Summary
This guide takes SDP staff through the full trade test lifecycle in skillSYMS: registering centres, taking applications, creating bookings and sessions, capturing and moderating results, and handling appeals. Each stage flows into the next, so a candidate moves cleanly from application to a moderated, defensible outcome.
Who This Guide Is For
- SDP staff coordinating trade tests
- Centre administrators managing bookings and sessions
- Quality officers moderating trade test results and appeals
Prerequisites
- NAMB-accredited trade test centre details on hand
- Candidates captured as learners in skillSYMS
- The trades your centres are accredited to test
Step 1: Review the Trade Test Dashboard
Navigate to Trade Tests.
The dashboard summarises Pending Applications, Upcoming Sessions, Awaiting Results, Pass Rate, and Active Appeals, with quick-action cards for Applications, Bookings, Sessions, and Results plus recent activity and your centres.
Step 2: Set Up Trade Test Centres
Navigate to Trade Tests → Centres.
Click Add Centre and enter the Centre Name, NAMB Accreditation Number, Location, Contact Email, and Contact Phone. Centre cards show status (Active, Pending, Suspended), accreditation number, and trade count. Filter by name or status to manage them.
Tip: Get the NAMB accreditation number right at setup — it carries through to results and certification, and a typo is painful to unwind later.
Step 3: Take Applications
Navigate to Trade Tests → Applications.
Click New Application to register a candidate, choosing the trade and centre. The table shows candidate, trade, centre, applied date, and status (Pending, Approved, Rejected, Scheduled). Use View to inspect and Approve to advance a pending application. Filter by candidate, status, or trade.
Step 4: Create Bookings
Navigate to Trade Tests → Bookings.
Click New Booking to schedule an approved candidate at a centre on a date. The table shows the booking reference, candidate, trade, centre, date, and status (for example Confirmed or Pending Payment). The stat cards track Total, Confirmed, Pending Payment, and This Month.
Step 5: Run Sessions
Navigate to Trade Tests → Sessions.
Click Create Session to group candidates for a trade at a centre on a date. Sessions move through Scheduled → In Progress → Completed (or Cancelled). Use Manage to work a session and track its candidate count.
Step 6: Capture and Moderate Results
Navigate to Trade Tests → Results to record each candidate’s Score and Outcome — Competent or Not Yet Competent (Absent is also available). Results follow the Draft → Submitted → Moderated → Final pipeline.
Then navigate to Trade Tests → Moderation to review the assessor outcome and score and Approve or Reject each result. The stat cards show Pending Moderation, In Review, Approved, and Rejected.
Tip: Don’t issue any downstream documents until results show Final. Moderation is the gate between a captured score and an official outcome.
Step 7: Handle Appeals
Navigate to Trade Tests → Appeals.
Each appeal shows its reference, candidate, trade, filed date, reason, and status (Pending, In Review, Upheld, Dismissed). Click Review to work the appeal and record the outcome with justification.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Skipping approval — only approved applications should be booked
- Booking at an unaccredited centre — confirm the centre is Active for that trade
- Issuing on unmoderated results — wait for Moderated/Final
- Closing appeals without a recorded reason — every outcome needs justification
Verification Checklist
- Each centre has a valid NAMB accreditation number and Active status
- Applications are approved before booking
- Bookings and sessions are confirmed for each candidate
- Results are captured and moderated to Final
- Appeals are reviewed and resolved with justification
Next Steps
- Statement of Results — issue results for competent candidates
- Certificates & Verification — issue and verify certificates
- Moderation Sampling — broader moderation practice
- Reporting & Exports — export trade test data