Does anyone understand post-nominal letters

[Swirlyceiling]

Posting for traffic.

I hold a level 5 accredited qualification with an organisation who say they don't approve post-nominal letters as they are gimmicky (to quote the director of studies).

There is another industry provider who run another level 5 accredited course, accredited by the same regulatory body, except they have an approved set of nominal letters for graduates to use. The course content is the same, just two different providers, both with the same accreditation.

....do the post-nominals need to be approved by the organisation you study with for you to use anything? I'm slightly irritated that a personal opinion (that post nominal letters are a gimmick), will now mean that it appears that I am less qualified than others in my field, when that is not the case.

Anyone know? I've not heard back from the accrediting body when asking the question there.

You're not less qualified, though?

Personally, I do think putting post nominals is a bit naff. But I think it should be up to you, not the organisation, to decide that.

It makes me think of the Red Dwarf character who used BSW, SSW (bronze swimming certificate, silver swimming certificate).

It should be your choice, though, I agree.

coasterboaster I know, but I don't want clients to think that I might be because one person signs their name as Joe Bloggs LOOKatallmy (letters), whilst I just put Joe Bloggs. I work in an industry where it's not that common to find people who are actually qualified, there's a lot of people setting up trying to start a business with no real training, and I don't want to look like I'm part of that category at first-glance.

I do have other post-nominals for other qualifications which I have never used, but for this particular one, I did want to (if I could).

when would you ever need to use post-nominal letters? My CV lists what qualifications I've got, and otherwise I don't need to use any letters.

If you’re a member of a professional body and/or working in a role where the post-nominals would help clients recognise your level of expertise then you could use them at work.

when would you ever need to use post-nominal letters? My CV lists what qualifications I've got, and otherwise I don't need to use any letters.

I am self-employed, so on my website, business cards, emails.

if you want a line in your email signature, you could use

Sarah Bloggs
Accredited Lama Groomer
My address
My phone no

rather than

Sarah Bloggs ALG
My address
My phone no

The former is also helpful if people have no idea what ALG stands for (most probably wont).

Disneyvillain that was my thinking, I wasn't sure if my was against some sort of rule to use them unless told by the awarding body.
Working out what to put without being told is tricky (it's an industry specific qualification).

Meant to say if that, not if my

parietal that is a good idea

You either hold the qualification, or you don't.

It doesn't matter who you study with, it matters whether you sat an exam regulated by the professional body for that industry, and whether you passed it.

Otherwise, it's just a bit of paper someone has signed with a crayon. Have you verified whether you studied through a real, accredited training provider? That should be easy enough to check.

Surely its up to you how you describe yourself? So if there isn't a formal post-nominal title you can use whatever you want. Especially if you have a recognised Level 5 qualification, no one can deny that whatever the views of the head of studies.

So either use your formal qualification or a description:

Joe Bloggs
Diploma of Higher Education - Quilt Making

Joe Bloggs
Diploma qualified Quilt Maker

or whatever

Also, it wouldn’t be up to the director of studies. Your course comes from the accreditation body.

By course I mean qualification.

Have you verified whether you studied through a real, accredited training provider? That should be easy enough to check

Yes, I have. Wouldn't have ever used them if they weren't accredited.

jgjgjgjgjg thank-you, that is helpful, I wasn't sure if it was post-nominals or nothing at all (sort of thing), as I couldn't work out why one company would have approved post-nominals, but another not use them

The decision is on you how you show your qualifications, whether by post-nominals, full title, or indeed not at all. Your accrediting body may have some required ways of putting the qualification down in writing ("Either as 'ALG.' or 'Accredited Llama Groomer'"), but it's wholly your choice. The Director of Studies saying "don't" is clearly a nitwit, the entire point of post-nominals is to show off that you're accredited so that people will trust your work, and indeed hire you for it. Ignore them.

The only excitement to be had in this field is when someone is saying they're qualified but aren't. Which doesn't apply to you.

Sarah Bloggs
Accredited Lama Groomer

I don't think Sarah's course was very thorough.

You absolutely cannot use post-nominal letters if you haven’t been awarded them. I work in Higher Education, and this would be taken really very seriously.
So, for example, if I do a course with college A, and that course is validated, then I could use the award with my name - e.g. MBA
If I did broadly the same content with College B, but that course was not validated, I absolutely could not put the letters behind my name.
The professions I work with would consider this as gross professional incompetence, and could be barred from ever registering.
Really think about what you want from this; if it’s the post-nominales, do the validated award.

@HollaHolla the award is validated and accredited. So in my case, company A is saying here is our course, you will receive this qualification, accredited with this body, and you can use these letters after your name.

Company B (who I study with) is saying here is our level 5 course, exactly the same material, exactly the same accrediting body, but we do not believe in post-nominals.

So where do I stand?

The award with college A who support the use of post-nominals costs double but the course content is identical with the same accreditation.

Is there a regulatory body from whom you can seek advice.

Is this something to do with Apprenticeships?

it's up to the accrediting body, and not the course provider, I'd think, as it's the accreditation you want to show you have, and not that you studies with Company B.

Also, would Company B ever know if you use your letters or not? Obviously, I imagine the llama grooming industry is quite small , so everyone will know everyone, but in for eg accountancy, the accrediting bodies wouldn't have time to scour the internet to cross check who has actually received what qualification, and rely on unqualifieds being reported to them.

[quote Swirlyceiling]@HollaHolla the award is validated and accredited. So in my case, company A is saying here is our course, you will receive this qualification, accredited with this body, and you can use these letters after your name.

Company B (who I study with) is saying here is our level 5 course, exactly the same material, exactly the same accrediting body, but we do not believe in post-nominals.

So where do I stand?[/quote]
You can’t use them.

You really, really can’t.

If it's twice as expensive, it must be different in some way.

OhTheRoses No, it's a level 5 diploma, which is the equivalent of a foundation degree or HND.

MyVisionsComeFromSoup no it is unlikely, but my industry (and local area) seems to be full of rather bitchy professionals. I don't want to trigger one of these people and end up reported to an organisation I'm a member of.
I wish the accrediting body would reply to me. It looks like I am within my rights to use some sort of letters then, but no idea what.

I really like that this thread has run with the llama grooming idea

If it's twice as expensive, it must be different in some way.

They've been established for longer as a learning provider, but that is it.