SVQ Providing Financial Services SCQF level 6

The Scottish Vocational Qualification (SVQ) in Providing Financial Services at SCQF level 6 allows candidates to demonstrate competence in job-related skills in their particular area of work and expertise.
This qualification covers areas such as banks and building societies, insurance, investment operations, financing and credit, debt collections, pensions, mortgage and financial planning, as well as general areas such as customer care and sales.
This qualification has been designed in partnership with the Skills for Justice Sector Skills Council to ensure relevance to the sector.
SVQs are based on National Occupational Standards (NOS). SQA works in partnership with other organisations to ensure that NOS are relevant to the current and future needs of Scottish industries.
This qualification is available through employers and training providers.
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Why deliver this qualification
Upon successful completion, learners will gain an internationally recognised qualification, which guarantees that they have the skills, knowledge and abilities required to carry out their role successfully. Employers will also benefit from their employees being proficient.
As assessment is carried out in the workplace, thereby minimising any time learners would need to be away from their work.
Candidates can progress to a range of qualifications, including HNC/D in Financial Services or professional body qualifications.
The SVQ can be offered in any of the following modes:
- full-time (in the workplace for those taking this as part of a Modern Apprenticeship)
- part-time (eg day-release)
Who does this qualification suit
This SVQ is suitable for:
- learners who may have just left school
- individuals who are currently in employment and who wish to obtain a formal qualification
Access
Entry is at the discretion of the centre.
Candidates should be in a job or placement where they are carrying out relevant tasks and responsibilities that allow them to gather the required evidence. However, the recommended entry requirements are formal qualifications in Mathematics and English at SCQF level 4 or 5.
Examples of formal entry qualifications:
- National 4 or 5 in English and Mathematics
- Most employers will expect candidates to have a keen interest in financial and business affairs
Progression
The level 6 award could provide progression to:
- an HNC/HND in Financial Services or a related area
- an SVQ in Professional Services at SCQF level 8
- degree level study at a higher education institution
- employment in the financial services sector, perhaps as a trainee underwriter, trainee broker, pension administrator, senior customer adviser or foreign currency adviser
Approval
Centres with devolved authority for approval should use their own internal approval process.
Centres without devolved authority are required to come forward for approval and should contact SQA's Business Development Team for guidance.
Assessors and verifiers must be able to meet SQA's general requirements for technical/occupational competence as outlined in the Systems and Qualification Approval Guide.
How to assess
For general information on how to assess this qualification, please refer to the document Guidance on how to assess SVQs. For detailed guidance on how to assess this particular SVQ, please refer to the assessment strategy.
Where can you take this course?
Qualification content and delivery tools
Current
Information about the qualification(s)
Qualification Structure
The SVQ Providing Financial Services at SCQF level 6 consists of three mandatory units and four optional units.
For details of the units making up the SVQ, please refer to the qualification structure (177 KB).
National Occupational Standards
Unit information for this qualification is available on our Accredited Qualification Unit Search.
Core Skills signposting
Core Skill mappings are carried out by the SSC responsible for the development of an SVQ. It is a requirement of SQA Accreditation that every SVQ submission includes information on where possible opportunities for candidates to develop Core Skills exist across the mandatory units.
Centres should note that mappings are not audited or validated against the Core Skills framework/units so are not accepted by SQA awarding body as evidence towards achievement of the Core Skills units.
- Core skills signposting (158 KB)
Core skills mapping is available on the SVQ subject page.
Modern apprenticeships
This SVQ is a mandatory component in the Level 3 Modern Apprenticeship in Providing Financial Services (SCQF level 6).
SQA also offers the following components of this apprenticeship: units from the SVQ Customer Service SCQF 6 (GL0D 23) and core skills.
Unit Title | SCQF 5 |
---|---|
Core Skills: Communication | F427 04 |
Core Skills: Numeracy | F42B 04 |
Core Skills: Information and Communication Technology | F42F 04 |
Core Skills: Problem Solving | F42K 04 |
Core Skills: Working with Others | F42P 04 |
Information about delivery, assessment, quality assurance and support material
Assessment strategy
- Assessment strategy (135 KB)
Assessor's guidelines
Candidate Guidance and Portfolio
- Guidance for candidates starting an SVQ (626 KB)
- Candidate Portfolio A4 Cover (118 KB)
- Candidate blank recording forms (616 KB)
Qualification Verification Summary Reports
2021 Qualification Verification Summary Report (158 KB)
Network events
October 2021 - Quality Network event presentations
- Providing financial services - SQA (0.98 MB)
- Quality Network Week - Senior External Verifier (0.98 MB)
- Delivering vocational qualifications in a virtual environment - BPP (2.50 MB)
- Providing financial services - Limelight Careers (1.64 MB)
October 2018 presentations
- SQA providing financial services presentation (455 KB)
- Limelight careers presentation (342 KB)
- Genius people presentation (224 KB)
Lapsing
Information about the qualification(s)
Qualification Structure
This qualification is now in its lapsing period and will finish on 31 October 2022.
Providing Financial Services at SCQF level 6 (GH5T 23):
- The qualification will be deleted from the relevant catalogue.
- The qualification's content and delivery tools will remain on SQA's website until
31 October 2022 at which point they will be removed and archived. - No new centres may be approved to offer the qualification.
- No candidates can be entered for the qualification.
- Centres should ensure candidates complete the qualifications and results are submitted to SQA before 31 October 2022.
Group award Code: GH5T 23
The SVQ level 3 Providing Financial Services at SCQF level 6 (180 KB) consists of seven units — three mandatory units and four optional units.
For details of the units making up the SVQs, please refer to the qualification structures.
National Occupational Standards
- Administration for Mortgage and/or Financial Planning Intermediaries (112 KB)
- Bank and Building Society Accounts (378 KB)
- Core Competence (86 KB)
- Customer Payments for Financial Products and Services (81 KB)
- Debt Collections (122 KB)
- Financial Services Customer Care (542 KB)
- Financial Services Sales Process (484 KB)
- Financing and Credit (145 KB)
- General Insurance (348 KB)
- Investment Operations (203 KB)
- Leadership and Management (0.97 MB)
- Life, Pensions and Investments (160 KB)
- Provide Information to Customers in a Financial Services Environment (38 KB)
Unit information for this qualification is available on our Unit Search.
Core Skills signposting
Core Skill mappings are carried out by the SSC responsible for the development of an SVQ. It is a requirement of SQA Accreditation that every SVQ submission includes information on where possible opportunities for candidates to develop Core Skills exist across the mandatory units.
Centres should note that mappings are not audited or validated against the Core Skills framework/units so are not accepted by SQA awarding body as evidence towards achievement of the Core Skills units.
- Core skills (0.97 MB)
Core skills mapping is available on the SVQ subject page
Modern Apprenticeships
These SVQs are mandatory components in the Modern Apprenticeship in Providing Financial Services at Levels 3 respectively.
SQA also offers the following components of these apprenticeships: core skills (which need to be separately certificated).
Unit title | Level 2 MA | Level 3 MA |
---|---|---|
Core Skills: Numeracy | F42A 04 | F42B 04 |
Core Skills: Information and Communication Technology | F42E 04 | F42F 04 |
Information about delivery, assessment, quality assurance and support material
Assessment strategy
Assessor's guidelines
- Guidance on Assessment of SVQs (523 KB)
- SVQ Assessor blank recording forms (515 KB)
Blank recording forms
Assessor's guidelines — 2014 standards
Candidate Guidance and Portfolio
- Guidance for candidates starting an SVQ (626 KB)
- Candidate Portfolio A4 Cover (118 KB)
- Candidate blank recording forms (616 KB)
Qualification Verification Summary Reports
Qualification verification summary reports were formerly known as internal assessment reports.
Network events
November 2014 presentations:
- SQA Presentation (472 KB)
- Learndirect Presentation (856 KB)
- Limelight Careers Presentation (614 KB)
- A Jakeman Presentation (547 KB)