In all of your studies at Perth College UHI, and in life in general, your use of what we call core skills will be very important in how you get on in life. Core skills are transferable - that means that you can use them in any number of ways and settings.
In Scotland, we recognise five core skills:
- Numeracy
- Communication
- Information technology
- Working with others
- Problem solving
If you have left school recently or done other qualifications, you may already have what is known as a Core Skills Profile. This is shown on the last page of your SQA certificate. Your profile shows what level of core skills you have had formally recognised or certificated. If you have this, bring it into College as it may help the Core Skills Team in identifying what level you should be studying at. It has even been known to help to cut the amount of assessments required!
Most Perth College UHI courses encourage progression in core skills ability, either formally or informally. You may be assessed in core skills classes, or develop improved core skills through your learning experiences.
Core skills are not separate from your course - you may want to be an engineer, a nursery nurse, or a graphics designer - but you will all need core skills to get on with the job you want.
You will be encouraged to look at how you are able to develop your core skills with your Student Adviser through a personal development plan. This will let you gather examples of how you have used your core skills in practice, and may be useful when applying for a job or another course.