Essential Skills qualifications (ESQ)

The redesign of Essential Skills qualification in Wales forms part of the Welsh Government’s Reform of Qualifications, a programme of reform undertaken to ensure a high quality and well respected national qualifications system for Wales.

City & Guilds is one of only four awarding bodies accredited to offer the new Essential Skills qualifications in Wales. There are four qualifications on offer including Application of Number, Communication, Digital Literacy, and Employability.

Essential Skills Wales (3868)

Essential Application of Number Skills (EAoNS)

Available from Entry 1 to Level 3, the EAoNS qualifications are about demonstrating how to:

• understand numerical data
• carry out calculations
• interpret and present results and findings.

Essential Communication Skills (ECommS)

Available from Entry 1 to Level 3, the ECommS qualifications are about demonstrating skills in:

• speaking and listening
• reading
• writing.

Essential Digital Literacy Skills (EDLS)

Available from Entry 1 to Level 3, EDLS is about demonstrating skills in:

• digital responsibility
• digital productivity
• digital information literacy
• digital collaboration
• digital creativity
• digital learning.

Essential Employability Skills (EES)

Available at Entry 3 to Level 3, the EES qualifications are about demonstrating skills in:

• planning and organisation
• critical thinking and problem-solving
• creativity and innovation 
• personal effectiveness.

EES replaces the wider Key Skills qualifications that were available alongside the current Essential Skills Wales suite.

These qualifications enable learners to develop and strengthen their communication, number and ICT skills through a flexible and personalised learning programme. Available from Entry 1 to Level 3, they complement and support progression towards the Essential Skills qualifications.

These qualifications are underpinned by the same standards as the Essential Skills qualifications and are portfolio-assessed. The ICT units within the suite are currently being updated to align with the new Digital Literacy framework.

ESOL Skills for Life (4692)

A suite of qualifications designed to support speakers of other languages to develop their English language skills for work, further learning or everyday life. These qualifications are intended for those needing to improve their reading, writing, speaking and listening skills to help them get on at work. This might be to help get on at work, prepare for further study, access public services, or just to function more effectively in an English-speaking environment.

• Level 3 certificate for essential skills practitioners (Literacy 8375-01)
• Level 3 certificate for essential skills practitioners (Numeracy 8375-02)
• Level 3 certificate for essential skills practitioners (ESOL 8375-03)
• Level 3 certificate for essential skills practitioners (Digital Literacy 8375-04)