What is the purpose of this qualification?
This qualification is for learners, young people and adults, who would benefit from exploring different possible career options, while building up a set of employability skills useful across sectors, usually prior to progressing to more specialised vocational learning in a specific sector at a higher level. It is likely to be of particular relevance to:
• Learners on study programmes who do not know which vocational area to specialise in young people leaving school or returning to education following a period of being NEET, without clear career aspirations or unable to make up their minds between several different options and who are in need of a comprehensive programme to prepare them for learning at the next level.
• adults who have been long-term unemployed who need to identify sectors and job roles within them where they have the potential to contribute, and who require an extensive learning programme before they will be ready to progress to sector specific vocational learning.
What skills, knowledge, or understanding does this qualification develop?
The qualification includes units covering introductory knowledge and skills from a range of different sectors:
- Business and Administration
- Engineering
- Health, Social Care and Childcare
- Hospitality & Catering
- Information and Technology
- Performing Arts, Music and Music Technology
- Public Services
- Retail
- Applied Science
- Sport & Active Leisure
- Travel & Tourism
It also includes the option to incorporate the development of more generic employability skills (eg team work, time management, problem-solving). There are no mandatory units, enabling learners to combine units in areas of potential interest to them. Learners must, however, include units from at least two vocational sectors.
What are the progression options?
The qualification is not intended to lead directly to employment, although some learners may progress to entry-level jobs in their chosen sector.
What are the English and maths progression options?
There are a number of optional units which support the development of maths and English skills. These can be embedded in the delivery of the vocational units.
Progression & entry requirements
There are no specific requirements for prior learning or attainment.
