In 2010, City & Guilds acquired e-portfolio company Learning Assistant. The move helped break down barriers between learners and assessors, creating easier and more accessible learning routes.
Despite the constant development of qualifications across the City & Guilds portfolio, learners have traditionally had to wrestle with reams of paper and folders in order to submit their work. With the introduction of digital e-portfolios, learners and assessors now have a smoother path to success. City & Guilds’ acquisition of
e-portfolio company Learning Assistant allows learners to use innovative software to upload evidence, review assessment criteria and send messages to their assessor. This breakthrough means that learners can access their course from anywhere at any time. One learner who has taken
advantage of the e-portfolio system is Sharan McMenamin, a childcare learner from North West Regional College in Derry. Sharan wanted to gain her qualification, but also had to balance her studies with looking after her baby. ‘I jumped at the chance to use an e-portfolio – I was able to get in touch with the assessor using the messaging facility whenever I needed,’ she says. ‘It was very convenient to use. The paper portfolio would’ve been a nightmare with the baby in the house, and it made it a lot simpler working off the computer.’
Reliable research
When questions were raised about the reliability of vocational education, City & Guilds’ input into Ofqual’s research showed that centres were more than able to meet the challenge.
In January 2011, a research assessment team from City & Guilds was asked by Ofqual to investigate the reliability of vocational qualifications. Reliability in this instance means consistency of assessment. For example, if a candidate was assessed on a different day, by a different assessor, would the person still be classified in the same category? Ofqual described the research as a ‘health check’ for education in the UK. City & Guilds’ input into the report
revealed that the verification process works effectively at ensuring consistency and reliability. At a time of radical change in vocational education, this is an area where further research may become necessary. Since the research project, City & Guilds has won two further Ofqual contracts.
WorldSkills provides a showcase of career opportunities, with employers large and small showing off their skills, apprenticeships and other training pathways
Supporting customers
With City & Guilds staff at the frontline of customer engagement, they need to keep their own skills current to ensure the courses succeed.
In September 2011, the City & Guilds Customer Support Events team ran a series of quality improvement events designed to give customer-facing internal and external verifiers the latest knowledge to help inform customers and benefit learners. The events were created following customer feedback, allowing less experienced staff to acquire new skills to help ease the process of verification and centre management. To ensure national consistency in the quality of service City & Guilds gives to its customers, the events were delivered in all City & Guilds offices throughout the UK. Jeannie McKay, a Quality Assurance Co- ordinator from the Falkland Islands, flew to the UK to attend. ‘Having travelled 8000 miles to attend these events, I had high expectations for my continuing professional development and I wasn’t disappointed,’ she said. ‘The presenters and content equipped me to pass on the very latest in assessment and quality assurance theory and practice, to help us all offer the best experience to our learners.’
Helping hands At WorldSkills London 2011, 75 City & Guilds staff volunteered to help out and assist the show’s 200,000 visitors