next step is to ensure that the assessors understand what is required by your organisation and the processes that are to be followed. By implementing a clear process, providing straight forward paperwork (or electronic equivalent) and issuing guidance notes, you can help your assessors feel more confident about their responsibilities.
Finally, you need to ensure your assessors have the skills to communicate well with the people they are assessing. This can sometimes include difficult conversations about the competence levels of an individual. So help with communication, judging the competence of individuals (including questioning) and giving feedback will often be appreciated by new Assessors.
Throughout, remember not make your training or guidance too theoretical or general. Instead, give the assessors as clear a picture as you can about what you want from them both in the practice of assessment and most importantly about the standard of evidence expected.
"During the time spent with Polaris Learning, I am very impressed with the outcome of training, the productive input to the L & D 9di Assessors, with the prompt action (e-mails dealt with quickly), very helpful with any queries (L&D9di or relating to our standards and procedures). They always make time for you if you have an issue.
We have worked with the company for a while, very skilled team at Polaris Learning. Altogether, very impressed."
Scott Jenkins
KCA Deutag Ltd
We have a team of consultants who can deliver training and consultancy services throughout the world.
So whether you need to deliver onsite in the Americas, Africa, Australia or Asia, contact us.
If you are looking for a more hands off approach, we have helped a number of clients deliver training and qualifications through a remote approach, using e-learning.
This includes full online support and assessment.
If you prefer, we can also help you roll out your Competency Management System internationally by training your core delivery team as assessors, internal verifiers and trainers. We can then support this team as they roll out your system internationally.
Please have a look at some case studies and testimonials.
Supporting an interim Training and Competency Manager
Our client was covering the role of Training and Competency Manager until the position could be filled.
In the meantime, the Training and Competency Manager of this manufacturing company needed to move forward the roll out of the new competency management system and the assessor training.
We carried out an initial audit and provided a report on the status of the planned competency management system.
We then helped the manager to plan and roll out a pilot.
The next step was to help the manager to develop the assessment process and help with the assessor training.
Need Help? Contact our Support Centre for more information