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Blog Post
How do I become an EQA?
Simon Linard • Aug 01, 2019
Becoming an EQA
The second most common question I get asked (if you didn't read my post on the most asked question you can here) when I carry out my role as an External Quality Assurer (EQA)
is:
- how do I do what you do?
Which equates to - How do I become an EQA?
What is needed to be an EQA
We have some chickens and eggs to get in order first. To be able to gain a role as an External Quality Assurer
it comes down to three things:
- You and your expertise
- Holding an EQA qualification
- Being in a position to carry out EQA activities
Who does an EQA work for?
If you are going to be an EQA you need to attach yourself to an Awarding Organisation, for regulated qualifications, or an Accreditation Body
for non-regulated programmes.
You can work for an Awarding Organisation or Accreditation Body; either full time, part time or on a freelance basis. The Awarding Organisation or Accreditation Body you work for will provide you with a contract and work to carry out external quality assurance services on their behalf (Point 3).
Why an EQA needs to be a specialist
You need to be an expert in your specialist area, this will be a vocational area - such as business, hairdressing, sport, retail or plumbing. There are hundreds of vocational areas; you must be a specialist, with experience in a particular vocational area to enable to you provide expert support whilst in the role on an EQA.
You will need to be an experienced Assessor
and Internally Quality Assurer, ideally with experience of assessing and quality assuring the qualifications you want to EQA.
Being a specialist in a vocational area means you can advise centre's (Point 1) on the qualifications they offer, technical content and all aspects of assessment and internal quality assurance.
The EQA qualification
You 'usually' need to hold an EQA qualification
(Point 2). This is not always the case as some Awarding Organisations will take you on if you are working towards the qualification, hold Unit 1 of the qualification or they may enforce a requirement that you achieve it within the first XX number of months you work for them.
Our Level 4 External Quality Assurance suite of qualifications are available for you right now, if you are thinking of getting involved in EQA or are currently in a role and need to obtain the qualification.
What is needed to be an EQA
You will need to be in a position to carry out EQA duties (Point 3), so once you are working for an Awarding Organisation or Accreditation Body
you will be supporting after a number of approved centre's (this could be schools, colleges, training providers or employers) and carrying out external quality assurance activities on their behalf.
There are lots of EQA job opportunities out there, we can help if you want to gain an EQA qualification.
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