Internal Verifier Training Standard

OPITO APPROVED STANDARD

Internal Verifier Training Standard

OPITO Approved Standard Internal Verifier Training Standard ©© OOPPIITTOO

Revision 0 (10-Feb 2009); Amendment 2 (09-Apr 2009) of 16

The content of this document was developed by OPITO in consultation with industry and Competence Management System (CMS) discipline experts. Guidance and advice on this standard is available by contacting: OPITO Minerva House Bruntland Road Portlethen Aberdeen AB12 4QL Tel: 01224 787800 Fax: 01224 787830 Email: [email protected] © OPITO All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval or information storage system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission in writing of OPITO.

AMENDMENTS

AMENDMENT & DATE PAGES CHANGES MADE BY

CHECKED BY

APPROVED BY

Revision 0 released 10-Feb 2009

1 Removed “nationally recognised” from delegate, training staff and assessor requirements 20-Mar 2009

5, 12 T. Wilson L. Geddes J. Cameron

2 Rewrote the Exclusion Notes for improved clarity 09-Apr 2009

4 T. Wilson T. Grimes J. Cameron

Any amendments made to this standard by OPITO will be recorded above.



CONTENTS INTRODUCTION 4 What is competence assessment and why are internal verifiers required? When to use the OPITO Approved Internal Verifier Award Is there associated documentation? SECTION A TRAINING PROGRAMME A.1 Target Group 5 A.2 Delegate Experience and Attributes 5 A.3 Learning Outcomes 6 A.4 Training Programme 7-9

A.5 Duration of Training 10 A.6 Assessment 10 A.7 Workplace Evidence Requirements 11

SECTION B RESOURCES FOR THE TRAINING PROGRAMME

B.1 Staff 12 B.2 Trainer/Delegate Ratio 12 B.3 Facilities & Location of Training 13 B.4 Materials 14

SECTION C OUTCOME OF THE TRAINING PROGRAMME C.1 Certification and Recording 15 Appendix 1 Feedback Scenario Examples 16



INTRODUCTION What is competence assessment and why are internal verifiers required? To be competent, a person must be able to perform his/her work to the standards laid down by an organisation, and in accordance with industry and legal demands. Competence is an outcome. It demonstrates what an individual CAN DO rather than the learning process which the candidate has undertaken. In order to measure someone’s ability, there must be clear and widely accessible standards through which performance is measured and recognised. To ensure that employees within organisations work in accordance with their operational standards and are complying with regulations, assessors confirm candidates’ competence to ensure they are ready to progress. Internal verifiers are required to authenticate their organisation’s assessors’ judgements so that expectations and results are standardised across a company. Verification is a quality assurance role; essential so that all those involved in the assessment process know what’s happening and the part they play. When to use the OPITO Approved Internal Verifier Award This internal verifier award is designed to be utilised by any organisation where verification of competence assessments is required as part of a competence management system. Exclusion Notes: 1. Achievement of this qualification does not entitle the holder to award any OPITO approved competence certificates (i.e. to their organisation's employees). Applications to award OPITO certification must be made to OPITO and the organisation's competence management system must be OPITO approved. The route to approval can be found in the Documents Library (Approved Competence Management System Criteria) on www.opito.com. 2. Completing the OPITO internal verifier award will not equip the holder to verify UK National or Scottish Vocational Qualifications. For non-UK national or vocational qualifications, delegates should clarify this internal verifier award's applicability with the relevant organisation prior to embarking on this training. Is there associated documentation?

The OPITO Approved Competence Assessor Training Standard is available to introduce new personnel to the assessor role and to maintain the quality of participants in an organisation’s assessment structure.



SECTION A TRAINING PROGRAMME A.1 Target Group The information contained in this document is for training providers whether they are independent or members of an organisation’s in-house training department. It imparts the requirements for initial training to enable trainee internal verifiers, now referred to as delegates*, acquire the necessary knowledge and skills which underpin the tasks to be performed. Upon successful completion of the training, the delegate would be able to verify workplace assessments. A.2 Delegate Experience and Attributes Attendance on this programme is open to delegates who:

• Have an OPITO Approved Competence Assessor certificate or equivalent, and relevant experience as an assessor in the workplace (i.e. have an assessment record covering a minimum of two stand-alone competence units)

• Are willing to verify assessment decisions • Are prepared to ask questions as required to clarify an element of the standard(s)

being assessed • Have the ability to judge whether the assessor’s performance/responses are

acceptable and satisfy the requirements of the standard(s) being assessed • Have the ability to correctly complete the verification paperwork/report • Are able to give constructive feedback to the assessor on the results of the internal

verification. • Are willing to take part in external audits of their organisation’s CMS

*Note: For the purpose of this standard: Delegates are the people attending this internal verifier training programme. Assessors are those whose judgements will be authenticated by the internal verifier. Candidates are the individuals whose performance will be assessed in the workplace. The competence focal point is the person or department responsible for overseeing the CMS and maintaining competence assessment records in the organisation. In some organisation’s CMS, the competence focal point role may fall under the responsibility of the Internal Verifier.



A.3 Learning Outcomes & Training Summary Delegates, following a series of explanations, demonstrations and opportunities to practise, will be assessed against the following learning outcomes. Section Objective Learning Outcomes On completion of this training the delegate will be able to (items in bold have a practical element in the course):

1. Describe the purpose of a competence programme

2. Describe the differences between quality control and quality assurance Module 1

Component 1

Explain the purpose and scope of competence management systems, in order to: 3. Describe the roles and responsibilities of

personnel involved in the quality assurance process

1. Run the induction process for new assessors Module 2

Component 1 Recognise how to support assessors, in order to: 2. Confirm that assessors have acceptable

technical/vocational experience 1. Plan each verification process with individual

assessors 2. Ensure best practice of observing assessors

conducting assessments in the workplace 3. Provide a robust process where observation of

assessors in the workplace is not viable 4. Ensure the consistency and quality of

assessment decisions with appropriate sampling processes

Module 2 Component 2

Monitor and verify assessment records, in order to:

5. Recognise discrimination in assessment decisions

1. Meet with competence personnel on a regular basis

2. Discuss variances in decisions between assessors and locations and share best practice

3. Provide information for an external audit


Assure the competency process, in order to:

4. Use external audit results to improve internal procedures

1. Ensure data protection and confidentiality 2. Give feedback to the assessors and receive

their feedback in return 3. Ensure all verification documentation is

complete and returned to the competence focal point


Ensure record keeping and communication methods are robust, in order to:

4. Deal with disputes and appeals effectively Note: Additionally, the Learning Outcomes will be consolidated by the production of further workplace assessments, details of which are outlined in Section A.7 Workplace Evidence Requirements.



Continued… A.4 Training Programme In order to make efficient use of the time available, and ensure effective learning, there will be an integration of the three phases of explanation, demonstration and practice. The training programme outlined below will assist delegates to meet the stated learning outcomes. MODULE 1 THE COMPETENCE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM Component 1 The Quality Assurance Process Give an overview of:

a) The purpose of competence programmes that the delegate will encounter in the workplace (referring to the delegate’s company-specific procedures and documentation wherever possible)

b) The difference between Quality Control (checking the end product) and Quality Assurance (checking the process)

c) The main benefits of internal verification and the need for a formal process d) The responsibilities of employees, line managers, competence assessors, internal

verifiers and competence focal points in the organisation’s Competence Management System

e) The role of OPITO and its requirements relative to competence management within the oil and gas industry

MODULE 2 THE INTERNAL VERIFIER’S ROLE Component 1 Supporting assessors Give an overview of:

a) Providing guidance and support for a new assessor in a CMS induction meeting b) The importance of ensuring assessors have acceptable technical/vocational

experience for each assessment they are required to perform c) Contributing to the professional development of assessors

Practical Exercise 2.1.1: Ask two delegates to role play an induction meeting for a new assessor (one delegate role playing as the internal verifier, one as the assessor), including giving/receiving information on the company processes. The remainder of the class (where applicable) should evaluate the role play performances and make suggestions (if necessary) for improving the process. Where there are only two delegates in the class, this feedback will be undertaken by the course facilitator.

Continued…



MODULE 2 THE INTERNAL VERIFIER’S ROLE continued… Component 2 Monitoring and verifying the quality of assessments Give an overview of:

a) Planning the verification process with individual assessors b) Competence assurance ‘best practice’ of observing assessors during an assessment

process to check their familiarity with:

• Their organisation’s competence assessment procedures • Preparing and planning assessments • Applying safe, fair, valid and reliable methods of assessing • Giving feedback to candidates

c) How to provide a robust process for ensuring quality assurance of the assessment

process where observation of assessors during an assessment is not a viable option d) Monitoring the accuracy and security of the assessment records and record keeping

process e) The need for random sampling and obtaining a representative group f) Using appropriate sampling methods to ensure assessment decisions are:

• Valid, fair, reliable and safe • Consistent over time

g) Sampling processes providing data to ensure the robustness of:

• Each individual assessor’s judgements • The decisions of a number of assessors • The decisions at different assessment sites

h) Recognising discrimination (e.g. age, sex, culture, etc) in assessment decisions

Practical Exercise 2.2.1: Providing an identical pack of assessment decisions and accompanying evidence (with variances/irregularities) from one assessor or one location, over the same unit of a standard and between several candidates, have each delegate individually sample and verify the judgements made. Discuss and explain if the assessment process was valid, fair, reliable and safe. Record any pertinent issues. These points will form the basis of discussion for a standardisation meeting in Practical Exercise 2.3.1.

Continued…



MODULE 2 THE INTERNAL VERIFIER’S ROLE continued… Component 3 Assuring the competency process Give an overview of:

a) Meeting with assessors and the competence focal point on a regular basis b) Holding regular assessment standardisation meetings and sharing best practice c) Communicating standardisation and best practice issues when standardisation

meetings are difficult to arrange d) Planning for, and contributing to, an external audit e) Discussing, agreeing and implementing external audit results to improve internal

procedures Practical Exercise 2.3.1: Based on the results from Practical Exercise 2.2.1 hold a standardisation meeting and discuss the variances between assessments. Have the delegates suggest solutions. One delegate should chair the meeting; another should take minutes using company documentation to record the details where possible. Component 4 Record keeping and communications Give an overview of:

a) Ensuring confidentiality and data protection is maintained b) Keeping records of all sampling results so verifiers can give feedback to the

assessors c) Giving assessors feedback on their performance and providing feedback at

appropriate intervals and in appropriate situations d) Strategies for coping with disagreements and barriers to the competency process e) Encouraging assessors to provide their own feedback to the internal verifier f) Signing off verification documentation and returning it to the competence focal point g) The importance of a complaints and appeals procedure, how/when to use it, and the

internal verifier’s role as first point of contact Practical Exercise 2.4.1: Using several feedback scenarios (see examples in Appendix 1) ask the delegates to role play a feedback session between an internal verifier and an assessor in which a difficult issue or disagreement is raised. The remainder of the class, or where delegate numbers are low, the facilitator, should evaluate the role play performances and make suggestions (if necessary) for improving the feedback session.



A.5 Duration of Training

The optimum 'contact time' for this training and assessment programme is 7 hours. It is suggested that a ratio of 60% to 40% theory to practical is appropriate. The total contact time per training day shall not exceed 8 hours. The total training day shall not exceed 10 hours (the total training day includes contact time, coffee and meal breaks, and travel time between training sites where applicable). A.6 Assessment Delegates attending this internal verifier training programme will be given a series of explanations and demonstrations which will identify what they are expected to know and do. The theory sessions will be interspersed by practical exercises allowing delegates to demonstrate their skills, knowledge and understanding of the internal verifier role. All practical exercises shall use, wherever possible, the actual paperwork that the delegates are expected to use in their workplace. Delegates will also complete a half hour (maximum) written test in a closed book and silent environment to prove the underlying knowledge and demonstrable skills of each learning outcome (see section A.3). A combination of multiple choice questions, true/false and short written answers should be used in developing the test. The training staff should not assist the delegates in completing the test unless they are asking for clarity in a question or have known learning difficulties. A pass mark of 80 percent is required. The training provider should answer and discuss each question with the class after the test to reinforce the learning.



A.7 Workplace Evidence Requirements The following assessment evidence, generated in the workplace, is to be provided by each delegate or their organisation’s competence focal point to the training provider within six months of completion of the OPITO Internal Verifier Training course. This evidence will be assessed and accepted by the training provider prior to their issue of an OPITO certificate. Evidence Requirements: For two assessors (who will be the same throughout) the delegate must submit (to the training provider):

a) Verification plans for each assessor b) Records of verification of two stand-alone competence units c) Records showing how the verification decisions were reached d) Records of verification feedback e) Record of an assessor standardisation meeting

On receipt of the above documentation, the training provider will:

1. Make a judgement for each delegate of "Competent", or "Not Yet Competent" and feed this information, along with any corrective actions, back to the delegate and/or the competence focal point for action.

2. Where the judgement is "Competent", the training provider will inform the delegate and will issue a certificate. The delegate should retain all training material and assessment records resulting from the course. The training provider should keep a copy of the completed assessment evidence i.e. completed test paper, evidence required from the workplace plus course evaluation forms, for OPITO audit purposes.

3. Where the judgement is "Not Yet Competent", the training provider should make every effort, via feedback to the delegate and/or the competence focal point, to assist the delegate become “Competent” (then revert to Point 2 above). Where these efforts are exhausted and a "Competent" decision cannot be made, the delegate should attend re-training at the employer’s cost.



SECTION B RESOURCES FOR THE TRAINING PROGRAMME In order that this internal verifier training programme may be delivered successfully, it is essential that the correct people with the relevant skills conduct and support the programme and that the appropriate facilities and equipment are in place. B.1 Staff Instructional staff will be required to carry out training, and assessors will be required to judge the delegate’s competence. It is important that the staff involved have the appropriate qualifications and experience.

All instructional staff must:

(a) Be trained in instructional/lecture techniques and/or have proven instructing/teaching experience

(b) Hold an OPITO Internal Verifier Certificate or equivalent

(c) Have their training and development needs regularly reviewed and have a

programme in place to meet any identified requirements

All assessors must:

(a) Be discipline experts trained and qualified in assessment techniques (b) Hold an OPITO Internal Verifier Certificate or equivalent

B.2 Trainer/Delegate Ratio

(a) It is recommended that the maximum number of delegates attending this programme is 8

(b) The minimum number of delegates attending this programme is 2 (c) The following ratios indicate the maximum number of delegates to be

supervised by one instructor at any one time during each activity:

Theory 1:8 Demonstration 1:8 Practical 1:8

Continued…



Section B Resources continued… B.3 Facilities & Location of Training Facilities In order to deliver the internal verifier training course the following facilities need to be in place:

• Administration arrangements to support delegates from booking through registration and assessment to certification

• Theory training area(s) and practical training area(s) designed to enable each

delegate to participate fully in the activities listed in the training programme and which will not be used simultaneously for any other activity

NOTE: Special facilities may be required for some types of practical assessment and

verification dictated by the employing organisation’s competence system. All facilities must be maintained, and where appropriate, inspected and tested in accordance with current standards/legislation. Location of Training It is recognised that the restricted range of resources and facilities required makes this course suitable for on-location training. However, prior to any courses being delivered remotely, training providers must comply with the following requirements:

a) Prior to initial approval, the training provider will specify a single ‘approved site’ and advise OPITO of its intention to deliver training remotely.

b) The training provider will advise OPITO of the location of any remote training in advance of each delivery.

c) The training provider shall ensure the suitability of facilities and arrangements prior to delivery.

d) Documented evidence will be retained by the training provider to show that delivery of training at the remote site meets the criteria detailed in this OPITO standard including, but not limited to, facilities, equipment and qualification of instructional & assessment staff.

e) Documented management procedures shall be retained which record any measures required to assure the quality and safety of on location training.

f) All records and associated documentation must be retained at a single, specified location, mutually agreed with OPITO, and made available at time of audit.

g) OPITO reserves the right to physically audit any or all of the remote sites operated by the training provider.

Continued…



Section B Resources continued… B.4 Materials As a minimum, the following materials will be required: Practical Exercise 2.1.1

Induction checklist (to be provided by the training provider if the document does not exist in the company’s CMS)

Practical Exercise 2.2.1

A pack of assessment decisions and accompanying evidence (with variances/irregularities) from one assessor or one location, over the same unit of a standard and between several candidates (one pack for each delegate)


Company documentation for holding a standardisation meeting (to be provided by the training provider if the document does not exist in the company’s CMS)


Feedback scenarios to guide the role play (see Appendix 1)



SECTION C OUTCOME OF THE TRAINING PROGRAMME C.1 Certification and Recording An OPITO certificate will be issued by the training provider to all delegates assessed as meeting the stated Learning Outcomes in A.3 and A.7. The issue of a certificate indicates that the delegate has achieved the level of competence required to be recognised as an OPITO Certified Internal Verifier. Details of all delegates attending the training course and of all certificates issued will be recorded on the Central Register operated by OPITO. Training establishments are responsible for ensuring the following: (a) The issuing of certificates direct to the delegate completing the programme. Each certificate must indicate the course is accredited by OPITO and must contain the following:

· Establishment Name · Full OPITO Course Title · OPITO course code · Delegate’s Name · Course Dates · Unique Certificate Number · Establishment Signatory

(b) Each delegate attending any OPITO approved programme will complete a Central Register (CR) registration form.

(c) Where the delegate successfully completes the programme, the information from these completed forms must be emailed by the training establishment to [email protected] within a week of the delegate completing the training and final assessment (an electronic registration template is available from [email protected]). Please note: New training providers (to OPITO) will be required to send both the original (paper) registration forms, and the electronic registration until notified otherwise by Central Registration.



Appendix 1 Feedback Scenarios Examples Feedback scenarios, based on characteristics similar to the examples below, are to be devised by the training provider. Example #1

Assessor: • Opinionated, sure of them self, has been assessing for a long time • Makes no effort to put the candidate at ease and asks brusque, sharp

questions • Sometimes gets in the way during the assessment • Decided the candidate was Not Yet Competent because of his/her

nervousness Internal Verifier:

• Has just become the internal verifier for this assessor • Believes the candidate was put under too much pressure and didn’t get a fair

assessment • Has documentation from other assessors that shows the candidate has been

deemed Competent on a previous occasion for a similar task Challenge: How does the internal verifier present comments on the assessor’s technique that ensures that future assessments are handled more compassionately? Is a standardisation meeting required to see why two opposite decisions on the same candidate have been made? Example #2

Assessor: • New to assessment and very enthusiastic • Asked a great deal of detailed, theoretical questions • Took a lot of notes and a long time to assess the candidate • Resultant report was long winded, the candidate was deemed competent, but

the assessor didn’t provide relevant evidence to back up the detailed observation

Internal Verifier:

• Appreciates the assessor’s energy, but worries that he/she is over-assessing candidates

• If it continues in this way it will take a long time to complete the assessment Challenge: How does the internal verifier explain the need for boundaries in assessment? How does the verifier show that he/she appreciates the new assessor’s commitment, but that appropriate technique and record keeping are required as well?

Internal Verifier Training Standard

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