The five Core Skills

The five Core Skills are the skills most needed in many work environments. Jobs require some level of ability in some or all of these skills.

Each Core Skill is available at levels 2 to 6 of the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF).

The Core Skills frameworks describe the general and specific skills of each Core Skill. They are used by those designing and auditing units, courses and assessment programmes. They define the standards. These standards can be delivered as:

Combined Core Skills framework (660 KB)

The five Core Skills are:

Communication

Communication skills underpin personal, social, learning, and working activities. They are essential in clarifying one's own thoughts, in interacting and conversing with others, in expressing thoughts and in conveying information, feeling and opinions.

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Components

Numeracy

Numeracy skills are necessary for coping with the demands of everyday life. People need to be comfortable with numbers, graphs, symbols, diagrams and calculators.

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Information and Communication Technology

Information and Communication Technology focuses on the ability to use IT in ways that are useful in work and the home. It is not about developing IT specialists.

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Components

Working with Others

Working with Others develops the skills needed to co-operate with others in learning and working situations to identify and achieve shared goals.

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Components

Problem Solving

Problem Solving develops the skills needed for tackling issues and problems in personal, social, vocational and occupational contexts.

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