Professional Development Awards (including SCQF level 9+) John Lewis

The value and use of PDAs Flexible product Workforce training, commercial use, international use, lifelong learning Revised PDAs will be even better and will provide: - FTE & shorter, sharper Group Awards - opportunities to change and update skills - increased opportunities for work-based part time provision

Background to new Design Principles and titling New Design Principles agreed as part of SQA’s Portfolio Review SCQF and need to credit rate and level PDAs Subsequent consultation on titling and SCQF levels for Group Awards

New Design Principles Professional Development Awards: will be available at SCQF levels 6 – 12 at SCQF level 6 will be made up of Units with minimum credit value of 12 SCQF credit points* at SCQF levels 7 – 12 will be made up of Units with minimum credit value of 16 SCQF credit points* will be made up of at least two Units* will have at least half the SCQF credit points at the level of the Group Award will be made up of mandatory and/or optional Units which reflect the title of the Group Award will be aligned to National Occupational Standards or other professional body standards

Main changes SCQF credit and level for Units and Group Awards Minimum number of Units will be two* Seven distinct levels New titles

Titling Seven SCQF levels: SCQF 6 – 12 Currently only four titles - Certificate, Advanced Certificate, Diploma and Advanced Diploma Current titles will disappear New title will be Professional Development Award in xxxx at SCQF level x Will be certificated as, for example: Professional Development Award in Personal Enterprise at SCQF level 9

Revising and developing PDAs All existing PDAs will be revised in line with the new Design Principles and titles Schedule for revision and development on web page – All existing PDAs expected to be revised for implementation by end 2010

Development and processes 3 types of development plus some adaptation for level 9+ developments - consortium - specialist single centre - specialist collaborative A partnership approach – based on the HN model Using common processes developed for HN Using common forms with HN

Unit and Group Award validation All Units will be validated by SQA Group Awards can be validated by centres with devolved authority

Processes for centres SQA seeks to ensure good planning, best use of resources, avoidance of duplication of effort and the non- proliferation of Units/Group Awards Notification of revision or development of PDA desirable/recommended Centres must seek SQA authorisation for development of any new Units or requests to revise existing Units. Qualifications Manager will authorise centre to proceed with Unit development – centre will follow normal validation processes for SQA validation of Units Once Units are validated, centre will follow Group Award validation processes Toolkit on PDA page of website – same forms as used for HN developments

Guidance A Guide to Professional Development Awards: from inception to implementation Professional Development Awards: a guide for Validation Panel Members National Occupational Standards: their use in the development of SQA Group Awards

PDAs at SCQF level 9+

Background to level 9+ developments Demand from specific sectors Responding to requests from centres Lifelong learning agenda Support from Scottish Executive

Features and principles of level 9 Same principles and titling as all PDAs Emphasis is on strong partnership with employers/industry Incorporation of workbased or practically based learning into design and delivery Strong alignment to NOS and/or professional body requirements Filling discernible skills gaps/shortages at a specified SCQF level Producing high level thinkers and doers

Guidance and support A guide to Professional Development Awards: from inception to implementation Section 8 includes specific considerations. These are: -all new single centre and collaborative developments through level 9+ Project/Development Manager -revisions through Qualifications Manager and/or level 9+ Project/Development Manager -Level 9+ Steering Group to be advised of developments

Pilot phase This involves: Rationale and initial scoping from centre(s) Backed by further market research (SQA) Encourage partnership/collaborative approach Follows the same development process as all PDAs Dedicated Development Manager to support developments through pilot phase

Management and support of PDAs

Oversight, management and support Higher National Key Partners’ Group Level 9+ Steering Group Project Management by HN/SVQ Product Team -dedicated Project Manager for PDAs - providing monthly updates on progress/change -quality assuring developments -focus for Level 9+ developments -Business Development Teams

Web page or ‘Choose a section’ on top right hand of SQA home page Dedicated web page has: - development schedule - form for informing SQA of developments - new guidance documents - toolkit for centres - SCQF level 9+ information - contact details

Contact John Lewis Project/Development Manager – PDAs and SCQF Level 9+ Project or