Following a major research exercise and extensive consultation SFEDI have developed a number of key strategies and structures for the delivery of qualifications in Business Enterprise and Business Support in the UK. As part of this research SFEDI also produced a key report on the current picture of enterprise development within the UK. These documents are available for download using the links to the left.

Progress Report on the National Occupational Standards Action Plan   

1 Introduction

1.1      Standards development for 2009 will focus on business support. This work is only just commencing so this paper is intended to remind Awarding Bodies of the intended scope of the standards development work for 2009 and its timetable and seek views on particular aspects of the work.

2 Scope of the work

2.1      The programme of work has five strands, all related to business support. These are:

·       revising the core business support standards to reflect equality and diversity issues

·       providing a basis for recognising progression within business support

·       extending the standards to cover additional occupational areas and particularly business enterprise trainers

·       developing standards on business enterprise understanding for business service professionals (such as accountants, bookkeepers, solicitors, IT consultants)

·       developing standards on business enterprise understanding for policy and programme officials

3 Timetable

3.1      The basic timetable for the work is as follows:

February      Initial consultation with policy makers

June             Consultation events across UK completed

August         Standards drafted

November   Consultation on draft standards and final revision

It is hoped that the final standards will be approved and available for use from December 2009. Once the standards have been drafted parallel work will be undertaken to create units for the QCF based on the standards. These will be finalised once the standards are approved.