In this month's issue

Putting Quality in the QCF events – 2012 

Putting Quality in the QCF is part of a popular series of events run by the CFA aimed at training providers, verifiers and assessors. On 24 January 2012 we will be kick starting the New Year in Bristol, shortly followed by a workshop taking place in Newcastle on 26 January.

Both events will run from 10:00 until 16:00 and include refreshments and a light lunch. Bookings can be made on the CFA website.

Expert trainers with extensive experience of the QCF will deliver advice a range of topics, including:

• Ofqual requirements for assessment and quality assurance and CPD
• The Assessment Strategies for Business & Administration, Customer Service and Management and what they mean in practice
• How to interpret QCF language
• The difference between Internal Verification and Quality Assurance
• Credit values and what they mean for learners and providers

Bristol 24 January
10:00 – 16:00, Mercure Bristol Brigstow Hotel, Welsh Back, Bristol BS1 4SP

Newcastle 26 January
10:00 – 16:00, Marriott Metro Centre Hotel - MetroCentre, Gateshead NE11 9XF

Delegate feedback from the event series:

“Informative, good instruction, nice atmosphere!”
“Very good! Learnt a lot and it was valuable to me”
“Excellent presenters demonstrating depth of knowledge of topic”
“It was very useful and informative; I would be very interested in future events”
“Learned A LOT!”

Each workshop is £195 per delegate. To book your place today, please visit the CFA online shop. Alternatively, contact info@cfa.uk.com or call today on 020 7091 9620.

Congratulations to our WorldSkills London 2011 competition winner!     

From the 5 – 8 October the CFA took part in WorldSkills London 2011, the world's largest skills competition and careers event. This year it took place at the ExCel centre in London where an incredible 200,000 people visited the show. As well as using this vital opportunity to promote essential skills in Business & Administration, Customer Service, Management, Marketing and Enterprise, the CFA also ran three activities for young learners.

• Planning a music concert through an event management game
• Exploring marketing potential by designing and creating logos
• Creatively thinking about the essential qualities needed within enterprise

Our congratulations also go out to Adaeze (pictured) from St. Vincent's Catholic Primary School who won the CFA design a logo competition. Adaeze was delighted to be chosen as the winner for her Cupcake logo design. Well done! Further news of our other competition winners will be announced in the New Year.

There’s still time to share your experience in Management & Leadership

The CFA are currently reviewing the National Occupational Standards (NOS) for Management & Leadership. These standards describe what managers and team leaders need to do, know and understand to carry out their role in a consistent and competent way.

We are currently looking for volunteers with experience in Management and Leadership to support this NOS review. The aim is to update the existing standards so that they reflect current practice, skills and knowledge. Ensuring that the required functions carried out by managers and team leaders meet the needs of employers across all sectors of the UK economy.

The public consultation on the revised draft Management & Leadership standards will commence in December 2011.

If you are interested in taking part in this consultation, please register your interest by emailing standards@cfa.uk.com with your name, organisation job title and email address.

National Apprenticeship week 2012

Are you prepared for National Apprenticeship Week 2012?

The CFA is only one of many organisations taking part in promoting apprenticeships up and down the country from 6th to 10th February 2012.

The week has been running for four years now and next year is hoping to be the biggest one yet! Everyone is encouraged to get involved, from helping to run your own event or activity, to attending one taking place in your local area.

If you are planning on putting on any events during Apprenticeship Week next year, the National Apprenticeship Service has created a toolkit which you can download from their website. Alternatively, you can download the NAS toolkit here. They will also be promoting everyone’s activities on their Activity Map. Simply download the Activity Form and submit your event details to them at theweek@apprenticeships.gov.uk. Your entry will then appear on the NAS website and social media channels for everyone to see.

Plus if your organisation has access to Twitter – then don’t miss the chance to promote your activity using the hash tag #NAW2012. You can also follow the National Apprenticeship Team on Twitter at @apprenticeships.

The best support for Business & Administration standards

Get the best support available for your students with the CFA’s Business & Administration handbooks.

Available at Levels 1, 2 and 3, all of our study materials can be purchased in bulk at a special rate for learners who are studying, or working towards:

• National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs) / Scottish Vocational Qualifications (SVQs)
• Apprenticeships
• Technical Certificates
• Other vocational related qualifications currently on the QCF

Written by industry expert Anthony Lapsley, the books contain instructive and practical activities for the learner to gain expert knowledge of all the skills essential in Business & Administration. All three books are fully up-to-date with the revised 2010 standards, covering mandatory and optional units for learners studying through all awarding organisations delivering the Business & Administration S/NVQs.

To save 10% when you order 15 or more CFA Business & Administration Handbooks, simply fill out the order form here and return via email or post the CFA.

Priced at £11.99, £15.99 and £19.99 respectively, the improved look, easy to read format and complete up to date content will make for a great resource for you and your students.

Click here to take you to the CFA Student Handbook series.

New Challenges, New Chances: skills system reform plan

On 1 December John Hayes released New Challenges, New Chances - Further Education and Skills System Reform Plan.

The plan outlines the government’s strategy and key objectives for the Further Education sector from 2011-2014, hoping that they will: ‘create a dynamic and deregulated sector by 2015’.

The document confirms that a £50m fund will be made available for employers to bid for during 2012/13, with the possibility of a potential £200m more being available the following year. Employers will also have the power to deliver new courses and help ‘build a World Class Skills System’.

The plan also looks at providing:

• Relevant and focused learning programmes and qualifications
• First-class advice delivered by the National Careers Service
• A ladder of opportunity of comprehensive Vocational Education and Training programmes

Business Secretary Vince Cable said: “Further education plays a critical role in extending opportunity, forging social cohesion and fostering enterprise. But we need to place more trust in the sector’s ability to understand and meet local communities skills needs.

“By giving more freedom to colleges to set courses based on local skills needs, and increasing businesses’ role in designing qualifications, we will empower students, colleges and employers to drive economic recovery.“

The report is widely available to read on the Department for Innovation & Skills website

Government helps young people access education, training and work

The Government has published plans to increase the participation of 16-24 year olds in education, training and work.

‘Building Engagement, Building Futures' sets out the Government's strategy to improve the opportunities for young people, so they can succeed in education and training and gain the skills they need to secure an apprenticeship or employment. It includes radical reforms to schools, vocational education, skills and welfare provision.

The majority of young people stay in education and make a positive transition to adult life and the world of work. But recent figures show that 1.16 million young people are not in education, employment or training (NEET). In the current economic climate the Government wants to do all it can to help young people, particularly the most vulnerable, develop their skills, gain the right experience and succeed in adult life.

Getting more young people active and engaged in their own learning and development, and subsequently into work, will make a lasting difference to their future prospects, help to raise levels of social mobility, and is central to the Government's plans to stimulate economic growth.

‘Building Engagement, Building Futures' includes five priorities for action:

• Raising attainment in school and beyond to ensure that young people have the skills they need to compete in a global economy;
• Helping local partners to provide effective and coordinated services that support all young people, including the most vulnerable, putting us on track to achieve full participation for 16-17 year olds by 2015;
• Encouraging and incentivising employers to inspire and recruit young people by offering more high quality apprenticeships and work experience places;
• Ensuring that work pays and giving young people the personalised support they need to find it, through Universal Credit, the Work Programme and our Get Britain Working measures; and
• Putting in place a new Youth Contract worth almost £1 billion over the next three years to help get young people learning or earning before long term damage is done.

To read the article in full, go to the Business Innovation and Skills website

Question of the month

Q: What qualifications can be used in the new SASE framework for the transferable skills element?

A: The qualifications that can be used for the transferable skills element of the SASE Frameworks are Functional Skills, Key Skills, GCSE’s with enhanced functional content (1st certificates are due to be released in Summer 2012), GCSE’s, A or AS Levels.

Please refer to the full Transferable Skills list in the relevant framework for full details with regards to the timeframes of the qualifications and the grades that can be used.

www.cfa.uk.com/apprenticeships/sasew-frameworks.html