Employability

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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. Registrations for learners in Wales must be received by 30 September 2024. The final certification date in Wales is 30 September 2026.

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:

Updated materials for September 2026
We are currently updating and refreshing our PSD and Employability materials as part of ASDAN’s scheduled periodic review process, helping to keep our courses relevant, up to date and informed by member and learner feedback.

Updated units and resources will be available from 1 September 2026. We will share further information, including key changes and guidance for centres, ahead of launch.

Learner age 14+, 14–16, 14–25, 16+, 16–19, 19+, Adults
Level Entry 2, Entry 3, Level 1, Level 2
Key Stage Key Stage 4, Key Stage 5
Education setting Mainstream school, Special school, Justice system (including youth offending), Further education, Community Education, EOTAS, PRU, Academy / Multi-academy trust, Voluntary sector, Training provider, Adult education, Independent school, Secondary
Guided learning hours 60–100 hours, 100–180 hours
Regulated Qualification
Certification Externally certificated, hard-copy only
Location England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, International (including Channel Islands and Ireland)
UCAS points No UCAS points available
Available on Equitas No
Pathway Independent Living

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To teach this course you must be an ASDAN member.

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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.
  • ASDAN Employability qualifications will not be available for registrations of new learners in Wales from 30 September 2024 (Entry 2 and Entry 3 only). Final certification of learners in Wales must take place by 30 September 2026. Please contact qualifications@asdan.org.uk if your centre is planning to deliver Employability qualifications in Wales from September 2024. Download this information sheet to check the availability of these qualifications in other locations.  

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 qualification 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.

Become a member 

Our expert team will guide you through the process. Please complete this expression of interest form and an ASDAN expert will be in touch. You can also visit our membership page for a reminder of what is included. 

Create a cohort

Once you are approved as an ASDAN member and have approval to deliver this course, you can create a cohort of learners in the members’ area. Specify a course coordinator, the expected completion date and the number of learners taking the course. Learners should be registered within 60 days of starting any ASDAN course and before any assessment takes place. 

Resources 

ASDAN provides a wide range of supporting resources, including course standards with guidance and assessment materials. All resources related to your course can be found on the course webpage. 

Assessment 

All ASDAN courses are assessed through portfolios or projects, instead of exams. Appropriate internal quality assurance (IQA) and external quality assurance (EQA) will take place according to the course and you will be guided on this by our team. 

Qualification assessment planning

This training includes three video-based lessons covering what assessment plans are, how to complete them and how to manage them across your cohorts. This training is free and not mandatory. 

Professional development opportunities

Continued professional development (CPD) training opportunities are available for all ASDAN courses to support assessment and internal quality assurance (IQA). 

Training is delivered by ASDAN experts, supporting your centre to run our courses successfully and develop and sustain expertise across your team. They provide an introduction to the course, along with guidance on processes, course delivery and moderation.  

Browse training opportunities 

As an ASDAN member, you can also take part in ASDAN’s special interest groups. These are termly online sessions focusing on specific areas of practice, providing space for discussion, collaboration and networking between ASDAN members. 

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. 

Book training

 

ASDAN Qualification Assessment Planning 

Three video based lessons covering what assessment plans are, how to complete them and how to manage them across your cohorts.

This training is free and not mandatory.

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Costs

All candidate registration costs shown below are per candidate, unless otherwise stated.

Item Price
Employability:  
Award (all levels) £37
Certificate (all levels) £37

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.  

Products

Course resources

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.

Progression pathway
Careers and Experiencing Work Short Course
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