Qualify with a Business*

Qualify with a Business (QwaB)* will enable adults in Further Education (FE) Colleges to develop key business start up skills alongside their vocational training, so that they are both qualified in a vocational area and ready to run a business.

For example;  a learner studying landscaping and thinking of becoming self-employed, or training in painting and decorating and planning to start their own business, can gain the vocational skills alongside business enterprise skills - through QwaB.

 The Skills Funding Agency (Agency) in partnership with the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS),and the Regional Development Agencies (RDAs) are testing approaches to implementing Qualify with a Business (QwaB). The Agency is  taking forward QwaB pathfinders focused on post 19 learners in England during 2010/11.

The  Agency will fund colleges to offer Qualify with a Business through:

  • An extension of the Unit Funding Trials (UFT) funded through Adult Learner Responsive (ALR) programmes. This will allow pathfinder colleges to offer a package of units from the Qualifications and Credit Framework(QCF) which have been identified as meeting the criteria for inclusion in QwaB. 

and/or

  • Target bearing (full) Level 3 qualifications in the QCF [For information see http://qcf.skillsfundingagency.bis.gov.uk/qcf-funding/confirmationfunding/.] For this route the relevant sector organisations SSCs/SSBs/SCs are working with awarding organisations (AOs) to revise Level 3 qualifications to incorporate suitable QCF units resulting in integrated vocational/QwaB qualifications.  The integrated course would be delivered as a target bearing (full) Level 3 in the QCF.

 Guide for Colleges Offering QCF Units and Qualifications for QwaB can be downloaded here.  This Skills Funding Agency guidance document also provides  access to all units and qualifications currently available on the Register of Regulated Qualifications and on the Learning Aims Database (LAD).  

Commitment to Qualify with a Business in the new Skills Strategy

The Government’s recently published Skills Strategy reaffirmed commitment to QwaB. In Chapter 1 it states:

Business start-ups and entrepreneurialism will also be a key driver of economic growth as new and small businesses create jobs, stimulate innovation and create a competitive spur to existing businesses to increase their productivity. ..

To address this we will provide a framework that will encourage the further education sector to do more to support enterprise amongst learners...

We will also work with the Skills Funding Agency to build on the “Qualify with a Business” pathfinders, encouraging more Sector Skills Councils to incorporate enterprise education.

 

Next Steps - taking QwaB forward

 In December 2010 and January 2011 Credit Works will be building on the recommendations from their report to BIS and SFA on QwaB (July 2010) and undertaking the following work:

  • Consulting with key stakeholders on issues and suggestions for progressing QwaB, including scope, name, and timetable for implementation
  • Gauging the current position of QwaB amongst SSCs and colleges, particularly in identifying barriers to engagement / participation, take suggestions/responses throughout this period of work and suggesting ways of overcoming these
  • Identifying how to build and support SSCs and pathfinders to take QwaB forward and ensure QwaB is a strong and robust business enterprise offer for adult learners

 Credit Works will supply a short further recommendations report for BIS and SFA in early Feb 2011, focussing on areas for short-medium term gains and areas that require further work and consideration in 2011 -12.  

 

Becoming  a Pathfinder college

 If you are not a Pathfinder College and wish to become one, you can express an interest to your Agency Regional Skills Lead who will provide advice and support. The Regional Lead will liaise with the Regional Development Agency.

SSC and Awarding Organisation Plans and timescales for revising qualifications to incorporate Qualify with a Business

 Five Sector Skills Councils (SSCs) agreed to revise  the rules of combination (ROC) of selected full level 3 vocational qualifications to incorporate QwaB. SSC QwaB briefing provides information on the qualifications being revised for QwaB and the timescales for when the qualifications will be available.

Jacqui Chivers from Construction Skills on the importance of QwaB for her sector

Watch a short interview with Amanda Clark and Helen King from Improve - the SSC for Food and Drink Manufacture

 Reports

Qualify with a Business*: Qualification Approaches - Credit Works report to LSC April 2010  - Potential approaches to the development of qualifications within the Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF) to address the aims and aspirations of Qualify with Business.

Agency Updates

Updates on the Skills Funding Agency guidance will be posted on this website and on http://qcf.skillsfundingagency.bis.gov.uk/qcf-funding/policy/ 

 

More details from awarding organisations on qualifications with QwaB

 

*Qualify with a Business (QwaB) is a working title.