I think that was the point though - I personally wouldn't think the NVQ gained at the end of a retail or office admin apprenticeship showed the same level of 'competence' that a C&G in Joinery or electrician qualifications suggests.
I did a search of apprenticeships local to me and found that IMHO the majority are closer to what I'd expect of a traditional apprenticeship, with the minority being in admin or retail. Surprisingly few in care (which I thought was one of the larger uses)
I don't really understand how NVQ's work, or should I say how they relate to each other. Are they a set standard across the board?
Even though I had a City & Guilds qualification (= to a level 4 NVQ apparently) I still had to take the level 3 NVQ in the same profession because it was a Govt. requirement.
Its that one up on the YTS schemes from the 80's?NVQ = Not Very Qualified
I think my daughters fiancé did 4 years, he's not long qualified and just turned 21.
We used to do Not Very QuickNVQ = Not Very Qualified
The Government are actually giving money to the NHS, MoD and companies to fund apprenticeships. If they don't take candidates on then they don't get the money. Even candidates with degrees are not recognised and they have to go down the NVQ route. It's all about income generation !
Regional variations then, here I got vehicle technicians, joiners, and other traditional 'trades' the low end of which would be hairdresser, then some admin and retail posts.
I suppose the few that still exist in 'traditional' trades are the same length, but there are lots of shorter schemes that are allowed to fall under the banner.
Maybe, but I did make mine a 50 mile search and I'm in the middle of several cities and large towns.
My apprenticeship (toolmaker) was 4 years and still is although, it used to be 5 years up until the early 70's. Different aspects of my job were learnt after though, but that was only because I moved into a different area of the job. When my employer decided to close where I worked but agreed on giving anyone a job not wishing to take redundancy or early retirement, I was retrained as a prototype mechanic, taking around 10 months as it only required pretty much the hands on side of the work rather than the boring theoretical class room stuff.
Can't remember what we said they were needed for but we always sent apprentices to get fallopian tubes.
Ours was a 'long stand'Can't remember what we said they were needed for but we always sent apprentices to get fallopian tubes.
Likewise, my college time was split between machine shop, welding, workshop and classroom, it was actually a day and an evening every week. We didn't get paid for the evening
A lot of that can be down to uncertainty of what the future holds for a company, making it hard for them to commit to long term or full contracts. My employer generally has yearly contracts as a minimum, meaning bad performers don't get a follow up contract. For some there are 2 year contracts again some get renewed others don't. Opportunities also arise to take these temporary staff on full time if the economic possibilities arise.
Or send someone to the iron mongers for some sky hooks and / or a tin of elbow grease
Likewise, my college time was split between machine shop, welding, workshop and classroom, it was actually a day and an evening every week. We didn't get paid for the evening
Apprentice goes out, comes back three hours later (having been in the pub reading the paper the whole time), "Sorry, went all over town, no elbow grease for sale anywhere. I'll be off home then."Or send someone to the iron mongers for some sky hooks and / or a tin of elbow grease
