1. Skills Policy Update Natalie Williams-Hunt Head of NOS & CQFW Policy
Welsh Government
Skills Policy Update
Natalie Williams-Hunt
Head of NOS & CQFW Policy
8 September 2016 1

2. Structure
Skills Policy Engagement Team within the Economy, Skills & Natural Resources Group
Ministerial Responsibilities:
Ken Skates - Cabinet Secretary for Economy & Infrastructure
NOS & Apprenticeships Julie James – Minister for Skills & Science
CQFW & EUVET - Alun Davies – Minister for Lifelong Learning & Welsh Language

3. Skills Policy & Regional Skills Partnerships
Long-term view of strategic changes needed to respond to the regional skills challenges facing Wales
RSPs to deliver strong regional collaboration on skills across employers and providers aligned to work of EZs, City Regions and cross border collaborations
Aim is to support skills needs of key growth/infrastructure projects in each region
Employer engagement in skills development driven by the RSPs is essential to align post-16 skills provision with employer needs
Employer engagement is essential to influence, prioritise and align our post-16 skills provision with employer needs (NOS, VQs and apprenticeships)

4. National Occupational Standards
The Welsh Government continues to value NOS and remains fully committed to retaining NOS as the basis of VQs and Apprenticeship Frameworks.
Our role – strategy and policy, commissioning, funding, quality assurance (approvals / UK NOS Panel) and governance (NOS Governance Group)
Welsh Language Standards Regulations 2015
Ensure the Welsh Language is not treated any less favourably than the English language
Delivery Partners are obliged to comply for standards & frameworks delivery - as far as is practical
Guidance and bilingual NOS Consultation Pack developed

5. Apprenticeships Policy
Commitment to a minimum of 100,000 quality all age apprenticeships
Our programme performs very well – completion rates consistently over 80%, feed back from employers/apprentices positive and highly rated by external assessors
Increasing focus on higher level skills, particularly in professional services, science, technology and engineering sectors and sector priorities identified by Regional Skills Partnerships
Ensuring learning content is aligned with the changing needs of employers (via Regional Skills Partnerships)

6. Credit & Qualifications Framework for Wales (CQFW)
A functional framework that recognises all forms of learning across all levels and abilities and describes the credit and qualifications system in Wales.

7. Credit & Qualifications Framework for Wales (CQFW)
Three pillars of learning: HE / Regulated Qualifications/ QALL
Continued alignment to EQF in the short term

8. Qualifications Wales
Qualifications Wales Act 2015 established Qualifications Wales as a new independent regulator of non-degree qualifications in Wales.
Qualifications Wales took up its powers on 21 September 2015.
Two principal aims:
ensuring that qualifications and the qualification system are effective for meeting the reasonable needs of learners in Wales
promoting public confidence in qualifications and the Welsh qualification system
Sector Reviews
Health & Social Care – completed
Construction and IT

9. Contacts National Occupational Standards NOSmailbox@wales.gsi.gov.uk
Credit & Qualifications Framework for Wales (CQFW)
Qualifications Wales