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MP Awards (MPQC) Jargon

The Mineral Products Qualifications Council (MPQC) was established in 1983 to help develop and maintain industry training needs and was originally known as Quarry Products Training Company Ltd.

They are a ‘not for profit’ membership organisation whose members are derived from the quarrying, mineral products, mining, construction and related manufacturing sectors. MPQC members cover a wide breadth of the mineral products industry and range form sole traders to multi-national corporations.

MPQC is formed of two divisions; MP Awards and MP Skills. The two divisions operate independently of one another and are governed and regulated by a range of Government Bodies and Independent Regulators.

MP Awards Jargon!

• Vocational qualification : A qualification is vocational when it relates directly to the skills, knowledge and understanding required to undertake a specific or broad job role.
  

• Unit : The units of a qualification split out specific skill sets and describe what you must be able to do and understand to perform work activities competently in your job role. 

• TQT : Total Qualification Time – the minimum amount of hours a typical learner will take to complete the respective qualification includes time with the trainer/assessor and your own study time. 

• GLH : Guided Learning Hours – this is the time spent with the trainer/assessor and is incorporated in TQT.

• Learning outcomes : Describe what you will know, understand or be able to do as a result of learning.

• Assessment criteria : Describe what activities you will need to complete to demonstrate that you have achieved the Learning Outcome.

• Assessment : All SHE, Weighbridge and Mobile Plant awards are assessed “on the job” so you will need to be employed in a suitable position, or have access to the working environment. 

• Evidence : You need to collect evidence to prove that you are competent as required by the standards set in the units of the qualification – this could be evidence of work activities, written/verbal reports and/or audio/visual recordings. 

• Observation (O): Your assessor will observe you as you carry out tasks activities that occur naturally in the workplace. 

• Question and Answer (Q/A): candidate statements, verbal questioning, professional discussion, written questions, product evidence supported by questioning.

• Simulation/Realistic working environment (S/R): used to represent situations which rarely occur or are exceptional, eg, to assess response to an emergency/incident. 

• Portfolio : This is where you will collect evidence to demonstrate your competence. A portfolio could be either hard-copy or electronic (format to be agreed with the Approved Centre). The evidence held in your portfolio must be your own work, and be clearly referenced to the units of the qualification. 

• Assessor : This is the person you will have the most contact with as you work towards your qualification and is employed by an Approved Centre. The assessor works to assess your competence against the standards set within the qualification. Assessors are qualified and experienced in the subject of the qualification you are registered for, and have the skills to plan and carry out your assessments. They will make judgments of your competence, based on the evidence you provide, and give you feedback.

• Approved Centre : Only providers that have met MP Awards strict quality standards are approved to deliver MP Awards qualifications; this could include private training companies and/or Colleges of Further Education.

What does the MPQC Plant Operator Competency Scheme Cover?

The MPQC Plant Operator Competency Scheme covers training, skills, knowledge, qualifications, competence and ongoing CPD.

The Scheme is operated on the following:

Common standards and checklists

• Independently managed

• Open access for all within the Sector

• Rigorous quality assurance of Approved Training Providers, Assessors, systems and processes

Plant assessments

Anyone carrying out Plant Assessments to award the Red and Blue Cards of the Plant Operator Scheme will have to:

• Undergo an initial approval
  
• Demonstrate that they are operating to the exacting standards of the Scheme.