Background to SSERC

SSERC offers a broad portfolio of services, principally in support of the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) areas of the curriculum, which are not available from any other source and which can be broken down into three main strands of activity:

• Provision of Professional Learning (PL) for early years practitioners, primary and secondary teachers and school and college technicians and childminders
  
  
•  The Advisory Service
  
  
•  Wider STEM engagement activities including the Young STEM Leader Programme, management of the STEM Ambassadors in Scotland Hub, ENTHUSE Partnerships, the Scottish STEM Placements Programme and Education/Industry Partnerships.

Our HQ is based in Dunfermline, but our reach is across Scotland (and the UK). Our current staffing compliment is 35.

How did you find out about the SCQF Inclusive Recruiter programme & why did you decide to join up?

SSERC has always been aware of the benefits of the SCQF Framework and indeed a number of our professional learning courses are themselves SCQF credit rated. A member of the SSERC team suggested that it would be a positive move to become an SCQF Inclusive Recruiter (they had become aware of this via the SCQFP website). As such we decided to become an SCQF Inclusive Recruiter in order to make the process of detailing our recruitment qualification and training requirements more inclusive.

How has using SCQF levels in your recruitment benefited your organisation?

We have used the SCQF levels in our last three recruitment activities in the hope that this offers a more inclusive and transparent awareness of the knowledge, skills and competencies requirements. We are aware that the Scottish education landscape has undergone some significant changes and that depending on, e.g. age, the understanding of some qualification names and levels might be challenging: we want to ensure that no individual feels that they are excluded from our recruitment process by stipulating only current mainstream qualifications. We feel that this has opened up the recruitment process to applicants who may have previously not regarded career opportunities as appropriate.

How easy was it to embed the SCQF Inclusive Recruiter principles within your organisation’s recruitment processes?

The process of becoming a SCQF Inclusive Recruiter was simple and straightforward and we have a dedicated person within the organisation who provides support and advice when managers are developing their recruitment documentation.

Do you have any plans to further embed the SCQF within your organisation e.g. performance management/job evaluation/workforce planning?

Since becoming an SCQF Inclusive Recruiter we have ensured that where appropriate we will always refer to the SCQF Framework when referencing qualification and training programmes.

We recognise the added value offered by the SCQFP to the education community in Scotland; particularly in recognising the variety of different qualifications available that can open up the potential talent pool for vacancies and ties in with our approach to equality, diversity and inclusion of opportunity.

Get more information on the SCQF Inclusive Recruiter programme and how using SCQF levels in your recruitment can have a positive impact on your business.