Employability
About this course
What is it?
The Employability qualifications provide a framework for developing and recognising general employability skills at Entry 2 to Level 2 (in Wales, only levels Entry 2 and Entry 3 are available).
ASDAN was given full endorsement for the Employability qualifications by Asset Skills, the Sector Skills Council which had responsibility for Employability skills and qualifications. ASDAN featured in a report commissioned by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and UKES which reviewed the impact of generic Employability qualifications. The full report can be downloaded here.
Read the full specifications for the awards and certificates in Employability:
Who is it for?
- The Employability Award and Certificate at levels Entry 2 through to Level 2 are available in England, Northern Ireland and internationally. The Employability Award and Certificate at levels Entry 2 and Entry 3 only are available in Wales (final date for learner registrations 30 September 2024, final date for certification 30 September 2026).
- At Key Stages 3 and 4, schools, academies, alternative education providers and training organisations can use the qualifications to accredit preparation for employment training, career education, enterprise education, work-related learning and work experience.
- It is ideal for post-16 training organisations and colleges delivering study programmes, traineeships and provision as part of youth contracts and the DWP Work Programme.
Facts and figures
- Employability is a nationally recognised qualification, fully approved by Ofqual in England and by the relevant regulatory bodies for use in Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland.
- Following amendments to the school and college performance tables in England, qualifications that do not rely on a written examination for assessment purposes, such as ASDAN qualifications, do not, themselves, contribute to the tables. There is however strong evidence that ASDAN qualifications improve performance in English and mathematics, which have a double weighting in school performance measures such as Progress 8.
- In Wales and Northern Ireland, ASDAN qualifications can contribute towards school/college performance measures. Download this information sheet for details.
Structure
All Employability qualifications require centres and learners to complete a specific number of core and additional units to reach the number of credits for a particular size of qualification. At all levels, 6 credits are required for an award, and 15 credits are required for a certificate. Each credit is around 10 hours of learning time.
- To achieve an award, at least one core unit must be completed
- To achieve a certificate, at least two core units must be completed
Download a table of Employability units at all levels.
The Entry 2, Entry 3 and Level 1 qualifications are intended for young people and adults who are not yet ready for employment but for whom a job is a realistic aim within a reasonable timescale. They are fully approved for Foundation Learning.
The Level 2 and Level 3 qualifications aim to help learners develop employability skills within occupational settings, allowing them to build on their employability skills and acquire transferable skills that will help them progress in their current situation and in the wider world of work.
Units and standards
Download the Employability Entry 2-3 standards only and Employability Levels 1-2 standards only.
Please note that centres registered to deliver Employability will be able to access a full copy of the standards with guidance, which provides key information on how to interpret and implement the unit standards. Download sample units from the Employability Entry 2-3 standards with guidance and sample units from the Employability Levels 1-2 standards with guidance.
Resources for registered centres
Standards with guidance for each level that can be downloaded from the course resources section below.
Unit activities can be downloaded from the course resources section below.
Resource sheets to help candidates provide good quality evidence. These are available in PDF and Microsoft Word formats and can be downloaded from the members area of the website. They are not mandatory but are highly recommended.
The following documents can be downloaded for free:
- Employability Entry 2-3 standards
- Employability Levels 1-2 standards
- sample units from the Employability Entry 2-3 standards with guidance
- sample units from the Employability Levels 1-2 standards with guidance
- table of Employability units at all levels
Full qualification specifications
Assessment resources
1. Staff training
• The members of staff with overall responsibility for delivery must attend an ASDAN introductory workshop, webinar or INSET. Book at: asdan.org.uk/training
2. Register with ASDAN
• You will need ASDAN Qualifications membership to deliver Employability qualifications. Membership allows centres to purchase materials and access support, including regular mailings and updates.
• Become a member at: asdan.org.uk/membership or manage your existing membership at: asdan.org.uk/membership-details
3. Centre approval
• Centres will need to provide specific policies and procedures and provide additional information in order to be given centre approval to deliver qualifications. Centres are risk rated and all new centres will require a centre approval visit.
• Centres should create assessment plans for all units being assessed. Centres may be asked to supply them to ASDAN for validation.
• Centres will be required to review and renew a number of centre policies each year at: asdan.org.uk/member/centre-details/centre-approval
4. Create a new cohort
• Create a new cohort using the ASDAN website: asdan.org.uk/member/cohorts
• Specify a course co-ordinator, the expected completion date and the number of learners taking the course. Select student books for your learners.
5. Delivery and assessment
• Deliver the course to candidates, making use of the standards and general guidance and assessment resources. Resources can be downloaded from the course resources section on this page.
6. Support
• Autumn term themed support meetings offer CPD opportunities.
• Spring term qualification support meetings offer ongoing support, feedback and opportunities for networking.
7. Internal moderation
• Internally moderate all portfolios to ensure that learners have met the full requirements of the course. Ensure learners are given time to make any necessary amendments.
8. External moderation
• Book your moderation at: asdan.org.uk/member/moderations
• Deadline of 31 October for booking moderation within the academic year. Fees apply for moderations booked after this date. Members are entitled to two free moderations per qualification, per year.
• Confirm your learner names and details for moderation: asdan.org.uk/member/cohorts
• Provide the sample portfolios to the external quality assurer (EQA), as requested.
Moderation may take place as part of a centre visit or be carried out by post.
• Certificates will be sent to your centre within 20 working days of your EQA notifying ASDAN that a successful final moderation has taken place.
ASDAN training events are delivered by experts to enable your centre to successfully run our courses. They provide an introduction to the course, along with guidance on the processes involved, course delivery and moderation.
Training is mandatory for Employability qualifications.
Costs
All candidate registration costs shown below are per candidate, unless otherwise stated.
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Employability: | |
| Award (all levels) | £32.95 |
| Certificate (all levels) | £35.95 |
Products can be purchased below.
Public funding for ASDAN qualifications delivered in the UK
Many ASDAN qualifications are fully funded by the UK Government.
Whether you are an employer, a learner or a training provider, the following websites will provide you with more information on the different types of public funding in the UK for ASDAN qualifications.
- England - Education and Skills Funding Agency, ESFA
- Wales - Qualifications in Wales, QiW
- Northern Ireland - Department for the Economy
Join ASDAN
To teach this course you must have one of these membership types:
- Qualifications
Already a member? Sign in
Products
Employability Entry levels 2 and 3 standards with guidance 2018
The standards with guidance is a vital document that describes the standards candidates must meet for each Employability assessment unit and provides guidance to support these standards at Entry 2 and Entry 3.
All centres registered for Employability are issued with a copy. This resource is also available for members approved to deliver Employability to download from the resources section below.
£10.00
Employability Levels 1 and 2 standards with guidance 2018
The standards with guidance is a vital document that describes the standards candidates must meet for each Employability assessment unit and provides guidance to support these standards at Level 1 and Level 2.
All centres registered for Employability are issued with a copy. This resource is also available for members approved to deliver Employability to download from the resources section below.
£14.00
Employability Entry levels 2 and 3 standards with guidance 2018
The standards with guidance is a vital document that describes the standards candidates must meet for each Employability assessment unit and provides guidance to support these standards at Entry 2 and Entry 3.
All centres registered for Employability are issued with a copy. This resource is also available for members approved to deliver Employability to download from the resources section below.
£10.00
Employability Levels 1 and 2 standards with guidance 2018
The standards with guidance is a vital document that describes the standards candidates must meet for each Employability assessment unit and provides guidance to support these standards at Level 1 and Level 2.
All centres registered for Employability are issued with a copy. This resource is also available for members approved to deliver Employability to download from the resources section below.
£14.00
Course Resources
Specification Employability E2 award
Specification Employability E2 certificate
Specification Employability E3 award
Specification Employability E3 certificate
Specification Employability L1 award
Specification Employability L1 certificate
Specification Employability L2 award
Specification Employability L2 certificate
Employability Entry 2-3 standards with guidance
Employability Levels 1-2 standards with guidance
Table of Employability units at all levels
Qualifications internal moderation checklist
Qualifications internal standardisation meeting template
Qualifications internal standardisation feedback record
Qualifications internal moderation sampling plan
Qualifications internal moderation report template
Qualifications internal quality assurance guidance
Learning log
Employability qualifications: skills check and review
These templates have been taken from the ASDAN Employability qualifications student books. Learners complete a skills check at the start of a course or programme and review their progress at the end of the course to see how they have developed and improved their employability skills.
Common interview questions
This worksheet can be used to support learning in preparation for interviews. Learners are asked to identify commonly asked interview questions and plan their answers to these questions using key points. It can be used to support teaching and learning for the Employability Entry 3 unit 'Applying for a job', where learners are required to present information about themselves at an interview.
Scheme of work template
This template can be used to plan and create a scheme of work for any ASDAN programme or qualification. Also included is a completed example showing a scheme of work for Module 3 of the Personal Development Programmes.
Witness Statement Sheet
A witness statement template that can be used to provide evidence for a completed task or activity.