Employability Framework - Work Aware qualifications and training courses

Last Updated: 10 Sep 2026

City & Guilds has long been a strategic advocate of developing employability skills as an essential component of lifelong success, encouraging their development alongside traditional technical training.

In response to growing concerns about the number of young people not engaging in education or employment and in recognition that employability skills are more vital than ever, City & Guilds have developed a framework of the transferable, skills attitudes and behaviours that will help people to build long-term employability.

Work Aware is the starting point of that framework.

Consisting of a complete programme of learning materials, available from SmartScreen. The programme has been designed to allow a facilitator to run interactive and engaging sessions for groups of learners.

Each block of learning is focused on one of six skills areas which have been identified by employers and learning providers as being critical for the successful progression into further learning or employment.

Completion of each block of learning is recognised by a digital badge.

Work Aware is a course which is designed for young people who are not currently in education, training or employment, or individuals of all ages who are looking to develop the skills, attitudes and behaviours to enable them to re-engage and progress into further study or employment.

The programme is designed to be flexible and can be adapted to be delivered across a range of contexts and sectors.

There is an opportunity to enhance your delivery of Employability Skills (5546) by the addition of the Work Aware digital credentials, alongside the qualification certification. The Employability Skills enhancement guide outlines which units in 5546 can be used This will require learners to be registered for 5546-02 in addition to their 5546 qualifications.

The teaching and learning materials would suit the delivery of some, or all of the blocks of learning within Work Aware as tailored learning. Alternatively, the programme would work well as part of an induction programme for a study programme, giving learners to opportunity to explore and develop the core skills needed to progress well on their main course.

Available to deliver in the following:

England
International

Interested in delivering this qualification?

Find out more about how to become an approved City & Guilds centre or fill out our online customer application form.

General Information

What Is Involved In Studying This Course?

The purpose of this course is to support you in building their confidence, providing you with the language to talk about, and give examples of how, you have demonstrated the skills that employers and education providers value.

You will take part in activities and group discussions which have been designed to help you explore the six areas of focus for this course which are:

Communicating face-to-face
Communicating digitally and using AI
Developing a growth mindset,
collaborating and working in a team
Managing yourself and your time and
Problem solving and using initiative.

Participation on this course will earn a digital credential for each block of learning which is completed. These can be shared as part of a digital CV or via social media to support applications for work or further study.

What Careers Can This Lead To?

The core skills explored as part of this course support progression into any field of study or employment.

What Is Involved With Delivering This Course?

The Work Aware programme is not a qualification.

The course consists of a series of blocks of learning, supported by Teaching and Learning materials which allow a tutor or facilitator to deliver sessions using the content to support learners to develop a greater awareness and confidence around the six themes.

The materials to support the delivery of the sessions are available from SmartScreen. They consist of:

a Scheme of Work for each block of learning,
PowerPoints to support delivery
and a variety of resources including a Facilitator’s ‘Getting

Started’ guide and a Reflective Journal for learners.

As this is not a qualification, there is no formal assessment of outcomes. Once the delivery of a learning block has been undertaken and the tutor/facilitator is comfortable that learners participated and have grown in understanding and confidence around the skill they will be able to claim a digital credential for them, in recognition of their participation and learning.

No Level

Work Aware Learning Programme (5547-01)

Last Registration Date: 31 Aug 2028

Work Aware Learning Programme

Accreditation No: Data unavailable This is a reference number related to UK accreditation framework
Type: VRQ This is categorisation to help define qualification attributes e.g. type of assessment
Credits: Data unavailable Credits are a measure of the size of the qualification
Guided Learning Hours: Data unavailable This is the average contact time a centre would typically commit
Total Qualification Time: Data unavailable The total time for the qualification
Key Stage: Data unavailable This shows the equivalent Key Stage level.
Last Certification: 31/08/2029 This is the last date that a certificate can be issued
Qualification fees in the UK: TBC, please speak to your Account Manager for further information Our typical price is the one that is most often paid by a centre for a completed learner. Some prices are made up of multiple charging points so action like taking difference units or specialisms to complete and resitting assessments may mean the cost for some learners differs. VAT may apply depending on your funding status and VAT registration.

Work Aware Employability Skills (5547-02)

Last Registration Date: 31 Aug 2028

Work Aware Employability Skills

Accreditation No: Data unavailable This is a reference number related to UK accreditation framework
Type: VRQ This is categorisation to help define qualification attributes e.g. type of assessment
Credits: Data unavailable Credits are a measure of the size of the qualification
Guided Learning Hours: Data unavailable This is the average contact time a centre would typically commit
Total Qualification Time: Data unavailable The total time for the qualification
Key Stage: Data unavailable This shows the equivalent Key Stage level.
Last Certification: 31/08/2029 This is the last date that a certificate can be issued
Qualification fees in the UK: TBC, please speak to your Account Manager for further information Our typical price is the one that is most often paid by a centre for a completed learner. Some prices are made up of multiple charging points so action like taking difference units or specialisms to complete and resitting assessments may mean the cost for some learners differs. VAT may apply depending on your funding status and VAT registration.

Here you can find all documents related to this suite of qualifications.

By clicking on the section headings below, you can access a variety of documents such as the qualification handbooks and assessment materials, Statements of Purpose, and recognition letters from industry and employers.

Some documents may be password protected. Passwords can be retrieved by logging in to Walled Garden and visiting the Administration section of the relevant qualification catalogue page.

Interested in delivering this qualification?

Find out more about how to become an approved City & Guilds centre or fill out our online customer application form.

Employability Framework - Work Aware (5547)