Emma Campos, New Product Development Manager, focus’ on the first in the series of NextGen: HN webinars which covered key aspects of the NextGen: HN project.
Every year, learners across Scotland enhance their career and education prospects by undertaking a Higher National Certificate (HNC) or a Higher National Diploma (HND).
The skills required by industry have changed considerably in recent years and to ensure HNCs and HNDs evolve to meet these requirements, SQA launched the NextGen: HN programme.
Skills for the modern workplace
SQA is designing the next generation of HNCs and HNDs in partnership with industry, colleges, sector skill bodies, and other stakeholders, to ensure learners acquire and develop the meta-skills, knowledge, and experience needed to succeed in the modern workplace.
Meta-skills include self-management, social intelligence, and innovation, and reflect the professional practices and behaviours expected in industry today.
How these skills are being embedded into the new qualifications was the theme of the first in a series of six SQA webinars which will cover key aspects of the NextGen: HN project.
NextGen: HN meta-skills webinar
Titled ‘Meta-skills: the journey so far’, the virtual event was attended by over 120 delegates representing the FE sector, employers, and training providers.
Valerie Innes, Head of Next Generation Qualifications and Standards at SQA, welcomed delegates to the webinar and introduced Lee-Anne Murray, Policy and Research Manager at SQA, who is leading the meta-skills work strand for HN and NextGen: HN qualifications.
Lee-Anne provided background information on the meta-skills model being used in the new qualifications, explaining that it was developed by Skills Development Scotland (SDS) and the Centre for Work-based Learning Scotland.
These are described in the paper Skills 4.0: a skills model to drive Scotland’s future, in which meta-skills have been grouped under three headings: self-management; social intelligence and; innovation.
The NextGen: HN approach is currently being piloted at New College Lanarkshire, where the new HNC Television is being rolled-out. Delegates heard from course leader Alan Moffat, who shared his experience of delivering and assessing meta-skills and described how the process had been embraced by his students.
Upcoming webinars
The NextGen: HN webinar series runs from January to June 2022. The dates and themes of upcoming webinars are listed below.
- Articulation and progression – 23 February 2022, 4-5 pm
- Quality Assurance – 24 March 2022, 4-5 pm
- Grading Models – 21 April 2022, 4-5 pm
- Learning for Sustainability – 24 May 2022, 4-5 pm
- Pilot Reflections – 22 June 2022, 4-5 pm
Get further information and book to attend the webinars.
All webinars in the series will be recorded. The recording of the meta-skills webinar will be available soon on the NextGen: HN website.
If you would like to find out more about the NextGen: HN project or have any queries, please contact the team.
