Qualifications

At first sight, the Scottish qualifications system might seem complex but it is really very simple and straightforward to understand. The fundamental aim is to provide a 'learning ladder' (or perhaps climbing frame, since you can go horizontally as well as up and down) that provides opportunities for everyone to achieve their full and true potential.

There are qualifications at all levels of attainment. Almost all school candidates gain Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) qualifications in the fourth year of secondary school, and the great majority obtain further qualifications in fifth or sixth year or in further education colleges. Increasingly, people also take them in the workplace, where we provide qualifications from junior to professional levels.

Scottish Vocational Qualifications (SVQ) Units
Scottish Vocational Qualifications (SVQs) Units are based on national 'standards of competence' - properly called 'National Occupational Standards'. These are drawn up by Sector Skills Councils.

Each SVQ Unit defines one aspect of a job or a work-role, and says what it is to be competent in that aspect of the job. To achieve a Unit, candidates have to produce evidence to show they are competent. SVQ Units can be built into SVQs. They are sometimes used in wider schemes, such as Modern Apprenticeships.

The Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) credit points and level of an SVQ Unit will depend on the needs of the industry.