VQ Reform for employers

Governments in the four nations of the UK are seeking to raise the international productivity and competitiveness of UK organisations by improving the skills of employees and the utilisation of existing skills. The UK VQ Reform Programme is one of a number of reforms to help UK organisations improve skills, particularly at the low and intermediate levels.

Other programmes in England include:

• Train to Gain and the Skills Pledge
• Apprenticeships programme
• Local Employment Partnerships

In Scotland, relevant policy areas include:

• Modern Apprenticeships
• Skills Strategy
• Individual Learning Accounts

How will the VQ reforms help employers?

As detailed below, the VQ reforms mean that:

• Employers have more control over content of VQs
• VQs are easier to understand
• VQs are more flexible and responsive to employers' needs
• The system recognises and facilitate incremental steps of achievement

A key change in England is the introduction of a choice of ways for employers to have their bespoke training recognised within the QCF, options which also expand opportunities for employers in Wales. See Recognising employer and provider training for further details. Northern Ireland is consulting on employer recognition and in Scotland employers can already credit rate provision for inclusion on the SCQF.

VQs developed to meet employers' needs:

Sector Skills Councils (SSCs) and Standard Setting Bodies (SSBs) represent employers in their sectors. They are using detailed labour market research to develop qualifications strategies identifying the VQs needed in their sector or occupation. They are then working with awarding bodies to develop appropriate VQs in accordance with these strategies.

To be accredited in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, VQs which are developed must be supported or approved by SSCs, thereby ensuring they meet employers' needs.

In Scotland the Skills Strategy outlines the role of SSCs to ensure that employers have a say in the design and development of learning at all levels and in all setting by working in partnership with learning providers and awarding bodies.

Easier to understand VQs:

At present inconsistent VQ names can make it difficult to know what a particular VQ has covered. In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, reformed VQs will have clear titles, showing the qualification's level, content and size, helping employers to understand the achievements of prospective employees. Under a given qualification title, optional units may offer variations.

More flexible qualifications:

In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, the reformed system is able to capture a wider range of achievements than the current system and introduces more flexible structures for the design of qualifications. Two key changes make VQs more flexible and responsive to employer needs:

• Units: In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, all reformed VQs will be built up from units and learners will be awarded credits for successful completion of each unit. These credits will be captured on an electronic, web-based learner record, allowing employers to see how much learning employees and job applicants have completed. Employers' in-house training can also form one or more units (see below). In Scotland SVQs are already built up from units and completion of individual units is already certified.
• Size of VQs: In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, it is proposed that at every level of qualification there are three sizes of qualification, based on the credit value of the qualification, each credit representing 10 hours of learning time. The smallest accredited qualification is an 'award', worth 1-11 credits (10 to 110 hours of learning time), then a 'certificate' which is worth 12-36 credits (120 to 360 hours) and then a 'diploma', worth anything over 37 credits (370+ hours).

For further details about the benefits of the reformed Qualifications and Credit Framework for employers, see QCA's employers leaflet

The recognition of employer-led training:

Employers, and providers, can now have their in-house training accredited - see Recognising employer and provider training for details.

The Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework already contains a number of employer-developed programmes and work is underway to increase the number of bodies that can credit rate provision for inclusion in the SCQF.