I am a Verifier and Assessor involved in a regional NVQ centre, which has become established as one of the most successful Library / records management centres. We have found them to be very valuable, for the following main reasons:
Especially for experienced senior non-professional staff, the award gives valuable recognition for skills and knowledge;
The Information & Library Services awards have just been revised and made available again, through City & Guilds. They were unavailable for the last two yeards, through a problem with OCR awarding body;
NVQ awards are based on "national occupational standards" which analyse all the skills and knowledge needed to work in libraries / information services so they provide a valuable checklist of what staff should be able to do.
At a time when our professional qualifications are moving towards a portfolio / continuing development model, it seems a shame not to support similar opportunities for non-professional staff through NVQ awards - as long as the qualification is delivered to high standards of assessment and quality.
Dave Sharpe
Staff Development Officer,
City of Sunderland
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