Core Skills

Core Skills help individuals achieve success in many situations in life and work, and are the basis for learning throughout life.

Communication
Includes talking and listening, reading and writing. For example, using the telephone, taking part in discussions, writing letters and reports, understanding information from a leaflet.
Numeracy
Involves using tables, diagrams, graphs and symbols, and working with money and measurements.
Problem Solving
Involves thinking through a situation, deciding what to do and how to do it, getting resources together and doing it. Future work can be improved by thinking about how successful the plan was and how well it was carried out.
Using Information Technology
Involves finding, processing, presenting and communicating information. For example, using the internet and e-mail, preparing documents and presentations.
Working with Others
Involves agreeing how members of a group will tackle a task and then doing it. Group members consider how effective their own contribution was.

Core Skills may be achieved by candidates in two ways:

'Embedding' - this is where a Unit or Course being studied has been audited against the National Core Skills Framework. Successful completion provides automatic certification of the Core Skill.
Dedicated Core Skill Units - these are Units which are specifically intended for achievement of the individual Core Skills.

Core Skills may normally be achieved through National Qualifications, Higher National qualifications, and in a workplace context.

Every candidate's certificate contains a 'Core Skills profile' detailing the highest level of achievement of each Core Skill.

Please visit the Core Skills section of the website for more information.

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