Assessing competence - the stress-free way!
26 January 2018
In November 2017,
City and Guilds updated their 2365 level 2 and level 3 courses. The biggest changes have been in the assessment of level 3 material, with a large reduction in written assignments, and more emphasis on assessment of knowledge by open design work and multi-choice exams.
There have been changes that affect the level 2 qualification, too. One compulsory Unit that is common to both the level 2 and level 3 2365 qualifications is 'Health and Safety in Building Services Engineering.' (Candidates taking both level 2 and level 3 qualifications need to do this once, on level 2.)
You are required to demonstrate competence in:
- identifying and dealing with workplace hazards
- manual handling
- safe use of ladders
- safe use of mobile scaffold towers
- safe isolation
- safe use of power tools
Many learners come on to the course with preconceptions about health and safety - some positive, some negative. Usually, their faces drop when the subject comes up. As trainers and tutors, it's our role to ensure that the knowledge and skills go in, in an effective way, and we achieve this by making the practical assessment as enjoyable as we can, and do things as efficiently as possible, whilst ensuring that all learners take the tasks seriously and meet the required standards of competence.
We recently led a class of 18 level 2 learners through the practical aspects of this updated health and safety unit - it was a hectic, but very enjoyable day! On a cold, but sunny January Sunday, learners demonstrated competence in all areas required, and we collected 108 photographs of them performing various tasks to evidence this - I had a fine time sorting through all these photographs to identify who was who!
As well as completing their health and safety units, the whole class also passed both of their remaining two technical assessments, on Electrical Installations Technology, and Understanding how to Communicate with Others in Building Services Engineering - an outstanding result! I will look forward to welcoming many of them back when they begin their level 3 course very shortly.
Dr Steve Sharples MIET
Lecturer / Electrical Assessor
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