Core Skills

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

The five Core Skills are:

Communication

Includes talking, reading and writing - for example, using the telephone, taking part in discussions, writing letters and reports, understanding information from a leaflet.

Numeracy

Involves both using numbers and graphical information - for example, drawing a map, weighing and measuring, mileage calculations, calculating annual profit and loss.

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 carrying it out. Group members consider how effective their own contribution was.

Core Skills can 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, and completing it also confirms the achievement of the Core Skill at the given level
  
  
• dedicated Core Skills Units - there are Units which are specifically intended for achievement of the individual Core Skills in both National Qualifications and SVQs