NVQ Level 4 ?????

[Night Rider]

Hi there,

About 6 years ago, when I first started training to be a commercial pilot, I, like many other people, registered for NVQ Tax relief. I received a folder which was to be completed during my training in order to claim a Level 4 degree.

To cut a long story short, I have now finished my training and have had a job with an airline for the last 18 months.

I would now like to claim my NVQ level 4 degree. Any info on how this could be best achieved would be greatly appreciated.

[Fly_146]

As far as im aware, the last date for completing all the assessments and applying for the award was June 2001.

Few people even opened the award folder. It was suppose to be an ongoing assessment, not something to be completed after six months of online flying!

[40 yearflyer]

As a one time assessor I could sign your logbook/folder up to the point where you had to complete sections that only an airline could sign(because the initial one was a multi crew NVQ). You then had to find an airline willing to send a suitable, say training employee, on a course to become an assessor in subjects such as customer care and flight safety. ( I forget the exact title of the final section) You would then have qualified for a NVQ level 4 equivalent to a first degree. This would in theory satisfy future employees, not necessarily in the Aviation industry, that you were degree material and not just a fun loving pilot who scraped through with 4 or less 'O' levels (if even that).
Great in theory but I believe only a Virgin pilot achieved that dizzy aim and the rest took the Tax discount and said thank you very much. Certain loopholes existed where many doubtful contenders for this discount exploited this windfall and the tax man pulled the plug. This led to the awarding body-ATA-to cease offering the necessary certificates and therefore your logbook/folder should now be consigned to the bin. Sorry, it was a great idea and others can confirm more or less what I have said.

[clear prop!!!]

Yes, it probably was a good idea. Trouble was that most of us, myself included never bothered to open the folder, which was complicated, in many ways irrelevant and to complete it impressed nobody. At the end of the day all that employers were interested in were your hours and licence. The said blue folder offered no more than that which your logbook and licence would show. Net result nobody filled it in! We were all too happy just to receive the tax discount! (and why not?)

One of the reasons that Her Majesties Government gives for removing NVQ status for commercial training was that there was ’ very little uptake!’ Fact of the matter is that there was a HUGE uptake, but it was impossible to differentiate between those who wanted a cheap PPL and those who genuinely were after a vocational qualification. Why, because there were virtually no records of completed courses under the NVQ scheme. NVQ was removed to stop scuba divers, PPLs and other recreational sportsmen benefiting from a loophole, and, you can see the point of that.

Yes, approved FTO’s should have been more responsible, but…….
Ladies and Gentlemen, ….we have ourselves to blame….(and I stand counted, I have that empty blue folder!).

[Midland Maniac]

I asked the same question a few months ago...around november 5th methinks. I was laughed at and told that the best thing to do with the folder was to start a bonfire on guy fawkes night...because it was worth nothing.

I was a bit miffed at this...due to the fact that the government had give me this money I was hoping that they wouldn't ask for it back if i didn't get the NVQ. Well the FTO that i was with went bust and I lost all the momey anyway. So who gives a toss about NVQ because it isn't worth the paper that it is written on .

Best thing to do is do an open university degree in Meteorology!!! May bore you rigid, ut it will look good on the CV, especially if the flying market goes even more tits up!!!!

Good luck with the airline career mate...you are one of the lucky ones!!!!

MM :cool: :cool:

[Night Rider]

Hi folks,

Thanks very much for all the swift replies. Basically, you have confirmed my suspicions. The main reason that I have decided to persue this qualification is because I am about to finish my contract with my current employer and it is likely that I am going to be unemployed on January 1st 2002 - great start to the year. I thought having the NVQ level 4 would help me get another job (perhaps outside aviation) - Looks like I'll have to manage without it.

Thanks again for the info folks and have a great christmas. :) :)

[SKYWALKER1]

Hi,

As an NVQ trainer but not in your field, I would suggest that you check out with your assessor and Internal Verifier what can happen. I personally would not give up on your level 4 as it is a valuable qualification to have. HNC/HND railroading basically. If you check with your assessment centre, which should be on your papers and ask them to revisit your portfolio I think you may be suprised. As this is in a different field to my training it may slightly differ, the point I am trying to make is that it is a worthwhile quailification and units can be used for other awarding bodies.
The Chamber of trade were doing assessments up in NCL, and they managed to complete level 3 customer service with some staff although the assessments were haphazzard and seemed short on evidence.

Dont give up on it.

[chinchaser]

Nightrider, Not sure if this is any use but here goes. I did complete the NVQ L4 thingy, all it involved post cap509, was an assessor coming along on the jump seat to see you operate in the airline enviroment, not to asses your flying. A relief as it was the worst approach I had done in to my home base!! wether it can still be completed i don't know but giving tim Sharland a call at Cabair might help clear things up for good one way or another.( 01234 751243) they did have an NVQ assessor who could sign the book off. The end result a fairly plain A4 Laminated placemat to stick on the wall or under the cats food bowl!! Cost was about £200ish i think to finally complete everything.

One way to look at it was a cheap degree ( as i believe that is ment to be the equivilant) still hope that helps!!

Regards and Happy Christmass to all!!

Chin. :eek:

[Night Rider]

Thanks again to everyone for their help and advice on this matter.

I certainly will persue the NVQ hopefully to a happy ending.

In the meantime, if anyone knows of any vacancies for airline pilots or flying instructors in the new year I'd be grateful for any information.

Thanks again ;) :)