Vocational qualifications are either work-related qualifications designed to enable students to gain the skills required to perform a prticular job, or qualifications that may be taken as part of a wider study programme or an apprenticeship.
The OCN NI Level 3 suite of Youth Work qualifications have been designed to provide training pathways for specialist roles within the youth work sector.
These qualifications prepare students to lead work with young people in a range of youth work settings.
These qualifications sit within the suite of Youth Work qualifications already endorsed by the Youth Work Training Board. OCNNI has develped these qualifications in partnership with the Youth Work Training Board (YWTB), a sub-committee of the Youth Council for Northern Ireland (YCNI). YCNI functions as an advisory body to both the Department of Education and the Education Authority. The Youth Work Training Board is the vehicle by which this advice is gathered in terms of training both for the youth work workforce and young people.
The qualifications are graded Pass or Fail.
The qualifications are internally assessed, internally verified and subject to OCNNI’s quality assurance processes. Units are achieved through internally set, internally assessed and internally verified evidence. External verification is compulsory before achievement is confirmed.
There are a number of key considerations for HEPs when reviewing vocational qualifications:
- Some of these qualifications are occupational, and may not be designed specifically for progression to HE.
- Applicants holding these qualifications may be school or college leavers, however, some may be more mature students who are likely to have other relevant experience alongside these qualifications.
- These qualifications may have been taken as part of a wider study programme or an apprenticeship.
- If they are presented for admission to HE it is likely to be in conjunction with other qualifications.
The first cohort of students will complete the Certificate in Youth Work Management in July 2016 and will be applying to higher education for entry from September 2016.
The first cohort of students will complete the Certificate in Youth Work Practice from August 2018.
The qualifications may be combined with other qualifications such as AS and A levels, BTECs etc.
Applicants holding the qualifications will mainly be further and higher education college leavers.
Some of these qualifications are no longer available to learners.
Further information is available on the Open College Network NI website:
OCNNI Level 3 Certificate in Youth Work Management and Diploma in Youth Work Practice - https://www.ocnni.org.uk/media/2480/qualification-specification-level-3-youth-work-practice.pdf
OCNNI Level 3 Certificate in Youth Work Practice - https://www.ocnni.org.uk/media/2467/qualification-specification-l3-cert…