Nicola Smith

Lead: Projects and Employer Support

Contact information

n.smith@scqf.org.uk
@Nicola_SCQF

What is your role within the SCQFP?

As Lead for Projects and Employer Support, I am responsible for employer engagement, and identifying, developing and maintaining new opportunities and partnerships. I have been working to increase employers’ understanding of the range of alternative qualifications being taken across Scotland and beyond, and of the skills and experience people may have developed that are comparable to these qualifications. By encouraging the use of SCQF levels in recruitment instead of specific qualifications, I have been helping to make recruitment practices more inclusive, and grow our family of SCQF inclusive Recruiters.

What do you enjoy most about your role?

I really enjoy being able to engage with such a wide range of different employers, finding out about the amazing work which is going on all over Scotland, and knowing that the work I am doing will help people find the right job roles where they can flourish.

Career so far

I am a fully registered teacher for both primary and secondary education, with a wide range of experience in educational outreach and development. Working at Glasgow Caledonian University, I led a team that supported and encouraged over 400 schools to achieve their Eco Schools Green Flag award. I also developed and implemented a sustainable, environmental change and educational outreach programme across Wiltshire while working with the Wiltshire Wildlife Trust.

While living in England, I worked on a government-funded pilot project, hosted by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, where we worked to increase the opportunities for young people to learn to assess risk through experiential learning. I also worked with Poppyscotland on the design and realisation of their mobile museum and learning space, Bud, which tours Scotland, exploring the history of Remembrance and starting conversations about its meaning in contemporary Scottish society. My most recent role was with Barnardo’s, working in various primary schools across Glasgow, to fully embed social and emotional learning within their curriculum, ethos and values, with the aim of reducing the attainment gap and building strong mental health.

Glossary Term

Authority

Appears at Level 12 only where it is used in the phrase ‘demonstrate substantial authority’, reflecting a recognised high level and depth of expertise/expert knowledge and understanding, along with confidence. It does not mean ‘exercise authority over staff and resources’ etc, as that could clearly apply at earlier levels.

Glossary Term

Exercise

Used in connection with management and/or supervisory responsibility, denotes a requirement of a formal, substantive role.

Glossary Term

Directive

Applied to ‘supervision’, signifies a task or activity that is guided.

Glossary Term

Graphical Data

Encompasses maps, plans, diagrams, tables and graphs.

Glossary Term

Synthesis

Combine discrete elements into a coherent whole.

Glossary Term

Analysis

Examine in detail with a view to explanation and interpretation.

Glossary Term

Present

Set out, put forward, deliver information using a variety of mediums as appropriate.

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Hypothetical

Supposed, assumed for the sake of argument.

Glossary Term

Straightforward

Clear and uncomplicated activity, but not as demanding or systematic and therefore not as advanced as ‘routine’.

Glossary Term

Creativity

Often used in combination with ‘originality’. There is overlap in definition, but the defining characteristic of creativity appears to be imagination.

Glossary Term

Originality

Often used in combination with ‘creativity’. There is overlap in definition, but the defining characteristic of originality appears to be independence.

Glossary Term

Professional

Used throughout as an adjective and applied to terms including level, skills, techniques, practices, contexts, and issues where it bears broad interpretation as ‘behaving appropriately/doing things properly and well and to notions of accepted, (including externally) prescribed standards’, as well as narrow, relating to a specific occupation designated as a profession. In this latter sense, the term applies in all contexts including academic study, eg footnoting properly.

Glossary Term

Unfamiliar

New territory for an activity.

Glossary Term

Routine

Used as an adjective throughout and applied to terms including skills, tasks, elements, practices, contexts, methods and problems where it describes activity that is standard, usual, unvarying, customary, common.

Glossary Term

Everyday

Slightly more advanced and beyond personal but a known experience/activity encountered/applied regularly - less advanced than ‘familiar’.

Glossary Term

Familiar

Often encountered or experienced; common; something one has a good knowledge of - more advanced than ‘personal’ and ‘everyday’, not as advanced as ‘routine’.

Glossary Term

Personal

An experience relating only or primarily to the person – one would expect to start here then widen out into the rest of the world, so not as advanced as ‘familiar’.

Glossary Term

Critical

Fully informed, capable of supporting in-depth analysis and assessment.

Glossary Term

Discerning

Using judgement to recognise differences but not fully equipped/informed to analyse and discuss them in depth, so less advanced than critical.

Glossary Term

Awareness

Consciousness, including a background consciousness. Can be a starting point for further exploration.

Glossary Term

Appreciation

A sense, perception, a hold, fix or grasp of one or more of the various aspects of a subject/discipline/sector.

Glossary Term

Understanding

A thorough and firm grasp of a subject/discipline/sector or an element or elements of it, derived from education/study, experience and reasoning in appropriate combination. Can be defined as ‘know why’, as opposed to ‘know that’. More holistic knowledge of processes and contexts, so more advanced than appreciation and knowledge.

Glossary Term

Simple

Undemanding activity not necessarily part of a formal structure - not as advanced as ‘basic’.

Glossary Term

Knowledge

Facts, ideas, theories and concepts in a subject/discipline/sector acquired through experience and/or education – a surer grasp than appreciation so more advanced.

Glossary Term

Basic

Activity is early stepping stone on a structure or framework that can be built upon – more advanced than ‘simple’.