LONDON: ConstructionSkills, the Sector Skills Council for the construction industry, has successfully lobbied to keep National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs) at the centre of the industry’s qualification structure, saving in excess of £1m for industry.
The Government had looked set to scrap NVQs this year as part of the new Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF), but sustained lobbying by ConstructionSkills has resulted in the continuation of the industry standard qualifications.
As part of the new QCF, every unit and qualification will have a credit value (one credit represents 10 hours, showing how much time it takes to complete) and a level between Entry level and level 8. In almost every area, construction NVQs have been converted successfully to match this new structure.
The new qualifications achieved by workers in the construction sector will be called NVQ Diploma, as of September 2010.
The news follows on from recent research that reveals that over 80% of construction companies with experience of NVQs are happy with the current structure. NVQs have come a long way in fulfilling the vocational needs of the construction industry for over a decade and are recognised and valued by employers as a quality, competency-based qualification. Registrations and certifications for NVQs are at an all time high.
