Education is changing: information for businesses

“Over two-thirds of employers (70%), rate Literacy and Numeracy skills as one of their three most important considerations when recruiting school and college leavers, but almost half (45%) of businesses ranked aptitude and readiness for work as the single most important factor”

Educating for the Modern World, CBI/Pearson Education and Skills Annual Report, November 2018

The Curriculum in Wales will prepare young people for a rapidly changing future and the world of work. 

Digital competence is a cross curricular requirement, alongside literacy and numeracy. Developing the skills integral to Curriculum for Wales’ four purposes (creativity and innovation; critical thinking and problem solving; personal effectiveness; and planning and organising) will help prepare young people in education and training, in work and in life more generally.

An understanding of the world of work will begin at an early age. Careers and work-related experiences (CWRE) is a cross-cutting theme in Curriculum for Wales for 3 to 16 year-olds. Schools and settings are expected to follow the statutory guidance for CWRE in developing their curriculum. The careers and work-related experiences toolkit is a resource to support embedding CWRE in schools and settings.

Curriculum for Wales groups subjects into six areas of learning and experience. Specific subjects will still be taught, but schools can decide to bring them together so learners understand the connections between them For example teachers might introduce entrepreneurship through Science and Technology or Expressive Arts.

Will qualifications change?

Qualifications at 16 will change, adapting over time to reflect the changing curriculum. They may look quite different from today's GCSEs when they are introduced from 2025.

Qualifications Wales have consulted on future academic and vocational qualifications, and how they link to the Curriculum for Wales. Their findings confirmed that the GCSE brand would stay. 

Find out more information on the Qualification Wales website

How can you get involved as a business?

Schools will design their own curriculum using the national framework guidance. This offers an opportunity for businesses to support schools and their learners. For example, you might be able to contribute to learning about careers or offer work-related experiences in or outside the classroom that can help young people develop their knowledge and skills. 

Careers Wales facilitate the Education Business Exchange to provide opportunities to develop exciting curriculum enhancing programmes for learners.