External Verifier Reviews

City & Guilds External Verification

Lucid is a City and Guilds approved training centre and has been such for over 10 years now. As a City & Guilds approved Training Centre, Lucid is inspected, normally each year, by an independent expert, or External Verifier (EV), appointed by City & Guilds.

The role of the EV is to verify the standard of assessment is consistent between City and Guilds centres, and to make recommendations for improvements or comment on the quality of training, facilities and provisions made by centres. Lucid has a policy of being open, so you can read the EV’s reports on our training and facilities below. We trust you find this informative – we wish more centres would publish this information…

OCN/Open Awards External Verifier Reports

As an Open Awards (previously OCN, Open College Network) assessment centre, we are also inspected annually by an Open Awards External Verifier. As for City & Guilds, this is an expert appointed by Open Awards to check on all aspects of our training, assessment and quality systems. These comments can be accessed here.

City & Guilds External Verification, April 2015

Due to the excellent reports in 2012 and 2010, this was a remote verification of paperwork only, so there was no verifier comments.

City & Guilds External Verification, June 2012

Due to the excellent report in 2010, this was a remote verification of paperwork only, so there was no verifier comments.

City & Guilds External Verifiers Report, October 2010:

“The centre has extensive facility for candidates to be able to install, terminate and test a wide range of communication cables involving internal and external situations. The well qualified and experienced staff are generally training small groups of candidates (typically six), which enables all to achieve. The centre has written very comprehensive training manuals relative to the cabling subject being studied e.g. copper or fibre.

Candidates are fully supported to achieve their qualification after thorough training – which all do! To this end the centre has prepared, and issues to candidates, excellent training manuals and supporting notes that are beyond compare.”

City & Guilds External Verifiers report, 2008:

We were not inspected and hence did not have an EV report during 2008.

City & Guilds External Verifiers Report, June 2007:

“The centre is running an extremely well organised and structured programme. Their commitment to ensure their learners receive continual support is evident from interviews with both learners and staff members.

The course material, resources and facilities are of a high standard with their learners always being at the focus of the programme. This is further added to by the centre maintaining their group sizes to a maximum of 6 [normal] to 8 [exceptional case] learners.

There is effective communication between all members of staff as all operate from the main site.”

City & Guilds External Verifiers report, 2006:

We were not inspected and hence did not have an EV report during 2006.

City & Guilds External Verifiers Report, 2005:

“The visit was scheduled to coincide with a training course whose outcome is the scheme 3666 certificate. Scheme 3666 units 102, 103, 202 and 203 were covered during the course.

Learners benefit from particularly good course handbooks, which they retain for underpinning knowledge. Support for learners during induction, training and assessment is good. Physical resources used duringtraining and assessment exceed the requirements of the scheme and give learners a good broad introduction to the industry. facilities for replicatingexternal working conditionsare realistic. Delivery of underpinning knowledge is good.

The opportunity was taken to observe formativeassessment taking place, which contributes to the award. This was a sample verification the complete practical assignment was not seen.

Training and assessment are also delivered off-site at clients premises. Evidence seen suggests that the same standards of physical resources, training, assessment and quality assurance are applied regardless of the location. Occasionalfuture external verification visits should be scheduled at remote sites in order to confirm this.”

City & Guilds External Verifiers Report, 2004:

“Sampling of scheme 3466 shows that assessment has continued to be fair, accurate and consistent. A consistently good level has been achieved by learners. Feedback collected has consistently been positive about the quality of training.

The Centre has made an effective transition from scheme 3466 to scheme 3666. On-line testing resources are in place for up to 6 learners, accommodated in accordance with awarding body requirements. Interviews with learners revealed a high level of satisfaction with all aspects of the training, the resources, and assessment.”

City & Guilds External Verifiers Report, 2003:

“The Centre is continuing to run scheme 3466 effectively.
Most training & assessment is carried out at the centre’s purpose-designed training resource which is an excellent and inviting environment.
Student numbers on each course are low, and learners benefit from a high level of personal support.
A high standard of attainment is consistently achieved. Learners continue to be offered support post training and assessment, with access to the centre’s help desk.
Feedback collected from learners on completion of their training and assessment continues to be very positive about all aspects of their learning.
Learners have the opportunity to develop and practise their skills on a wide range of industry-standard splicing machines and test equipment
Lucid is a small organisation which is well-respected in the industry and active in many other aspects of fibre and communications.
Staff are well qualified and experienced and maintain the currency of their competence by involvement in diverse relevant and development activities.”

City & Guilds External Verifiers Report, 2002:

“Since the last visit, development of the new training centre has been completed and the centre is now being effectively utilised – Lucid now has excellent facilities for training & assessing scheme 3466, in particular for installing cable in duct.
Candidates benefit from the opportunity to develop and practise skills with a range of tools and equipment covering a wide range of user involvement including OTDRs and splicing machines.
Lucid’s strategy includes further development of the site to enable a greater variety of learning experiences, and may seek to offer 3466-04 (datacoms) [e.g. cat5/6] in the future.
Feedback continues to be collected from candidates on completion of their training and assessment, and is very positive in all aspects.
Whilst training and assessment is mainly at the new site, some courses to deliver scheme 3466 continue to be held off-site, when resources become portable (Assessment off-site was observed and sampled during a previous visit).
All candidates are encouraged to maintain contact with Lucid, and have access to Lucid’s technical helpdesk.
Lucid is a small company with well qualified training/ assessment staff which has a very professional approach to training.”

City & Guilds External Verifiers Report, 2001:

“The centre’s new training/assessment complex (re-development of farm buildings) is nearing completion. This will result in excellent facilities for training and assessment. In particular provision is being made for practising external cable installation where the facilities will not be bettered by any centre implementing this scheme.
The center is committed to quality in its training and assessment, and resources are provided in sufficient quality and quantity to achieve this.
This a small organisation with experienced and qualified trainers, assessors and verifiers. They work closely together and internal communcations are effective. Documentation of procedures is developed as and when required.
Access to assessment was demonstrated in March/April when 18 employees of [Oil Company] were trained and assessed in Angola. The first language of the cadidates is Portuguese. Some candidates had difficulty in completing the written test. For some an interpreter was used.
Since the new training/assessment complex is not yet available, all assessments to date have taken place off site, sometimes on clients premises, sometimes at an independent venue. On my last visit I confirmed that resources where effectively deployed off site.
All Lucid trainees/candidates are given details at the end of training of how they can access the company’s free technical help desk. They are encouraged to keep in touch to enhance their opportunity, where appropriate, of future employment in the industry.
Feedback from candidates is solicited on every course. Where appropriate constructive feedback is considered when developing training and assessment materials.”

City & Guilds External Verifiers Report, August 2000: City & Guilds centre approval visit.

“Candidates have the opportunity to practice their skills on a range of splicing machines and test equipment which exceeds the scheme requirements
The course handbook, and the training materials, whilst outside the scope of external verification, are seen as models of excellence.
Feedback from candidates was sought on completion of training and assessment through a questionnaire. Candidates responses were very positive to the quality of training and the depth and scope covered.
One of the candidates was absent sick on the final day of training/assessment. He had successfully completed the practical assignments but was not available to sit the final test. The centre [Lucid] extended the offer to his employer for him to sit (a different test paper to his peers) the following week.”

Following this visit Lucid gained approval as City & Guilds Centre no 042878, to offer the 3466 scheme for Optical Fibre Testing & Installation.