Vocational Qualification Reform

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Vocational Qualifications - right skills for your business

In driving growth for the economy, employers need employees with the right skills, in the right place, at the right time.

In order to achieve this, work-related qualifications have been reformed to better meet the needs of employers, employees and people entering work.

Qualifications are now based on what employers need and what learners can easily access whilst including the best parts of existing vocational qualifications.

Fundamentally, they bring choice, clarity and confidence to vocational qualifications. 

Choice, clarity and confidence for employers

Choice:

• Having more say on what qualifications are developed
  
  Vocational qualifications are developed in response to employers' demands. Sector Skills Councils are independent, employer-led organisations that support employers in this development process through Sector Qualifications Strategies, based on detailed labour market intelligence about skills needs in the sector - driving the approval of qualifications


• A more flexible qualifications system
  
  Under the new structure, learners can build up qualifications on a unit-by-unit basis, making training more accessible to a wider range of learners. The new qualifications on the QCF offer greater flexibility allowing them to include sector- and employer-specific units.

Employer benefits: improved retention rates and profitability

Clarity:

• Understanding and comparing qualifications more easily

All vocational qualifications under the new structure have straightforward titles that tell you about its size, its level of difficulty and the skills area it covers, so you'll have a better idea of the skills an employee has as a result of completing the qualification.

Employer benefits: easier and effective succession planning

Confidence:

• A better skilled workforce
  
  All vocational qualifications must be approved by sector skills councils as being robust and fit-for-purpose. Having staff with nationally recognised qualifications means employers can be confident that they have the right knowledge and skills to do the job.

Employer benefits: motivated staff who reach their potential and training mapped to nationally recognised qualifications

What does it mean for employers in the Asset Skills footprint?

There is now a new process for developing and recognising vocational qualifications that directly involves employers to ensure that the skills needed to improve productivity, generate employment and drive our economy are developed. Employers can now:

1. Influence  sector strategies for skills by voicing views on for example, training gaps and priority skills areas.
2. Map their in-house training to nationally recognised qualifications
3. Work with training providers to develop relevant units that can be taken as part of a nationally recognised qualification
4. Join forces with other employers in their sector to create relevant skills and training

For more details on sector specific qualifications changes see the qualifications section of this website, or call Asset Skills on 0845 678 2 888 (local rate call) to speak to an industry specialist.  

For more information on the Vocational Qualification Reform programme visit the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) website here.

To contact BIS click here.