National Qualifications Group AwardsNational Qualifications Group Awards

What’s in it for Colleges, Learners and Employers

Elda FleckGen McCabeJoe Spencer

Background – Phase 1Background – 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 2Phase 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 2020Towards 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 2020Towards 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 AwardsNational 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?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?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?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 Win WInWin Win WIn

SQA

FundingFunding

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

NQGA Project TeamNQGA Project Team

Project Managers

Genevieve McCabe

Elda Fleck

Joe Spencer

Project Officers

Ashley Harries

Pat Hendry

Administrator

Trish Corr

Contact us at:

nqga@sqa.org.uk

0845 213 5120