Skills for Work: Financial Services National 5
Course information
Candidates will explore the variety and range of employers and career opportunities in the financial services sector. They will become familiar with key words and terms used in the sector, and will develop an awareness of the impact of the sector on modern society. Personal development of employability skills will be the main focus across the Course, and the development of personal financial responsibility is also given high profile. Candidates will develop a broad awareness of the impact of key legislation on the sector.
Units of study
Introduction – Scotland
This unit introduces learners to the organisational types, structures and products/services of the main financial services providers. Types and ranges of career opportunities within the sector will be researched by learners. Knowledge gained will extend to include an appreciation of the extent of regulatory requirements within the sector and on the impact of the various statutory requirements of, for example, consumer protection, data protection and money laundering regulations. Additionally, health and safety in the workplace is considered in the context of the financial services industry.
Personal Finance Awareness
This unit requires learners to maintain a personal budget relative to their age and stage in life. The unit will focus on the reasons for maintaining personal financial awareness throughout life and will cover the issues surrounding borrowing and debt. The promotion of saving for the attainment of both short and long-term objectives is visited. Learners will become familiar with the concepts of paying and receiving interest, and on the relationship between risk and reward.
Building Positive Relationships with Customers and Colleagues
This unit will enhance the learner’s ability to assess the needs of others and to respond to those needs, with respect and awareness of other people’s feelings. While the focus of the unit is on developing good customer relations and effective working relationships, many of the skills learned are transferable into everyday life irrespective of age and stage. Learners will be introduced to, and encouraged to develop and review, positive behaviour techniques. The effect of good customer relations on organisations will be researched. Learners will be expected to demonstrate in a practical way, how they work with others.
Employability Skills
This unit will use available opportunities to develop employability skills and attitudes, which are in demand from employers in the sector. Such opportunities may arise naturally in the other units which comprise the course. Learners will be required to demonstrate self-presentation skills and there will be opportunities for recording progress and planning for improvement. The unit is intended to be integrated with the other units in the course.
Assessment methods
To achieve the award of Skills for Work: Financial Services National 5, learners must achieve all the required units as outlined in the course outline. They will be assessed pass/fail within centres. Skills for Work Courses are not graded.
Entry requirements
The primary target group for this course is school learners who are studying at National 4 or National 5. However, the Course is also suitable for learners studying at National 6.
Additional information
For further information, visit the SQA webpage for this qualification.
