Training for awarding organisations

Many certification bodies find that the rapid changes in qualifications mean that their staff teams need highly specialised training in particular areas of qualification and assessment development, or in effective awarding practices in order to support their strategic plan.

AlphaPlus has been delivering assessment-related training to awarding organisations since 2006. Our programmes are typically bespoke courses, with an emphasis on workshop and practical activity, delivered on site to awarding organisation staff teams. Our programmes are modular, which allow us to customise them to meet individual requirements.

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Awarding organisation staff recruitment and HR services

Our staff recruitment service works closely with you, ensuring a robust recruitment service, underpinned by a thorough induction and performance management service at the standard required for senior staff in a certification body setting. We provide you with total transparency, so you know where we are with the assignment at every stage.

The service is delivered by key members of the AlphaPlus team who have both expertise as recruiters and senior awarding organisation experience – we understand your requirements, and the particular features of employers in qualifications and assessment markets.

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Regulation, compliance and policy services

We work with awarding organisations on policy, processes and regulatory compliance. We help with developing, defining and mapping processes, ensuring that compliant policies are created and followed, and creating customised accurate documentation as evidence.

We can help you with your annual statement, for example:

• Auditing and recording “what you do” and “how you do it”
• Mapping your existing processes against the Conditions, identifying gaps or weaknesses, including in comparison to others in the sector
• Suggesting practical enhancements, and assisting with preparation of documentation and other evidential requirements
• Evaluating defensibility, risk-based regulations and prevention of adverse effects

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Certification strategy

Deciding how qualifications should work – what assessment steps a candidate should go through, how scores are given, how results on different assessment elements combine, and how grades and outcomes are awarded – can be complex and have unexpected consequences.  We support our certification body clients (in professional and academic sectors) in harnessing global best practice and local requirements to produce highly trusted and defensible certification routes.

Educational technology consulting

AlphaPlus is a recognised leader in technology relating to qualifications, assessment and certification, including e-testing and e-portfolios systems, item banks and assessment authoring systems, adaptive testing, student performance monitoring systems, and back-office systems for certification agencies.

We support the technology cycle from conception to deployment and support: we advise on technology options, write specifications, manage procurements and vendor demonstration, provide training and capacity development, and manage technical implementation work for our clients. We also provide research and observatory services for government and agencies.

Technology-based assessment

We are world leaders in helping certification agencies select, procure and deploy technology for assessment such as on-screen testing, on-screen marking/scoring and e-portfolio systems.

We support the technology cycle from conception to deployment and support: we advise on technology options, write specifications, manage procurements and vendor evaluation, provide training and capacity development, and manage technical implementation work for our clients.

We offer our clients the benefits of:

• detailed understanding of the issues affecting the validity and reliability of assessments as they change from on-paper to on-screen delivery
• support for specialist assessments such as adaptive tests and simulations
• global market knowledge of technology suppliers and their products to assist with effective procurement
• due diligence support for organisations looking to acquire technology companies working in e-assessment
• practical knowledge of developing and delivering on-screen assessment ourselves