Technician Level

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skips
skips Registered Posts: 12 New contributor 🐸
in AAT Level 4 (Level 8 in Scotland)
Hello

I am taking my intermediate exams next week but my teacher was telling us about the technician level and how she thinks it's better to spread it out over 2 years. i was wondering what you thought about this sin as you are actually doing it? would this be better or can you do it in 1 year (as in is it do able and you'll still have some remenants of a social life! :001_smile: )
As i really want to finish it in 1 year so i can leave my current job and move somewhere else, but need some advice.

Thank you
Skips

Comments

  • 118 11kate
    118 11kate Registered Posts: 115 Dedicated contributor 🦉
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    I split technician over 2 years due to getting married and being on honey moon when some of the exams were sat, along with two other friend (one of whom was expecting her first child around the same time). Our class started with 30 people and only 7 of us sat exams and most of this was put down to the increased work load for out of class studying and the jump in levels. If you think you can do it, then I would go for it. If you think it is too much at a later date you can always ask your tutor cant you split it.

    Hope this helps


    Kate:001_smile:
  • Marilyn Tozer
    Marilyn Tozer Registered Posts: 6 New contributor 🐸
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    Haha well that is debateable, Yes is the answer, but forget November (studying) and forget May (studying), I can't wait to get my life back, never mind social life.

    Joking aside, if you are prepared to work you can do it, I get a half day release from work on a Thursday afternoon, the rest is my own time. But so far so good, passed everything first time, although PEV is doing my head in!!!

    Good luck in what ever you decide, (get it done is my reply).

    Regards.

    Marilyn
  • jorja1986
    jorja1986 Registered Posts: 210 Dedicated contributor 🦉
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    IMO get it done out of the way if you can.
  • skips
    skips Registered Posts: 12 New contributor 🐸
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    aww thank you every one! :) i think i will do just the one year. im sure i can limit my socialising to a couple weekends a month :) im sure my fella will understand :) hehe!

    thank you all for your help though and good luck with your exams especially the ones you're dreading :)

    skips
    x
  • farmergiles
    farmergiles Registered Posts: 1,693 Beyond epic contributor 🧙‍♂️
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    At my college, the fee allowed you to do it over one or two years. If you felt it was getting too much, you could drop some and finish the second year. That's what I did. Last exams next week!
  • rebeccas
    rebeccas Registered Posts: 25 Regular contributor ⭐
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    Im taking my Techician exams next week and am feeling confident (at the moment lol) and I have done the whole lot in 6 months. Two years is definitely far too long!

    The key to it is to get your project more or less done and in shape before you start lessons for the subjects.

    3 of the subjects are very similar to Intermediate - PEV & PCR are follow ons from ECR and DFS is a follow on from FRA. So if you are strong with ECR and FRA you only have to get your head around the tax's - which are similar to each other as well!

    Good luck!
  • jackie
    jackie Registered Posts: 81 Regular contributor ⭐
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    I started technician last September passing DFS,PEV and PCR in December. Project done and I am now revising very hard for BTC and PTC next week as I don't want to be doing all this again for resits in December!
    As Marilyn says, forget November and May/June as all spare time is taken up studying.
    It has been a very tough year and completing Technician in one year can be challenging if you have other commitments such as a business to run and a family and home.
    Your decision will not be set in stone, if you find it two much split it over 18 month/2 years.

    Good Luck

    J
  • skips
    skips Registered Posts: 12 New contributor 🐸
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    so you have 5 exams?! that the same on the NVQ pathway?
    is the project hard coz im not exactly great at writing and making essays (probably my downfall is writing memos!)
    skips x
  • immense
    immense Registered Posts: 97 Regular contributor ⭐
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    skips wrote: »
    so you have 5 exams?! that the same on the NVQ pathway?
    is the project hard coz im not exactly great at writing and making essays (probably my downfall is writing memos!)
    skips x

    I am not sure on NVQ - but I took PTC in December and PCR, PEV and DFS this week - I am only doing 4 exams! It depends what units you do as to how many you have, and some units are exams and some simulations!! We did a simulation for our other one! The project needs thought and preparation, i started looking into mine last summer and completed it about a month ago due to lots going on at work!! I founf it hard to get started, but once I got into it I was fine!!
  • jackie
    jackie Registered Posts: 81 Regular contributor ⭐
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    Hi,
    I am doing NVQ. DFS,PEV and PCR are compulsory and then there are options with exams for PTC and BTC. The other (optional) units are simulations.With regards to the project, I too completed it within a month,I found the hardest thing was putting pen to paper but once I started I was away:thumbup1:

    Jackie
  • skips
    skips Registered Posts: 12 New contributor 🐸
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    whats the project like? it is as bad as the portfolio? i didnt do the foundation year so i am studying for my exams and doing all the portfolio health and safety and computer stuff now. was given the portfolio a couple weeks agao. the college im at had trouble getting a full time teacher until january!

    Skips
    x
  • mummychelle
    mummychelle Registered Posts: 1 New contributor 🐸
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    Hiya,

    The project is something like 5000 words. It's not at all like your portfolio! You have a choice of using the AAT 'situation' (you have to pay for this) or using your own experiences. We were all recommended to go for your own experiences for a number of reasons:

    1) Personal knowledge means you will probably enjoy it more
    2) If you use the AAT one you are expected to include everything that they want included - if you aren't sure on something there's no way you can miss it out!
    3) Personal one - at the end of the day, the person marking it has no idea whether or not any of what you have put in actually happened. So long as someone from your place of work signs it off and it is your own work you should be fine.
    4) You can leave out any really difficult stuff from a personal one!

    The hardest thing with this is getting started. You'll find once you get going on it you will be ok. Remember your different headings, and read an example project to give you an idea of what goes in it.

    And definitely get it done as soon as possible - if you leave it you will end up doing all of your exams and not your project and that will be the only thing keeping you from passing!

    I know people who have done Technician level in 6 months but they had a lot of support from work (ie day release, time off for study). I would have completed in 18 months, but college ran course over 2 years and m last module wasn't run until this term (lucky really as I was heavily pregnant at the back end of last year!).

    Good luck with it all

    Chelle
  • skips
    skips Registered Posts: 12 New contributor 🐸
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    aww thats great thank you for that, i started reading the project on the AAT website and i got kind of worried! it looked really hard! i am no good with the essays and i always find the first sentense the hardest. thank you for your help

    Skips
    x

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