Understanding qualifications
In a changing world of work it makes sense to think about where you are now and where you want to be in the future. If you want to get a better job, earn more money or simply use your brain, then it’s worth thinking about whether more qualifications might help you achieve your goals.
Finding your way through the maze of qualifications can be off-putting for some people, but don’t worry, help is at hand!
If you:
- don’t have any qualifications but want to know how to get some
- want to add to your current qualifications but don’t know how to
- don’t know what different qualifications mean and where they can lead
Then this section is for you! It describes all the different types of qualifications and how they can fit together to give you the options you need.
However, before looking at the qualifications it’s worth taking a moment to work out where you are now and how best you can move on. Find out how much you do know by visiting our Qualifications - useful websites.
Have a look at the following statements: do any of them describe you?
“I’d like to go to college but I don’t have any qualifications”
Don’t panic! Many courses at college don’t need qualifications but can still lead on to further study or a better job. There is also the option of studying through your workplace.
“I’ve got some qualifications/experience through work or training”
You’ve got lots of different options. You could talk to your employer about the possibility of continuing on to SVQ level 3 – what’s known as a Modern Apprenticeship. You might also consider more formal learning. An SVQ level 1 or 2 can lead to further study at college.
“I’ve already got formal qualifications through school or college”
Depending on what you’ve got at the moment, you could decide to carry on and study for a National Certificate (NC), Higher National Certificate (HNC) or even a degree!
You can find out more about how your current qualifications compare by using the Scottish Credit Qualifications Framework. This is an easy to use table which compares all the different kinds of qualifications from SVQs to Standard Grades and degrees. You can see where you are on the table and the next steps to take if you want to move on.
“I’m not sure if I want to study full-time”
There’s loads of flexibility, so you can choose the way of studying which suits you. That could be full-time, part-time, during the day or evening, open learning or through your workplace.
“I’m not sure what my current qualifications and experience are worth”
Different qualifications and work experience can be viewed as equivalent to each other. Learning which you have already completed can be taken into account to get you on to the next level – this is called Accredited Prior Learning. Similarly, work experiences can be taken into account to get you on to courses at college. This is called Credit Accumulated Transfer Scheme or CATS.
This means that your previous qualifications or work experience could get you into a course at college or even university!
Even if you don’t have the exact entry requirements for a course it’s still worth checking with the colleges and universities.
“I’ve read all of the statements and I’m still confused”
Remember: if you're still confused - help is available. Just contact Careers Scotland on 0845 8502 502 or complete the Contact Us form.
