ABSTRACT
The difficulties experienced by Elaine and Alison are illustrative of a fundamental problem for most training schemes — the relationship between on- and off-the-job training. With Training Credits, the use of work-based NVQs was compulsory. However, at the time of our fieldwork the NVQ system had not been fully introduced, so for some occupational areas qualifications were used that were temporarily approved as NVQ equivalents. These older qualifications were often designed to be taught predominantly off-the-job, with a mixture of written and practical assessment. The NVQ approach revolutionised vocational qualifications and training in Britain, as briefly explained in Chapter 1. NVQs are described in terms of work-based competence. Assessment is a matter of proving, through evidence and observation, that the trainee can fulfil the performance criteria and thus demonstrate competence. The qualification is sub-divided into units and elements, which can be acquired in any order and learned in any manner. For NVQ-based training, on-the-job experience is vital. This the best way to learn many of the competence elements and work is the place where most of them have to be assessed.
