QA is a world-leading tech and digital skills organisation. We help many of the world’s leading companies to build their tech and digital capabilities via our leading range of training courses, reskilling bootcamps, and work-based learning programmes & apprenticeships. We also create bespoke solutions, blending elements to meet specific client needs. In Scotland, QA have been an approved SQA and SDS Centre since around 2011/2012. In those ten and more years, we have become the Scottish leader in delivering Tech & Digital Apprenticeships at SCQF level 6 & SCQF level 8. 

It was a natural progression for us to develop with our skilled and trusted partners, a customised award, which would provide digital skills learning and education, as part of a recognised certificated award. Those trusted partners include Jump Digital, our industry-leading content and platform providers and expert consultants in Tech and Digital; as well as the Royal Scottish Geographical Society (RSGC). The customised programme we developed and had credit rated is the Digital Pilot Licence. The Digital Pilot Licence (DPL), allows learners to develop and acquire new skills and knowledge across its four mandatory modules: The Digital Marketplace; Driving Value from Data; Climate Solutions Accelerator; and Wellbeing. There is also a fifth elective module in Business Blockchain.

The credit rating and customisation validation was achieved with the support and expertise of the relevant team at the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA). They, and other SQA staff, helped us greatly in developing and authenticating the programme to their professional and official standards. This in turn allows for our learners to be registered and certificated by SQA, giving the programme further recognition and credibility.

The DPL is aimed at various elements of the economic workforce and resource skills pipeline. It suits individuals who require digital literacy skills, because they are transitioning or in a position of career change; those who have been out of the job market for whatever reason and whatever time; individuals already in roles who require more digital skills; those seeking relevant CPD; and anyone with a need to develop new skills in digital. The DPL is a modular, self-paced, online learning solution, to upskill, retrain and provide digital skills transition to a range of learners and organisations. 

The DPL is a customised award, which is certificated overall as an SCQF level 7 group award with at least 18 credit points. The modularised units that make up the award are a range of SCQF level 5 through to SCQF level 8 units. They all come with various values of SCQF credits associated with each unit too. This means that learners who complete the programme, will not only receive the total SCQF credits on their learning attainment, they will also receive a diploma certificate, which confirms their achievement of the Digital Pilot Licence as a certificated group award.

Course participant Colin Black, Managing Director of Carjon-NRG.com, endorsed the programme and said:

“A great course, a great team and I highly recommend it. This excellent short course highlights key Climate Challenges through the Climate Solutions Accelerator module and identifies things we can all do to reduce our emissions and carbon footprint in our business and personal lives as we strive to achieve net zero. Working smarter and greener is something we should all consider and the DPL will definitely help provide focus on areas that can add significant value to you, your company/employer and career.”

Another participant, Lucie, added:

“I feel the Pilot would be useful for any individual and having an awareness of what climate change is and how we can prevent it is vital nowadays. I found the course material really informative and easy to follow.”


For more information on QA Ltd & the programmes we deliver visit https://www.qa.com/apprenticeships/scotland-apprenticeships/