Age: 37
Current role: Childcare assessor/internal verifier
Qualifications: Montessori Teaching Diploma, Training and Development Lead Body Level 3, D34 Internal Verification Award, Introduction to Teacher Training
Where do I go from here?
The kind of training and career development routes that could be followed by an experienced childcare assessor who enjoys supporting other people's learning is outlined by Tina Jefferies
Experience
I have had 20 years experience working with all ages of children. After leaving school I did a two-year nursing course. I then worked for two years in a private day nursery, where I obtained my Montessori Teaching Diploma.
After this I spent five memorable years working in a girls' boarding school where I had my own nursery class and was resident house matron. My next move was to work as a manager at a nursery school.
With this knowledge and experience, I decided I wanted to support other people to achieve a childcare qualification and so went on to my training and development award. I have now been an assessor for eight and a half years, gaining my internal verification award and introduction to teaching.
What I do
A typical day for me is visiting my learners in their various settings. I cover a large area including Worcester, Hereford, Redditch, Birmingham and more.
I assess students by the standards of NVQ level 2 and 3. I make a judgement on their competency in accordance with NVQ standards, based on questions and observation of their performance and capability in their setting. I see myself as a 'people person' and enjoy using my knowledge to guide my learners. It is very satisfying when a learner achieves their goals, particularly if they left school a long time ago and have had to work hard.
Ambition
I am happy assessing and verifying for childcare at Aspiration Training. I would like to go on to achieve a playwork qualification and further my professional development with further training. I will continue to work hard and take great pleasure seeing delighted faces when a qualification is achieved.
Options
Linda clearly enjoys her work as an assessor and feels fulfilled when supporting others through their own learning and development. A good assessor is well organised, thorough and fully aware of how to develop professional practice to meet national quality standards. A natural career progression would be to broaden her training and assessing into other areas such as playwork, or by extending her assessor qualifications to become an external verifier. She must consider how she could enhance her strengths in these areas via further training or additional work opportunities.
External verifier for NVQs
By extending her existing work, Linda could become an external verifier (EV) for an NVQ examining body such as City and Guilds or Edexcel. After some initial training, the work would entail sampling students' work to check that tutors have marked work to the national standards for the specific NVQ they are studying. It would involve visiting training centres and receiving samples of study assignments to be crosschecked. Her current role as an internal verifier would be an ideal position from which to move into this kind of work. She is used to scrutinising and marking work within a training organisation. An objective and thorough approach to quality standards in training and development is vital to this role.
- Salary range: Varies according to volume of work, from £150 per day
Senior playworker (Part time)
Linda has expressed an interest in studying for a playwork qualification. If she were to complete at least a level 3 qualification, it would later enable her to teach and assess playwork courses, giving her an additional string to her bow. Her previous training and work experience in childcare and education would be valuable in this role, although specific playwork training would enhance her knowledge and skills of play in different contexts and with different age ranges of children. Her main duties would be to provide safe, stimulating, fun and accessible play environments for children. She would need to be a good communicator and work well as part of a team. This work can often be done on a part-time basis, which would fit in well with completing additional training or continuing in her assessor's role.
- Salary range: £20,000-plus (pro-rata)
Training Co-ordinator (Early Years and Childcare)
As a training co-ordinator, Linda would have to develop learning programmes, monitor and evaluate quality and maintain understanding of the current issues in early years and childcare. Training co-ordinators are employed by the local authority as part of a development team, or by independent training providers. Linda's knowledge of training and delivery standards would be an advantage in this position, as would her volume of experience as a practitioner. The role would involve liaising with settings, partners, funding bodies and other training providers, as well as facilitating some training and planning delivery structures.
- Salary range: generally £25,000 - £31,000 (regional/provider variations)
- Tina Jefferies, The Red Space Company
www.redspacecompany.com, e-mail info@redspacecompany.com.
