What do these qualifications actually mean?

sound fine to me, ECDL is the european computer driving licence... which basically you can pass as you can post on a forum.

Best bit for training is when you leave the forces and get a training budget before you go. It sounds like your joining a signals regiment, in which case you should do just fine when it comes to leaving regarding work :)
 
I'm always quite wary of NVQ stuff, like an 'NVQ Level 5 Optical Engineer' would be someone who's been shown how to clean the windows on a 5 storey building, so I'd guess your 'Level 2 NVQ in Communication Technologies: Practitioner' would mean you know how to talk to people, and 'Level 1 Key Skills in Communication, Application of Number and Information Communication Technology' sounds like you have been shown how to use a Telephone.
 
In my RAF training we got a similar deal, with NVQ Level 3 in communications technology, BTEC for comms technicians, and the key skills.

Key skills is rubbish. RUBBISH. We did level 2 but I'll list a few of the things we had to do.

Write the minutes of a meeting.
Write a letter :|
Make a spreadsheet with calculations in it
Do a powerpoint presentation, specific time limit.
Pass 3 exams completed on the computer (One for Comms, one for Application of Number, and one for ICT.
Demonstrate that you can take part in a meeting by... having a meeting with your course.

The list goes on and on and on. It's rubbish. Pants. Crap. If you're not a complete and utter **** then you'll be fine, although you will find it frustratingly boring.

ECDL is a walk in the park as has been said. People at my workplace now say "Ahh I keep meaning to get my ECDL done, I need to get that big book and I'll be sorted :)", even after I've explained that it's a complete piece of cake. We were made to do it on a friday, incentive to pass being that if you failed you'd come back on saturday, and then sunday if you still didn't pass... most people passed first time :p
 
I definitely wouldn't rely on it, it's not exactly the hardest thing to achieve. Whether employers know that or not is another thing... I honestly can't really remember what work I did to get my NVQ level 3.
 
NVQ2 isn't really worth squat. I'm doing an NVQ4 at the moment and I'd gauge it to be equiivalent to a set of A-levels, only more abstract and unfocused. To think that it would actually look good to an employer makes me doubt the kind of employers I'll be approaching.
 
GMorrison said:
Sadly no, Royal Engineers :( Sigs is my second choice :)
Click to expand...

Not that I've ever been a regular (aside from being mobilised with the TA) but I'd have thought that Sigs would offer more career opportunities as a civilian if you're only planning on serving a few years.

I very nearly joined up full time myself did a FAM visit at Blanford and got sponsored by sigs for RCB, passed that and then decided at uni that I didn't want a full time career in the forces.

If I were to join the forces full time in a non commissioned role then personally I'd look at Signals, Int Corps or similar roles within the RAF.
 
GMorrison said:
I do intend on making a career of it, my job choices are for the most part the same, roughly the same quals etc except one is in the Sappers and one is Sigs.
Click to expand...

I'm not sure how you're coming to the conclusion that they're 'the same' unless you're just looking at whatever equivalent NVQ qualifications your phase 2/trade training is equivalent to.

I don't know anything about you but I was just making the assumption that someone who posts on a forum related to high end computer hardware/overclocking etc.. would likely find sigs more interesting.

I'm sure there are boring jobs within both RS and RE - as a sapper you might well find yourself sat in a digger filling up lots of hesco bastion. I wouldn't exactly write off RS as being boring - there are opportunities to earn a different coloured beret within either - probably more so with RS tbh...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom