Please note: this only relates to England, Wales and Northern Ireland
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The Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF) is a breakthrough in the way the skills of individuals working in the environmental and land-based sector can be developed, recognised and nationally accredited. The QCF directly addresses employers’ demands for bite-sized chunks of learning, delivered on a flexible basis to suit the needs of the business and the individual, and which can be built up into nationally recognised qualifications.
What is the Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF)?
The QCF is a new way of recognising the skills and qualifications of individuals in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. It does this by awarding credit and level to units (small steps of learning) which are then built up into qualifications, where required.
The QCF is a fully flexible system which will enable people to gain units and qualifications at their own pace, to suit the needs of the individual and industry they work in.
By the end of 2010 the QCF will replace the current National Qualifications Framework, which is where all the qualifications eligible for public funding are listed.
How are the units developed?
The units are developed from the National Occupational Standards (NOS) with industry, awarding organisations and providers and are stored in a database. Once these units are pulled together to form a qualification, the units can then be viewed on the National Database for Accredited Qualifications (NDAQ) website.
This combining of units to make up qualifications is called the Rule of Combination - a list of units which must be completed, mandatory, and those which are optional. An illustration of this can be downloaded here.
What benefits will the framework offer me as an employer?
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Bite-sized learning
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The ability to pick and mix units as and when required to suit business needs
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A fully flexible system which recognises previous achievements
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Measurement of the level and size of achievements of prospective employees
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Recognition of in-house training within a national framework
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The description of levels of achievement in terms everyone can understand
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Clear training options and pathways – helping employees and employers find the right training for their learning and business needs .
