Plumbing, Domestic Gas and Renewables Apprenticeship Assessment Assessor

Job Description

Permanent Full-Time
Location: Hybrid/Remote with travel for assessments up to 250 miles with over night stays in UK regions
Salary: £38,000 - £47,000
Reports to: Trade Area Lead Assessor
Line Management Responsibilities: No

Overview

VQA is the fastest-growing Awarding Organisation in the UK and a market-leading End-Point Assessment Organisation. We work with over 500 schools, colleges, universities, and training providers across the world to provide qualification certificates, endorsements, and apprenticeships to over 150,000 learners.

What’s the secret to our success? Simply put, we do things differently here!

The role of an Apprenticeship Assessment Assessor is to provide independent, fair, reliable and consistent assessment services to VQA customers working with Apprenticeship Standards. Apprenticeship Assessment Assessors are required to use assessment experience alongside robust and relevant industry knowledge to form judgements and grading decisions upon the completion of a variety of assessment activities, which test apprentices’ occupational competence.

This role requires someone who is flexible in their approach to all tasks, with the independence to travel as and when the business requires. The successful candidate will demonstrate exceptional assessment abilities, alongside the ability to act with integrity and impartiality.

The successful post holder will not only be responsible for delivering an agreed caseload of Apprenticeship Assessments, but will also undertake internal quality assurance-based tasks and support the development of assessment materials and the training and induction of new assessors where required.

The specialist areas covered by this role include:

• Plumbing
• Domestic Gas
• Renewable Heating Technologies, including air-source and ground-source heat pump systems.
  

The Plumbing, Domestic Gas and Renewables Apprenticeship Assessment Assessor is expected to complete 3–4 assessments per week.

Key responsibilities

• Deliver independent end-point assessments across plumbing, domestic gas and renewable heating pathways for which you are approved and occupationally competent.
• Plan and manage an assigned caseload, ensuring assessments, records and feedback are completed within agreed timescales.
• Carry out applicable knowledge tests, professional discussions, practical observations and portfolio reviews in line with assessment plans.
• Make fair, valid, reliable and evidence-based assessment decisions, documenting the rationale clearly.
• Maintain accurate assessment records and protect apprentice and customer information.
• Contribute to standardisation, sampling, internal quality assurance and audit activity.
• Maintain up-to-date occupational competence, assessment knowledge and continuing professional development.
• Follow relevant safeguarding, health and safety, data protection, equality and conflict-of-interest requirements.
• Keep assessment environments and resources ready and appropriate for delivery.

Other responsibilities

• Support reviews and updates of assessment materials, apprenticeship standards and assessment plans within your trade specialisms.
• Help induct and train new assessors where required.
• Complete relevant training and support quality improvements across the assessment service.
• Undertake other duties appropriate to the role and organisational needs.

Essential Skills / Experience / Qualifications

• Level 3 qualification in Plumbing (NVQ Level 3, Advanced Apprenticeship or equivalent).
  
• Current domestic gas qualifications covering relevant appliances, alongside appropriate air-source and/or ground-source heat pump qualifications and occupational competence for the pathways assessed.
  
• Relevant technical certifications identified in the job description, including CCN1, CENWAT, HTR1, MET1, CKR1, CPA1 or ground-source/air-source certification, as applicable.
  
• WRAS Water Regulations and G3 Unvented Cylinders qualifications.
  
• Recognised assessor qualification (A1, D32/33 or TAQA).
  
• Experience assessing work-based learning and strong understanding of apprenticeship standards and competence-based assessment.
  
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to provide clear assessment feedback.
  
• Confidence using digital assessment systems and remote assessment tools.
  
• Ability to work independently, manage competing priorities and maintain quality and compliance.
  
• A valid driving licence and willingness to travel between assessment centres.
  
• First Aid training or willingness to undertake it.
  

Desirable Skills / Experience / Qualifications

• Level 3 Award in End-Point Assessment, or willingness to work towards it.
  
• Recent relevant industry experience, normally within the last two to three years.
  
• IQA qualification (V1, D34 or TAQA IQA), or willingness to work towards internal verification training.
  
• Experience delivering end-point assessment or other regulated vocational assessment.
• Knowledge of Skills England, Ofqual and external quality assurance frameworks.

Key characteristics

Here are just a few of the essential soft skills you will need to successfully join our team:

• Ability to recognise opportunities for change and improvement and take a solution-focused approach
  
• Be confident and ambitious, with a positive “can do, will do” attitude
  
• Be able to build and maintain strong working relationships with colleagues, customers and stakeholders
  
• Be self-motivated, enthusiastic and able to work independently as well as part of a wider team
  
• Be highly organised, adaptable and able to manage competing priorities effectively
  
• Be able to see the bigger picture and understand how your role contributes to the wider business
  
• Be passionate about apprenticeships, education and supporting individuals to demonstrate their occupational competence
  
• Demonstrate integrity, professionalism and impartiality in all aspects of your work
  
• Present a positive and professional image of VQA at all times
  
• Have a willingness to learn, develop and embrace new ways of working
  
• Be approachable, courteous and respectful in all interactions
  
• Be willing to support colleagues and put the wider team first.

Key Benefits

• Training, Qualifications & Apprenticeships. It’s what we do!
• Company sick pay upon completion of probation.
• 25 days annual leave plus 8 days Bank Holiday (33 in total).
• Additional annual leave day each year, after 2 years of continuous service (up to 28 days).
• An extra day off to celebrate your birthday and the Christmas period.
• Annual Loyalty Bonus.
• Annual salary review.
• Bupa healthcare benefits.
• Group Income Protection.
• Life Assurance.
• Employee Assistance Programme (EAP).
• NEST pension.
• Cycle-to-work scheme.
• A workplace that supports a healthy work/life balance.
  

*We are an equal opportunities employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. Should you require any additional support during the recruitment process due to a disability, please contact us so we can assist you.*

Please note that TQUK has rebranded to VQA. As part of this transition, you may still see references to TQUK in some of our communications, documents and systems. These references relate to the same organisation and do not affect your application or the services provided.

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