NVQ
- officially demonstrates professional competence;
- takes into account and recognises already acquired professional skills;
- offers opportunities for career advancement and personal development.
The NVQ certificate is an official certificate with which you can prove your competence to practise a particular profession. Procedures for acquiring NVQs are relatively quick, as the acquisition of NVQs can take into account different skills that an individual has already acquired through work performed for employers, student work, voluntary work, leisure activities, participation in non-formal education programmes or courses, independent learning, use of different media, etc.
NVQ
Why did you decide to earn an NVQ certificate?
I have decided to earn the Safety advisor for the transport of dangerous goods NVQ certificate because of the increased scope of works and tasks in my own company, namely in the field of advisory services in the transport of dangerous goods. For 11 years, my company has been active in various areas of consulting, such as consulting in the field of chemicals, cleaning products, biocidal products, cosmetic products, etc. Due to the aforementioned fact, these products have also had to be transported from one country to another, or from one company to another. We know that these goods most often travel by road, rail, air and water, which is why I started paying attention and looking for more information, which I was later doing online. I gathered the first information while performing control visits in companies where I provide consultancy services in the aforementioned areas on a contractual basis, as well as by reading safety data sheets of dangerous chemicals. I was offered the opportunity to improve my knowledge, which is why I decided to apply for the procedure of obtaining the Safety advisor for the transport of dangerous goods NVQ certificate. As the rules in this area are regularly amended and updated, renewal verifications must be carried out once every five years. I have successfully renewed my NVQ certificate for the third time during this period.
How does the NVQ that you have earned help you as you exercise your profession?
The NVQ certificate and the knowledge that I have acquired enable me to perform the tasks of advising on the transport of dangerous goods, namely as a safety adviser on the transport of dangerous goods by road and rail. The transport of dangerous goods poses a significant risk to other road users, as well as a risk of environmental pollution. Therefore, all undertakings involved in the transport of dangerous goods, such as carriers, consignors, consignees and transport organisers, must take all necessary measures to reduce the risk to an acceptable level. The acquired NVQ certificate enables me to successfully advise these companies on how to meet legal requirements and, in particular, what measures need to be taken to minimise the risk of transporting dangerous goods, and I have been doing that for the past 11 years.
Marta Lačen
Why did you decide to earn a national vocational qualification certificate?
12 years ago, when I opened my own farm, my life was suddenly full of new challenges. I have gradually upgraded my knowledge in the field of fruit farming during various courses where I learned more about agriculture, safe use of plant protection products, and agricultural machinery. Due to a gradual increase in production and, as a consequence, the placement of crops and products on the market, I felt the need to earn an official qualification.
What does the national vocational qualification that you have earned mean to you, and how does it help you as you exercise your profession or your activities?
In addition to being able to present myself and my products on the market in a more confident fashion, this NVQ certificate will indirectly (through my farmer status) be useful for me for purchasing new agricultural land (pre-emptive right) and obtaining subsidies for the further development of my farm.
Matevž Žiberna