Get to know the people behind the SCQF Partnership (SCQFP). In this new blog series, we shine a spotlight on our Board members and the valuable experience, perspectives and leadership they bring to the organisation. First up, it’s Gillian Brydson.
Gillian is Executive Director of Education, Skills and Community Wellbeing for Dumfries and Galloway Council, having previously been Director of Education and a local authority chief officer for many years.
Before moving to local government, she was a lecturer in the college and university sectors.
Her current role has responsibility for overarching functions that have relevance to the work of the SCQFP, including schools, early years, adult and community learning and employability and skill.
Through this, she also brings her experience of the wider learning system to the SCQFP’s Quality Committee.
As we celebrate the 25th anniversary of the SCQF, we caught up with Gillian to learn more about her vision for the Framework’s future.
Tell us about your role:
My role at Dumfries and Galloway Council encapsulates lifelong learning, from our early years provision, through schools and our community learning and development.
We have been supporting many New Scots with skills for work and progression through the SCQF levels of English for Speakers for Other Languages (ESOL).
What’s been the most rewarding aspect of serving on the Board?
Having a structured national qualifications framework, and one which is mapped to other systems, helps shared understanding of achievement.
It has also been rewarding to see the re-emergence of policy intent around the Recognition of Prior Learning, and the pivotal role of the SCQFP in this.
What do you see as the SCQF’s most important contribution to Scottish education and skills development in the past 25 years?
The transparency and stability offered by the SCQF has given the system a constant frame of reference during times of much discussion about the need for education and skills reform.
It has recently been reported that the government’s Post-School Education and Skills Reform programme aims to create a simpler system, more responsive to Scotland’s economic and social needs and I will be promoting the importance of the SCQF and the Recognition of Prior Learning as part of this work.
Duplicating or repeating learning is not economically sensible – for learners, providers or employers but the landscape can be fragmented and confusing.
I promote the SCQF as the tool to help people understand the levels and values of qualifications, recognise their prior learning to meet their ambitions, which may include increasing their family income, while helping meet the needs of a changing economy and society.
How do you see the SCQF evolving over the next 25 years?
I see the SCQF evolving over the next 25 years as the partnership establishes the basis for a revised education and skills system which is trusted and respected.
There will need to be balances struck to ensure rigour and quality, while being agile and responsive; this can be best managed through a well governed partnership.
Can you share an example of how you have seen the SCQF make a real difference to learners, training providers or employers?
Reflecting back to my work with New Scots, I can see daily examples of where ESOL learners have used clear learning pathways towards qualifications which recognise and validate their learning.
Understanding the rungs of the ladder needed to access specific college courses or meet the specifications of particular jobs gives direction towards the world of work, increasing feelings of belonging and purpose often supporting their wider community and increasing their family income.
I have many individual examples of where learners and employers have used the SCQF has a frame of reference to help make expectations clear, particularly when people are coming from different education and training systems.
We have rich seams of talent across our country; we can use the SCQF as the groundwork to support people into good jobs. If we collaborate to keep it simple and clear and well governed, we can use the Framework to improve economic prosperity in our communities.