NVQ

abbrev

National Vocational Qualification

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NVQ UK [ˌen viː ˈkjuː] US [ˌen vi ˈkju] noun [countable] [singular NVQ plural NVQs]

National Vocational Qualification: a qualification in the UK in a technical subject

Thesaurus: degrees and other academic qualifications_hyponym

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NVQ [ˌen viː ˈkjuː] [ˌen viː ˈkjuː] noun

the abbreviation for ‘National Vocational Qualification ’ (a British qualification that shows that you have reached a particular standard in the work that you do)

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NVQ Level 3 in Catering

 

Culture:

vocational training [NVQ vocational training]

Vocational training is intended to give people the skills and knowledge they need to perform a particular job, and involves practical instruction as well as theory. Most vocational training takes place not in universities but in colleges of further education and in colleges specializing in art, accountancy, etc. Some secondary schools now also offer an introduction to vocational training.

↑NVQs (National Vocational Qualifications) are qualifications that can be obtained by people already working in a particular industry. Colleges of further education run courses to provide a theoretical background. NVQs are awarded on the basis of practical work, spoken and written tests, and coursework. There are five levels, from Foundation to Management. In schools and colleges people can combine study with practical training for particular kinds of employment by doing vocational ↑GCSEs or choosing a 2-year Diploma course for students aged 14–19 at three levels, Foundation, Higher and Advanced. There are also ↑BTEC courses in schools, colleges and universities.

In the US there are no national qualifications like NVQs, though some professional organizations decide on their own qualifications and some of these have become widely accepted. Much vocational training is done by private institutions which are sometimes called proprietary schools. Although many of these are good, in general they have a bad reputation. This is partly because there are no controls over who can operate such a school. Some proprietary schools try to get as many students as possible, including some who will probably not be able to complete their training.

Most US secondary schools programmes do not provide a choice between an academic and a practical track (= programme of study), but most do give students an opportunity to take some practical or vocational classes. Large school districts may have magnet schools, schools that attract students with certain interests, and some of these may have a larger choice of vocational courses.