Requirements for centre staff including tutors, assessors and IQAs.
Staffing requirements
Select an option below to find out more about specific staffing requirements for each role. Some qualifications have additional requirements for tutors, assessors and IQAs which can usually be found in the qualification specification.
Tutors are on the front line planning, delivering and evaluating programmes of learning to meet the needs of all learners registered on YMCA Awards qualifications.
Tutors usually require a discipline specific qualification at or above the level being delivered, as well as one of the following teaching qualifications (or an equivalent):
- Level 3 Award, Level 4 Certificate or Level 5 Diploma in Education and Training
- Bachelor of Education (BEd)
- Certificate in Education (Cert Ed)
- Preparing to Teach in the Lifelong Learning Sector (PTLLS)
- Certificate in Teaching in the Lifelong Learning Sector (CTLLS)
- Diploma in Teaching in the Lifelong Learning Sector (DTLLS)
- City & Guilds Further and Adult Education Teaching Certificate
- Postgraduate Certificate in Education(PGCE)
- SVQ Learning and Development (units should relate to provision of learning and development)
We will consider approving individuals working towards a teaching qualification provided this is achieved within 12 months of approval.
Assessors use their subject matter and technical expertise to make informed judgments on the range of evidence produced by learners to demonstrate their knowledge, skills and understanding.
Assessors can only assess in their area of technical competence and experience. This means assessors need a discipline specific qualification at or above the level being delivered, as well as one of the following assessor qualifications (or an equivalent):
- Level 3 Certificate in Assessing Vocational Achievement
- Level 3 Award in Assessing Competence in the Work Environment
- Assessor unit A1 Assess Candidates Using a Range of Methods
- D32/33 Assess Candidate Performance Using Differing Sources of Evidence
Holders of A1 and D32/33 qualifications should work to the reviewed National Occupational Standards for Learning and Development which can be found on the NOS Database.
We will consider approving individuals working towards an assessor qualification where:
- there is evidence of a support plan for the trainee assessor
- the assessor qualification will be achieved within 12 months of approval
- assessment decisions are countersigned by a qualified assessor to ensure the learner has achieved the required standard
The assessor may also be the tutor. However, the assessor cannot be the internal quality assurer (IQA).
Internal quality assurers/internal verifiers (IQAs) are responsible for maintaining standards. They do this by using their subject matter and technical expertise to make informed judgments on the practice of – and decisions made by – the assessment team.
IQAs can only quality assurer assessment decisions in their area of technical competence and experience. This usually requires IQAs to have a discipline specific qualification at or above the level being delivered, as well as one of the following internal quality assurance qualifications (or an equivalent):
- Level 4 Award in Internal Quality Assurance
- Level 4 Certificate in Leading Internal Quality Assurance
- SVQ Learning and Development Unit 11 Internally Monitor and Maintain the Quality of Workplace Assessment
- V1 Conduct Internal Quality Assurance of the Assessment Process
- D34 Internally Verify the Assessment Process
Holders of V1 and D34 qualifications should work to the reviewed National Occupational Standards for Learning and Development which can be found on the NOS Database.
We will consider approving individuals working towards an internal quality assurance qualification where:
- there is evidence of a support plan for the trainee IQA
- the IQA qualification will be achieved within 12 months of approval
- quality assurance decisions are countersigned by a qualified IQA to ensure the quality and consistency of assessment decisions
We recommend that IQAs also hold a recognised assessor qualification but IQAs cannot quality assure their own assessment decisions.
As well as the delivery staff listed above, centres need to assign the following job roles:
Main Contact — someone with overall responsibility for the management of YMCA Awards' programmes within the centre. This will be our first point of contact for all matters relating to delivery and quality assurance of our qualifications.
Exams Officer — someone with overall responsibility for scheduling external assessments and maintaining the confidentiality of assessment materials.
Other administration staff — individuals who support the day to day running of YMCA Awards' programmes at the centre, including:
- making registrations
- claiming certificates
- submitting approval applications
- other delegated responsibilities.
Although these roles do not require formal approval from YMCA Awards, centres must indicate who is performing using the "role" and/or "job title" fields in the user's Y-Connect profile.
Approval tutorials
The short videos below explain how to:
- request approval for new products, sites and staff through Y-Connect
- how to request changes to your existing sites and staff approvals.
You can make the video bigger by selecting the full screen icon 
in the bottom right corner of the player.