TICA has recently made a significant investment in distance learning software – Smart Assessor – to assist candidates who are looking to engage with us to complete the NVQ  L2 in Thermal Insulation.

Smart Assessor is a web based platform where candidates create an electronic portfolio of evidence – meaning candidates will have far more flexibility in their approach to evidence their skills and to complete the qualification.

Following a very successful pilot of Smart Assessor, TICA can now announce that as of November 5 2018, all new registrations to the NVQ will be done via Smart Assessor and will require a one day  initial assessment visit to the TICA National Training Centre (NTC) where the candidate will:

• Be given a full induction to the programme
• Be fully inducted onto Smart Assessor
• Carry out a technical competency test
• Have the technical evidence used as a live observation and uploaded to the portfolio as evidence
• Be given all the help and support required to complete the qualification remotely via our NVQ Assessor in Darlington using Smart Assessor

Attending the NTC in Darlington for an induction day has many added benefits for a more robust qualification, but also means that  the candidate does not need to see the Assessor in future on site. Evidence can be uploaded electronically, and the relationship between the candidate and the assessor will be a remote one, based on the evidence uploaded into the digital portfolio together with a number of remote web based meetings – including professional discussions and reviews. All of this can now be done at a more convenient time for the candidate.

Awarding Bodies who issue the NVQ certificate are much more in favour of this type of evidence as it is regarded as significantly more robust. All meetings are recorded and uploaded by the Assessor, and videos of various skills demonstrated by the candidate are also made available as part of the electronic portfolio.

TICA believes that this will improve the quality of what we are delivering, and allow for a more efficient  use of time for the learner, ultimately saving time away from the day job.

We will shortly be appointing a full time administrator in TICA House as a contact for members and private candidates, and will publish this information in the coming weeks.

With greater efficiency also comes costs savings. As TICA are paying the yearly licence for  sophisticated E-portfolio software, we are able to pass on savings to candidates.

Our new costs for NVQs will be as follows:

Non-members:  £1500 + VAT + registration (£97) = £1897

Members:           £1000 + VAT + registration (£97) =  £1297

For the candidate/member, the cost reduction will go a long way to offset the cost of any time spent attending our training centre in Darlington, and will ultimately lead to  less time off site and away from work whilst completing the qualification. The added bonus will be that the candidate will also have completed the competency assessment formally at the same time, making their TICA Skill Card completely robust for the future.

TICA Chief Executive Marion Marsland said  ‘This is one of a number of initiatives that the association is able to take to modernise delivery of our qualifications that will help employers and operatives to achieve a skilled status with the minimum disruption to their working day. We are sure that our members will see significant benefits to this new delivery system, and as part of our commitment to a fully qualified workforce will remove any barriers to operatives who are yet to achieve the status of a blue Skilled Worker card.’