Assessor

Your Process

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.

Training & Qualification Options

When you are thinking about training for your assessors, there are a few things for you to think about.

Option 1: Assessor Training with Knowledge Assignment

Some prefer a ‘training only’ approach for their assessors. At Polaris Learning, we work with you to develop and deliver training workshops that are based around your organisation’s assessment set-up.  During the workshops, we explore best practice within this setting so that your assessors are clear about what is expected of them when they return to their workplace.

If being delivered online, each delegate would work through the agreed training modules and then be asked to complete a more formal knowledge based assignment which is reviewed by a Polaris Learning Consultant.

Option 2: Assessor Training with Practical Assessment (Certificate of Competence)

This option can be very useful where the SQA L&D 9 DI / D qualification below may not be appropriate but you or your organisation wants to achieve some form of certification.

In addition to proving certification, this option also provides a very useful feedback loop for people who are new to the Assessor role and will help to identify where they are meeting the requirements of this role as well as any ongoing development requirements.

If being delivered in a workshop, delegates would complete the training whereby at the end, Polaris Learning provides a practical assessment for each assessor to complete when they return to their place of work. This assignment is updated to suit your own organisation’s set-up but typically each individual will be asked to complete the following activities:

• Demonstrate that they have assessed two different candidates for elements from the CMS standards (demonstrate how you have completed each part of the assessment process, i.e. planned the assessment (progress plan), gathered and judged evidence and given feedback).
• Write two brief reports on these two assessments.
• Include copies of the relevant completed assessment record from your Competence Management System (plans, reports, elements/units assessed etc).

If being delivered online via PLUS, delegates would work through the agreed online learning modules and then be issued with a practical assessment using their company Competence Assurance process to complete and submit to Polaris Learning for review.

Option 3: SQA L&D 9Di / 9D Qualification (Assess Workplace Competence)

These qualifications are internationally recognised and suitable for people who assess the competence of individuals within a competency based assessment system.

The assessor must have the opportunity to assess a minimum of two candidates against two areas of competence and produce evidence of their competence against company or national standards.

On completion of the training, delegates must then:

• Plan the assessments with their candidates.

• Gather, judge and record evidence.

• Give feedback and confirm whether or not the standard has been met.

Delegates must also show that a number of assessment methods are used such as Observation, Examination of Work Product, Questioning and more.

The completed assessment paperwork must be reviewed and endorsed by the designated Verifier before they can be submitted as part of the qualification.

In addition to this, to achieve the qualification the delegate must:

• Be observed giving feedback to one of their candidates (a checklist is completed and submitted as evidence).

• Participate in a Standardisation Meeting (this is led by the Verifier).

• Complete a Knowledge Assignment.

Difference between L&D 9DI & L&D 9D

The main difference between the qualifications is that the L&D 9Di requires the assessor to provide evidence of using both Direct and Indirect methods of assessment.

If your system does not use Indirect Methods of assessment, then L&D 9D may be the more realistic option.

These are the current national standards for assessment. This option can add credibility to your set-up and also set a quality standard for those conducting assessment.

Delivery methods: onsite, online, offshore and open programmes

All of the above options are available at your site, online and offshore. We also periodically run open training programmes.

Please get in touch if you would like to know more.

Tips for Success

For your competence assurance system to be successful and stay successful, you need to make sure the training you provide is effective.

Get it wrong and you will probably find that there is little buy-in to your process. You will know that is what you are facing if very few assessments are returned, or a lot of the assessments are incomplete or inadequate.

Get it right and your assessors will understand what the company needs to achieve and their role in the process. They will be more committed to this task and more able to fit the assessment into their schedule.

There are four main areas that you should make sure are included in your assessor training workshop:

1. The workshop should be practical and focus on the assessment process rather than only on people skills.
2. It should help the assessors to understand that assessment is part of staff development.
3. Your assessors should have a good understanding of the most effective way to assess.
4. They should leave with clear guidance notes to support them when they are assessing back in the work place.

Client Feedback

"The company have benefited from our Worksite Assessors being trained to a qualified standard to meet requirements of OPITO approved Competence Management System (CMS).

Prior to starting the training with Polaris Learning I had no concerns as I have worked with two of their consultants for a number of years with previous employers."

Graham Hannah
Cameron Ltd

"We have had an increase in service quality, awareness, and there is now better training in place for the employees.  We now have people confident to train others and also assess other employees.

Polaris Learning Ltd have given the company a focus on more training of the staff for training and assessing.

Overall, they are good people, they provide a good service and are good value for money".

Gordon Harkness
Training & Competence Manager
MI Swaco

Case Studies

The competency management system gained accreditation with OPITO in 2011.

Other services include appraisal training and coaching & mentoring training for senior individuals supporting apprentices.