Functional Skills are Level 2 qualifications that are now available to students who don’t hold the more traditional GCSEs in English or Mathematics. Used as a way to fill the gap of the missing qualifications, Functional Skills are great courses to provide students with the ability to confidently use either English or Mathematics in their day to day lives.
Widely accepted by universities as a replacement qualification for GCSEs, Functional Skills courses are rapidly becoming the more popular option for mature students looking to further their education on a higher level course.
How are Online Functional Skills Courses Studied?
With online Functional Skills courses now available, students are free to enrol and start studying the courses as and when they wish. There is no need or requirement to attend an actual physical class, meaning studying and learning the course is much easier and can be fitted in around your other commitments.
Through the use of online learning portals and printed workbooks, students can confidently work through the course with the help of a dedicated tutor and learn the skills and syllabus at their own pace ready to sit the examinations.
How Often are Exams?
Unlike GCSEs, Functional Skills exams are available much more frequently. With the Edexcel Functional Skills, exams are held monthly, meaning it’s possible for students to gain the qualification in a short period of time if they need.
To book in for an examination, the student simply needs to find a local examination centre offering the exams and register with them as a Private Candidate to attend and sit the examinations.
Do Functional Skills Qualifications Help with Employment?
Yes! Holding Functional Skills qualifications is a great way to demonstrate to potential employers your abilities and knowledge of either English or Mathematics. Increasingly, employers are recognising and accepting Functional skills in place of GCSEs when it comes to employees.
In some cases, preference is shown to Functional Skills holders, because these qualifications relate more to the skills and knowledge of day to day working life and hold a more practical application, unlike GCSEs which are designed and used to test student’s academic ability.