STA POOL PLANT – PPO QUALIFICATIONS
Entering An Exciting New Decade For Pool Plant Operations Qualifications
Following feedback, industry consultation and over a year of development with educational assessment experts, Luke Griffiths, Qualification Development Manager for Pool Plant at Safety Training Awards highlights aspects of the new STA Level 3 Award in Pool Plant Operations
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anding ahead of SPATEX 2020, and with an all-new, learner-friendly, multiple-choice (MCQ) assessment, the new STA Level 3 Award in Pool Plant Operations has been relaunched this month. Luke Griffiths, who has been leading this educational development, advised the new qualification has been created as part of STA’s commitment to ensuring the pool plant operations qualification continues to meet the
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needs of the industry, employers and learners. For the last 12+ months, Luke has consulted with learners, tutors and Approved Training Centres (ATCs), along with education assessment experts to create an objective style examination that standardises the endassessment, and improves transparency, validity and reliability. Further, as an industry first for pool plant, there is the option of an online multiple-
choice (MCQ) assessment for ATCs delivering this qualification. Luke explained that the qualification’s new online multiple-choice assessment option provides ATCs with a unique selling point; it gives learners the choice to complete the assessment paper-based or on a computer (or tablet). The remote invigilation option available for revalidations, also gives learners the flexibility to complete the assessment at times to suit them during a working week. The results will be processed automatically too (so there is no marking required) and submitted to learners within 48 hours. It is a robust assessment that is unique to the pool plant operations qualification, and consists of 6 units and 80 questions, with learners having to achieve the minimum pass mark for each unit to pass the assessment. Luke confirmed that the feedback from the extensive pilot programme, which was used to ensure the assessment is suitable and sufficient, received many positive comments
www.swimmingpoolnews.co.uk 17/01/2020 11:45