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Apprenticeships
meet the Assessor
27th March 2012, 13:24meet the Assessor
They are often not talked about much but assessors are a vital part of any apprenticeship qualification and may just be the most important relationship you have during your apprenticeship. We meet one to see what makes them tick.
Gordon Richardson is an assessor for leading apprenticeship consultancy the PDS group (www.pds-group.co.uk), which helps companies like Visa Europe, Vodafone and telefoĢnica to design and deliver their apprenticeship programmes.
So, what does an assessor do?
Apprentices need to show that they have understood and applied their learning by producing a portfolio. An assessor will guide the apprentices on how they can best demonstrate how they have met all the criteria of the qualification they are doing. then we have to assess their competence against national standards and be able to justify our assessment to external auditors.
Sounds complicated, is it?
With the right support apprentices can make sure that they can effectively demonstrate how their learning, whether this is in the workplace, college
or university, has met the qualification criteria. they have to be able to show what they know. Evidence comes in many forms, such as a breakdown of course content, certificates, audio and video recording, personal written accounts or, probably the most important source, direct observation by the assessor.
How does the assessment scoring work?
there may be a requirement to undertake formal tests, depending on the apprenticeship programme. the great thing about work based qualifications though is that you are either competent (you can demonstrate consistently over time that you are able apply your knowledge), or not yet competent, in which case the assessor will work with you to create an action plan so that you can meet the criteria.
What do you most like about your job?
i really enjoy helping companies to design apprenticeships that meet their needs and give their apprentices a qualification that is very relevant to the work they are doing. it’s very satisfying to see the apprentices grow into the role they were recruited for and go on to progress in the organisation.
What is the best advice you can give?
Stay focused and remember, your assessor is there to help you reach your goals.
