AMAP for Opportunity - The Training Organisation [Ref: 0025]

 

Review of Opportunity - The Training Organisation AMAP

 

Opportunity - The Training Organisation (OTTO)has reviewed the Accreditation and Moderation Action Plan (AMAP) above.

 

Date new version published                        November 2006

 

The next AMAP review is planned to take place during 2011.

 

Summary of review and consultation process

 

Feedback from moderators and industry personnel indicated that trainees were being awarded credit for unit standards without sufficient evidence of on-job experience having taken place.  For industry competency, on-job experience is an essential component of training programmes.  The unit standards were reviewed in June 2006 to clarify appropriate evidence for the award of credit.  Feedback also indicated that some staff carrying out crane operation training and assessment are not sufficiently qualified or experienced.

 

Further consultation was carried out with moderators, industry representatives, and OTTO Board members to determine what the requirements of accredited organisations should be, and the extent of on-job training required within training courses to adequately prepare trainees for work in the crane industry.

 

As a result, accreditation requirements have been added to the AMAP to reflect feedback (there were none previously), and the Moderation Information has been updated.  The OTTO Board has formally approved the AMAP.

 

Compliance with new requirements

 

Accreditation requirements will apply from January 2008 onwards.  Applicant organisations that are not compliant with the requirements are invited to contact OTTO for assistance in becoming compliant.

 

Moderation system requirements will apply with effect immediately, as there are no major changes.

 

Accredited organisations will be audited for compliance with AMAP requirements from January 2008 onwards.

 

Main changes resulting from the review

 

Version 3 replaced by version 4.

 

ACCREDITATION INFORMATION (AI)

 

Industry or sector-specific requirements for accreditation

 

Requirements have been added:

 

·        Criterion 1 - Development and evaluation of teaching programmes

      The applicant organisation must have policies and procedures to ensure:

      -     links with industry, including representation and frequency of contact, are established and maintained; this may be through an advisory group;

      -     there is industry input into the development and review of training programmes;

      -     for Crane Operation and Port Machinery Operations unit standards, the safety of students, tutors, and other people, particularly when cranes and gantries are being used.

 

• Criterion 2 - Staff selection, appraisal and development

      The applicant organisation must have policies and procedures to ensure:

      -     teaching and/or assessing staff have at least 12 months relevant industry experience, and qualification(s) equal to or higher than the unit standards that they are required to teach towards and/or assess against;

      -     a job description and person specification exists for each teaching and/or assessing position.

 

• Criterion 6 - Off-site practical or work-based components

      The applicant organisation must have policies and procedures to ensure a Memorandum of Understanding or contract with on-job providers exists where students are required to receive training and assessment in an on-job or work experience situation.  This applies to the practical unit standards.  The Memorandum of Understanding or contract must clearly state:

      -     the nature of the training and/or experience the students are to receive, and how this is integrated into the programme;

      -     responsibilities for the health and safety of students

      -     responsibilities for carrying out assessment and reporting of credit.

 

MODERATION INFORMATION (MI)

 

Moderation System

• The process for both pre-assessment and post-assessment moderation has been clarified.

 

Reporting

• Information has been added outlining the OTTO procedures regarding annual reporting, identifying the place of the National Moderator in this process.

 

Funding

• Industry contribution has been included.

 

Non-compliance with moderation requirements

• Non-compliance information has been clarified to reflect current practice and template requirements.

 

Appeals

·        The process for an accredited organisation to appeal a moderation decision has been added.  This has replaced the Disputes information on the previous version of the AMAP.