Can I Raise An NVQ Up a Level? 6 September 2022 at 3:43PM in Employment, jobseeking & training 6 replies 322 views

Spender£

Many job posts I'm after no longer accept my NVQ 2 and ask for Level-3 instead!

Can i somehow upgrade this and what would i need to do, my current job could be coming to an end as we go into recession so i need to be proactive.

400ixl

I would assume you would need to do the level 3 course and pass the assessments. How long it would take would depend on who you did the course with and how much time you could dedicate to getting the work together for the assessments.

Some places offer short track courses to do it in weeks (would be a full time commitment I would have thought) or over a year or more.

Sncjw

You would need to do a course you can't just level up. What course is it? 

Also do the jobs have nvq level 3 or equivalent experience. You could maybe argue you have experience equivalent to it if you do.

Neil_Jones

Spender£ said:

Many job posts I'm after no longer accept my NVQ 2 and ask for Level-3 instead!

Can i somehow upgrade this and what would i need to do, my current job could be coming to an end as we go into recession so i need to be proactive.

All an NVQ boils down to is the ability (in theory) to do whatever the NVQ is in - they are based on national occupational standards. These standards are statements of performance that describe what competent people in a particular occupation are expected to be able to do

So if you had (for argument's sake) an NVQ Levei 2 in scratching your backside, then all that says you can scratch your backside competently.  By the time you get to level 3 that's the equivalent of academic A-Level and is thus more challenging in the role.  Traditionally this would involve "working your way up" as it were, so you come into something as a dogsbody/tea maker/being sent somewhere for a "long wait"   and ultimately end up running the joint a good few years down the line - and you earn your level 3 in all but name.

But to answer the question, it will almost certainly involve a new exam/training session.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/find-a-free-level-3-qualification/list-of-free-level-3-qualifications-available-to-eligible-adults might be of interest.

Savvy_Sue

Neil_Jones said:

So if you had (for argument's sake) an NVQ Levei 2 in scratching your backside, then all that says you can scratch your backside competently.  By the time you get to level 3 that's the equivalent of academic A-Level and is thus more challenging in the role.  Traditionally this would involve "working your way up" as it were, 

No help to the OP, but I've just had a tea-snorting episode here thanks to your comment. 

elsien

New NVQ, new assessment process. 

Some of your Level two might count towards some of the underpinning knowledge for a level three but it is a separate qualification which you would need to fully complete the same way you did your level two.

billy2shots

Traditionally NVQs can be up-skilled by cross-referencing  your lower qualification plus completing additional work and the higher level. This was quicker than completing the new higher NVQ from square one. 

Depending on how long ago you did your NVQ, cross-referecing may not be possible now. 
Many NVQs changed to Diplomas so a different version of the qualification. 

The last I heard, these Diplomas are better as instead of just being able to cross reference an NVQ with another in the same industry, you can now use units from one industry into another to shorten the qualification in your new sector. 

In my field (Social Care) I was an NVQ assessor alongside my role as managing a  social care facility. I haven't continued with this since our relevant NVQs went the diploma route so don't know all the ins and outs.