The Qualifications and Credit Framework:
The Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF) is a new way of recognising skills and qualifications in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The QCF will improve upon the current qualifications system (the National Qualifications Framework or NQF) by making it more flexible, easier to understand and more responsive to learner and employer needs. When considering attending a course, check the credibility of the award that you will receive on completion. For example, according to QCF guidelines, any qualification containing the word 'Certificate', means that you would have conducted a minimum of 130 guided learning hours. "Advanced Certificate" and "Intermediate Diploma" are in-house course titles, i.e. are not from an approved awarding body, and courses with titles such as these are unlikely to carry formal status on your CV or with other reputable organisations.
When you choose to attend an Underwater Science Ltd training course you can rest assured that your qualification is in accordance with the QCF framework, and that we are currently working to obtain QCA Accreditation for all our qualifications, including NVQ status.
Credit and Level:
The Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF) is a new way of recognising skills and qualifications in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The QCF will improve upon the current qualifications system (the National Qualifications Framework or NQF) by making it more flexible, easier to understand and more responsive to learner and employer needs. When considering attending a course, check the credibility of the award that you will receive on completion. For example, according to QCF guidelines, any qualification containing the word 'Certificate', means that you would have conducted a minimum of 130 guided learning hours. "Advanced Certificate" and "Intermediate Diploma" are in-house course titles, i.e. are not from an approved awarding body, and courses with titles such as these are unlikely to carry formal status on your CV or with other reputable organisations.
When you choose to attend an Underwater Science Ltd training course you can rest assured that your qualification is in accordance with the QCF framework, and that we are currently working to obtain QCA Accreditation for all our qualifications, including NVQ status.
Credit and Level:
The QCF will comprise units and qualifications. Individual units will have a credit value and a level. The credit value represents how long the unit should take the average learner to achieve; the level represents how difficult it is to achieve. The smallest unit will be valued at "one credit", representing 10 hours of learning. The level allocated will be between Entry level and level 8, equivalent to a PhD.
Qualifications:
There will be three "sizes" of qualification (combinations of units):- Awards – Between 1 and 12 credits
- Certificates – between 13 and 36 credits
- Diplomas – 37 credits or more
Each qualification title is likely to indicate the awarding body, the level, size and content of the qualification. Individual units will also be listed on the QCF, enabling learners to achieve them as and when they want rather than having to take all the units within one qualification at the same time. The smallest unit will be valued at one credit and will take the average learner 10 hours to achieve. In order to achieve a whole qualification, at least 60% of the units achieved must be at the same level as the overall qualification.
What are the anticipated benefits of the QCF?
Learners will be able to:
- Have more choice and flexibility in their personal or career development
- Understand how long each unit or qualification will take, and how difficult they will be
- Achieve at their own pace
- Combine units to achieve a variety of qualifications
- Transfer credits between qualifications to avoid duplication of learning
- Access their own electronic learner achievement record listing every unit and qualification achieved
Providers will be able to:
- Design more flexible programmes
- Improve retention and progression rates
- Track all learners’ achievements through use of the unique learner number and the learner achievement record
- Communicate more easily with learners and employers because everyone should be able to understand the new system
Employers will be able to:
- Understand and compare easily the level and size of achievements of prospective employees
- Seek recognition for in-house training
- Source bite-sized training for employees