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National Qualifications Group Awards. What’s in it for Colleges, Learners and Employers Elda Fleck Gen McCabe Joe Spencer. Background – Phase 1. Over the last 3 years, rationalisation of NQ qualifications in high uptake areas (‘Consortium led’)
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National Qualifications Group Awards What’s in it for Colleges, Learners and Employers Elda Fleck Gen McCabe Joe Spencer
Background – Phase 1 • Over the last 3 years, rationalisation of NQ qualifications in high uptake areas (‘Consortium led’) • 47 new National Certificates and 128 new National Progression Awards • Led by SQA
Phase 2 • ‘Specialist Collaborative’ Awards • Colleges working together to develop curriculum • Led by main college (2 – 5 partners) • With support from SQA • Review and revise existing college programmes • Identify gaps in provision and develop new awards • Rationalise volume of centre devised awards • Resulting in nationally recognised awards
Towards Ambition 2020 UK Commission for Employment and Skills Report - January 2010 • Too many young people in Scotland fail to gain the essential and lower level skills needed to progress in work • Current skills systems in Scotland are not always sufficiently aligned to labour market needs. • Need to eliminate processes, structures and costs that don’t add real value
Towards Ambition 2020 Recommendations • Learning and qualifications shaped by the relevant sector • Provision aligned to local labour market needs • Public funding prioritised towards essential and lower level skills • Fund the bite-sized chunks for certificated learning that many employers say they want, as well as larger qualifications • Maximise the potential of our flexible, unit based qualifications system to ensure formal recognition for individuals’ skills
National Progression Awards • Small, flexible group awards, like SPAs/PDAs • Aim to assess and certificate a defined set of skills & knowledge in a specialist vocational area • Key aims: post-compulsory education – those in work, entering or returning to work adults in part-time training attending Scotland’s colleges • Opportunity for school-college partnership programmes • Commercial opportunities • Stepping stone to employment or further study.
What’s in it for Colleges? • Opportunities: • Chance to refresh old and tired awards • National recognition for college-devised awards • Be proactive – look ahead to future markets • Develop specialist nationally recognised qualifications relevant to local/national economic needs • Further strengthen partnerships with schools • Credibility with employers • Linking qualifications to existing or revised NOS • Commercial provision • Staff development • Funding for development work identified in curriculum review
What’s in it for Learners? • National recognition more accurately reflecting totality of achievement • Flexible learning opportunities – recognition for ‘chunks’ of learning • Learning relevant to and supported by industry • Preparation for employment and progression • Skills development for the future
What’s in it for Employers? • Ensure employer expectations are met by Colleges • Nationally recognised qualifications relevant to local/national economic needs • Commercial provision suited to skill requirements • Strengthen engagement with colleges
Win WinWIn SQA
Funding • Qualification development: • NC - up to £10,000 • NPA - up to£5,000 (6 or more credits) - up to £3,500 (2-5 credits) • Paid to lead college in 3 phases • Staff release to attend meetings - £190 per day plus T&S Additional Funding available for SQA to produce: • Assessment Support packs • E learning resources