UKCES

The UK Commission is making an essential contribution to standards and qualifications, working with partners across the four UK nations and the European Union to make sure they meet employment and learners' needs.

The Qualifications team is working with Sector Skills Councils (SSCs), Sector and Cross Sector Bodies and other key partners on the following priorities:

• 14-19 Curriculum - to ensure provision for 14-19 year olds across the UK responds to employer needs. For England this will be taken forward through the development of Diplomas in 17 lines of learning and the incorporation of functional and employability skills
• Apprenticeships/Modern Apprenticeships - to develop Apprenticeships for England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland that meet employment needs, and to quality assure Apprenticeships/Modern Apprenticeships for England and Wales
• National Occupational Standards (NOS) - to develop high quality, National Occupational Standards available through a central directory and to work with key partners on the transfer of the management arrangements for NOS to the SSDA
• Sector Qualification Strategies (SQS) - to support every Sector Skills Council and Sector/Occupational bodies in timely and appropriate development of SQSs that align with Sector Skills Agreements or Labour Market Information
• Credit and Qualifications Frameworks (CQF) - to work with relevant bodies in each UK nation to support the development of a simple, coherent framework of units, credit and qualifications across three home nations, building on the CQFW.  The framework must articulate with the Scottish CQF and the Framework for Higher Education Qualifications
• Influencing education and training - to influence the delivery of education and training, so that the skills needs of employment are met for higher level skills, this includes work with FDF on foundation degrees and with the Quality Assurance Agency on learning networks to shape content and assessment.