Are A1 and D32/D33 still accepted?

A1 and D32/D33 are often still accepted, but there is no central rule that guarantees it. Acceptance is decided by the awarding organisation whose qualifications you want to assess, and by the employer. Some recognise the older qualifications outright; others ask you to show recent assessment practice, or to update to the CAVA. The only reliable answer for your situation is the one you get in writing from the specific awarding organisation.

Holding a legacy assessor qualification is therefore not worthless, but it is not a guarantee either. If you are actively assessing and your centre and awarding organisation are happy with your qualification, you may never need to change it. If you are applying for a new assessor role, expect to be asked about currency, and be ready to update if required.

What were A1, A2 and D32/D33?

These are the older assessor qualifications that came before the current system. They did the same job the CAVA does now: qualifying someone to assess learners against a vocational standard.

  • D32 and D33 were the original assessor units under the TDLB framework. D32 covered assessing performance in the workplace; D33 covered assessing using different sources of evidence.
  • A1 and A2 were introduced in late 2002 and replaced D32/D33. A1 was the main assessor award.

So the lineage runs D32/D33, then A1/A2, then the current qualifications. Each replaced the one before, which is why you still see all these names in job adverts and on older certificates.

What replaced the A1 assessor award?

The A1 and A2 awards were replaced in 2010 by a new suite of assessor qualifications, and the A1 stopped being delivered that year. Within that suite, the Level 3 Certificate in Assessing Vocational Achievement (CAVA) is the full assessor qualification that most employers and awarding organisations now ask for. It is part of the City & Guilds 6317 family, often referred to informally as the TAQA qualifications.

Era Assessor qualification Status
Original (TDLB) D32 / D33 Legacy; no longer awarded
From late 2002 A1 / A2 Legacy; A1 withdrawn 2010
From 2010 TAQA suite, including the CAVA (6317-33) Current

The CAVA covers both workplace assessment and assessment of skills, knowledge and understanding away from the workplace. Our full guide to the CAVA explains what it contains.

Should you update your old qualification to the CAVA?

Whether to update depends on what you need it for. If an awarding organisation or employer tells you your A1 or D32/D33 is not enough for the role, updating to the CAVA is the reliable fix, because the CAVA is the qualification the current system is built around.

Update to the CAVA if:

  • a new employer or awarding organisation will not accept your legacy qualification
  • you are moving into a sector or centre that requires the current qualification
  • you want to remove any doubt and hold the qualification everyone recognises

You may not need to update if:

  • you are already assessing and your centre and awarding organisation accept your qualification
  • your role is secure and no one has questioned your qualification

Because the CAVA shares the same purpose as your old qualification, your existing assessment experience is an advantage when you take it. The practical units require you to assess real learners, which an experienced assessor is already doing. See our guide on how to become a vocational assessor for the route.

What about keeping your knowledge current?

Whatever assessor qualification you hold, awarding organisations and employers expect your practice and knowledge to be up to date. Assessment standards, evidence requirements and digital tools have moved on since the A1 and D32/D33 era. Even where a legacy qualification is accepted, you may be asked to evidence recent assessment practice and continuing professional development.

This is the practical reason some centres prefer the CAVA: it demonstrates current knowledge of assessment principles as well as the ability to assess. If your legacy qualification is years old and you have not assessed recently, updating is often the simplest way to satisfy a new employer.

Frequently asked questions

Is the A1 assessor award the same as the CAVA?

No, but they serve the same purpose. The A1 was the assessor award until 2010; the CAVA is the current full assessor qualification that replaced it. If you hold the A1, many centres still accept it, but some ask you to update to the CAVA.

Do I legally have to replace my D32/D33?

No law requires you to replace a D32/D33. The requirement, where it exists, comes from the awarding organisation or employer, not from legislation. If yours accepts your D32/D33, you can keep assessing with it; if not, you update to the CAVA.

Will my A1 be accepted for assessing a construction or retrofit NVQ?

It depends on the awarding organisation for that specific NVQ. Some accept the A1 with evidence of current practice; others require the CAVA. Ask the awarding organisation directly before you rely on it, and get the answer in writing.

What is TAQA, and is it the same as the CAVA?

TAQA (Training, Assessment and Quality Assurance) is the informal name for the whole suite of current assessment and quality assurance qualifications. The CAVA is one qualification within it, the full Level 3 assessor certificate. A job advert asking for "TAQA Level 3" usually means the CAVA.

Can I top up my A1 rather than do the whole CAVA?

Some providers offer recognition of prior learning or update routes for experienced assessors, rather than the full CAVA. Availability varies by provider and awarding organisation, so ask what update options they offer given your existing qualification and experience.

How Nexis Academy can help

Nexis Academy is a City & Guilds Approved Centre (T91185) in Manchester. Assessing and quality assurance courses are in development as part of our growing portfolio, so contact our team to register your interest in updating a legacy qualification to the CAVA.

We are also recruiting experienced assessors. If you hold a current or legacy assessor qualification and retrofit or construction experience, see careers at Nexis Academy.

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