National Skills Qualifications Framework

The National Skills Qualifications Framework (NSQF) classifies qualifications according to what a learner knows and can do after learning. It is an outcome-based framework that places qualifications at defined levels using learning outcomes, rather than treating the duration or location of study as the main measure of achievement.

Learning outcomes as the basis of classification

Learning outcomes describe the knowledge, skills and abilities that a learner must demonstrate to obtain a qualification. They make the expected achievement explicit, whether learning occurs through education, vocational training or work experience.

• Knowledge concerns the facts, principles and concepts that the learner understands and can apply.
• Skills concern the practical and cognitive abilities needed to perform tasks and solve problems.
• Outcomes also cover attributes such as communication, teamwork and the ability to take responsibility for work.

How qualification levels are determined

The framework uses level descriptors to express the expected standard of learning at each level. A qualification is placed at a level by comparing its intended outcomes with these descriptors.

• Lower-level outcomes generally involve simpler tasks, familiar situations and greater guidance.
• Higher-level outcomes require more advanced knowledge, more complex problem-solving and greater autonomy and responsibility.
• Qualifications in different occupations can share a level when their outcomes have comparable demands, even though their subject matter differs.
• A qualification's level indicates the standard of its outcomes; it does not make qualifications at that level identical or interchangeable.

Assessment and recognition of learning

Classification identifies the expected standard, while assessment establishes whether an individual has achieved it. Assessment must therefore test the specified outcomes, including practical performance where relevant.

• Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) allows skills acquired through work or other learning experiences to be assessed against qualification requirements.
• Experience alone does not establish achievement: the learner must demonstrate the required outcomes.
• This approach supports progression by making the additional learning needed for a higher-level qualification clearer.

Why outcome-based classification matters

The NSQF provides a common reference for learners, training providers and employers. It makes qualifications more transparent and supports connections between education, vocational training and employment.

• For vulnerable workers, recognition of demonstrated skills can help make previously uncertified learning visible.
• The framework's usefulness depends on credible assessment and training that actually develops the stated outcomes.