A STUDENT at a Worcester college has become the first in the country to achieve an NVQ through internet-based assessment.

Lee Vernalls, a student at Worcester College of Technology, produced a computer-generated set of log sheets as evidence against his NVQ Level Three in commissioning and installing electrical technical systems.

He used Quickstep, an internet-based NVQ tracking and assessment service.

The 19-year-old from Tenbury Wells started with Worcester College Training in 1999 as an advanced modern apprentice in electrical installation.

He achieved his NVQ level 2 in 2001 when Quickstep was introduced at the college. He became the first student to try out the system on NVQ Level 3.

It allowed him to produce evidence from the workplace and record in the form of a computer generated log sheet. This was sent through the internet to his work-based assessor at the Deansway college.

"I found the system easy to use," said Lee, who had little internet experience when he signed up for Quickstep.

"It was a good way of employing up-to-date technology to produce evidence, which up till now had been in the form of a hand-written portfolio."

In May, Lee's evidence was confirmed by external verifier Steve Hudd.

He was presented with his certificate of achievement by John Henderson, principal of the college, in a ceremony yesterday.