Earn and learn with an SVQ
Scottish Vocational Qualifications (SVQs) are work-based qualifications, which allow you to learn as part of your job role to set criteria, ensuring you meet the national standards for the sector you work in.
How they work
You can study for an SVQ while you carry out your normal day-to-day work. There are no formal written exams. Anyone doing SVQs collect and submit evidence, usually using your job as a reference point.
Each SVQ unit relates to an aspect of your job gives you the skills and confidence to be competent in your role.
You will work with an SVQ assessor to complete your studies and they will provide help and support when you need it.
Who can do them
All kinds of people can do SVQs, including:
- apprentices and new staff members who want to learn more about their job role
- Someone with lots of experience but no way to prove it formally in an academic recognition
- Someone who would like to follow up a qualification with practical and vocational skills
SVQ Subjects
The Scottish Vocational Qualifications (SVQs) in Customer Service at SCQF level 5 allows candidates to demonstrate competence in job-related skills in their particular area of work and expertise.
The SVQ covers communicating in a customer service environment and delivering customer service within best practice guidelines and will include understanding of customer service and the rules that impact on improvements in customer service. At the higher-level candidates will evidence following organisational rules, external regulations and legislation when managing customer service and handling referred customer complaints.
This SVQ takes up to 12 months to complete.
Scottish Vocational Qualifications (SVQs) in Business and Administration are designed to equip those working in business and administration with the skills and knowledge they need to demonstrate competence in their job role.
SCQF Level 5 involves a greater range of activities with some degree of complexity and limited autonomy.
Mandatory units cover undertaking allocated work, communicating, and managing own performance in a business environment.
This SVQ takes up to 12 months to complete.
The Scottish Vocational Qualification (SVQ) candidates will undertake a broad range of activities with significant complexity, responsibility, and autonomy, often in a supervisory or team-leading role.
Mandatory units cover managing workload, communicating, and planning, and improving own performance in a business environment.
There is again a wide range of optional units including work responsibilities, document production and design, managing events, customer service, managing business resources, and managing information and data.
This SVQ takes up to 14 months to complete.
This level will normally be for managers with responsibility for staff and/or financial or other resources.
Mandatory units involve managing and being accountable for own performance and managing work and communication in a business environment.
Optional units include business support services, project management, managing business resources, innovation, and change, managing Information and data, customer service and communication.
This SVQ takes up to 18 months to complete.
The SVQ in Team Leading at SCQF level 6 allows candidates to demonstrate competence in job-related skills in their particular area of work and expertise. It is aimed at those in their first managerial role who are likely to have a limited span of control and responsibility for small teams of people.
This qualification is jointly awarded with the Chartered Institute of Management (CMI). Candidates who are registered for the SVQ in Team Leading at SCQF level 6 can take advantage of 12 months free studying membership of CMI.
This SVQ takes up to 12 months to complete.
The Scottish Vocational Qualification (SVQ) in Management at SCQF level 7 allows candidates to demonstrate competence in job-related skills in their particular area of work and expertise.
It has been developed to support those working as first-line managers, section managers, assistant managers, trainee managers, senior supervisors, and those working in a range of other management positions.
This SVQ takes up to 18 months to complete.
The Scottish Vocational Qualification (SVQ) in Management at SCQF level 9 allows candidates to demonstrate competence in job-related skills in their particular area of work and expertise. It has been developed to support those working as middle managers.
This qualification is jointly awarded with the Chartered Institute of Management (CMI). Candidates who are registered for SVQ in Management at SCQF level 9 can take advantage of 12 months free studying membership of CMI.
This SVQ takes up to 24 months to complete.
The Scottish Vocational Qualification (SVQ) in Social Services and Healthcare at SCQF level 6 allows candidates to demonstrate competence in job related skills in their particular area of work.
This SVQ is suitable for individuals who are currently in employment and who wish to obtain a formal qualification.
Mandatory units cover communication, health & safety, reflecting on your practice and safeguarding in a care environment. There is a wide range of optional units including moving and positioning, eating and drinking, preparing meals, activities.
It is a requirement by the SSSC that everyone employed in this capacity should be working towards achievement of this qualification.
This SVQ takes up to 9 months to complete.
The Scottish Vocational Qualification (SVQ) in Social Services and Healthcare at SCQF level 7 allows candidates to demonstrate competence in job related skills in their particular area of work.
This SVQ is suitable for:
- individuals who are currently in employment and who wish to obtain a formal qualification
- people who are employed in the health and social care sector in a supervisory role.
Mandatory units cover communication, health & safety, reflecting on your practice and safeguarding in a care environment. There is a wide range of optional units including moving and positioning, medication, challenging behaviour, accessing services, supporting people to stay at home.
It is a requirement by the SSSC that everyone employed in this capacity should be working towards achievement of this qualification.
This SVQ takes up to 12 months to complete.
The Scottish Vocational Qualification (SVQ) in Social Services and Healthcare at SCQF level 9 allows candidates to demonstrate competence in job-related skills in their particular area of work.
This SVQ is suitable for:
- individuals who are currently in employment and who wish to obtain a formal qualification
- people who are employed in the health and social care sector in a senior and/or management role.
Mandatory units cover communication, health & safety, reflecting on practice and safeguarding in a care environment. There is a wide range of optional units including recruitment, care planning, risk management, managing and disseminating records, managing quality.
It is a requirement by the SSSC that everyone employed in this capacity should be working towards achievement of this qualification.
This SVQ takes up to 14 months to complete.
The Scottish Vocational Qualification (SVQ) in Care Services Leadership & Management at SCQF level 10 allows candidates to demonstrate competence in job related skills in their particular area of work.
The SVQ in Care Services Leadership and Management is suitable for those who have a management role in a care service.
Mandatory units cover communication, health & safety, reflecting on practice and safeguarding in a care environment. There is a wide range of optional units including recruitment, care planning, risk management and managing quality.
It is a requirement by the SSSC that everyone employed in this capacity should be working towards achieving this qualification.
This SVQ takes up to 16 months to complete.
This SVQ is suitable for:
- individuals who are currently in employment and who wish to obtain a formal qualification
- people who are employed in the health and social care sector in a supervisory role.
This award contains 2 supervisory units from the SCQF 9 award.
It is a requirement by the SSSC that everyone employed in this capacity should be working towards achievement of this qualification.
This SVQ takes up to 6 months to complete.
The target audience for the SVQ in Social Services (Children and Young People) are people who are practitioners in residential settings for children and young people.
This SVQ is suitable for:
- individuals who are currently in employment and who wish to obtain a formal qualification
- people who are employed in residential settings
Mandatory units cover communication, health & safety, reflecting on your practice and safeguarding in a care environment. There is a wide range of optional units including supporting young people to manage their lives, medication, challenging behaviour.
It is a requirement by the SSSC that everyone employed in this capacity should be working towards achievement of this qualification.
This SVQ takes up to 12 months to complete.
The target audience for the SVQ 4 in Social Services Children and Young People (residential) are people who are employed in the childcare sector in a senior and/or management role.
This SVQ is suitable for:
- individuals who are currently in employment and who wish to obtain a formal qualification
- people who are employed in residential settings.
Mandatory units cover communication, health & safety, reflecting on practice and safeguarding in a care environment. There is a wide range of optional units including recruitment, care planning, risk management, multi-agency working, managing quality.
It is a requirement by the SSSC that everyone employed in this capacity should be working towards achieving this qualification.
This SVQ takes up to 14 months to complete.
The target audience for the SVQ in Social Services Children and Young People (Childcare) are people who are practitioners in early years settings.
This SVQ is suitable for:
- individuals who are currently in employment and who wish to obtain a formal qualification
- people who are employed in early years settings.
Mandatory units cover communication, health & safety, reflecting on your practice and safeguarding in a care environment. There is a wide range of optional units including promote the development of children, wellbeing and resilience, care of babies and children, self-directed play.
It is a requirement by the SSSC that everyone employed in this capacity should be working towards achieving this qualification.
This SVQ takes up to 12 months to complete.
The target audience for the SVQ 4 in Social Services Children and Young People (childcare) are people who are employed in the childcare sector in a senior and/or management role.
This SVQ is suitable for:
- individuals who are currently in employment and who wish to obtain a formal qualification
- people who are employed in early years settings.
Mandatory units cover communication, health & safety, reflecting on practice and safeguarding in a care environment. There is a wide range of optional units including Lead curriculum provision of early education for children, Lead the support for children's creativity and Evaluate the environment for children and families.
It is a requirement by the SSSC that everyone employed in this capacity should be working towards achieving this qualification.
This SVQ takes up to 14 months to complete.
Benefits to individuals studying SVQ's
There are many benefits to studying for an SVQ, including:
- Continue earning while you study for your qualifications
- Career progression
- Formalising and evidencing your skills with a qualification
- Shows commitment to your work and learning
- Gives you the ability and confidence to do your job well
Benefits to employers
Employers often see the benefit of having a staff member studying SVQ's immediately and some of the most common benefits include:
- Most people achieve these qualifications while still carrying out their normal day-to-day work.
- More companies are seeing education and training for their workforce as an investment and SVQ’s are an integral part of their workforce development strategies.
- SVQ’s give employers a focused, on-the-job context for training and developing staff. They are an excellent way of making sure staff have development opportunities.
- Increased productivity
- Improvements in quality of work
- More loyal workforce
- Improvements in staff retention