Scottish Vocational Qualification

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A Scottish Vocational Qualification, or SVQ, is a certificate of vocational education in Scotland. SVQs are available to people of all ages. SVQ are developed, accredited and awarded by the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA).

In other parts of the United Kingdom, vocational qualifications are developed, accredited and awarded by different bodies. In Scotland, SQA has a unique role, in that it carries out all three functions. Acting as an awarding body for an SVQ involves ensuring that quality of the qualification is upheld, so that it is credible and has value, as well as issuing certificates. SQA often does this in partnership with industry bodies which have a similar role.

Scottish Vocational Qualifications are based on standards of competence that describe a candidate's ability to work in real conditions - having an SVQ is a confirmation that they are competent to the standards on which the SVQ is based. The standards of competence are developed by Sector Skills Councils on behalf of industry.

There are five levels of SVQ, whose definitions are as follows:

Level 1	basic, routine and repetitive work skills
Level 2	broad range of skills including non-routine activities and individual responsibility
Level 3	supervisory skills
Level 4	management skills
Level 5	senior management skills