Piling Attendant Assessment Plan Proposed 30 March 2016

Transcription

1 Piling Attendant Assessment Plan Proposed 30 March 2016 V Summary of Assessment 1. The end-point assessment (EPA) is to confirm the apprentice has the knowledge, skills and behaviours to support piling operations, as a Piling Attendant, following and complying with a given specification in a working environment that meets customer and employer expectations. Prior to the EPA the apprentice will have achieved the qualifications listed below. 2. On completion of training and achievement of the qualifications listed below the employer and assigned workplace mentor will determine when the apprentice is ready to undertake the EPA. The EPA will be coordinated by a registered independent Apprentice Assessment Organisation. The apprentice will: Complete a Piling Rig Attendant technical test to demonstrate skills, knowledge and behaviours. Attend a professional interview structured on the completed log book, designed to assess the knowledge, experience and behaviours acquired. The interview will include occupational questions and questions specific to the achieved piling process(s). Assessment Overview 1. All training and qualifications complete, workplace Mentor and Employer agree individual is ready for EPA 2. Employer notifies Trade Association 3. Trade Association identifies interviewer(s) Gate one deemed ready for EPA 4. Employer identifies EPA organisation and notifies Trade Association Trade Association prepare send interview questions to interviewers and assessor(s) based on the completed logbook using situation, task, analysis and result (STAR). Trade Association to be External Quality Assurance for EPA? 5. Tester(s) and Interviewer(s) travel to assessment centre, location or individual(s) travel to EPA centre? 6. Stage one individual undertakes Technical test 3 hours 9. EPA organisation notifies Apprentice and Employer of outcome 7. Stage two individual interviewed by Employer(s) and Tester(s), mark achieved depicts grade, pass, merit or distinction. Gate two pass mark achieved Assessment Method Stage 1. Technical Test Piling Rig Attendant; skills knowledge and behaviours (Annex A) Stage 2. Professional Interview; experience, knowledge and behaviours (Annex B) Area Assessed Piling Rig Support Operations The role of the Piling Attendant Assessed by Grading Weighting Independent Assessment Organisation Independent Assessment Organisation Pass or Fail 80 to 100 = Distinction? 60 to 79 = Merit? 40 to 59 = Pass? Not needed this is a gateway to the next stage 1

2 On-programme Assessment 3. It is highly recommended that the knowledge and skills that underpin the qualifications will be obtained by attending an on programme training course for Piling Attendant over one and a half academic years on block or day release for a period of not less than 57 days off the job training, this will also be coupled by specific piling process training delivered by the employer covering the knowledge, skills and behaviours defined in the apprenticeship standard. An assigned mentor will link workplace activities to the Training Objectives for a Piling Attendant (Annex C or link?) and the vocational qualification. The completed log book will be used to form the schedule for the professional interview. 4. Evidence that the individual has worked on site will be contained within a vocational qualification portfolio and supported by a log book specific to the piling process, only the log book will be used in the EPA. Continuous assessment will take place in accordance with current vocational qualification requirements as the individual proves competence while working towards the vocational qualification in Piling Operations (Piling Attendant). A personal performance plan will be maintained by the workplace monitor and agreed by the employer and used to determine achievement for advancement through gateway one. 5. The apprentice must successfully achieve the following prior to embarking on the EPA: Level 1 Maths and English and tested at level 2 Registration on a recognised construction industry registration scheme A Slinger/Signaller qualification A Plant and Vehicle Marshaller qualification Level 1 Award in Health and safety in a construction environment Level 2 Award in Emergency First Aid at Work A vocational qualification in Piling Operations (Piling Attendant) Assessment Gateway 6. Successful achievement of the on programme training 12 to 18 months, registrations and qualifications, listed above, will deem the individual ready to undertake the EPA. 7. Judgement of the individual s readiness for the EPA will be made by the current employer in consultation with the assigned workplace monitor. 8. Passing the stage 1 technical test will deem the individual ready for stage 2, the professional interview. End Point Assessment 9. The following skills, knowledge and behaviours are being assessed through the end-point assessment these can be found in the Apprenticeship Standard for Construction Piling Attendant Health and Safety practical application and contributions made, how to react in an emergency and personnel and occupational health Interpretation of given information and supplying of information to others including building information modelling Sustainability - know the sustainability issues in piling across economic, social, legal and environmental aspects Loading, off-loading, manual handling and preparing machinery and equipment for piling Working with, around and in close proximity to plant, equipment and machinery 9.6. Sets-up, uses, maintains and operates powered units, tools, machinery and equipment Concrete technology Geology types of soils and rock and their effects on the piling process The piling attendant s role in support of the piling team, the role of other team members, responsibilities, communication, organisational structure and interdependencies Applying quality control in piling operations Behaviours; effective communication, respect, team work, independent working, logical thinking, working effectively, time management, adaptability, assertiveness and confidence The individuals prime piling process The benefits and potential routes to continuous professional development. 2

3 10. The individual by the instigation of the current employer and within 6 months of successful achievement of the registrations and qualifications listed above will be assessed as follows: Stage 1: The individual will be tested as a Piling Rig Attendant. The test will be conducted in accordance with the technical test criteria, Annex B, at a location that matches the stipulated requirements. The test will take no more than 4 hours. Please note further time will be required for pre and post-test administration. This part of the EPA will be graded Pass or Fail and act as the gateway to Stage Stage 2: The apprentice will be interviewed. The interview questions, developed by occupational representatives and held by the trade federation or association, will be based on the completed logbook using situation, task, analysis and result (STAR). Questions are available via link? The professional interview will be designed to draw an explanation (audio and visual aids may be used by the individual) of experience knowledge and behaviours acquired during up to one and a half years of training and determine future aspirations. Woven into the interview will be at least one question from each of the Training Objectives, Annex C and one from each Behaviour requirement listed in the standard. Answers to these questions will be marked and graded by the interviewers The professional interview will be conducted in a suitably sized meeting room without distractions. The interview will last at least one hour but, no more than two hours and the performance of the apprentice will be marked and graded, Pass, Merit or Distinction by the interviewers in accordance with the marking guide supplied by the trade federation or association. 11. The following people will carry out the end-point assessment: Stage 1, a qualified (vocational qualification assessor in piling operations) and registered (trade federation or association approved) Tester employed or sub-contracted by the registered independent Assessment Organisation will conduct the Piling Rig Attendant technical test Stage 2, the stage 1 registered Tester will be the lead interviewer and on a request from the registered apprentice assessment organisation at least one employer or employer representative will be assigned by the trade federation or association as interviewer(s). The interviewer(s) will not be associated with the apprentice or the approved training organisation. The apprentice must not be interviewed by their own employer. End Point final judgement 12. The final judgement as to whether or not the individual has met the standard and successfully completed the apprenticeship by gaining at least a pass grade will be made by the interviewers; the casting vote will be with the registered Tester appointed by the independent assessment organisation. Independence 13. In order to ensure impartiality a list of registered independent assessment organisations is available from the Skills Funding Agency (SFA), the employer must choose an assessment organisation. A qualified registered Tester will be allocated by the independent assessment organisation for the EPA. It is the responsibility of the independent assessment organisation to ensure the Tester is not related to the apprentice. 14. The trade federation or association will ensure employers not connected to the apprentice are invited as interviewers for the Professional Interview on request from employers and assessment organisations. As a trade federation or association representing Piling Employers there will be no direct link or relationship with the individual apprentices. Access to register as an interviewer or request an EPA interviewer will be open to all piling attendant employers not just federation or association members. End-point Summary of roles and responsibilities [set out the role of each organisation/person involved in assessment] Assessor Role 15. Apprentice Employer is to: instigate the process, gateway 1, by registering the individual as ready for EPA ensuring the individual is competent in the requirements of the standard; select an independent Assessment Organisation; notify the trade federation or association that the individual is ready for EPA for allocation of an employer or employer representative as an interviewer ensure resources are available for the individual to undertake the EPA. 3

4 16. Trade federation or association is to: direct employers to the SFA list of registered independent assessment organisations; on request provide a list of interviewers and allocate suitably qualified interviewers for EPA s; hold and maintain a bank of EPA Professional Interview questions and present them in an interview schedule complete with a marking guide for the EPA; maintain a register of EPA Interviewers and Testers. 17. The Independent Assessment Organisation is to: allocate a qualified and registered Tester for the EPA; liaise with the trade federation or association to identify a suitably qualified interviewer(s); provide information on the EPA to the individual, the individuals employer, the Tester and the interviewers; identify the EPA technical test and interview location(s); on completion of the assessment provide details of the grade achieved to the apprentice, the apprentices employer and the trade federation or association. Quality Assurance internal Four approaches as per Trailblazer Frequently Asked Questions External Quality Assurance (EQA) : 1. Propose your own approach 2. Ask a Professional Body 3. Ask Ofqual 4. Ask the Institute of Apprenticeships. 18. The following internal quality assurance will be applied. Organisations must have in place the following procedures and guidance: demonstrable and on-going consultation process with current industry and occupational experts in live project and/or site environments. Proposed strategy to maintain this engagement and cascade through standardisation meetings for the network of appointed Assessors, Testers and Interviewers; maintenance procedures for all material(s) to reflect and/or reference current legislation, safety, techniques, codes of practice and specific industry and/or project requirements; demonstrable procedure and process to account for and track the progress of each learner through the apprenticeship cycle, the learner assessment journey must be the principle consideration of these procedures; traceable network of communication and a viable proposal to manage the communication between the lead training provider, employer, individual (attempting the assessment), Federation for Industry Sector Skills and Standards (FISSS). If absent, a suitable implementation strategy should be proposed along with benchmarked accepted standards and timeframes through a service level agreement system; propose a suitable mechanism to manage the output, within realistic timeframes of all dependencies to the certification of each individual attempting the EPA i.e. relevant Awarding Organisations for each of the mandatory qualification(s), lead training provider, testers, end-point assessors and FISSS. If absent, a suitable implementation strategy should be proposed along with a flag or service level agreement system of accepted standards and timeframes; reference the Consolidated Assessment Strategy for Construction and the Built Environment to appoint occupationally competent Assessors and/or Testers; policies and procedures to manage escalated appeals and disputes; establish policies and procedures for the approval of assessment venues; establish policies and procedures for standardisation of assessment and critical marking specification and criteria. Quality Assurance external 19. The proposed responsibility for external quality assurance of EPA will rest with a representative (non-profit) board convened by the Federation of Piling Specialists supported by the Standard Setting Body for construction according to the schedule for Construction and the Built Environment Awarding Body Forum for Assessment Organisations? which will be is?? widely available where?. The board will consist of a representative group of Construction Piling employers and all (Registered) approved assessment organisations. All employers will be afforded equal influence as part of this entity. The board should meet bi-annually as a minimum; the frequency of events will increase in proportion to greater demand for Construction Piling Attendant apprenticeship EPA s. 20. The recommended composition of this board is: construction piling employers (minimum of 25% medium, small and micro employers) form the majority of 4

5 members. It will be good practice to ensure that employer membership of this board is accessible across the industry and should be rotated at fixed intervals over an appropriate cycle i.e. 2-3 years. representation from all approved Construction Piling apprenticeship EPA Independent Assessment Organisations. coordination support provided by the Standard Setting Body for construction. 21. A publication of events, widely available on the Standard Setting Body for construction website will ensure all stakeholders are kept apprised. Feedback from the industry will be encouraged in open forum ahead of each event. 22. Implementation of the following would ensure a fair and transparent standard of external quality assurance across all Construction Piling apprenticeship EPA s: external Quality Assurance Strategy for EPA in Construction and the Built Environment Apprenticeships; construction and the Built Environment Forum for Assessment Organisations; EPA monitoring; employer Group meetings on EPA s; custodian of the (relevant) EPA to ensure it is valid, effective and consistent and has credibility across the industry. 23. The primary function of this board will be to review the assessment specification(s) devised by all approved Construction Piling apprenticeship EPA Independent Assessment Organisations against the criteria of the apprenticeship assessment plan and consistent approach to: technical complexity quality of end-point assessment against the ideal (set by the board) benchmarked standard of competence range of methods and techniques End-point - Grading 25. The overall grade will be decided by the marks achieved for the professional interview, using the grading criteria shown in 2 above. Implementation 26. Costs: Template distributed by Elizabeth return date 15 April End Point Tester administration, preparation, venue, interviewer and interviewee expenses. 300 plus expenses per individual? trade federation or association administration.? Quality Control internal? Overheads.? On existing site cost to be borne by employers? 27. Nil Professional Body recognition: How will the apprentice be recognised by the professional body? Will they be ready to apply for accreditation upon completion? Consistent: How is the EPA deliverable across the country and in a variety of businesses to the same standard of competence? 28. Consistency: Assessment organisations to follow an agreed Consolidated EPA strategy for Construction Apprentices for internal and external quality assurance? 29. At least 30 and no more than 50 per year. Annexes 30. The following information is attached as annexes to this Assessment Plan Annex A Technical Test Annex B Professional Interview Template Schedule Annex C Training Objectives.? 5