Testimonials

Quotes and feedback from successfully completed SHEilds Vocational Training NVQ candidates

Derek Robertson BEng(Hons) IEng MIET MIMechE MEI MIHEEM MInstRE ACIBSE Dip RSA Tech IOSH
Authorising Engineer, Turner Facilities Management

I registered for the NVQ Level 5 in Occupational Health & Safety back in December 2010 but did not actually get around to starting it until mid-2011 and finished it December 2012.

Although this might seem like a long time it fitted into my work and family commitments and it was very easy to pick it up again after a break from it.

I would highly recommend the workshop that SVT offer as this was the 'kick start' I needed to actually start working through the Units.

The support from all the staff at SVT I dealt with was first class and a great help when requiring some direction with the various units.

I could not recommend this course enough to anyone working in a Health and Safety environment as you will be able to produce the majority of the evidence you require to complete this course form your day job. You will also gain a well-recognised Health and Safety qualification without having to sit in a classroom for a number of weeks.

I would definitely use SVT again in the future and again a big thank you to all SVT staff for all their assistance.
Stan Rudowski,
Regional Health, Safety & Environmental Manager, ATS Euromaster

Two years ago I researched the possibility of attaining the qualification in a manner that suited not only my day job but also my personal life.

I contacted a number of providers for details of what was on offer both price wise and content.

SHEilds Vocational Training certainly ticked all the boxes; however I was in Edinburgh and they were in Grimsby and I thought that there may be issues if I needed help or support and a local provider may be more suitable.

One phone call from SVT convinced me that they were the right provider and I signed up that day.

The material came through I worked at my own pace, received excellent encouragement and guidance, any adjustments to my work was backed up with advice and constructive feedback.
SVT kept me on track and motivated and although it seemed like a long road they helped to keep me focussed to complete each module

I now have the qualification I wanted, I have gained promotion, so both sets of goals have been met and a big thank you goes to all the people at SHEilds Vocational Training who helped me attain my goals

I would certainly use SVT again and would not hesitate to recommend them to other potential customers.
Philip Latimer CMIOSH - VVB Engineering Services Ltd

I found registering to complete my NVQ5 Diploma in Occupational Health & Safety with SHEilds Vocational Training Ltd easy, communication between me and the assessor was good but answers to any queries was within hours not days.

The course layout was easy to understand, challenging in that evidence to support your reflective accounts were rigorously checked and of course witnessed by your superiors.

In all yes I'm so pleased I gave this course my full commitment and fully endorse this qualification to those who want to attain CMIOSH or even improve their professional status within the field of Health & Safety.
John Rothery CMIOSH

Sheilds vocational training have outstanding training materials and supports functions, I will always advise collegues and my team to use this company when looking at training needs for our organisation. The professionalism and structure of SVT are key to any professionals looking to further their career.
Brian Lightowler - HSE Manager, LTC Project, Wilton Engineering Services

After deciding to enhance my career as a safety professional I contacted SHEilds Vocational Training of Grimsby to enrol on a NVQ level 5 diploma course in occupational health and safety. I had previously done business with SHEilds and due to the first class response I received I decided once again to contact them. I found the staff to be very helpful not only when booking, but also while completing the course the level of support that I received was again first class.

The content of the course was very well structured and easy to understand. I found my dedicated tutor to be excellent in her response to queries and giving feedback. I would recommend anyone wishing to enrol on the above course to contact SVT as I am sure they will receive the same excellent service that I received
Amy Collins - Avon Fire and Rescue

I had an enjoyable learning experience with SHEilds Vocational Training from beginning to end. The registration process was informative in a comprehensive way and the emails were friendly.

This made for a welcoming introduction to the course. Submitted units were marked quickly and the feedback was always helpful. My tutor was very approachable and knowledgeable. I found the website and its forums to be a great way to meet other students and get advice.
Luke Pitt - Health & Safety Advisor & Director - LARP Safety Limited

My career since the NVQ has really gone from strength to strength as it has opened a lot of doors for me which were firmly shut until I had gained this type of qualification and in hindsight this is rightfully so.

I have found that like most things, you also need to gain a reputation as well as having the qualifications, and that is one of the hardest things to obtain, yes you may have the NVQ, but then it's a matter of networking and selling yourself out there in a very harsh environment and believing that what you have and the work you put into obtaining it is enough to be credible within the industry.

After about a year of gaining my NVQ 4 , I then looked to undertake the Charter process by applying to take the IOSH open book exam (which if you take the NVQ4 is the route you have to take). This is actually a lot harder than most people think as IOSH know you have access to the information and as such have an expectation that your answers should be better than if you were trying to remember all the details in an exam room. I took it and passed and then went forward then to my peer group interview. This was in August of this year and as you can see was successful. I was awarded Chartered status on the 11th August 2011 and I am immensely proud of getting as far as I have and grateful for your companies assistance in guiding me through that very important first stage.

It is really important to know that whichever way you start in H&S, the end result of being Chartered is the best way of showing either your company or client base that you are at the very top of your professional tree.
Eddie Walters

Pretty standard as far as the IOSH process is concerned. I achieved the NVQ 4 with SHEilds Vocational Training as I was in the transition from Grad IOSH. I managed to apply for the chartered interview with only days to spare, but made it thanks to your prompt turn around and feedback. I was confident enough to send the application through after having received verbal feedback from your team.

After achieving Chartered certification I was asked for some general discussions with IOSH about several other areas of interest through my work. This eventually led to a chat about being a member of the IOSH Chartered Interval panel.

I have sat on several panels since 2010 and hope to progress to chairman of the panel in the near future.
Steve Smith

After gaining my NVQ I was able to upgrade to Grad IOSH this I obtained within a short time.

The upgrade to CMIOSH itself took approximately 2 years to achieve, I first had to pass an open assessment which consisted of a number of questions covering a wide range of subjects. the answers being limited in words and a time limit of 10 days.

This I passed at first attempt. I then had to attend a peer interview which consisted of a short presentation by me, about me and my career so far and what I hope to do in the future, followed by a question and answer session.

The peer review I passed on the second attempt and it was put forward for ratification by the IOSH board in October of this year.I received confirmation of this a short time later.

The benefits are that it has raised my professional profile and that of the organisation I work for, and validates the work ethic, including that of IOSH. It has raised my personal and profession profile with my colleagues who trust in my ability and seek out knowledge and guidance.

As for the future I hope it will take me on to a more responsible position within the profession I am dedicated to.
Andrew Clark - Health & Safety Advisor, Pocklington School

I started the course what seems like a very long time ago in fact it has been almost two years since I took my first tentative steps towards completing the NVQ. I had promised myself that after attending the NVQ workshop held in Grimsby that I would have it all completed within 9 months. Work commitments and family life overtook me however and so I ended up using almost the entire allocated amount of time for completion.

I would strongly recommend that anyone considering the NVQ route uses the opportunity of the workshop, as in my case never having carried out an NVQ prior to this; I found it to be extremely useful in letting me know what was expected to complete the modules..

During the whole process I received positive feedback on all the evidence submitted and the occasional pointer as to where the work could be improved upon. From a personal point of view this worked extremely well and I would thoroughly recommend the NVQ path to anyone wishing to gain a Diploma level health & safety qualification. A big thank you to all the team at SHEilds Vocational Training, who helped me along the way.
John O’Rourke - QHSE Manager, Arthur McKay & Co. Ltd

Two years ago I researched the possibility of attaining the qualification in a manner that suited not only my day job but also my personal life.

I contacted a number of providers for details of what was on offer both price wise and content.

SHEilds Vocational Training certainly ticked all the boxes; however I was in Edinburgh and you where in Grimsby and I thought that there may be issues if I needed help or support and a local provider may be more suitable.

One phone call from SVT convinced me that you were the right provider and I signed up that day.

The material came through I worked at my own pace, received excellent encouragement and guidance, any adjustments to my work was backed up with advice and constructive feedback.
You kept me on track and motivated and although it seemed like a long road you helped to keep me focussed to complete each module

I now have the qualification I wanted, I have gained promotion, so both sets of goals have been met and a big thank you goes to all the people at SVT who helped me attain my goals

I would certainly use SHEilds Vocational Training again and would not hesitate to recommend you to other potential customers.
Andrew Clarke - Safety Trainer for Training at Naver

I started a level 4 NVQ in Occupational Safety and Health with SHEilds Vocational Training in order to give myself better credibility as a trainer. When embarking on a career in any Health and Safety orientated post, qualifications are a necessity.

During my time working on the level 4 NVQ in Occupational Health and Safety, I found the people at SVT to be very helpful. As time went by, my job changed with my partner leaving for another job and leaving me with a heavy workload, but due to the inherent flexibility of an NVQ I was able to put it on hold until it suited me to start work on it again. Whenever I had any queries or uncertainties about the evidence required, I just phoned up and had a chat with the SVT team and clarified the situation. I am now the proud owner of a level 4 NVQ and I know I wouldn't have managed without the support of the SHEilds Vocational Training team.
Gary Piper - Health and Safety Technician for the Wrigley Company UK

I would like to convey my gratitude to you and your team on the completion of my NVQ 5. The quality of service I received from yourself and Matt King was exceptional and contributed greatly in easing my journey through this process.

I want to further thank you for your professionalism and technical ability to guide me through the NVQ 5 qualification. Your knowledge of all things appertaining to Health and Safety was invaluable to me. You gave your advice freely and you were very patient with me when I struggled to understand a concept.

I found all of the team based in Grimsby approachable and helpful. I never felt alone on this journey because the SHEilds Vocational Training Customer Service and Support were excellent.

I would like to end this Testimonial by saying that I would unreservedly recommend SVT as an NVQ 5 Course Provider for Health and Safety and would be please to share my experiences with any potential client should you like me to do so.
Mr Robert Farrow Grad IOSH Dip RSA,
Site Manager, Cheltenham Bournside School

I have completed two online courses with Shields Vocational Training the NVQ level 4&5 in optional health and safety, I am also in the process of going through the Nebosh fire and safety management qualification with SVT. I have found the on-line courses very easy to access and the level of supporting material I received of a high quality and easily understood.

I also found their support both over the phone and e-mail very good, they are always willing to talk through any problems I may have come across even if it's just to clarify I was on the right track before I spent time writing a lengthy report.

I would have no hesitation in recommending Shields vocational training to my colleges and will continue to do further courses with them.
Darell Dip.RSA- Grad-IOSH / H&S Officer

NVQ Level 4 Occupational Safety & Health E-learning I would like to thank all the SVT team for their support & guidance in completing the OCR NVQ Level 4 in Occupational Health & Safety Practice My special thanks to Sarah Reilly for her professional support & constructive feedback.

From start to finish SHEilds Vocational Training has provided an excellent service as an established Health & Safety training provider. I will continue to promote them as I continue in my H&S career.
Linda

I have just completed the NVQ4 in Occupational Health & Safety Practice with SHEilds Vocational Training. I was apprehensive at the beginning and delayed starting for 3 months. When I submitted my first unit the response from Matt King was almost immediate. He thanked me for my evidence and informed me of my assessor. My assessor welcomed me and encouraged me to submit a high quality of evidence. After successfully completing 6 units, we moved house and my Mother passed away, this stopped me working on my NVQ for 8 months, but with encouragement from my husband and the SVT team I resumed my studies.

I found the units very varied, albeit if you work through them in order they do follow a logical pattern and allow for cross referencing. As expected some of the units are more challenging than others, but this makes you research those areas and expand your knowledge. I have learnt a lot and become more confident in my role as a Health and Safety Advisor. I would recommend SHEilds Vocational Training to anyone wishing to develop their career in health and safety.
Martin Olbrycht

Great support throughout the process of achieving my NVQ 5. Always willing to go an extra mile to help and steer in the right direction. I will be doing some more training with SHEilds Vocational Training as I see them as a very reliable service provider.
Terry Game

From my first telephone contact with SHEilds Vocational Training to the completion of my NVQ, the friendly and helpful response has been a breath of fresh air.

I attended the workshop day very early into starting my NVQ, and the advice given has been the corner stone to all my completed work. All contact with my assessor as been to the point and continually kept me in the right direction. So completing my NVQ was not difficult but not easy, just well balanced and matched the health and safety work I am involved with on a daily basis.

Many thanks to all the SVT team and I would happily continue to promote their services.
Paul Baumber

I started the NVQ Level 5 Diploma In 'Occupational Safety and Health Practice' around Feb 2011 and have just completed the 10 units this month, Feb 2012, so the course has taken me exactly one year to complete. I had previously undertaken 2 x NVQ Level 4's in 'Learning and Development' and 'Co-ordination of Learning and Development Provision', so had some previous experience of the NVQ systems of assessment.

However, the previous NVQs that I had completed were paper-based portfolios rather than electronically based (stored) as 'SHEilds Vocational Training' utilised for the NVQ Level 5 Diploma. At first I found this a little strange but soon realised it was a much better system and the need for paper was unnecessary and, indeed, environmentally unfriendly.

I did find the units a little difficult to understand regarding the format in the very beginning but after I got through the first unit with the excellent assistance of Phil Campbell, Matt King and their colleagues at SVT, it slowly became second nature to me. By the time that I had got into more of the units I was sold that the format that SVT was using was a very good system for NVQ assessment.

In truth I think that the NVQ itself was much more demanding than I had expected. I had previously just completed a BA Degree and I think the level of work and study that was needed for the NVQ Level 5 Diploma was on a par with the Degree. Anyone who thinks that this NVQ is an easy route to getting a Degree level qualification is greatly mistaken. Although the work and effort is of a different nature to the Degree, it still can get stressful. Having said that there is also the same feeling of elation when I completed a unit successfully which matched the feeling of completing an essay successfully on my Degree.

At all times through the course I found the team at SHEilds Vocational Training to be very helpful and I would like to thank them for that. I would also like to give a special mention to Phil Campbell who is very knowledgeable and was always willing to assist, and his affable and friendly personality made him very approachable. I am looking to do other courses with SVT in the future, including NVQ courses, and so would definitely recommend and use SHEilds Vocational Training again.
Hannah Wilson

I found the course was very well laid out and I was supplied with lots of information about the structure of the diploma and requirements for each module. To begin with I found it exceedingly daunting and though I enrolled in January 2011, I only had the confidence to start working on my modules in the beginning of May 2011. For me this was due to a Skype session with Phil and though we only spoke for an hour, it cleared up any confusion I had and things just clicked for me from that point. I would recommend a Skype session or something similar within a month of a candidate enrolling as it is a daunting aspect and is a good opportunity to clear up any issues.

From that point onwards I worked towards a module, then discussed the next one I planned to do with Phil or he would recommend one if I unsure of which one to tackle next. Occasionally I was unsure of how much evidence is required and this becomes easier once a few modules have been submitted as you know what standard is expected. I worked on the diploma on the same level as I did for a post graduate MSc.

I really appreciated having Phil to either phone or email, if I was unsure over anything and he was excellent at reassuring me and keeping my humour!

I would certainly use SHEilds Vocational Training again for a course as it has been a straight forward process from researching a course; enrolling and good support from the course information and by having a tutor. I have recommended SVT for distance learning courses to friends and colleagues.
Brian Kerr - Production & Systems Day Engineer.

After completing my NEBOSH certificate I sought guidance from our Company's Regional SHE Business Partner on what should be the next course that I undertook either the NEBOSH Diploma or the NVQ Level 5 Diploma in Occupational Health and Safety Practice. The guidance was to complete the NVQ level 5 at SHEilds.

I enrolled for the course on the 26th August 2011 and on the 27th February 2012 my pass certificate was issued. The course completed from start to finish in six months.

At the start an Assessor was assigned and each time evidence submitted guidance or sign off was received within the promised five days. The course encouraged the introduction of new procedures and tools into the workplace which will continue to be used now that the course has been completed. The guidance issued by the Assessor was always constructive and clear identifying the requirements for the units.

Email support was available during my course and this ensured that any queries guidance were always readily available.

I would recommend this course as it allows the individual to use their daily work as evidence towards the qualification.

If you are doing your daily work to a high standard then you should claim the qualification to reflect this fact. This course allows you to do that.
Jonathan Young – Regional Health and Safety Advisor

I was looking to complete a further qualification within Health and Safety and with not being the best with exams an NVQ seemed the perfect route. It meant I could complete my studies alongside working, I visited a number of provider's websites but SHEilds Vocational Training stood out the most.

On initial contact and after a brief discussion I felt due to the position I was in that some aspects may have been difficult to complete, however further discussions with the team at SVT helped to quash any fears.

I would like to convey my thanks to you and your team on the completion of my NVQ 5. The quality of service received was fantastic along with the support provided.

I would like to say that I would have no problem or issues in recommending SHEilds Vocational Training as an NVQ 5 Course Provider for Health and Safety.
Michael Morrisroe

I found the professionalism and understanding of SHEilds Vocational Training whilst completing my NVQ 4 to be second to none.

Whilst a lot of distance learning can be fraught with difficulty through misunderstanding of the required standards and tight deadlines, I found SVT and especially my assessor/mentor to helpful and constructive.

I would have no hesitation in recommending anyone to SHEilds Vocational Training.
Andrew Tetlow - Cape Health and Safety site co-ordinator.

I would like to give my gratitude to Sarah and Matt on the completion of my NVQ5. Their support and guidance made the whole experience very, very painless. Feedback was given in a very prompt manner and helped me keep in the flow of steady progress.

I am based at a nuclear power station and found that all the units were very relevant to my day to day work here. There were some units where I would have toiled to complete without the dedication of the SVT team.

Again, many thanks and I have and would recommend SHEilds Vocational Training to my colleagues and peers.
Andrew Price - Lighthouse Safety Training Ltd

Throughout my H&S NVQ Level 4 journey, I found SHEilds Vocational Training to be extremely professional and efficient. Their course material explained in a clear manner exactly what was required, and where I failed to interpret this in an acceptable manner, Phil Campell (my assessor) was patient and steered me in the right direction.

This is the third level 4 NVQ I have now completed; when comparing the experience I found the SVT format and approach by far the simplest. I do know from talking to others who have completed or are still trying to complete their NVQ with other training organisations, that there is too much personal agenda requests for added evidence from many assessors. SVT and Phil kept their requirements straight forward and only asked for material which met the Evidence Criteria requirements, with no personal agenda encountered, please accept a BIG thanks for this.

I have already recommended 4 persons (two of my own staff, my brother and a friend) to SHEilds Vocational Training and will continue to do so. Well Done, Phil, many thanks and keep up the good work.
Paul Lloyd

Starting on the long and sometimes painful road of qualifications can be a scary thought, however from day one with SHEilds Vocational Training I felt comfortable. From the start the helpfulness of the admin team was excellent, it was a simple process and within days I was able to start getting evidence for my portfolio.

As with most people I suffered several stumbling blocks and in the early stages felt I had to solve these myself, which was time consuming and demoralising.

Once I realised that the easiest form of support was your very own assessor, it all became a lot easier. I never once had to wait more than a couple of hours to have a phone call returned. Most of the time I had the answer in my head but Phil just helped to extract it !.

I would definitely use SHEilds Vocational Training again for any further qualifications and have also recommended them to colleagues.
Sarah Wild

I have recently completed my OCR NVQ Level 5 Diploma in Occupational Health and Safety Practice with Sheilds Vocational Training and wouldn't hesitate in recommending them as a top class training provider.

As a full time working single parent finding the time to study was always going to be difficult for me but the easy to use course guide and documents, coupled with an excellent support system at the end of a phone was the perfect arrangement for me to do all the work I needed to.

My assessor was a brilliant source of inspiration for me and I was able to finish the course in 18 months, which I was pleased with. Having learned plenty and thoroughly enjoying my studies I can honestly say it was a pleasure to work with SVT and I would definitely use them again.

Thanks to all at SVT !
Angie Smith

Thank you to SHEilds for making the NVQ process understandable and easier to undertake. I left it quite late to start submitting work, but received lots of support from my assesor who always got back to me promptly with constructive and helpful feedback. The whole process of submission meant I could submit work anytime, day or night, which I found incredibly useful.

I would definately consider SHEilds for any future training I choose to undertake.
Iain Ogilvie � Training Manager, Hydro Training

I would like to say a big thanks to all the team at SHEilds Vocational Training in helping me achieve the OCR NVQ Level 5 in Occupational Health and Safety. It�s only taken me just over a year and throughout this time the support and advice from SHEilds has been excellent. The team were only one click away and could always point me in the right direction with my qualification. I would have no hesitation in recommending SHEilds to anyone or taking up another course with them in the future.