QUALIFICATIONS FRAMEWORKS AS INSTRUMENTS OF PUBLIC POLICY

FOR LIFELONG LEARNING

Warsaw, November 8-9, 2012

Panel 1: Qualifications Frameworks as tools for

personal and labour market development

The role of the Scottish Credit

and Qualifications Framework

in the labour market

Assists people of all ages and circumstances to access

appropriate education and training over their lifetime to

fulfil their personal, social and economic potential

Enables employers, learners and the public in general

to understand the full range of Scottish qualifications,

how they relate to each other and how different types

of qualifications can contribute to improving the skills of

the workforce

SCQF aims

How does learning get onto the SCQF?

A process of credit rating A consistent process

One set of guidance used

by all credit rating bodies

Four criteria:

Based on Learning Outcomes

Quality Assured

Formally assessed

10 notional hours of learning

Credit Rating Bodies:

Universities

SQA

Colleges

City & Guilds

Chartered Institute of

Bankers Scotland

Institute of Leadership and

Management

Scottish Police College

Course title

and codes

Course grade

achieved

Date of

certification

SCQF Level

SCQF Credit Points

Points are only given to the

Units and the External

Assessments that make up

a Course or Group Award

SCQF Level

Cumulative SCQF

Credit Points

Case study 1

Staff can utilise the Recognition of prior learning

(RPL) toolkit to help them to recognise and

articulate their skills and experience when

preparing to work.

The agency are incorporating SCQF rating and

leveling guidelines as being integral to their own

tools and resources and future employability

developments- this helps employers and

individuals entering the labour market to

understand the level of skills they have

The agency is working to raise awareness of the

SCQF through their on-line advice and guidance

system which helps individuals identify progression

opportunities and to benchmark their skills against

entry requirements for future learning and for job

opportunities

How the SCQF

supports the national

skills agency to

deliver services to

individuals entering

the labour market

How the national skills agency are incorporating the

SCQF into their services for employers

National Skills Agency teams promote, review and evaluate use of

SCQF by employers/industry sectors

They link employers to the SCQF employer toolkit and other resources

through their own web service

Working with the Further Education sector to develop a sectoral career

route map tool for employers and individuals which links Scottish

qualifications to SCQF and sectoral jobs

Using SCQF as part of role definition;

Using SCQF to develop employee competency frameworks;

Using SCQF to support performance/career management processes

Case Study 2: Scottish Police College SCQF

LEVEL

ACPOS

BUSINESS AREA

QUALIFICATION

TITLE

NATURE OF AWARD /

AWARDING BODY

DELIVERY

STYLE

12

11 Personnel & Training PG Certificate in International Policing

(Peace Support Operations)

PG Cert from

University of Stirling On-line

10 Crime Initial Detective

Training Course Credit rated with SQA

Blended, ODL &

Taught

9 Personnel & Training

(Probationer sub)

Investigative Interview

Techniques Training Credit rated with SQA Taught

8 Personnel & Training

(Probationer sub)

Open and Distance Learning

Authors Course Credit rated with SQA Taught

8 Road Policing Tachograph & Records

Analysis Credit rated with SQA Taught

8 Personnel & Training

(Leadership & Management Sub)

Diploma in Police Service

Leadership & Management PDA, SQA Distance & On-line

8 Crime Diploma in Community

Safety & Crime Reduction PDA, SQA Taught

8 Crime Diploma in Crime &

Intelligence Analysis PDA, SQA Taught

8 Road Policing Diploma in Road

Policing Operations PDA,SQA Taught

8 Personnel & Training

(Probationer sub)

DipHE in Training &

Development

Diploma in Higher Education

from Napier University Distance

7 Personnel & Training

(Probationer sub) Transferee Course Credit rated with SQA Taught

7 Personnel & Training

(Probationer sub)

CertHE in

Training Development

Certificate in higher Education

from Napier University Taught

7 Personnel & Training

(Probationer sub)

CertHE

in Policing

Certificate in Higher Education

from University of Stirling Taught

6 General Purposes Advanced Certificate in

Police Call Handling

Professional Development

Award (PDA) from SQA

Taught/Workplace

assessed

5 Information Management PC Passport (MS based training packages

at Intermediate and Beginner level)

Scottish Progression

Award by SQA

Taught/Workplace

assessed

Industry specific training and National

Qualifications Frameworks

“Flexibility is vital for food and drink

companies when it comes to training. Every

company, every job role is different and

employers need to know the training they

invest in delivers the skills they need.

The credit rating adds value to the training

by offering an easy transfer of credit gained

towards higher level learning.”

Kelvin Thomson

National Manager, Improve, Scotland

“The SFMTA has the responsibility for preserving the

craft skills of our industry and giving butchery

businesses a competitive advantage because of those

skills. It is satisfying to see the Craftsman Certificate

gaining credence in the wider educational world.”

Douglas Scott

Scottish Federation of Meat Traders Association

Qualifications Frameworks helping to develop the

labour market

Helps to widen the scope for recruitment

Can be used in job descriptions to aid effective recruitment

and identify employees’ skills

Can be used to develop competency frameworks and

skills and learning strategies

Helps to identify workforce development opportunities

Helps to map learning pathways to jobs and avoid

costly training/recruitment mistakes

Can gain recognition for in-house training

The SCQF employer offer: Tools for labour market development

Qualifications Frameworks as tools for

personal development

In summary

Qualifications Frameworks: The benefits

Making it

easier for

employees

and

employers to

identify the

most

beneficial

progression

routes

between

qualifications

or learning

programmes

Can raise the

profile of the

organisation

and help to

safeguard

traditional

skills and

make it easier

to recognise

the skills of

experienced

workers

Offering

employees

the chance to

gain a credit

rated award

through

training at

work can

boost morale,

inspire loyalty

and increase

productivity

NQF’s make

it easier to

make

comparisons

and transfer

skills. They

can

contribute to

workforce

mobility and

allow for

qualifications

to cross

boundaries

The conference is being organised together by the Educational

Research Institute and the Foundation for the Development of the

Education System. The Educational Research Institute is implementing

a systemic project entitled „The development of terms of reference for

the implementation of the National Qualifications Framework and the

National Qualifications Register for lifelong learning”. The team of

Bologna Experts working under the Foundation for the Development of

the Education System is a group supporting the implementation of

qualifications frameworks for Polish higher education as part of the

“Lifelong Learning Project”.