We wanted our staff to hold respected UK qualifications without having to leave Saudi Arabia.
About Saudi Mining Polytechnic
Saudi Mining Polytechnic (SMP) in Ar'ar was established in 2012 as a non-profit institution through a partnership between the Saudi Arabian Mining Company (Ma'aden) and the Technical and Vocational Training Corporation (TVTC). It trains young Saudis for careers in the mining sector, with programmes in underground and surface mining, operations management and mechanical and electrical maintenance.
The challenge
SMP wanted its assessors and quality assurers to hold UK-regulated qualifications while remaining in Saudi Arabia. Delivering UK qualifications to staff there brought some clear challenges.
Distance
Staff were based in Ar'ar, so travelling to the UK for training or having UK tutors fly out for every visit was not practical.
Time zones and working week
Differences in time zone and working week meant support had to be available when staff were actually working.
Technical, practical assessment
Assessment in mining covers practical skills such as equipment maintenance and safe operations, which had to be observed and evidenced properly.
International quality standards
Assessment and quality assurance needed to meet UK awarding organisation requirements while working within SMP's own systems.
What we did
We delivered a fully online programme and made sure staff were never on their own.
The right qualification for each role
Level 3 Award in Assessing Vocationally Related Achievement (L3AAVRA) for assessors, Level 4 Award in the Internal Quality Assurance of Assessment Processes and Practice (L4AIQAAPP) for internal quality assurers and Level 4 Certificate in Leading the Internal Quality Assurance of Assessment Processes and Practice (L4CLIQAAPP) for staff leading quality assurance.
Fully online learning
Coursework was completed on our 24/7 online LMS, so staff in Saudi Arabia could study without travelling.
Live remote observations
Assessment and quality assurance practice was observed live online, so candidates were assessed in their real setting in Ar'ar.
Support when it was needed
Our tutors made themselves available around SMP's working week and time zone, so candidates could get help when they needed it.
Mining-relevant examples
Activities reflected SMP's own programmes, such as assessing a trainee carrying out mechanical maintenance in a workshop or sampling assessment decisions on an electrical maintenance course.
The results
✓100% pass rate: all 14 candidates who completed their course achieved their qualification.
✓UK-regulated qualifications in Saudi Arabia: SMP staff gained UK-regulated qualifications without leaving the Kingdom.
✓A complete assessment and quality team: 9 qualified assessors, 3 internal quality assurers and 2 quality assurance leads now support SMP's training programmes.
✓International standards: assessment and quality assurance practice now aligns with UK awarding body expectations, supporting SMP's mission to train Saudi youth for the mining industry.
✓Zero travel: fully online learning and live remote observations meant no one needed to travel between the UK and Saudi Arabia.
Training a team, in the UK or abroad?
Tell us how many staff need which qualification and we will send a written quote.
In their words
“We wanted our staff to hold respected UK qualifications without having to leave Saudi Arabia. The Teacher Trainer delivered everything online, observed our assessors remotely and were always there when our team needed support. Our assessors and quality assurers now work to international standards.”
Real client. Reviewed and approved by Saudi Mining Polytechnic.
What’s next
With its own qualified assessors, internal quality assurers and quality assurance leads in place, SMP can assess and quality assure its mining programmes in-house to UK awarding organisation standards.