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Award Overview
This is a vocational award run in conjunction with City & Guilds. The Graduateship provides distinctive and formal recognition of personal achievement and the application of professional and technical expertise within the Cadet Forces. Learners must demonstrate, through their written work, a knowledge and competency equivalent to that which could be expected of a graduate at Honours degree level or someone who has gained a vocational qualification or NVQ at Level 6.
Eligibility
Cadet Force Personnel
This award is available to any Instructor who has completed a minimum of 10 years Adult Cadet Force service and holds:
Or has reached the rank of:
- Chief Petty Officer
- Staff Sergeant
- Flight Sergeant and above
Retired Armed Forces Personnel
Any Instructor with a previous Armed Forces or Reservist background who has a minimum of 1 year’s Cadet Force experience and has previously held one of the specified ranks is eligible to apply. (Proof of service and rank will be required upon registration.)
Or has reached the rank of:
- Chief Petty Officer
- Staff Sergeant
- Flight Sergeant and above.
Civilian Instructors
CVQO has the discretion to accept registrations for Civilian Instructors at all three levels of Senior Awards. Applications will be treated on a case by case basis and candidates will be required to complete either a Thesis or Portfolio Route. If they have previous commissioned or SNCO service, then the Reflective Route may apply. Individuals must have served at least a minimum of 10 years service within the Cadet Force to be eligible for the Graduateship award. The individual’s OC will be required to countersign their application confirming their eligibility to apply.
Armed Forces Serving Personnel
If you are currently serving in the Armed Forces as either a Regular or as a Reservist and are posted to assist with the cadet movement, you can also apply for this award, providing you hold one of the eligible ranks. Registration fees are subtly different and could be open to MOD educational grants. Contact the CVQO office for further information and a registration form.
Personal Skills and Performance Criteria
There are two sets of criteria depending upon the route you choose. In order to meet the requirements of the award candidates will be expected to have demonstrated this ii their work.
Reflective & Portfolio Routes:
- Your role in enabling the Service to achieve its goals
- Demonstrates team working and leadership skills
- Collect information and use it to solve problems and make decisions
- Manage yourself and your work effectively
- Take responsibility for developing yourself
- Model good practice
Thesis Route:
- Self management and development:
- Understanding, application and critical assessment of established practices
- Effective working relationship
- Clear and effective communication
Delivery
Three routes are available for completing this award and all Adults have two years in which to complete the award:
Reflective Route
Open to Instructors who have attended the:
- Contingent Commanders Briefing (CCF)
- Senior Command Course (SCC)
- New Warrant Officers Course (SCC)
- Area Commanders Course (ACF)
- Officers Senior and Officers Initial Courses (ACO).
You will be required to complete a 'Reflective Report' based upon what you learnt on the above course and how you have since applied these skills to your Cadet Force role.
Your OC will be required to endorse, in writing, your abilities to demonstrate the required competencies before your report is returned to CVQO for assessment.
Portfolio Route
Open to any instructor who meets the criteria, holds a Level 4 qualification, but has not attended one of the courses referred to above.
For this route, you will be required to provide a portfolio of evidence (material that supports your claim), a Cadet Force / civilian CV and complete a Reflective Report on how you feel you meet the required criteria. You must also include a copy of your Level 4 qualification. Your OC will be required to comment on your report before this is returned to CVQO for assessment.
Thesis Route
Open to any Instructor who meets the Eligibility criteria, but has not attended one of the courses referred to above and does not hold a level 4 qualification.
The Thesis route requires you to complete a 2,500 word essay on a topic linked with your cadet service
Assessment
Your Reflective Report, Portfolio or Thesis will be internally assessed by a subject specialist who will feed back your results to CVQO. You will be assessed on how you meet the key criteria and how you have applied these to your Cadet Force role.
When conducting the assessment, the assessor will take into account
- The degree to which the evidence presented demonstrates that the performance criteria and standards have been met
- The validly and reliability of the evidence
- The quality and sufficiency of the evidence
- How the work relates back to the original synopsis
You may be called for a follow up interview. This interview will be held locally to you and conducted by a member of the CVQO team.
Success
The successful candidate will gain an award which is of comparison to a Level 6 qualification or Honours degree. Graduates will be entitled to use the post nominal letters of GCGI (Graduateship City & Guilds Institute). All successful Senior Award holders will also be invited to attend CVQO’s annual Graduation ceremony.
Fees
The cost of this award is £260. To register, please download an application form which is available from our Downloads page . Alternatively, contact the office if you require an employer sponsorship form. All registration fees are subsidised and CVQO offer an ‘Easy Payment’ method of payment by instalments, should Adults require it.