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Certificate of Work Readiness

The Certificate of Work Readiness (CWR) is an SQA customised award. It's been designed for young people who are ready for their first experience of the world of work, but need some guided support.

CWR includes a work experience placement in which the employer's opinion is key to the certificate being awarded, providing a meaningful qualification and a credible standard employers can recognise and trust.

Successful completion of this award offers the young person greatly improved employability, and transferable skills in self evaluation, planning and goal setting that can be applied to any workplace.

The award supports learners undertaking pre-employability provision at stage 3 of the pipeline. It may be funded through the Employability Fund but other routes of funding are possible through different learning providers.

It contains 34 SCQF credit points at SCQF level 4.

More detail about the award can be found on the SQA web pages and you can contact the SDS team for further technical information.

PLEASE NOTE -THIS QUALIFICATION HAS BEEN EXTENDED TO 31 DECEMBER 2024. IF YOU NEED TO DISCUSS ANYTHING ABOUT THIS QUALIFATION PLEASE CONTACT SQA.

The specific arrangements including the structure, nature, target group, aims and objectives and delivery model for the award can be downloaded below, with new information about Equality and Inclusion added from January 2014:

Further information on the Certificate of Work Readiness 

Technical documentation

ENABLE Scotland have developed the accessible version of the Certificate of Work Readiness specifically designed to support Young People who have a learning disability and/or Additional Support Needs undertaking the qualification.

Read the Trainers Guidance document

Delivering the Certificate of Work Readiness award

Choose the Unit descriptor to download tutor packs to support the delivery of the Certificate of Work Readiness award.

Work Readiness Activities Pack (W.R.A.P)

We've developed a new activities pack designed to help make the learning experience more interactive for you and your learners

Use these activities to complement the existing teaching materials. They should assist you in developing their knowledge of the workplace and help them understand what's expected in the world of work.

More information