What are Functional Skills?
When you ask what skills are ‘functional’ around the Training Qualifications UK (TQUK) office and you’ll get some bizarre answers:
Tom thinks shoelaces are optional so wouldn’t class tying them as a pre-requisite for being functional.
Phoebe and Amelia would definitely include the creation of perfectly lip-synced TikToks.
And, of course, Andy reels off a list of football related skills.
Lucky for the Qualification Development Team, real functional skills are well defined by the DfE. And it’s that content that all Awarding Organisations (AOs) offering Functional Skills design their qualifications to meet.
There are nine AOs that offer these qualifications.
At least, there were. Now there are ten.
TQUK is on the scene.
The purpose of Functional Skills
Functional Skills play an integral role in developing a learner’s knowledge and practical skills, increasing their chances of employment, evidenced by their mandatory inclusion in all apprenticeship standards delivered by the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IfATE).
Apprentices required to achieve level 2 maths and English before progressing to end-point assessment (EPA) during an apprenticeship can do so using these qualifications.
The most commonly taken Functional Skills qualifications are in maths and English, as competence in these subjects at level 2 is required for most jobs, university courses and apprenticeship standards.
How do Functional Skills benefit learners?
More widely, the level 2 versions of these qualifications are accepted as an equivalent to a grade C/4 GCSE, meaning they can be taken as an alternative to GCSEs. Benefits of Functional Skills over GCSEs include taking them at any point during the year, with assessments that focus a little less on theory and a little more on real-life application and problem-solving.
For example, by taking Functional Skills in maths, learners will develop their understanding of:
budgeting
managing bills
working out the best shopping deals
reading data reports.
In addition, Functional skills in English can increase a learner’s written and verbal communication, demonstrated in:
reading
writing
speaking
listening.
If there are already nine, why do we need another?
It’s a fair question. Our qualifications cover the same content, and the assessments are designed to meet the strict requirements set by regulators. Switching to our Functional Skills qualifications means you won’t have to rewrite your on-programme content! There are only so many ways we can be different, and they aren’t to be found there. But here’s what we can do:
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Learners can benefit from remote, on-demand assessments with no requirement for in-person invigilation or complicated system set up. As a result, learners can take their assessments anytime, anywhere, on a state-of-the-art exams system with an hours notice and no commitment to a specific timeslot.
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No hidden fees, only pricing that offers unbeatable value for money.
We are firm believers in building a relationship based on trust, quality, and excellent service. Part of that is remaining completely open and transparent with our pricing models to ensure that no complicated surcharges or nasty surprises are added to your invoices!
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As sector specialists we have years of experience and in-depth knowledge in a diverse range of sectors. This means that we’re experts in our field and can deliver specialist advice and guidance across all areas of vocational education.
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We’re problem solvers, providing fast responses to go above and beyond, ensuring that your experience with us is seamless. We understand your frustrations and know how best to solve them.
You don’t need to take our word for it because our service-level agreements speak for themselves!
When joining us for Functional Skills you will get:
a simple, fuss-free onboarding process
up-to-date exam systems that are easy to navigate.
assessment results in six days*. That’s not just fast. That’s faster.
e-certificates issued directly to learners within 24 hours.
seamless integration between systems to reduce administration time.
a host of support materials and extra information via our website and FAQs.
people who know their stuff, answering the phone, on live chat and email.
*outside of awarding periods.
We know that this offer stands out in the market.
We know that it solves problems our customers have told us they experience time and time again, because we asked you what you wanted before we started.
It’s been a long time coming, but it’s worth the wait.
If you’re interested in our Functional Skills services, please reach out for a free consultation.
