Skills for Work: Working in Wales
Working in Wales is an Open Awards Skills for Work unit about Wales in an international economy: its industries and sectors, how they connect to other countries, the skills and behaviours workplaces need, the value of bilingual Welsh and English communication, and a job role learners would like, researched and evaluated at Level 2. Each level is 20 GLH and is assessed through provider-set tasks collected in a portfolio. Digital demand is low: no criterion requires digital work, and the digital links are online job research at Level 2 and optional visual work such as infographics.
- Awarding body
- Open Awards
- Level
- Entry Level 1 to Level 2
- Guided learning hours
- 20
- First taught
- September 2027
- Amount of digital work
- Low
- Specification
- Open the specification
How this unit is assessed
- Entry Level 1 (CBM251), 2 credits, 20 GLH: Three learning outcomes: state a simple fact about Wales, give an example of a workplace and of a way people travel to work, state a job, a task and a skill used in it, give an example of when speaking Welsh and English is useful, outline a job they would like in Wales and one thing they would like about it. Suggested tasks are matching, picture selection, pointing, sorting and single-statement reflections, set and marked by the provider.
- Entry Level 2 (CBM252), 2 credits, 20 GLH: Identify at least two industries in Wales, find Wales on a world map and state how Wales connects to other countries, list two workplaces and a skill needed in each, give a reason why speaking Welsh and English helps at work, identify a job they would like and produce a basic job profile with support.
- Entry Level 3 (CBM253), 2 credits, 20 GLH: Outline industries in Wales and give an example of a link to international trade, tourism and partnerships, identify two employment settings and three skills for each, state two benefits of bilingual communication, identify a job they could do, present information about it, and identify two matching strengths and one skill to improve. Visual work such as maps, charts, posters or infographics is suggested.
- Level 1 (CBM254), 2 credits, 20 GLH: Outline key employment sectors and how two contribute to the Welsh economy, describe how a sector connects to international activity, describe workplace expectations common across sectors and skills needed in different sectors, describe how Welsh and English support workplace tasks, outline a job role and its skills, behaviours and requirements, and describe how own strengths and interests match it.
- Level 2 (CBM255), 2 credits, 20 GLH: Explain how sectors contribute to Wales, explain one sector's international links and compare two sectors, describe skills and behaviours by sector and explain how expectations differ, explain the role of bilingual communication in a Welsh workplace, research a job role, present the findings as a career profile or presentation, and evaluate how own strengths, interests and development needs relate to the role.
The digital skills in this qualification
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Researching a job role online
At Level 2 learners research a job role within a Welsh sector, and Open Awards suggests Careers Wales, job boards and employer websites, covering the job description, qualifications, entry and progression routes and bilingual expectations. Internet access for job research is listed in the minimum equipment. The research is assessed, but using online sources is not required, so the digital part is taught, not assessed.
DCF: Sourcing, searching and planning digital content
Getting pupils ready
- Year 7
- Pupils find one job on Careers Wales and record its name, what the person does and one skill it needs, with the web address.
- Year 8
- Pupils search a job board for a role in their area, using filters for location, and note whether the advert asks for Welsh language skills.
- Year 9
- Pupils research a job role using Careers Wales and an employer website, compare the two sources and reference both in their notes.
Show the specification wording and the DCF statements
Where it is in the specification: Level 2 AC 3.1 and AC 3.2, Indicative Content, page 30; Physical Resources, page 7
“using Careers Wales, job boards, employer websites”
Progression step 3
I can adjust keywords and search techniques to find relevant information.
I can begin to reference sources used in my work, and consider if content is reliable.
Progression step 4
I can search a variety of sources using relevant search techniques with increased complexity.
I can evaluate the reliability of sources of information, justify my opinions and reasons for choices, and reference using appropriate methods.
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Creating visual and digital work to show Wales's links with the world
At Entry 3 learners could create a visual piece showing how Wales connects through trade, tourism and partnerships, using maps, charts, posters, infographics or collages, with bilingual elements encouraged. At Level 2 they can create a career profile or presentation of their job research. The criteria require the information and the presentation, not a digital format, so the digital part is taught, not assessed.
DCF: Creating digital content, Evaluating and improving digital content
Getting pupils ready
- Year 7
- Pupils make a digital map showing three countries that buy a Welsh product, adding a label in Welsh and English for each.
- Year 8
- Pupils design a simple infographic in presentation software showing where visitors to Wales come from, using icons and a chart.
- Year 9
- Pupils create a bilingual digital career profile for a job in Wales, choosing the layout and images for an audience of Year 9 pupils and explaining their choices.
Show the specification wording and the DCF statements
Where it is in the specification: Entry Level 3 AC 1.2, Indicative Content, page 21; Level 2 AC 3.2, page 30
“Use infographics or collages to visually represent Wales”
Progression step 3
I can use a range of software to select, produce and edit a range of multimedia components for a purpose, such as:
- text and images, e.g. format text (bold, underline, italics, highlight); insert and edit text boxes; columns; use refine tools (spellchecker, find and replace); word wrap; crop; alter size and shape; alter images; add effects; trim and split sound and video clips; transitions; onion skin
- presentation, e.g. page orientation; animations; transitions; remove and alter images; use background; use action buttons to create hyperlink; embed objects.
I can use software tools to enhance the outcomes for specific audiences.
Progression step 4
I can select and use a variety of appropriate software, tools and techniques to create, modify and combine multimedia components for a range of audiences and purposes, such as:
- text and images, e.g. explore and use effectively image manipulation techniques; explore and use appropriately the many aspects of document layout; use animation, video and audio effects such as echo, tempo, envelope, layering, frame rate, key frames
- presentation, e.g. use design tools; adapt themes and colours to suit the purpose; create master templates.
I can justify the reasons for choices and explain the advantages and disadvantages of the different digital outputs I create.
Good to know
- Every level is 2 credits and 20 GLH, with unit codes CBM251 (Entry 1) to CBM255 (Level 2) (Unit Content, pages 12, 16, 20, 24 and 28), matching the Level 1 Qualification Guide (Qualification Units, page 22).
- Only one level counts towards a qualification: "with the exception of British Sign Language (BSL), units with the same title at different levels are barred for completion within the same qualification" (Qualification Guide, Qualification Units, page 16).
- Assessment is set by the school and every criterion must be met: the suite is "assessed through assessment tasks and activities designed by the provider" and "No partial award can be made if any assessment criteria is not met" (Assessment Approach, page 8).
- Evidence goes in a portfolio that "can be presented digitally (e.g., through an e-portfolio system) or as paper-based", and "Wherever possible, e-portfolios are encouraged" (Assessment Approach, page 8). Tasks need pre-course verification and are checked by internal and then Open Awards external quality assurance.
- Neither the unit specification nor the Level 1 Qualification Guide says anything about AI tools, so the school's own malpractice and authentication rules apply.
- Devices and internet are expected: the minimum equipment includes "access to digital devices, e.g., computers, laptops or tablets" and "internet access to support research into jobs, skills and future trends" (Physical Resources, page 7).
- The Level 2 job research must cover set content, including entry and progression routes, "Bilingual expectations" and accessible workplace features (Indicative Content, page 30).
- Some wording looks like a draft: the Level 1 content labels two criteria "AC3.1" (page 26), Level 2 AC 3.2 asks learners to "Present the findings from the review" when the task is research (page 28), several lines read "Leaners" (pages 25 and 26), and the staffing section asks for knowledge of "changing job markets in Wales, including emerging roles and future employment trends" (page 6), which reads as if copied from a labour market unit.
Links with other qualifications
The Pearson Working in Wales unit is 10 GLH and the Agored Cymru unit covers similar ground on how Wales earns its living; all three have low digital demand. The Open Awards unit gives more weight to bilingual communication at every level and to researching one job role. The content supports GCSE Geography on economic activity, GCSE Welsh through the value of bilingual skills, and Careers and Work-Related Experiences. It overlaps with Open Awards Career Creativity and Exploring Career Pathways, so a school should plan the job research once and use it across units where the rules allow.
Source: Open Awards Skills for Work Unit Specification, Working in Wales, Entry Level 1 to Level 2.