We are delighted to announce that the SFEDI Awards Passport to Enterprise and Employment qualifications have been shortlisted for the Federation of Awarding Bodies Qualification of the Year Award 2017.
The awards, run by the Federation of Awarding Bodies (FAB) as the trade association representing over 125 organisations that award vocational qualifications in the UK and over 20 stakeholder organisations, is now in its third year recognising the contributions made by Awarding Organisations and their employees to education and skills in the UK.
This announcement comes on the back of the recent guest appearance at the EU Commission’s EntreComp conference in Brussels this year where, as the only awarding and standard-setting body from the UK to be invited, SFEDI shared best practice from the UK’s perspective with over 200 educational and commercial colleagues from across Europe.
As the first set of qualifications within the UK to use both the EU Commission’s EntreComp framework and the Institute of Enterprise and Entrepreneurs National Enterprise Standards, the Passport to Enterprise and Employment, released in 2016, has already seen use within a wide array of settings both within the prison estate and to support unemployed people to get back into sustainable employment.
Nic Preston, SFEDI Awards CEO, said,’ These qualifications are the first of many that will see a collaborative approach between the IOEE and EntreComp standards, with a view to supporting the standardisation of effective enterprise education both at a UK level and internationally.
The announcement that these qualifications have been shortlisted in these nationally recognised and well respected awards is a great achievement for both the team at SFEDI Awards and our dedicated network of delivery partners.
It is also a recognition of the importance the development of enterprise and entrepreneurial skills can play in the improvement of the life chances of people at all ages and in all situations and how they can also bring an added benefit to the wider community.’
Stephen Wright, FAB Chief Executive, said, ‘we received more entries to the Awards than ever before and the standard was exceptionally high. We look forward to announcing the winners and to celebrating the successes within the industry at the Awards dinner on 19 October.’
Currently available as a Level 1 Award and Level 1 Certificate these qualifications will shortly be further enhanced by the release of brand new Level 2 versions following demand from our existing delivery network.
These qualifications are an important part of a wider suite supporting those wanting to explore their enterprising and entrepreneurial behaviours and skills and has helped see a jump in the influence of enterprise learning within the UK especially within the prison estate.
Recently announced, SFEDI Awards was the eighth most used Awarding Organisation within the prison estate and the most used specialist enterprise Awarding Organisation for the 2015/16 contract year out of 42 qualification providers.
Now with a comprehensive and ground breaking suite of qualifications available both within the UK and internationally, for the first-time individuals can develop their enterprise and entrepreneurial behaviours and skills regardless of where they are in their development journey.
And to make sure they keep developing both during and after their qualification is complete, learners also have the chance to access additional learning and support opportunities through the IOEE Campus making use of their studying membership of the UKs first and only professional Institute specialising in representing learning and skills development within the enterprise and business support community.
Further information about SFEDI Awards and how you can get involved in supporting the development of enterprise and entrepreneurial behaviours and skills can be found here.