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By registering your details with us, we will keep you up to date about our approvals process as well as informing you of any webinars and stakeholder events that are planned in 2023.
If you would like to submit a Level 3 or Level 2 technical qualification into the approvals process for Cycle 1 and have not yet been contacted by a member of IfATE's post-16 team, please email us and a member of the team will be in touch to arrange a one-to-one support session.
Guidance
Employer involvement in the development of technical qualifications is central to delivering a technical education system which meets the needs of industry. We are committed to making sure that awarding bodies have access to the guidance and insight necessary to support their development of technical qualifications, as set out within IfATE’s Level 3 and below consultation.
This guidance is:
- a good practice guide for awarding bodies on using strategic approaches to guide engagement with employers
- a library of data and information sources that can be used to inform employer engagement, aid business planning and help awarding bodies access the insights and information needed to develop fit for purpose technical qualifications
The guidance contains generic advice on maximising employer engagement, alongside bespoke insights relating to the specific Route areas.
This guidance will support awarding bodies in designing and implementing a process to satisfy the employer demand test. The employer demand test is met when IfATE agrees that there is, or is likely to be, demand for a learner who has achieved the submitted technical qualification. A robust engagement process underpinned by comprehensive desk research can help to generate the evidence needed to provide evidence to show the qualification meets the employer demand test.
Updates to guidance:
IfATE will update this guidance regularly, in line with the cycles of qualification reform. Following the conclusion of the initial reform cycles, IfATE will establish a regular timeline for updates to occur.
As this document is iterative IfATE would welcome feedback from users on how it could be improved. We encourage awarding bodies to contact us directly if you have any thoughts on improvements you would like to see to in the guidance.
Published 10 Jan 2023
Last updated 9 November 2023
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