Main Index Education Index Agencies Index Employment Index Europe Index

A-Z Glossary [ A ] [ B ] [ C ] [ D ] [ E ] [ F ] [ G ] [ H ] [ I ] [ J ] [ K ] [ L ] [ M ] [ N ] [ O ] [ P ] [ Q ] [ R ] [ S ] [ T ] [ U ] [ V ] [ W ] [ X ] [ Y ] [ Z ] [ Resources and Further Information ] [ A ] Action Planning Planning the steps that lead to a written plan of action. See Action Plans Action Plan An Action Plan is a written document used by school leavers to outline their proposed career plan and the stages involved in implementing it. Action Steps Steps taken to get a job or career. These are usually included within a Personal Plan of Action. A levels Exams, usually taken in school sixth form or at college. See Qualifications A/S Levels Advanced Supplementary Level. Two-year study courses taken alongside A levels. They are equal to half an A level. See Qualifications Aptitude tests Tests of a person's ability to do a specific job. Normally administered by Careers staff or employers. See Aptitude tests Assessment Centre A particular selection technique used by many employers whereby a group of short listed job applicants is brought together to undertake a variety of individual and group exercises designed to indicate skills, knowledge ability, etc. See Assessment Centre Awarding Body An organisation that can award qualifications, such as RSA or Edexcel (BTEC). Awarding Bodies are approved by government appointed organisation QCA. [ B ] BCC British Chamber of Commerce - an umbrella organisation that has an inspection and advisory role for all local chambers of commerce. Bursary A scholarship payment (an allowance) awarded often by employers as part of a sponsorship or scholarship package for a student attending Higher Education courses. [ C ] Careers Adviser A person employed in the Careers Service to advise on all aspects of careers. See Careers Adviser. Career Changer A person who changes career after leaving school. This can happen at any age up to retirement. See Career Changer. Career Development Plan Similar to an action plan, it is used by career changers or adult job seekers as part of their overall job search strategy Careers Teacher A school-based teacher who gives advice on careers. See Careers Teacher. CCTE Chamber of Commerce Training and Enterprise. This is a local organisation formed by merging a TEC and a Chamber of Commerce. There are around fifty Chamber/TECs around the country offering a wide range of services to local businesses. CEG Careers Education and Guidance. Chamber of Commerce These are international organisations with local branches. They have close links with trade and industry and several have recently merged with a local TEC to become a Chamber/TEC. See Chamber of Commerce. The Committee of Ministers The Committee of Ministers is a European Council body of the European Union, comprising foreign ministers of member states and their deputies. Comparability Coordinator/Officer Comparability officers compare similar jobs in different countries. The Comparability Coordinator puts these jobs into comparability tables showing the qualifications needed for each job description. Every country in the EU has a Comparability Coordinator's Office They liaise with each other. The Council of Ministers The Council of Ministers consists of one member from each of the participating states of the European Union. Based in Brussels, its role is to adopt the community laws submitted by the commission and agreed by parliament. It is the community's legislative body. The Court of Justice The Court of Justice in Luxembourg makes final rulings on matters of law affecting the European Union. It also deals with matters of law concerning international treaties. Curriculum Vitae Often referred to as a 'CV' and usually prepared for job applications. A CV gives an outline of someone's personal, educational and professional history. See Curriculum Vitae. City & Guilds The City and Guilds of London Institute awards vocational qualifications across many occupational areas. Most NVQ levels are available. [ D ] Day release Attendance at a nearby college one day a week. The other days are spent in employment. Degree A qualification taken at university or certain colleges taking 3 - 4 years study. A Masters Degree takes a further 1 -2 years. Many modern degree courses are related directly to occupations. See Degree. DfEE Department for Education and Employment The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) This is a government department that provides advice about self-employment and contact addresses of professional bodies. See The Department of Trade and Industry. [ E ] Edexcel Foundation The Edexcel Foundation (formerly BTEC) is an awarding body for a wide range of vocational qualifications available for both full-time and part-time/day release courses. BTEC qualifications come in three levels First, National and Higher National. They are generally business or technology based. Employment and Information Adviser An employment adviser who advises individuals on how to apply for jobs. European Commission The European Commission is responsible for drafting proposals for legislation. It has its headquarters in Brussels and is made up of 17 Commissioners appointed by the member states who represent the general interests of the community and not their individual countries. The European Council The European Council consists of heads of government of the European Union from each member state. It meets twice a year. EU Citizen You are classed as an EU citizen if you are registered as a national of a member state: in other words that you are entitled to hold a passport or a form of ID showing you to be a citizen of one of the 15 countries that make up the EU. EU - European Union Formerly the Common Market or EEC. This is made up, currently, of 15 member countries: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the UK. The union has common economic and social policies that affect all countries. See Europe Index. [ F ] The Federation of Recruitment & Employment Services (FRES) This service can provide addresses of UK agencies that specialise in international recruitment. [ G ] GCSE General Certificate of Secondary Education. Exam taken following a two-year course. Taken in most subjects at the end of Year 11, in sixth form or by adult learners at college. GNVQs General National Vocational Qualifications are broadly based vocational qualifications that prepare pupils for a range of jobs or further study. They are one or two year courses and are available on three levels, Foundation, Intermediate and Advanced. Available in some schools in Years 12 and 13 and in local colleges. Will be available for younger pupils at Foundation level from 1999. Grant Money from a Local Education Authority for students attending college or university to pay for tuition fees and if possible living expenses. See Money Management... Grants. [ H ] HCIMA Hotel Catering and Institutional Management Association. An award body for the hotel and catering trade. HND/HNC The Higher National Diploma (full-time) and The Higher National Certificate (part-time) are two-year vocational courses in higher education. They are well considered by employers as proof of professional competence. They can be used as a route to the 2nd or 3rd year of a degree course. [ I ] ITOs Independent Training Organisation responsible for training at local and national levels. Most ITOs are also awarding bodies for recognised qualifications. [ J ] [ K ] KS1/2/3/4 Key stages 1, 2, 3, & 4 relating to age bands from 5-16 years in schools. [ L ] [ M ] Modern Apprenticeships A craft or trade-based training for young people comprising; on-the-job training with an employer or training provider and attendance at college. Apprenticeships are not 'time-served' (a fixed minimum training period) and the trainees work towards a recognised qualification at NVQ level 3. See Modern Apprenticeships. [ N ] National Curriculum The National Curriculum was established in 1988 to provide the minimum educational entitlement for pupils of compulsory school age. National Record of Achievement (NRA) A document containing a portfolio of evidence of a pupil's academic and personal achievements at school. Lists all positive achievements at school. These records are often used by employers at an interview and are being increasingly used by HE institutions to select students from a non-A level background. For further information see National Record of Achievement. NATVACS A database listing international job vacancies. Available at most job centres. See NATVACS for further information. NROVA The National Record of Vocational Achievement is the record published by QCA to record accumulated units of competence leading towards an NVQ. NVQs National Vocational Qualifications are job related qualifications mainly for people already in work or work-based training. They assess competence at doing a particular job. NVQs are gradually incorporating traditional qualifications like RSA, BTEC, City and Guilds and are available at Levels 1- 5, foundation, basic craft, technician, higher technician / management and professional. [ O ] Occupational Personality Questionnaire Often called an 'OPQ' and used by employers when selecting candidates for a job. An OPQ is a pencil and paper exercise but not a test as there are no right or wrong answers. Candidates answer questions about themselves from which the employer is able to identify a personality profile of the individual. Options Choice Choosing subjects in year 9 for study in years 10 & 11. See Subjects for further information. Overseas Job Express A newspaper specialising in articles on working abroad and advertising job vacancies. See Routes to Employment in Europe. [ P ] PGCE Post Graduate Certificate of Education - a one year teacher training qualification taken by BA or BSc degree students. Prospectus Produced by every college or university to tell you about their different courses. PSE Personal and Social Education is an educational programme that aims to develop character, responsibility, self-esteem, self-awareness, decision-making skills and social skills through planned activities. Psychometric Testing Psychometric Tests assess people's interests, ability and aptitude for particular types of job. There are various types of tests that have been developed through extensive research. They are sometimes used by potential employers at an interview. [ Q ] QCA Qualifications and Curriculum Authority has an overview of curriculum, assessment and qualifications across the whole of education and training from pre-school to higher vocational levels. [ R ] RSA The Royal Society of Arts awards training qualifications for a number of practical subjects. These range from short courses focused on a single skill like word processing or typing to broader based NVQs currently at levels 1- 3. [ S ] Sandwich course Normally refers to the organisation of study at university (or college) and is combined with periods of practical training with an employer. There are different types of sandwich courses (e.g. thick and thin) which relate to the periods and ratio of study to practical training. Scholarship An arrangement between student and employer by which the employer pays a bursary (an allowance) to a student attending a college or university course. Generally, the employer also provides paid work experience during vacation periods. Single Market Integrating and unifying common policies and rules in most areas of social and economic life throughout all member states of the European Union. Sponsorship A formal agreement under which an employer tops up a student's grant and provides specific (paid) work experience during vacation times. Sponsored students usually attend university sandwich courses and in some cases the sponsoring employer decides which university or college (or course) should be attended. There is normally no 'service contract' after qualifying, i.e. contractual requirement to work for the employer. SQA The Scottish Qualifications and Curriculum Authority, equivalent to QCA SVQ The Scottish equivalent of an NVQ. See SVQ. [ T ] The TECs and LECs Training and Enterprise Councils in England and Wales and Local Enterprise Companies in Scotland are local organisations who have the responsibility of contributing to the success of their local economies. They promote programmes for businesses and individuals including various government initiatives for training. There are 81 TECs in England and Wales and 23 LECs in Scotland. Trainee status or Employed Trainee status Young people undergoing training under the Training Credits initiative have either trainee status or employed trainee status. Employed trainees are employees of the company and are guaranteed a job beyond the training period. Many employers also pay their trainees the going rate for the job. Ordinary trainee status is temporary and only offers the young person the opportunity of work experience with the company although training leads to NVQ qualifications. [ U ] UCAS The University and Colleges Admissions Services. It handles applications for degree courses and other higher education courses [ V ] Vocational qualifications Qualifications that relate directly to a person's work or job. [ W ] Work Experience A period of time (usually one week) spent working with a local employer to gain an idea of what the work is all about. Work shadowing Similar to work experience except that one person is shadowed for the purposes of observation. It is a way of learning about different jobs. [ X ] [ Y ] Youth credit Sometimes called Training Credits or a local name (eg IMPACT in Rotherham). They are an option to young people and enable 16 and 17 year old school and college leavers to choose and buy approved training leading to nationally recognised qualifications at NVQ level 2 and above. The Youth Credit schemes are run by the Training and Enterprise Councils (TECs) in England and Wales and by Local Enterprise Companies in Scotland. Youth Credits are not loans and do not have to be repaid. Youth Credit Card A plastic card worth a fixed amount of training for a young person under the age if 18. See Youth Credit. [ Z ]

Index		[ Main Index ] [ Education Index | Agencies Index | Employment Index ] [ Information and Resources ] [ Europe Index ]
Top
		Copyright ©1997 - British Telecommunications plc
		Last modified on: Sunday, March 23, 1997.