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7. Core Skills
7.1 Futureskills Scotland data tells us that, what employers value most in young people entering the workplace, is core skills. The recent evaluation of MAs and Skillseekers, commissioned by Scottish Enterprise, shows that MA trainees perceive that participation in the MA programme has developed their core skills - communication (84%), working with others (80%), problem solving (64%), IT (54%) and numeracy (47%). However anecdotal evidence indicates that, when it comes to delivery of MA frameworks, employers are more concerned with the delivery of the technical elements of the framework, often considering core skills as an after thought .
7.2 We have been considering whether all core skills are necessary for all frameworks as part of the work on the future of level 2 vocational training. This is also an issue which SSCs and SSBs have raised in relation to the current MA programme. Some sectors argue that all core skills are not relevant to their sector. We therefore believe that there should be some flexibility for SSCs to make a case for not including a core skill, or including it at a lower level, if they feel there is enough evidence to support this. The Education Department will be undertaking a core skills review at some point in the future so we will feed into this to ensure the needs of the MA programme are taken into account.
7.3 We have been encouraging SSC/Bs to undertake core skills mapping to establish where core skills are (or are not) embedded in MA frameworks. This is to give employers a choice whether to decide if they would prefer separate certification or are happy to accept core skills being embedded. The mapping exercise is checked by MAIG, to a limited degree, to ensure that it is in sufficient depth and covers all the relevant units. However, neither MAIG nor the SQA check the content of the mapping for accuracy. It may be desirable to have some kind of check which promotes consistency between mappings.
Proposal
All 5 core skills will be required to be included within all MA frameworks, although there will be the ability for the SSC to seek an exemption to this via the MA approvals group. They must support this with a robust evidence base.
Specific Questions
11. What are your views on the use of core skills in MA frameworks?
12. Are there any cases where you feel a particular core skill should not be included or included at a lower level, within an MA framework, than currently mandated?
13. What are your views on embedding delivery and assessment of core skills within VQs?
14. Do you think core skills mapping should be audited or checked? YES/NO
15. If you answered yes to the above question please give suggestions on which organisation might undertake this activity.
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