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Project Control National Occupational Standards and NVQ

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Shane ForthMember for 24 years 9 months
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With the high interest here on planning planet recently concerning accreditation, you may be interested to know there are a series of NVQ’s at Levels 2, 3 and 4 incorporating planning and scheduling, cost control, estimating and commercial.

The NVQ framework can be found at the following link :

http://www.acoste.org.uk/provoc_content.php?page_id=436&track=Qualification

NVQ’s are competence based rather then an exam or test. Independant assesments of a candidates evidence is quality assured to prove an individuals competence.

Anyone who achieves a Level 4 NVQ in Project Control is a truly competent professional at management level. Some of the Units are mandatory, others are optional - so people achieving an NVQ can complete it with a Planning & Scheduling, Cost or Estinmating bias.

NVQ 2 is for new entrants to project control, and NVQ 3 is for competent practitioners.

The NVQ programme is underpined by National Occupational Standards developed by project control practitioners in the UK for Project Control, incorporating planning and scheduling, cost control, estimating and commercial.


There are current around 300 project controls people in the UK participating in Project Control NVQ’s

It is also possible for people to undertake the programme outside the UK via remote assessment.

The National Occupational Standardss can be found on the following links:

Project Control
http://www.acoste.org.uk/uploads/Project%20Control%20National%20Occupational%20Standards%20for%20Level%203%20and%204%20NVQs.pdf

Project Control Support
http://www.acoste.org.uk/uploads/Project%20Control%20National%20Occupational%20Standards%20for%20Level%202%20NVQ.pdf

For more information contact the Association of Cost Engineers at :

ACostE offices:
Sanbach Cheshire
Email:enquiries@acoste.org.uk
Phone: 01270 764 798



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  1. 0
    Mike Testro ·
    #1
    Hi Shane

    Brilliant It seems to fit the bill.

    Until I got to the cost bit:

    Level 2:- around £2300 plus travel costs

    Level 3:- around £2500 plus travel costs

    Level 4:- around £2900 plus travel costs

    Also the 12-15 months seems to put a damper on things.

    Some people may be interested though.

    Best regards

    Mike Testro
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  2. 0
    Shane Forth ·
    #2
    Mike

    Regarding timescale, I have a couple of senior practitioners who completed Level 4 in 9 months and as this is a vocational qualification this means they continued to do their normal "day job" and just needed to find a relaticvely small number of hours a week to compile evidence + attend periodic assessment visits of 1-2 hours.

    It’s not the same for eveyone, but typical candidates would need to spend about 4 hours a week on this on top of their "day job"

    The costs will vary depending on the assessment centre. There are currently at least two in the UK as you will have discovered.

    The costs you mention are indicative and based on someone only taking one level. However, a significant part of the cost of the NVQ’s is for candidate registration etc. at the start.

    So for example, a candidate who moves straight from Level 2 (say £2300) to Level 3 (say 2500) might not necessarily pay the full £4800.

    Obviously this website is not the place to discuss the commercial in detail but ACostE, ProVoc and the Assssment Centres can advise/help.

    Also, for individuls who want to take the NVQ but work Ltd Company or Contract, I believe grants may be available as a contribution, from the ECITB (subject to availability of regional funding)

    Visit the following ECITB website and click on CONTACTS to identify your regional office

    http://www.ecitb.org.uk/

    Before doing so you may also be interested in viewing the ECITB video on careers in project controls if your work involves bringing new entrants into the profession.
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  3. 0
    Mike Testro ·
    #3
    Hi Shane

    I am pleased that you have got this thread moving and I hope you get a lot of feedback.

    I am a self qualified standalone freelance consultant and I do not need any qualifications above the GCE O level carpentry and C&G Bricklaying that have worked very well so far.

    Take a look at my thread Accreditation by Experience and tell me what you think.

    Best regards

    Mike Testro
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  4. 0
    Shane Forth ·
    #4
    Mike, Thanks for inviting me to look at your Accreditation Through Experience Thread. Your thoughts and those that follow from Charlestron and Chris on the thread are all interesting and along the right lines. This PEO suggestion of a thesis is similar to the "Certified Cost Engineer" route within ACostE Years of experience is an interesting subject. Whilst guidelines such as those you have suggested are useful, there will be different opinions. The ACostE stance is that Determination of what constitutes a sufficient number of years experience will be at the discretion of the Certification Board and would be unlikely to be less than four years. The following activities are examples of eligible experience, but are not exhaustive. a. Continuous employment in a cost engineering position requiring the direct application of the principles and practice of cost engineering. b. Regular employment or direct supervision in the instruction of the techniques of cost engineering. c. Regular employment in the management or supervision of a cost engineering function. d. Self-employment as a cost engineering consultant. More on the following link : http://www.acoste.org.uk/content_R.php?page_id=335& (you will need to scroll down) I will some comments to your thread.
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  5. 0
    Tony McClennon ·
    #5

    I am looking into gaining a

    I am looking into gaining a formal qualification in Project Controls, but am not sure if the NVQ qualification is still being offered, as I have had no success in finding the course through the Learn Direct website.

    Would be grateful if someone could confirm if it is still being offered, and any sites for  providers/assessors.

    Thanks.

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  6. 0
    Tony McClennon ·
    #6

    I am looking into gaining a

    I am looking into gaining a formal qualification in Project Controls, but am not sure if the NVQ qualification is still being offered, as I have had no success in finding the course through the Learn Direct website.

    Would be grateful if someone could confirm if it is still being offered, and any sites for  providers/assessors.

    Thanks.

    Report
  7. 0
    Jenni MacGregor ·
    #7

    http://www.acoste.org.uk/temp

    http://www.acoste.org.uk/template_content_F.php?page_id=389&track=TASC

    Tony,

    Follow the link above to access the current qualifications information and follow through to http://www.tasc.eu.com/index.asp for the service provider.

    Regards Jenni

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