Industry Accreditation FAQs

Cards issued under Industry Accreditation (IA) are being withdrawn and cannot be renewed via this method.

No, NVQs generally are lifelong qualifications so once they are completed, they do not need to be completed again.

No, NVQs are completed in the workplace, however, you will need some time to spend with your assessor, planning the assessment and feeding back their assessment of your evidence and/or work.

Won't it take me years to complete an NVQ?

NVQs can be achieved in a minimum of 14 weeks, but usually take between 6-12 months from registration through to receiving your certificte. The time taken will depend on the availability of evidence, for example an experiences manager or tradesperson woth numnerous years experience could complete it in a shorter period of time, whereas an inexperienced candidate will take more time- no two cases are the same. As this is an assessment rather than a training course, you will work with your assessor to collate evidence of your skills via a range of assessment methods.

No, this assessment is completed in the workplace and in many cases remotely. As you are likely to be a highly experienced worker, the process should be relatively simple and there are many ways to show evidence of your competence, including:

  • A Professional Discussion
  • Knowledge Evidence Questions
  • Reflective accounts
  • Witness Testimonies (confirming previous workplace activities undertaken)
  • Product Evidence, e.g. minutes of meetings, RAMS, products of work
  • Observations

The cost is set by individual providers, but as experienced workers are unlikley to need any upskilling or training, the assessment-only route provides a quicker and simpler way to achievement.

CITBNI offers grants for existing worker NVQ acheivements to those employers who are registered.

Please visit the CITBNI website for further details or contact a member of the CITBNI grants team on 028 9082 5466 or email [email protected]

Construction site supervisors are advised to complete the NVQ Diploma Level 4 in Construction Site Supervision. The AQP and PQP routes available to those on IA would be more applicable to technical occupations within the Supervisor card such as Surveying, Buying, Site Technical Assistant etc.

 

Industry Accreditation cards can still be renewed, if their expiry date is prior to 30th June 2024. However, the renewed card will expire on 31 December 2024. Any Industry Accreditation cards with an expiry date of 1st July 2024 onwards cannot be renewed. If you have registered on but not completed a NVQ at this point you can apply for a temporary Experienced Worker, Experienced Supervisor or Experienced Manager card depending on the level of NVQ registered for.

 

If your IA card is due for renewal now, you can renew it via the IA route until 30th June 2024, but regardless of its issue date, it will expire on 31st December 2024. Before this deadline you will need to transition to a card via one of the pathways outlined in this guidance. As an assessment can take on average between 6-12 months, you should put a plan in place now to ensure you can smoothly transition from your IA card to one linked to a qualification.

 

Cards issued based on occupational assessment and Industry Accreditation are being withdrawn from 31 December 2024.

You need to put a plan in place to move off Industry Accreditation before your card expires at the end of 2024.

What that plans looks like depends on your occupation and what qualifications you may already hold.

 

All Industry Accreditation (IA) cards issued from 1 January 2020 will expire on 31 December 2024.

 

You DO NOT need to go back to college to get an NVQ. The assessment is completed in the workplace and can be done remotely. As you are likely to be a highly experienced worker, the process should be relatively simple and there are many ways to show evidence of your competence.

NVQ providers are experienced in working with workers who have not been to school in some time.

 

CEF's Patrons

 

Northern Ireland Electricity Networks PKF-FPM ABL Group Mills Selig