Curriculum planning guides

Build practical skills and clear progression routes for all learners

No learner should be left behind. Yet nearly one million 16–24-year-olds are not in education, employment or training (NEET), and many adults are also seeking new opportunities – whether re-entering the workforce, retraining, or changing careers.

At every stage of life, having the right skills and clear pathways can make a real difference.

City & Guilds has created Curriculum Planning Guides, giving providers the flexibility to build practical, real-world programmes for a wide range of learners.

Whether delivered standalone or combined into tailored study programmes, these guides provide achievable steps to help learners build confidence, develop skills, and follow clear progression pathways.

Download the Curriculum Planning Guides

Each guide brings together sector-specific qualifications, units, and short courses, with employability skills mapped into clear, structured pathways. You’ll find an introduction to industry options, example programme models for adult learners, NEET young people, and full-time students, plus guidance on progression routes and funding. Everything is designed to help every learner move forward with purpose and confidence.

Further support will be received through resources for learners and tutors, digital tools, and people-first guidance. This support makes it easier for providers to deliver practical, high-quality programmes that meet local labour-market needs and employer demand.

Download the guides

What’s inside our curriculum planning guides

Each guide includes everything you need to plan and deliver effective, career-focused programmes. Inside, you’ll find:

Sector-specific short courses, qualifications, and units

Example programme combinations for NEET young people, adult learners, and full-time students

Employability and work-readiness qualifications to strengthen progression

Guided learning hours (GLH), clear progression routes, and funding streams

Curriculum Planning Guides are now available for Construction, Hospitality & Catering, and Adult Care, with more sectors to be added soon.

Designed with NEET and adult learners in mind

25%

of City & Guilds learners are in employment six months after completion, compared to 56% of learners using other providers and other qualifications.

Our programmes are designed to support learners with little or no prior experience in the industry. They help reduce anxiety and build confidence through early achievements. Short, practical courses serve as stepping stones to longer qualifications, apprenticeships, and sector-specific roles.

Employability skills qualifications prepare learners for work from the start, and flexible delivery models let each person progress at their own pace, moving into employment quickly and confidently.

Why this matters for providers:

Supports government initiatives to support for NEET young people

Meets local labour market needs with relevant, employer-aligned training

Provides employer-recognised, job-ready skills

Simplifies planning with flexible, modular programmes

Download the guides