The Framework for re-skilling

Learning new skills gives you better opportunities for finding a job, getting promotion at work, or developing a new career. And when you get new academic or vocational qualifications, you earn credit points that can go towards the learning you may need to do all through your life.

• learning that you can do in college or university, or at work, or in the community
• learning that will earn you academic and/or vocational qualifications that will help you in your career and in your everyday life

How does it work? (view diagram)

The Framework includes different qualifications at the same level. It doesn't mean that the qualifications are the same. The subject content may be different and how they are assessed, but they can be just as hard to achieve and demand the same level of skill or understanding, so they are positioned at the same level in the Framework.

You get SCQF credit points for the amount of learning you have to do to earn the qualification. That's why some qualifications - even at the same level - earn more credit points than others. For example, both an Advanced Higher and an HNC are at SCQF level 7. But the Advanced Higher course has 32 credit points and the HNC has 96. For more information on credit points view the Summary of Credit Points.

It's possible to transfer the credit points that you get for one programme of learning to another, related programme of learning. The Framework doesn't guarantee that will happen. It's up to the SQA and individual universities and colleges to make the final decision. But it means it's possible to move onto another pathway to learning without having to do the same work over again. For example, SQA Units in Childcare could be used to gain an HN award in Childcare and Education. In the future, some workplace training may also give you credit points. At the time of producing this webpage, SVQs are being studied to see how they can be given credit points. For more information contact your local careers office or learndirect Scotland.

From 2004, most Scottish qualifications will be described by their SCQF level and appropriate credit points.