NATIONAL 4 SKILLS FOR WORK UNIFORMED SERVICES

Intro to the course:

The course comprises of four units and the five core skills

• communication
• numeracy
• information and communication technology
• problem solving 
• working with others

The relevant uniformed services for this course are:

• The Army
• Merchant Navy
• Royal Air Force
• Royal Navy
• Royal Marines

The relevant emergency services for this course are:

• The Ambulance Service
• Coastguard
• Fire and Rescue
• Police

The units are delivered in a variety of ways, however Skills for Work Units are designed to provide an experiential learning process. This means learning through practical experience and learning by reflecting on experiences. 

The units are: Uniformed and Emergency Services: An Introduction 

• this unit introduces learners to the roles and responsibilities of uniformed and emergency services team members and explores the diversity of career opportunities available in the uniformed and emergency services. Uniformed and Emergency Services: Health, Safety Fitness and Wellbeing 
• this unit introduces the learner to the importance of maintaining personal wellbeing and a healthy lifestyle to a career in the uniformed or emergency services. Through identification of physical fitness standards required by the uniformed and emergency services and participation in physical fitness practical activities, learners will develop an understanding of the importance of maintaining physical fitness to a career in the uniformed or emergency services. Uniformed and Emergency Services: Engaging with the Community 
• this unit introduces learners to the concept of diversity and possible impacts of stereotyping on members of a community. This will enable learners to be able to demonstrate a positive approach when interacting with others. This positive approach should include communicating appropriately and having respect and consideration for others. Uniformed and Emergency Services: Working in Teams 
• this unit introduces learners to the nature and importance of team-working in uniformed and emergency services environments. The benefits of team-working and the qualities of effective leadership and followership will be explored and external factors which may affect a team will also be investigated. The unit provides learners with the opportunity to review their own performance in relation to strengths and areas for improvement when working as a member of a team.

Who is the course for?

The primary target group for this course is school learners in S3 and above. It is anticipated that the course will rely upon and build on partnerships between schools, further education colleges, employers and other training organisations. These partnerships will enable the course to be delivered in a variery of appropriate learning environments with access to relevant teaching expertise.

What will I study?

The National 4 Skills for Work Uniformed and emergency Services course has been designed to provide learners with opportunities to develop generic employability skills in the context of uniformed and emergency services. The course may also assist progression into further education and training/employment in the uniformed and emergency services sector. The course will allow learners to start to develop the general and practical skills, knowledge and understanding and employability skills needed to work in the sector. 

The relevant uniformed services for this course are: the Army, Merchant Navy. Royal Air Force, Royal Navy and Royal Marines. The relevant emergency services for this course are: the Ambulance Service, Coastguard, Fire and Rescue and the Police.

Next step course options

The course has been designed to provide learners with opportunities to develop generic employability skills in the context of the uniformed and emergency services. The course may also assist progression into further education and training/employment in the uniformed and emergency services sector.

How will I be assessed?

Assessment across the units of this course will allow learners to demonstrate: generic employability skills valued by employers knowledge and skills in relation to working in the uniformed and emergency services practical vocational skills skills in communication and working with others investigating skills The assessment of the units in the course will involve written and/or recorded oral and performance evidence. The evidence will be produced at appropriate points throughout the unit and gathered in a folio of evidence.

Why should I choose this course?

The knowledge and experiences acquired by learners will help to develop transferable employability skills and will also prepare them to work within the context of the uniformed and emergency services sectors within Scotland.

Where can this course lead?

The sector includes the emergency services, armed forces and commercial uniformed organisations such as the Merchant Navy. The course will allow learners to start to develop the general and practical skills, knowledge and understanding and employability skills needed to work in the sector in The Army, Merchant Navy, Royal Air Force, Royal Navy and Royal Marines, the Ambulance Service, Coastguard, Fire and Rescue, and Police.

What are the entry requirements?

The primary target for this course is school learners in S3 and above working towards National 4 Level Qualifications. The course may also be suitable for adult returners in a further education environments who are seeking to enhance their employability and develop introductory vocational skills in the uniformed and emergency services sector.

What are the interview arrangements?

Interviews will be arrange by the school.

Other information:

The general aims of the course are to: 

• assist learners to develop generic employability skills 
• allow learners to experience vocationally related learning 
• provide learners with a broad introduction to the uniformed and emergency services sector 
• encourage learners to develop a good work ethic 
• provide opportunities to develop a range of Core Skills through practical experiences in a vocational environment 
• encourage learners to take responsibility for their own learning and development 
• facilitate progression to further education, training and/or employment