Quality Assured Lifelong Learning (QALL) units
What is the difference between a unit in a QCF qualification and a unit that is on the Quality Assured Lifelong Learning (QALL) pillar of CQFW?
All units approved by Agored Cymru must meet the same standards. This means that you can be confident that any unit you offer meets the standards set by regulators regardless of whether it is in a QCF qualification or on the QALL pillar of CQFW.
Units included in the QALL pillar are not combined into qualifications or rules of combination. They are assessed independently. They are developed for a range of reasons, for example:
- to augment or underpin QCF qualifications and units
- to meet the requirements of new roles and activities
- for bespoke provision that has been developed collaboratively between an organisation and an awarding organisation
- commissioned by a national organisation in Wales, such as the Care Council for Wales.
New QALL units are scrutinised to make sure they comply with regulatory standards and are put forward by awarding organisations for inclusion on the CQFW.
Quality assurance processes validate learners’ achievements on the QALL pillar in exactly the same way as the QCF pillar, to ensure that credit is awarded fairly.
What are the benefits of QALL provision?
The benefits of QALL provision are that it provides:
- a way of measuring inherent or acquired skills in the workforce, or in adults who aspire to return to the workforce;
- a way for new learners, or learners lacking confidence in their own ability, to acquire recognition for their capacity to learn, thus providing a confidence boosting route into further learning, training or qualifications;
- a way of reducing the duplication and cost of mandatory training. By assessing the knowledge and skills acquired, there is a reduction in the need to repeat training, a cost saving for employers, and evidence of transferable skills for employees;
- a way of giving value to training for employees and encouraging a more positive attitude to training, where training may not have been valued, or may have been resented as time away from work;
- a mechanism for assessing the impact and cost effectiveness of training on production or performance by the team leader, line managers or supervisors;
- a way of meeting employers’ specific training needs, while giving the employee recognition for the training and promoting progression to further training and / or qualifications;
- a tool for workforce development, to assess the effectiveness of training and CPD which provides evidence for appraisals and the grading of posts;
- formal recognition for the diversity and quality of learning and training provided by the third sector – museums, housing associations, libraries, TUC, archives etc;
- recognition, choice and progression opportunities for learners who wish to progress professionally or apply to Higher Education;
- a method for developing knowledge and competence against Wales-specific standards and legislation;
- the development of objective standards for Wales for evolving or blended roles.
Benefits of QALL – taken from NIACE DC TOOLKIT 2011
Where can I find out more about CQFW and QCF?
