NVQs in self-certification
– what’s going on?
9th October 2018

Controversy has arisen this week over the use and validity of NVQs as part of Competent Persons certification.
It began when Mick Clayton, CEO of GQA Qualifications said in a letter to The Glazine that he had been told that at least one of the Competent Persons Scheme operators is no longer recognising NVQs as route to compliance.

This was rebutted by Certass, whose Chairman Jon Vanstone replied “we do accept an NVQ, in the same manner as we accept the work experience of an experienced worker” but went on to say: “The existing NVQ is not fit for purpose with a large number of optional units and it is possible to hold an NVQ without meeting all the government approved requirements for self-certification.”

Mick Clayton said in his letter: “Last week I received information from an industry employer stating that their CPS Operator was no longer willing to accept NVQ’s as a route to compliance, but was only willing to accept their own, non-accredited MTC as ‘currency’ for compliance.”

He recalled the days of the development of Minimum Technical Competencies and concluded: “Let’s work together - Federations, Skills Bodies, CPS Operators - all working together with one common aim. Let’s provide a stepping stone and put in place a standard scheme that we could all work to and contribute towards.”