Page 36 - the SyI Quarterly 8
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Education and Learning
Decoding Education &
Training
by Keeva Gilchrist
Training and education are integral cogs within Accredited Qualifications Versus Non-Accredited
the mechanisms of our day-to-day lives and Programmes: Understanding their Merits
represent our professional journey. Coupled It is paramount to understand that accredited
with experience and professional memberships, and non-accredited programmes bring with them
the education pathways we have embarked their own individual merits. Understanding the
upon tell a story about who we are and what differences between accredited qualifications and
we have achieved. From relatively informal, non-accredited qualifications (intended purely for
onsite training concerning the responsibilities knowledge-gain purposes) should arguably be
bestowed upon us within new job-roles, to more our first step towards making informed decisions
intricate and formalised means of education about personally appropriate education and
when embarking on lengthy, career enhancing training.
courses; we all have goals and aspirations and
understand that education is (often) our means Accredited Qualifications
of achieving these. It is no secret that when Accredited qualifications adhere to strict
assessing candidates for job roles in the modern Awarding-Body approved syllabi - made up of
world, qualifications stand-out. Although vast specific learning objectives and assessment
sector experience remains a very desirable and criteria - aimed to assess at a particular level,
often a required element for many professional on a particular subject or number of specified
job roles, qualifications, and evidence of further subjects, and over a particular length of time.
education within the sector is increasingly sought The official accredited accolade will always be
after. One only needs to spend a few moments issued by an Awarding Body (Pearson, QNUK,
on popular, professional job sites for evidence of SFJ Awards, for example). You should be able to
this. Education and training are also a necessary determine if the qualification is in fact accredited
means of moving towards promotion and to by having conversations with the training provider
securing our place as Subject Matter Experts for example, asking them to share the name of
within a particular domain, both of which typically the Awarding Body, the level (BTEC Level 5, SFJ
boost our bank balances and, also, our credibility, Awards Level 7, for example), and the award
confidence and prospects within rapidly category (Award, Certificate or Diploma).
professionalising sectors.
The above framework demonstrates that for an
The very nature of education itself is designed to Award qualification, you will typically be expected
bring us from points A to B, demonstrating that to dedicate between 10 – 120 hours of study in
we have developed the necessary skills and have order to complete the qualification. This is in stark
the required determination and self-discipline to contrast to the end of the accredited qualification
do so, ergo achieving an end goal. However, when spectrum, where 360+ hours are required for a
met with the requirement or desire to enhance Diploma. Additionally, the qualifications are tiered
our understandings of a particular subject and - by level – meaning that for example, a level 3
in turn - boost our prospects, many of us will set qualification may require you to list and explain
these goals aside due to the mass of convoluted based on what you have read in the provided
information that there is out there, focused on course materials, whereas a level 5 may require
selling us a dream. We become lost in a sea of you to evaluate and analyse, based on your
information and find it hard to navigate towards materials and extra-curricular research. You may
the best fit for our personal needs. As a means also be tasked with utilising your own personal
of compass, this article aims to equip you with experiences within the professional security
the necessary information to make personal, management sphere, using examples where
goal-focused, and career-orientated decisions necessary to further embelish your answering.
for the enhancement of your own professional The levels are completely determined by the
prospects. complexity of the tasks that you will undertake
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