A project funded by the:

OCCUPATIONAL INFORMATION GUIDE

FOR EMPLOYERS IN THE UAE

Mechanisms to aid reliability and consistency in occupational descriptions in the UAE

The National Qualifications Authority (NQA) acknowledges the

important contribution of students, employers and industry

representatives who participated in this project and the funding

support from the Federal Demographic Council.

No part of this report may be adapted or modified, in any form or

medium, whether by electronic transmission or otherwise, without

the prior written consent of the National Qualifications Authority.

While all care has been taken in preparing this report, the Authority

disclaims any liability for any damage from the use of the material

contained in this publication and will not be responsible for any loss,

howsoever arising from use, of or reliance on this material.

Refer all correspondence to:

Research and Development Department

National Qualifications Authority

Email: sandra.haukka@nqa.gov.ae

Phone: +971 (0)2 815 6622

Address: P.O. Box 63003, Abu Dhabi, UAE

Web: www.nqa.gov.ae

© National Qualifications Authority (NQA)

Front cover photo by iTami

http://www.flickr.com/photos/tamyo0/6878138835/sizes/m/

CONTENTS

Introduction

(page 3)

International context

(page 3)

A national qualifications

framework for the UAE

(page 5)

ISCO system of

occupations

(page 9)

Linking qualifications

and occupations

(page 12)

Appendices

(page 21)

© National Qualifications

Authority (NQA)

February 2013

3

1. INTRODUCTION

Over the past 20 years, economies and the organisation of work have witnessed a fundamental

change in which occupations have become more complex and employees' responsibilities have

been linked more with competencies than with routine. This change has necessitated flexibility in

labour mobility and productivity, and enhanced innovative capacity of companies to assimilate new

production technologies rapidly and adapt themselves timely to new demands of the market. In

response to such shift, new methods for occupational analysis and recognition are being deployed.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is experiencing continuing economic growth that requires, for its

sustainability, access to a more skilled and competent workforce, which can secure the international

and regional competitiveness of its economy. Further it requires the UAE economy to operate in a

more globally competitive and constantly changing environment. To address this, the UAE

increasingly requires an adaptable and highly skilled, educated and qualified workforce.

To build such a workforce the UAE is working to develop and establish a world class:

responsive education and training system that is both nationally and internationally recognised

supporting qualifications system.

Currently there are well established arrangements in place for the Higher Education and General

Education sectors, with specific improvements underway to raise quality. However, in the Vocational

Education and Training (VET) sector much work is now focussing, in consultation with industry, on

developing this sector aiming to connect education and training systems to workplace needs.

An increasing approach is, to invite industry stakeholder (e.g. employers, employees, regulators and

other associated technical experts practitioners) to codify their workplace requirements in the form

of occupational skills standards. Occupational skills standards have been used as the mechanism for

bridging the growing gap between workplace learning, technology and innovation with old

economy institutions of education and training. They have been developed as the preferred medium

for formally recognising competent performance of individuals and in tooling up human capital.

Similarly, recent developments include the introduction of national and international qualification

frameworks as a central comparative tool for organising and managing qualifications, with many

interrelating qualification outcomes linked with occupational skills requirements.

2. INTERNATIONAL CONTEXT

Many countries have already introduced national qualifications frameworks, including all of the UK

countries, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Ireland as a lead mechanism to reform their

education and training systems and enhance international attractiveness and competiveness of

available skills in their country. In all, more than 250 countries have now in place or proceeded to

work towards implementing their national qualifications framework. Most of the EU countries have

developed national frameworks, or are in the process of doing so to ensure alignment with the

emerging trend to develop ‘meta-frameworks’ that link national systems of qualifications.

Two of these international referencing systems are from Europe. The first is the European Qualifications

Framework (EQF) which will provide an ‘interchange’ enabling the alignment of national

qualifications systems in Europe. The second is the key initiative in the development of a European

Higher Education Area, which has been the adoption of the ‘Bologna Framework’. This framework

forms the basis of a common understanding of the ‘cycles’ in Higher Education and the

qualifications associated with the cycles.

4

The UAE recognised the imperative of establishing a national qualification framework, and has

established a ten (10) level qualifications framework, known as the QFEmirates. It is a singular,

coherent and integrated qualifications framework covering the higher education, vocational

education and training (VET) and general education sectors with an agreed classification system of

new qualifications, which will be nationally and internationally recognised. The establishment of a

national qualifications framework ensures the UAE is well placed to align and compare its

qualifications with that of other national qualifications frameworks and meta-frameworks.

Structures of levels based on ‘learning outcomes’ are a common feature of all qualifications

frameworks developed so far. There is emerging a new general understanding of the meaning of a

qualification, certifying that an individual has achieved certain learning outcomes to standards set

by a relevant and authoritative body. This understanding differs from the previous common

approach that a qualification is based on participation and time spent on a course or program.

2.1 Key drivers

The key drivers behind introducing a national qualifications system are the following:

Key drivers of a national qualifications system

Single framework The need for an enabling mechanism (a unified and singular system and reference point

for all national qualifications) that could be used by a country’s decision makers to

develop relevant strategic educational and training policies and directions (including

prioritising targeted areas) to improve the country’s economic, social and personal

competitiveness, and standing in the world community.

Common

benchmark

The need to bring ‘national’ order (using common nomenclature and outcomes based

criteria) to the many and varied qualifications on offer being issued across the country by

licensed or unlicensed providers, and aid in the development of new recognisable and

government endorsed national qualifications.

Qualifications

flexibility

The need to facilitate adequate flexibility within qualifications’ structures to

accommodate changing technologies, changing work organisation, learner mobility, and

learner career paths, and which include improved opportunities for access and

transferability between different educational and training providers.

A framework

of common

language

The need to provide a framework of common language that can be used as a ready

guide for both employers and learners/employees in terms of identifying the level of

education as well as knowledge sills and aspects of competence required when

advertising for jobs. It also serves as guide to individuals to identify the type of jobs they

may be eligible for and what qualifications are needed in order to apply for them.

Labour market The need to address skills shortages/deficits in the economy and increase labour market

opportunities for individuals through education and training, and labour mobility.

Quality and

consistency

The need for improved and transparent mechanisms for assuring the quality, consistency

and rigour of national qualifications for the country, community, employers and

learners/employees.

International

alignments

The need to establish linkages and alignments with other countries to effect international

comparisons leading to improved information for assisting in learner mobility.

Lifelong learning The need for more transparent mechanisms that facilitate formal recognition of ‘lifelong’

learning including formal, non-formal and informal learning and the need to ensure, for

the long term that all qualifications at least support and recognise lifelong learning and

be aligned to other international frameworks for mobility.

5

3. A ‘NATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS FRAMEWORK’ FOR THE UAE

On the 23rd of August 2010, President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan issued Federal

Decree No. 1 ‘Establish and maintain the National Qualifications Authority’. The Decree sets out

sixteen (16) aims and objectives, which the Board of the National Qualifications Authority (NQA) is

pursuing. It includes establishing a national qualifications framework for the UAE (QFEmirates) that

serves as the national frame of reference for qualifications and is internationally recognised. The

vision of the UAE’s National Qualifications Authority is to: Achieve distinct national qualifications that

enhance UAE’s economic and social development.’

3.1 Benefits of the Qualifications Framework for the Emirates (QFEmirates)

The Qualifications Framework for the Emirates (QFEmirates) is a truly integrated system. It enables all

qualifications to be described and compared, recognises achievement in learning from the most

elementary task to the most complex, and uses nationally and commonly recognised titles and

agreed conventions. It includes formal structured learning, achieved typically in schools, colleges,

universities and training centres and more importantly, informal and non-formal (both structured and

unstructured) learning achieved typically in the workplace or community. As a single, integrated

system, the QFEmirates can be used by the country’s decision-makers to develop strategic

education and training policies to improve the country’s economic advantage, social and personal

effectiveness and wellbeing, and as well standing in the world.

The QFEmirates in addition:

provides access to new learning opportunities for all citizens and residents

creates new learning pathways and progression routes

helps individuals to make decisions about what they want to do next and to continue learning

while working or in their community

improves opportunities for individuals to work abroad without having to repeat qualifications

enables people to be recognised for the work they do in the workplace and communities as part

of their development

enables qualifications achieved abroad to be recognised as equivalent to UAE qualifications,

encouraging international mobility

uses a language to describe national and international qualifications that employers and learners

can understand. Employers will be able to state clearly the education or training required when

advertising jobs, and candidates will be able to check whether they have the skills required to

apply.

6

3.2 Qualifications Framework for the Emirates (QFEmirates)

The design of the QFEmirates is based on three fundamental ‘building blocks’:

Levels

It is based on ten (10) levels, each representing a hierarchy of relative difficulty, complexity and

depth. The higher the QFEmirates level, the greater the challenge and the demand expected of a

learner in order to be awarded the relevant qualification.

Learning Outcomes

Learning outcomes define what a learner has learned and not what they have been taught. They

are expressed in terms of knowledge, skills and aspects of competence:

Learning outcomes in the QFEmirates

Knowledge

Learned from practical or professional experience as well as from formal

instruction or study and can comprise description, memory, understanding,

thinking, analysis, synthesis, debate and research

Skill

Is the learned ability to perform a function that in some way responds to or

manipulates the physical, informational or social environment. Skills may be

cognitive (such as use of logical, intuitive, creative and conceptual thinking) and

practical (such as manual dexterity and the use of methods, techniques,

processes, materials, tools and instruments).

Aspects of competence

Comprises three strands – the effective use of knowledge and skill in occupations

and in social and civic life

Autonomy and responsibility

Role in context

Self-development

The 10 levels and the five ‘strands’ of learning outcome statements define the level descriptors,

indicating the complexity of learning for each level, the expected level of achievement for each

level, and how each level relates to occupations in the world of work.

Strands of learning outcomes in the QFEmirates

Level X

Strand 1 Strand 2 Strand 3 Strand 4 Strand 5

Knowledge Skill Autonomy and

responsibility Role in context

Self-

development

Aspects of competence

7

Types of qualifications in the QFEmirates

There are three types of qualifications in the QFEmirates which are defined according to the volume

and nature of the learning required:

Qualification types in the QFEmirates

‘Principal’ Qualification A major type of qualification with formal recognition at each level, and capture a

typical achievements for the level including all five strands of learning outcomes.

‘Composite’ Award

Provides formal recognition for learners who achieve a set of cohesive learning

outcomes including, in varying combinations, all five strands of learning outcomes.

This may involve fewer learning outcomes and/or less complexity compared to a

Principal Qualification.

‘Component’ Award Provides formal recognition of achievement of a limited number of learning

outcomes which may relate to all or only some of the strands of learning outcomes.

Qualification types at each level will vary across the higher education, general education and

vocational education and training sectors, according to demand, learner need, and economic or

social relevance. There are agreed conventions for titles for Principal, Composite and Component

qualifications. The NQA will agree with each of the relevant approving bodies in the UAE (e.g.

accreditation commissions) the precise qualification name based on content and level. Titles for

general education and higher education will be familiar, but new titles are being developed for

vocational education and training.

3.3 Principal Qualifications ‘generic’ titles

The table below shows the Principal Qualifications titles adopted for use in the QFEmirates.

Principal Qualifications titles used in the QFEmirates

Principal Qualification titles

Level Vocational Education and

Training (VET)

Higher Education

(HE)

General Education

(G 12 – GE)

10 — Doctoral —

9 Applied Master Master —

8 Applied Graduate Diploma Postgraduate Diploma —

7 Applied Bachelor Bachelor —

6 Advanced Diploma Higher Diploma —

5 Diploma Associate Degree —

4 Certificate 4 — Secondary School Certificate

(G 12)

3 Certificate 3 — TBA

2 Certificate 2 — —

1 Certificate 1 — —

8

3.4 CoreLife Skills

Many countries have introduced ways to acknowledge the role particular ‘generic’ skills play in

underpinning work and the ability of learners to learn throughout their lives, promoting lifelong

learning. To ensure that UAE citizens have the best foundation for learning, work and life, literacy and

numeracy have been explicitly embedded within the learning outcome level descriptors for

qualifications at levels one (1) to six (6) within the QFEmirates.

The NQA requires relevant approving bodies (e.g. accreditation commissions) to monitor the

implementation of mapping of CoreLife Skills by developers of programs, courses and unit standards

as well as by licensed education and training providers. Seven (7) CoreLife Skills have been identified

and are included in the following table. They will be used to inform education and training bodies to

include such in their programs and courses.

CoreLife Skills

Collecting, analysing, organising and applying information in a given context

Communicating information, concepts and ideas

Initiating and organising self and activities, including motivation, exploration and creativity

Working with others in teams including leadership

Solving problems including using mathematical ideas and techniques

Applying information and communication technology (ICT)

Participating in social and civic life including ethical practice

3.5 Recognition of prior learning (RPL)

Learning does not always take place in the classroom: it also happens on the job, at home, and in

the community - through hands-on experience, volunteer work, military service, independent study,

even leisure activities and travel. Often the skills acquired through these experiences can be applied

to the skills or knowledge required in the workplace, at school, or elsewhere.

Prior learning is comprised of three commonly recognised categories:

Categories of prior learning

Formal learning

refers to learning that takes place through a structured program of instruction which is

generally recognised by the attainment of a formal qualification or award (e.g. a

Certificate, Diploma or Degree).

Non-formal learning

refers to learning that takes place through a program of instruction but does not

usually lead to the attainment of a formal qualification or award (e.g. in-house

professional development programs conducted in the workplace).

Informal learning

refers to learning that can result from daily work-related, social, family, hobby or leisure

activities (e.g. the acquisition of interpersonal skills developed through the experience

of working as a sales representative; financial skills from managing budgets in a small

organisation).

9

Recognition of prior learning (RPL) is a systematic practical process that assesses and recognises all

previously unrecognised knowledge that has been have acquired outside the formal education and

training system, including an individual’s knowledge, skills and aspects of competence regardless of

where or how the learning was acquired. RPL can reduce the need for duplication of learning, and

encourages individuals to continue upgrading their skills and knowledge and pursue lifelong learning

through structured and informal learning and training towards formal qualifications. More

importantly, it can improve employment outcomes in terms of career progression and rewards, and

act as a catalyst for lifelong learning.

The QFEmirates is an enabling tool that can assist in the recognition of prior learning (RPL) by

assessing unrecognised learning against the requirements of a qualification.

4. ISCO SYSTEM FOR OCCUPATIONS

There is another international system that has an interrelationship between qualifications and

occupations. It is the International Labour Organisation’s (ILO’s) International Standard Classification

of Occupations (ISCO) system, used for classifying occupations and for data gathering and

reporting.

ISCO is divided into ten (10) major occupational groups1 with an array of sub-divided fields of sub-

major groups, minor groups and unit groups (resulting in four levels of disaggregation). The number of

occupations that ISCO lists at unit group level (4 digits) is 437. There are thousands of jobs in the

labour market which can be added to this group. The internationally recognised ISCO unit groups

provide a titling and code convention for each of the 437 listed occupations as well as a general

description of the occupation. The UAE adopted directly the ISCO titling and code convention. This

convention sets the framework for recognising the myriad of jobs in the labour market.

There are many different titles used in industry to represent the same job or occupation family.

Employers usually like to reflect their particular setting or context when looking to recruit or advertise

for prospective job applicants. It would be extremely difficult to list all these in a statistical system,

given the nature and life cycle of jobs in modern economies is dynamic and ever changing.

However, all jobs can be clustered together and included in one of the 437 ISCO listed occupations.

They can be shown to represent a respective job family. It is simply an exercise of mapping these

many titles and related descriptions to the recognised UAE adopted ISCO titles. More importantly,

ISCO also provides a ready-made reference source for linking to the QFEmirates.

See Appendix 1: Classification systems for more information about the ISCO system.

4.1 Occupational profiles

Most recently the UAE has embarked on developing its own unique occupational list through the

development of a UAE Occupations Career Handbook for UAE Nationals. The Handbook identified

155 occupations from key industry sectors using ISCO-08 as the reference source. These 155

occupations are considered most critical, essential and important in the emerging new knowledge-

based UAE economy. The Handbook aims to provide UAE Nationals and resident career aspirants

with an inaugural national resource to assist them in planning their careers. It is also intended the

Handbook will be used as a guide by all stakeholders in the field of human resource development

and management in both the private and public sectors, including educators, trainers, career

counsellors, employers and managers.

1 The International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) system is used by the Ministry of Economy in the UAE for its

occupational data gathering and reporting tool. ISCO: http://www.ilo.org/global/publications/ilo-bookstore/order-

online/books/WCMS_172572/lang--en/index.htm

10

Each one of the 155 occupational profiles is categorised and assembled in a manner that reflects

the scope of the occupation, a summary statement of the expected outcome, an outline of the key

tasks and responsibilities of the occupation, the pre-requisite requirements for the occupation, and

support information for those looking for a job, i.e. size of the industry and potential job numbers,

potential salary, outlook for the occupation over the ensuing few years, and job titles/related

occupations.

4.2 Occupational skills standards

Many modern and developing countries that have introduced qualifications frameworks and systems

of qualifications that link to the labour market have often included the use and reference of the

unique country related ISCO system to articulate and codify respective qualifications. Often the

functions performed in an occupation in these systems are expressed through mechanisms such as

occupational standards, competency standards, skills standards, national occupational skills

standards or some derivative thereof, meaning the same.

They typically describe what is expected of an employee in the workplace rather than on a learning

process or time spent in training or education. National occupational skills standards individually may

be called unit standards, units of competency or units, and are packaged or combined together to

form a national work-related qualification. These qualifications and related occupational standards

are aligned to the qualifications framework system established in the respective country and

approved exclusively for use in the country. Often they are the only recognised qualifications that

attract government funding for learners undertaking them. Increasingly therefore, there is a stronger

correlation emerging between the development of qualifications that use occupational skills

standards within a singular qualifications framework with a country’s occupational classification

system.

The two figures on the next page are conceptual diagrams that illustrate the infrastructure at

international, UAE and local level tools and resources that are typically established in modern

competitive economies. This infrastructure underpins and improves consistency and recognition in

the use of approved qualifications and occupational data, terminologies and descriptions (core

reference platform). Respective stakeholders such as employers, education and training institutions

and practitioners, the community, individuals, government agencies and compliance bodies,

research bodies and a host of other organisations tap into this infrastructure as a benchmark

resource or reference tool to refer to, build, contextualise, adapt, or modify as they see fit, to meet

their needs.

For example, employers may use benchmarks as a starting reference point for recruitment, re-skilling

and retention practices as a means of communicating with the wider world for same occupation or

qualification requirements. Institutions too, use the same to demonstrate to their prospective students

the occupations that lead from the qualifications they achieve.

11

Infrastructure – tools and resources

Operational – tools and resources

12

5. LINKING QUALIFICATIONS AND OCCUPATIONS

In the vocational education and training sector, and when modern systems are being introduced

there is often an increasing close correlation and nexus between qualifications and the range of

occupational employability. A closer inspection of the employability indicators of the QFEmirates

demonstrates this point. The employability indicators are indicated below. It is worth noting that as

per the QFEmirates level descriptors, the employability indicators also scaffolded in terms of a

comparable hierarchy of relative difficulty, complexity and depth at each level.

5.1 Employability indicators of QFEmirates levels

The employability indicators of the QFEmirates levels is a notional occupational reference guide to

employment relevance. They are an indicative alignment only to the QFEmirates level descriptors.

Employability indicators of the QFEmirates levels

QF

level

Indicative

employability range Employment relevance indicated in QFEmirates level descriptors

10 Leading specialist/expert

Employability in the leadership of

research and critical change

activity

A leading expert in their field of work, profession or discipline, with

expertise in the critique and development of social and

organisational structures and in the initiation of change, that

includes mastery in producing new and original knowledge or

extending and redefining existing knowledge or professional

practice and can deploy substantial authority, creativity,

autonomy, independence, fair and valid ethical judgements,

scholarly and professional integrity, and account for overall

governance of processes and systems in identifying unique

solutions or conclusions. Can apply innovative and advanced

approaches to managing, leading and developing technical or

professional teams. Typically, they display highly developed

expert communication and information technology skills.

9 Higher professional

Employability as senior

professionals or leaders in

specialised fields

Highly specialised professionals with requisite knowledge and

expertise allied to competence in management and strategic

leadership and who can lead and function autonomously and

ethically, and deploy a range of advanced skills in planning,

evaluating, producing and executing creative solutions to highly

complex, unpredictable and unfamiliar issues in a range of

contexts. Typically, they display highly developed specialist

communication and information technology skills.

8 Professional

Employability as autonomous

professionals and as managers

In some fields, advanced and specialised knowledge-based

professionals and, in others, generalists with high level research,

analysis and problem-solving skills who are able to work

independently and ethically and/or apply management expertise

in the supervision and/or mentoring of others or in a combination

of both. Typically, they have highly developed advanced

communication and information technology skills.

7 Para-professional and higher

technical

Employability at the upper end of

many technical occupations, or

in para-professional and

management roles

Specialist command of the theoretical knowledge and analytical

skills of an occupational field and the ability to design, evaluate

and/or plan solutions and apply ethical values to complex and

unpredictable problems, and/or apply high level specialist

administrative/management responsibilities including leading

multiple, complex groups. Typically, they display highly developed

advanced communication and information technology skills.

13

QF

level

Indicative

employability range Employment relevance indicated in QFEmirates level descriptors

6 Supervisory and technical

Employability as a highly

developed and specialist craft-

worker, technician or

administrative operative and/or

supervisor roles

Specialist command of the knowledge and skills of an

occupational field and the ability to develop, specify and/or

implement solutions to complex problems, and/or apply specialist

administrative/supervisory responsibilities including leading

multiple groups. Typically, they display advanced communication

and information technology skills.

5 Highly skilled

Employability as an advanced

craft-worker, technician or

administrative operative, and/or

in limited supervisory roles

Entry to many higher level

supervisory and para-professional

careers with strong general

employability

Comprehensive command of the knowledge and skills of an

occupational field and the ability to identify, diagnose and

implement solutions to abstract, familiar and non-routine

problems covering complex type work, and assume control,

coordination or administrative implementation responsibilities that

include leading teams and multiple groups. Typically, they display

comprehensive communication and information technology skills.

4 Skilled

Employability as a generalist

craft-worker, technician or

administrative operative, and/or

lead teams

Entry to many careers with strong

general employability

Command of a broad range of specialised knowledge and skills

of an occupational field and the ability to work independently,

identify and deploy known solutions to defined problems, assume

control or administrative responsibilities for specified outcomes

covering skilled type work, and lead technical/peer teams and/or

others in a specific work activity. Typically, they display effective

communication and information technology skills.

3 Semi-skilled

Entry to many occupational

sectors and employment in semi-

skilled vocational occupations

The capacity to draw on a broad range of mainly factual and

procedural knowledge and apply a limited range of skills to carry

out tasks and deploy routine solutions to predictable and

occasional unpredictable problems using simple rules, instruments,

tools and techniques relating to a whole job, whilst working under

indirect supervision with some autonomy and which may include

leading small teams within a technical or group activity.

2 General

Entry to many occupational

sectors and employment in roles

requiring routine general skills

The capacity to draw on general, factual knowledge of a defined

field of work or discipline and carry out simple, routine tasks under

guidance and in accordance with procedures within a defined

context to respond to, and/or solve, defined problems whilst

working independently and/or in small structured teams under

direct supervision and in a managed and/or routine environment.

1 Basic

Employability in occupations

requiring limited well-defined and

procedural skills or programs to

enable occupational entry

The capacity to carry out work in well-defined, familiar and

predictable contexts under direct supervision or to perform simple

repetitive and predictable tasks to solve well-defined problems in

a controlled environment.

14

5.2 Functions hierarchy

Occupational descriptions typically use functional verbs to specify what actions and/or decisions are

required to perform the respective duties and responsibilities. They are generally structured in a

functional hierarchy that closely reflect the verbs used in the employability indicators descriptors and

in turn align with the QFEmirates level descriptors. That is, a common but notional thread can be

identified at each level that links the QFEmirates, the employability indicators and the functions

performed in an occupation.

The following six types of functions are generally considered the key and most common functional

areas represented in a hierarchical form and across occupations and organisations. By establishing

the QFEmirates and the employability indicators as the benchmark reference tool or core language

reference platform, augmented by the common and key functional areas, the opportunity for

increasing consistency across occupational descriptions and their market recognition is enhanced.

This in turn leads to improved community and stakeholder awareness, understanding and

confidence of occupational nomenclatures (titles) and meanings ascribed to them in the market

across all levels of the QFEmirates.

Key and hierarchical functional areas and definitions

Key and hierarchical

functional areas Types of actions and/or decisions (function definition)

A Policy and strategy A high level function for researching, establishing, managing and

strategising policies and philosophy

B Managing The function of managing personnel, systems, resources and processes

C Specifying The function of specifying, implementing and assessing personnel, systems,

resources and processes

D Controlling The function of controlling, regulating and monitoring activities related to

personnel, systems, resources and processes

E Maintaining credibility The function of maintaining the capability of employees/independents and

a healthy organisational culture and safe workplace

F Performing

The function of carrying out the work activities to produce and maintain

goods and services

The function of performing simple tasks in a controlled environment

Functions are generally organised into a hierarchy which denotes the types of actions and/or

decisions involved. Policy type functions refer to executive decisions where policy is made and

objectives are formulated. Control type functions relate to middle management actions and

decisions to monitor day-to-day affairs and assure that executive decisions are met. Operational

type functions involve the routine activities or work of the enterprise.

Three key benchmark reference tools that depict a common set of national terminologies and

definitions have now been identified for use by those formulating occupational descriptions and the

related duties and responsibilities. The use of the benchmark tools can assist in harmonising and

developing consistency. The three tools are:

1. The QFEmirates and its related level descriptors and qualification profiles (requirements) for a

given learning outcomes

2. Employability indicators of QFEmirates levels – range and descriptors

3. Key and hierarchical functional areas and definitions - actions and/or decisions

15

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The three can be linked together in a matrix to provide formal information for demonstrating the

notional interrelationship between qualifications and functions performed in an occupation and vice

versa. The following illustration denotes the notional interrelationship that applies.

National functional framework model and indicative alignment to QFEmirates’ outcomes

16

Having identified the three key benchmark reference tools and in particular, the functional key

hierarchy areas, a further level of disaggregation can be undertaken, as this level of aggregation is

too high for identifying duties and functions of an occupation. That is, unpacking the high level (key)

functional areas in smaller elements using aligned verb taxonomies to help provide more clarity as to

the actions and/or decisions, and which typically reflect and are used in general workplace

applications. The verb taxonomies are appended to each function, as per the table below - Notional

function and taxonomy framework. This table provides an augmented base structure (core

language reference platform) for technical practitioners to support their activities, such as HR

personnel, recruitment specialists, organisational specialists and/or job design specialists, as well as

curriculum, qualification, occupational standards or occupational profile writers or developers. A

further expanded and more detailed framework that includes additional sample verbs and

information is included at Appendix 2 – Expanded notional function and taxonomy framework.

Notional function and taxonomy framework

QF

Level Function Taxonomy

9 - 10 Policy Analyse, Develop, Forecast, Research, Strategise

7 - 8 Managing Evaluate, Lead , Manage

6 -7 Specifying Assess, Commission, Design, Develop, Direct, Estimate, Facilitate,

Implement, Investigate, Report, Specify

6 Controlling Audit, Control, Diagnose, Evaluate, Inspect, Institute, Mobilise, Monitor, Plan,

Procure, Regulate, Schedule, Supervise, Verify

4 - 6 Maintaining capability Administer, Comply, Coordinate, Develop, Maintain, Organise, Respond,

Test, Utilise

2 - 4 Performing

Align, Apply, Assemble, Attend, Build, Calibrate, Carry out, Check, Compile,

Conduct, Configure, Construct, Contribute, Control, Deliver, Document,

Erect, Fabricate, Fault-find, Identify, Install, Make, Modify, Monitor, Operate,

Overhaul, Perform, Position, Prepare, Produce, Provide, Rectify, Repair,

Select, Sell, Service, Store, Troubleshoot, Undertake, Use

5.3 Example approaches to developing occupational profiles

It is important to have in place a process for increasing consistency in the development of

occupational profiles across the UAE that can be undertaken and result in a notional alignment with

the QFEmirates. The two examples of occupations in Appendix 3: Example occupation – Sales and

Marketing Manager (QFEmirates level 8) and Appendix 4: Example occupation – Electrician

(QFEmirates level 4: Electrician) are presented as a matrix consisting of:

QFEmirates level

QFEmirates summary level descriptor (learning outcomes)

QFEmirates profile (vocational)

Employability indicators of the QFEmirates

UAE national occupation profile for a specific position e.g. Sales and Marketing Manager

17

Occupational standards are agreed statements, which specify competent

performance expected in employment. They encompass the knowledge,

skill and aspects of competence in the workplace in a work-related or

occupational area, and the ability to transfer and apply the knowledge, skills

and aspects of competence in new situations and environments.

It should be noted the alignment is notional and not an exact science but based on knowledge of

the scaffolded hierarchy of learning outcomes of the QFEmirates and commonly recognised general

knowledge of occupational hierarchies and their comparability respectively, consistent with that

deployed in the ISCO classification system.

5.3.1 Uses of occupational profiles

The establishment of national occupational profiles provides a national resource for users. It affords

them an essential and central building block to progress their organisational and respective

development activities. It improves the prospects for enhanced synergies and consistency in the

recognition of same occupation across relevant stakeholders. That is, whether it be employers

seeking to develop job descriptions, undertaking workplace reform or managing and planning

employee careers, or institutions looking to identify future programs that align and link with growth in

the labour market. It may be in research activities or compliance regimes that seek to identify

occupational linkages.

The benefits and features of occupational profiles pervade beyond their known interfaces. The

respective occupational profile acts as the central reference document for building and

contextualising relevant outcomes and requirements.

Increasing the use of occupational profiles through key stakeholders like employers, government and

their agencies/regulators, institutions and associated bodies improves community understanding,

recognition and acceptance. They act, as well, to help build confidence in the market place of the

role and scope of occupations in the labour market and the economy.

5.3.2 Uses of national occupational skills standards

Downstream of occupational profiles are national occupational skills standards (referred to as NOSS

in the UAE). Occupational skills standards were referred to earlier. This section looks at their uses and

benefits. Distinctively, they are a medium for adding more specificity to the occupational profiles

and can be used to guide qualifications development, education and training as well as assessment

provision, and more importantly, as augmented information in workforce development and quality

assurance regulatory regimes. Occupational skills standards are typically national and developed

with the involvement of industry and respective technical subject matter experts.

Occupational standards’ definitions used across the world typically share common definitions; and

can be derived and subsequently adapted for local context. In the UAE the suggested definition for

national occupational skills standards is:

National Occupational Skills Standards (NOSS) are therefore concerned with what people are able

to do and with the ability to do this in a range of contexts. They emphasise outcomes and the

application of skills and knowledge and aspects of competence, not just their specification. NOSS

can readily be aligned to, and used for, in due course defining and confirming qualifications

outcomes against the Qualifications Framework for the Emirates (QFEmirates). They have other

important uses too, such as application in VET, industry and as well government regulation and

compliance (e.g. occupational certification/licensure or assessment of overseas workers).

18

Uses of occupational profiles

QFEmirates (VET Sector)

• National vocational qualifications

• Career ladders and pathways

• National Occupational Skills

Standards (NOSS)

• Assessment guidance

• Training resources and delivery

advice

Workforce Development

• Learning and organisational

development

• Career planning and management

• Job design (align job with

occupation profile)

• Recruitment, retention and re-skilling

• Performance management

• Employee conditions

• Workplace culture

• Labour market information

Education and training

providers

• Identify occupations and offer

relevant qualifications

• Align future programs with

occupations in demand in the

market

• Identify resources requirements

required for the occupation

• Planning

• Marketing

Quality Assurance

• Regulation of occupations

• Migration and expatriates labour

supply

• Occupation and qualifications

mapping, alignment and recognition

• Census, data collection, research,

analyses and comparisons

international, national and local

19

5.3.2 Uses of national occupational skills standards (continued)

The main advantage of national occupational skills standards (NOSS) is that they crystallise the

objective of driving education and training market outcomes towards the needs of the economy,

industry and the community. They seek to effect an education and training market that is demand

driven rather than supply driven, shifting the power relationship from one that is singular (provider

orientated) to one of shared vision and responsibility by the stakeholders.

They directly contribute to the development of a suitably skilled, educated and qualified workforce

and in turn UAE’s economic growth and prosperity. There are many benefits associated with

introducing NOSS as the new focal point for industry, employers/establishments, VET sector,

government regulatory systems, and in particular individuals. They provide an additional instrument of

specified common language for communicating between stakeholders and thus can be used

respectively by stakeholders:

Benefits of national occupational skills standards (NOSS)

General benefits

Improve productivity, efficiency, cost effectiveness, health and safety.

Build confidence and pride in the credentials received.

Provide equal opportunities for recruitment, employment, learning and recognition of achievements for all

citizens and residents.

Enable mobility and employment opportunities for individuals.

Enable portability of credentials based on a rigour of quality assured occupational standards.

Reduce duplication and improving consistency in education and training support materials and resources.

Facilitate benchmarking and improvements of national education and training goals and strategic initiatives.

Enable improved investment decisions and transparency in government purchase of publicly funded

education and training provision.

Become more internationally competitive and economically sustainable.

Employers

Improve business prioritisation and planning in recruitment, retention and skills development.

Provide an objective and directly relevant measure for employers and employees alike.

Promote quality delivery required to secure and retain contracts.

Improve appraisal and feedback mechanisms for individual employees.

Improve workplace performance by benchmarking practice against the standards.

Improve compliance with legal and business requirements.

Align individual effort with organisational goals and targets.

Learners/individuals

Improve an individual’s clarity in job and responsibility levels.

Improve an individual’s confidence in working effectively and safely to best practice standards.

Improve an individual’s opportunity to transfer competence to other jobs or work contexts.

Encourage an individual to recognise and pursue further personal development and widen the breadth of

career possibilities.

20

Education and training providers

Ensure vocational education and training (VET) provision is relevant and current to job roles in industry.

Recognise previously acquired competencies (RPL).

Identify gaps in knowledge, skills and aspects of competence and requisite training needs.

Reduce training costs in learning and assessment design and provision.

Support the design of relevant courses and/or training programs.

Government

Establish and enunciate Emirate or national strategies and priorities for the development of world class skills.

Promote the skills base of the Emirate or country, internally and internationally.

Improve the statistical information base of skills and competence levels achieved by individuals, internally

and internationally.

Improve an individual’s compliance to regulatory requirements leading to reduced incidents in terms of

safety, health and workplace productivity through mediums such as providing formal benchmarks for

licensure and certification agencies in implementing occupational licensure regimes for accountability of

performance.

Maximise the use of an individual’s skills in the labour market.

Establish quality skills assessments regimes for overseas workers seeking to work in UAE.

Directly or through prioritised funding influence the education and training market to equip citizens for the

world of work.

Increase stakeholders’ investment in the development of world class skills.

Increase an individual’s interest in skills development.

Promote and appropriately recognise and reward citizens for skills attained and deployed so that

certification/qualification can become one of preferred choice.

21

APPENDICES

22

APPENDIX 1: CLASSIFICATION SYSTEMS

A4. 1 International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) system

ISCO - is the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) system established by the

International Labor Organisation (ILO). It is the internationally recognise system for classifying

occupations. It is used by the Ministry of Economy in the UAE for its occupational data gathering and

reporting tool. The following provides general information about how ISCO classifies occupations. For

more invitation, visit:

http://www.ilo.org/global/publications/ilo-bookstore/order-online/books/WCMS_172572/lang--

en/index.htm

What is an occupational classification?

An occupational classification is a tool for organising all jobs in an establishment, an industry or a

country into a clearly defined set of groups according to the tasks and duties undertaken in the job.

It normally consists of two components:

The classification system itself, which gives the guidelines on how jobs are to be classified into the

most detailed groups of the classification and how these detailed groups are to be further

aggregated into broader groups. It includes the occupational titles and codes, and represents a

value set for the variable >occupation=, a variable which describes the different tasks and duties

of jobs.

A descriptive component, which usually consists of descriptions of the tasks and duties as well as

other aspects of the jobs which belong to each of the defined groups, including goods and

services produced, skill level and specialisation, occupations included and excluded, entry

restrictions, etc. These descriptions can be said to constitute a dictionary of occupations.

An occupational classification can be compared to a system of maps for a country, where the top

level of aggregation corresponds to a small scale road map for the main motorways and highways;

the next level corresponds to a set of larger scale maps for, say, each of the main regions, also

showing provincial and local roads; and so on. At the most detailed level, they are the detailed

technical maps used by municipal engineers to plan sidewalks, traffic lights, road extensions, etc.

Such detailed technical maps can be compared to the job descriptions used by enterprises for

personnel management and wage systems which in most countries are not the concern of national

authorities, except for the management of public sector employees.

ISCO organises occupations in a hierarchical framework. They are based on two main concepts:

The concept of kind of work performed – defined as a set of tasks or duties designed to be

executed by one person

The concept of skill, defined as the skill level – the degree of complexity of constituent tasks – and

skill specialisation – the field of know ledge required for competent performance of the

constituent tasks.

23

ISCO Major occupational groups

Ten (10) major occupational groups with an array of sub-divided fields have been identified for ISCO-

08 data collection and publication. At the major group level, these are as follows:

Managers

Professionals

Technicians and associate professionals

Clerical support workers

Service and sales workers

Skilled agricultural, forestry and fishery workers

Craft and related trades workers

Plant and machine operators, and assemblers

Elementary occupations

Armed forces occupations

Each of the major group is disaggregated further into sub-major groups, minor groups and unit

groups (resulting in four levels of disaggregation). For instance, the following applies with respect to a

sample from the ISCO “Professional” group:

2 Professionals

21 Science and engineering professionals

211 Physical and earth science professionals

2111 Physicists and astronomers

2112 Meteorologists

2113 Chemists

2114 Geologists and geophysicists

212 Mathematicians, actuaries and statisticians

2120 Mathematicians, actuaries and statisticians

213 Life science professionals

2131 Biologists, botanists, zoologists and related professionals

2132 Farming, forestry and fisheries advisers

2133 Environmental protection professionals

22 Health professionals

221 Medical doctors

2211 Generalist medical practitioners

2212 Specialist medical practitioners

222 Nursing and midwifery professionals

2221 Nursing professionals

2222 Midwifery professionals

223 Traditional and complementary medicine professionals

2230 Traditional and complementary medicine professionals

224 Paramedical practitioners

2240 Paramedical practitioners

24

A4. 2 International Standard Industrial Classification (ISCI) system

Chapter II The underlying principles of the classification (item 3, p. 9) in the International Standard

Industrial Classification (ISCI) revision 4 includes a definition of industry classifications:

ISIC is a classification according to kind of productive activity, and not a classification of goods

and services. The activity carried out by a unit is the type of production in which it engages.

This is the characteristic of the unit according to which it will be grouped with other units to

form industries. An industry is defined as the set of all production units engaged primarily in the

same or similar kinds of productive activity.

ISIC is distinctively different in nature and purpose from the classifications of goods and

services, ownership, institutional units or other types of classifications.

As it is in general not possible to establish a one-to-one correspondence between activities

and products, ISIC is not designed to measure product data at any detailed level. For this

purpose, a separate classification exists, namely, the Central Product Classification (CPC).

The broad structure of ISIC has been aggregated into 21 sectors:

Broad structure of ISCI

Field Code Industry Sector

A 01–03 Agriculture, forestry and fishing

B 05–09 Mining and quarrying

C 10–33 Manufacturing

D 35 Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply

E 36–39 Water supply; sewerage, waste management and remediation activities

F 41–43 Construction

G 45–47 Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles

H 49–53 Transportation and storage

I 55–56 Accommodation and food service activities

J 58–63 Information and communication

K 64–66 Financial and insurance activities

L 68 Real estate activities

M 69–75 Professional, scientific and technical activities

N 77–82 Administrative and support service activities

O 84 Public administration and defence; compulsory social security

P 85 Education

Q 86–88 Human health and social work activities

R 90–93 Arts, entertainment and recreation

S 94–96 Other service activities

T 97–98 Activities of households as employers; undifferentiated goods- and services-producing

activities of households for own use

U 99 Activities of extraterritorial organisations and bodies

25

ISIC draws attention to the increasing broadening (in Chapter I, item 17, pp. 5-6) in its use:

While ISIC was developed with a view to categorising economic activities for national

accounts and other economic analysis purposes, its use extends to data collection, tabulation,

analysis and presentation for a variety of social and environmental applications, such as the

link between the economy, education and health sectors and the environment at the national

and international levels. Moreover, at the national versions are increasingly used for

administrative and business purposes, such as the categorisation of revenues and

expenditures.

This broadening of the use of ISIC data states (in Chapter IV, item 4, p. 38) the relationship of other

international classifications with ISIC:

The following classifications developed by the United Nations or its subsidiary organs have

some relationship with ISIC or make use of parts of ISIC in defining their own scope or

categories; whether describing statistics on occupations, employment, expenditures,

education, tourism or the environment: the Classification of the Functions of Government

(COFOG), the International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED), the International

Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO), the activity classification of the Tourism Satellite

Account (TSA) and the International Classification of Non-Profit Organizations (ICNPO).

This broadening of use has many benefits not least of which is that there is an increasing need to

recognise the importance of data relationships, for instance, between ISIC and ISCO when analysing

an array of relevant economic, industrial, labour market and education and training information for

use in such activities as workforce development, organisational development, occupation or job

design, career management and planning, and education and training management and planning.

In the UAE, the 21 ISIC sectors have been aggregated and simplified into 12 segmented industry

sectors to reflect the nature and unique industry construct of country. The 12 sectors reflect and are

representative of the broader UAE demographics in terms of:

UAE key economic indicators (United Arab Emirates Yearbooks 2007 and 2008)

identified key Ministry of Economy economic industry sectors

UAE Chambers of Commerce and industry categories

social context

employment

population size

vocational skills mix as well as cross sector skills used

current and prospective skills demand of the emirates

international experiences.

26

The National Qualifications Authority (NQA) is looking to establish a closer interrelationship between

qualifications and needs of industry and the workplace (occupations). It is to establish arrangements

for developing and approving national qualifications comprised of national occupational skills

standards against and across these 12 recognised industry sectors. The 12 industry sectors are as

follows:

NQA recognised UAE industry sectors

No Industry Sectors

1 Government services and public administration

2 Community, health and social services

3 Business, administration and financial services

4 Tourism, hospitality, retail and leisure services including personal care services

5 Arts, culture and entertainment

6 Education, learning and social development

7 Building and construction, estates and assets development and management

8 Utilities and infrastructure

9 Energy resources – oil, natural gas, petrochemical, chemical and mining/quarrying

10 Manufacturing

11 Logistics and transport

12 Agriculture, livestock and fishery

27

APPENDIX 2: EXPANDED NOTIONAL FUNCTION AND TAXONOMY FRAMEWORK

The following table provides an expanded list of verb taxonomies and related examples as well as workplace applications that can be used by technical practitioners in

their development work. They are provided only as suggestions and indications of how specific verb taxonomies can be aligned and applied to the key functional areas.

They can be augmented as required.

KEY FUNCTIONAL AREAS QF LEVEL EXEMPLAR TAXONOMY EXAMPLES WORKPLACE

APPLICATION

A POLICY

A high level function for

researching, establishing,

managing and strategising

policies and philosophy

9 - 10 Analyse

Develop

Forecast

Research

Strategise

Analysing policy

Developing policy

Forecasting demand

Researching policy

Strategising policy

Specialist

Expert

B MANAGING

The function of managing

personnel, systems, resources and

processes

7 - 8 Evaluate

Lead

Manage

Establishing systems and policies

Evaluating the effectiveness of policies and processes

Initiating actions

Leading people

Managing communication

Managing finances

Managing group processes

Managing human resources

Managing information

Managing knowledge and information

Managing physical resources

Professional

Limited professional

Higher technician

C SPECIFYING

The function of specifying,

implementing and assessing

personnel, systems, resources and

processes

6 -7 Assess

Commission

Design

Develop

Direct

Estimate

Facilitate

Implement

Investigate

Report

Specify

Assessing effectiveness of systems and processes

Commissioning systems and processes

Designing products and services

Developing systems and techniques

Directing enquiries

Estimating projects

Facilitating processes

Implementing systems

Investigating and analysing faults and problems

Reporting performance

Specifying requirements

Professional

Limited professional

Higher technician

Technician

Supervisor

D CONTROLLING

The function of controlling,

regulating and monitoring

activities related to personnel,

systems, resources and processes

6 Audit

Control

Diagnose

Evaluate

Auditing services

Controlling delivery of projects/programs

Diagnosing problems

Evaluating functions, processes and ideas

Technician

Supervisor

28

Inspect

Institute

Mobilise

Monitor

Plan

Procure

Regulate

Schedule

Supervise

Verify

Inspecting facilities, process and quality

Instituting quality assurance

Mobilising plant, equipment and personnel

Monitoring activities

Planning and scheduling activities

Procuring resources for activities

Regulating activities

Supervising people and activities

Verifying programs

E MAINTAINING CAPABILITY

The function of maintaining

including coordinating the

capability of employees and a

healthy organisational culture

and safe workplace

4 - 6 Administer

Comply

Coordinate

Develop

Maintain

Organise

Respond

Test

Utilise

Administering user networks, processes and information

Complying with regulations and schedules

Coordinating people and activities

Developing learning and skills

Maintaining a safe and healthy workplace environment

Maintaining the environment

Organising operations

Responding to the values of the community

Testing functions and ideas

Utilising plant and equipment

Technician

Supervisor

Skilled

F PERFORMING

The function of carrying out the

work activities to produce and

maintain goods and services

2 - 4 Align

Apply

Assemble

Attend

Build

Calibrate

Carry out

Check

Compile

Conduct

Configure

Construct

Contribute

Control

Deliver

Document

Erect

Fabricate

Fault-find

Identify

Install

Aligning products

Applying methods

Assembling items

Attending to customer requests

Building equipment and systems

Calibrating instruments

Carrying out operations/tasks

Checking outputs

Compiling reports

Conducting operations

Configuring systems, processes and products

Constructing items

Contributing to system or process development

Controlling continuous processes

Delivering services or consumables to customers

Documenting outcomes of processes and systems

Erecting scaffolding

Fabricating products

Fault finding

Identifying problems and products

Installing systems and equipment

Skilled

Semi-skilled

Low skilled

General operations

29

Make

Modify

Monitor

Operate

Overhaul

Perform

Position

Prepare

Produce

Provide

Rectify

Repair

Select

Sell

Service

Store

Troubleshoot

Undertake

Use

Maintaining equipment and processes

Making or producing new items

Modifying items

Monitoring processes

Operating equipment

Overhaul plant and equipment

Performing routine checks

Positioning equipment or products

Preparing for process or dispatch

Providing information and advice

Providing personal care services

Rectify faults

Re-making components and parts

Repairing equipment

Responding to situations

Selecting components

Selling items

Servicing equipment

Storing files, stock, equipment and information

Troubleshooting systems

Undertaking activities

Using basic computer applications

ENTRY LEVEL AND FUNCTIONAL

EMPLOYMENT

The function of performing simple

tasks in a controlled environment

1 Follow

Make

Use

Perform simple tasks in a controlled environment Basic

30

APPENDIX 3: EXAMPLE OCCUPATION – SALES AND MARKETING MANAGER

QF

level

QFEmirates summary level descriptor*

(learning outcomes) QFEmirates profile (vocational)

Employability indicators of

QFEmirates levels

UAE national occupational profile – Sales and Marketing

Manager

8 Learning outcomes at level 8 indicate

advanced specialised knowledge and critical

understanding in a specialised field of work or

discipline and at the interface between fields

as well as a comprehensive understanding of

critical approaches to creating a systematic

and coherent body of knowledge and

concepts gained from a range of sources. It

also covers:

acquiring comprehensive knowledge of

current research and innovations in a field of

work, discipline or professional practice

specialist field and integration of knowledge

from different fields of work or disciplines

skills in solving complex unpredictable

and/or abstract problems with intellectual

independence and making judgements

that take into account social or ethical

issues

skills to adopt a professional approach to

operating in a complex environment

including the design and development of

creative approaches to the management

of complex work processes and

organisation, resources or learning

leading and managing teams within a

technical or professional activity or working

effectively as an individual

leading the strategic performance of

professional teams and self

presenting, explaining and/or critiquing

substantively complex matters

taking responsibility for contributing to

professional practice in complex and

sometimes unfamiliar learning contexts

leading, contributing and implementing

ethical standards.

The holder of a Postgraduate Diploma (level

8) will have acquired advanced specialist

knowledge, critical understanding, practical

knowledge, problem solving skills and

proficiency associated with a discipline,

some of it at the current boundaries of an

academic discipline. In some fields they can

operate as advanced and specialised

knowledge-based professionals and in

others as generalists with high level research,

analytical and communication skills who are

able to perform independently and ethically

or develop expertise in management and/or

mentoring of others or a combination of

both.

Knowledge:

Advanced specialised knowledge and

critical understanding in a specialised

discipline and the interface between fields.

It also covers comprehensive understanding

of critical approaches to creating a

systematic and coherent body of

knowledge and concepts gained from a

range of sources. Encompassed is

comprehensive knowledge of current

research and innovations in a discipline or

professional practice and impact of these

developments on accepted theory and

practice.

Skills:

Problem-solving skills in a specialist field and

the integration of knowledge from different

disciplines to solve complex unpredictable

and/or abstract problems with intellectual

independence. Skills in the discipline to:

Indicative employability

range:

Professional:

Employability as

autonomous

professionals and as

managers

Employment relevance

indicated in QFEmirates

level descriptors:

In some fields, advanced

and specialised

knowledge-based

professionals and, in others,

generalists with high level

research, analysis and

problem-solving skills who

are able to work

independently and

ethically and/or apply

management expertise in

the supervision and/or

mentoring of others or in a

combination of both.

Typically, they have highly

developed advanced

communication and

information technology

skills.

Occupation scope:

Plan, direct, or coordinate marketing and sales policies

and programs or actual distribution or movement of a

product or service to customers.

Occupation summary:

Sales and marketing managers plan, direct and

coordinate the sales and marketing activities of an

enterprise or organisation, or of enterprises that provide

sales and marketing services to other enterprises and

organisations. Also, analyse sales statistics or determine

demand for products and services offered by a firm and

its competitors, and identify potential customers as well

as develop pricing strategies to maximise

profits/surpluses or share of the market while ensuring

the firm's customers are satisfied. Oversee product

development or monitor trends that indicate the need

for new products and services.

Job activities and tasks include:

a) planning and organising special sales and marketing

programmes based on sales records and market

assessment

b) determining price lists, discount and delivery terms,

sales promotion budgets, sales methods, special

incentives and campaigns

c) establishing and directing operational and

administrative procedures related to sales and

marketing activities

d) leading and managing the activities of sales and

marketing staff

e) planning and directing daily operations

f) establishing and managing budgets and controlling

expenditure to ensure the efficient use of resources

g) overseeing the selection, training and performance

of staff

31

QF

level

QFEmirates summary level descriptor*

(learning outcomes) QFEmirates profile (vocational)

Employability indicators of

QFEmirates levels

UAE national occupational profile – Sales and Marketing

Manager

identify appropriate sources of

information or analytical techniques in

investigation that leads to conclusions

and solutions to problems

critically select appropriate research

instruments and strategies

present, explain and/or critique

substantively complex matters using

advanced communication and

information technology skills.

Autonomy and Responsibility:

Can take responsibility for designing and

developing creative approaches to

managing and evaluating complex

processes and organisation, resources or

learning.

Role in context:

With autonomy can:

analyse the management of professional

activity that may be in a complex

environment

evaluate and reflect on the strategic

performance of professional teams and

self

contribute to coordination of peer

relationships with qualified practitioners as

well as multiple, complex groups, and

support the management of professional

development mentoring activities.

Self-development:

Can self-evaluate and take responsibility for:

contributing to professional practice in

complex and sometimes unfamiliar work

and learning contexts, and

contributing and conforming to ethical

standards.

h) representing the enterprise or organisation at sales

and marketing conventions, trade exhibitions and

other forums.

Knowledge, Skills and Aspects of competence:

Advanced specialised knowledge of principles,

concepts and techniques in field of work, discipline

and/or professional practice

Specialised knowledge of analysing, planning,

managing and establishing ideas, policies, strategies,

projections and/or conditions in the field of work,

discipline and/or professional practice

Advanced knowledge of research principles and

methods

Advanced knowledge of high level governance of

systems, processes and procedures including

legislative, regulatory, standards, codes and

conventions

Higher knowledge of recent developments in the field

of work, discipline and/or professional practice

Higher knowledge of principles, concepts and

techniques in management, economics, finance,

statistics and fiscal disciplines related to the field of

work and/or professional practice

Higher knowledge of political, government, legislative

and regulatory systems related to the field of work

Higher knowledge of laws, regulations, standards

codes and conventions of the UAE and specific

Emirates related to the field of work, discipline and/or

professional practice and more general subjects

including OHSE and cultural understanding and

awareness

Higher knowledge of principles, concepts and

techniques in sensitively recognising and responding

to the management of highly complex ethical issues

Leverage information technology, executive

information systems, management techniques and

tools for optimal field of work performance and/or

professional practice

32

QF

level

QFEmirates summary level descriptor*

(learning outcomes) QFEmirates profile (vocational)

Employability indicators of

QFEmirates levels

UAE national occupational profile – Sales and Marketing

Manager

Higher skills in research, analysis, consultation and

synthesis of information to evaluate ideas, policies,

strategies, projections and/or conditions and

generate recommendations and/or relevant

alternatives

Manage advanced relationships and coordinate

related activities of respective stakeholders

Advanced skills and experience in high level policy

analysis, formulation and research, plus strategic

planning in sensitive and confidential environment

Develop abstract concepts and convey strategic

indications from the spectrum of development

experience

Higher negotiation cultural sensitivity and Diplomatic

skills

Use of information, tools, resources to support high-

level and complex work achievement

Work sensitively and effectively in a multi-cultural

environment

Work with others to develop creative solutions to

complex unpredictable and/or abstract problems

Communicate with influence, and a proven record of

developing and maintaining effective partnerships

across an organisation and with diverse external

clients and other key stakeholders

Highly developed advanced oral and written

communication, interpersonal and representational

skills, and a proven ability to use these skills to prepare

and present clear, concise, high quality advice

Highly developed leadership and effective

management skills, with capacity to initiate,

implement and sustain improvements within a team

environment, as well as the ability to work flexibly and

cooperatively as a member of a team

Personal drive and integrity, the ability to self-manage

and the capacity to identify and effectively manage

risks associated with change, as well recognise and

implement ethical standards to highly complex

ethical issues

33

QF

level

QFEmirates summary level descriptor*

(learning outcomes) QFEmirates profile (vocational)

Employability indicators of

QFEmirates levels

UAE national occupational profile – Sales and Marketing

Manager

Achieving results within tight timelines, and capacity

to set and implement new policy directions

Highly developed higher organisational skills,

including the ability to manage priorities and meet

tight deadlines.

Qualifications or equivalent requirement:

Bachelor degree in sales or marketing management,

relevant field of work/discipline, higher qualification or

equivalent.

Example job titles:

- Marketing manager

- Sales manage

Some related occupations examples:

- Vice president of Sales

- Director of sales

- District sales manager

- Regional sales manager

- Sales supervisor

- General manager

- Sales and marketing vice president

- Sales representative

- Vice president of marketing

- Business development manager

- Marketing coordinator

- Account supervisor

* Use of the QFEmirates summary level descriptor is for indicative purposes only and reference should be made of the full QFEmirates level descriptor applicable to each level.

34

APPENDIX 4: EXAMPLE OCCUPATION 2 – ELECTRICIAN

QF

level

QFEmirates summary level descriptor*

(learning outcomes) QFEmirates profile (vocational)

Employability indicators of

QFEmirates levels UAE National Occupational Profile – Electrician

4 Learning outcomes at level 4 indicate a broad

range of specialised and relevant associated

knowledge, including some theoretical and

abstract concepts with limited depth. It also

covers:

using specialist cognitive and practical skills

to identify and deploy known solutions to

defined problems including deployment of

appropriate retrieval tools and which may

be subjected to change in a number of

contexts

implementing given approaches to

complex procedures and processes, leading

and being accountable for small peer

teams within a technical activity, and

providing limited supervision

presenting and explaining information

concepts and ideas

producing from pieces of information,

cohesive texts that may be short and varied

applying, reflecting and communicating an

assortment of mathematical procedures

and representations in a number of

contexts, which may be interrelated

taking responsibility for own learning within a

predictable environment

complying with ethical standards.

The holder of a Certificate 4 qualification

(Level 4) has demonstrated competence in

a broad range of specialised knowledge

and understanding of a field of work or

discipline; can perform a wide range of skills

required for known and some unknown

solutions under limited guidance or

supervision; and can take responsibility for

leading teams within a technical or peer

activity, and for own learning within a

managed environment.

Knowledge:

Knowledge for this qualification is broad-

ranged specialised knowledge and includes

some theoretical and abstract concepts

with limited depth in some areas in a field of

work or discipline, including facts, principles,

processes and general concepts as well as

an understanding of relevant knowledge in

associated fields of work or disciplines

including regulations, standards, codes,

conventions and procedures. It also covers

knowledge of approaches used in

categorising coherent bodies of knowledge

and concepts gained from a range of

sources; understanding of retrieval tools and

problem solving techniques and procedures;

and sources of current knowledge and

concepts from related fields. Encompassed

is an understanding of cohesive texts

covering various pieces of information, and

comprehension in an array of mathematical

procedures and representations in a number

of contexts.

Indicative employability

range:

Skilled

Employability as a

generalist craft-worker,

technician or

administrative operative,

and/or lead teams

Entry to many careers

with strong general

employability

Employment relevance

indicated in QFEmirates

level descriptors:

Command of a broad

range of specialised

knowledge and skills of an

occupational field and the

ability to work

independently, identify

and deploy known

solutions to defined

problems, assume control

or administrative

responsibilities for specified

outcomes covering skilled

type work, and lead

technical/peer teams

and/or others in a specific

work activity. Typically,

they display effective

communication and

information technology

skills.

Occupation scope:

Electrical engineering technicians (Electricians) plan,

assemble, install, alter, repair, fault find, test, inspect,

verify, commission, operate and maintain electrical

systems.

Occupation summary:

Electrical engineering technicians (Electricians) perform

technical tasks to aid in electrical engineering research,

and in the design, manufacture, assembly, testing,

commissioning, troubleshooting, construction,

operation, maintenance and repair of electrical

equipment, facilities and distribution systems. Electrical

systems provide heating, lighting, power, security,

communication and control in residential, commercial,

institutional, industrial and entertainment environments.

Electricians may be self‐employed or employed by

electrical contractors, utilities, operations and

maintenance departments of various facilities. They

may be required to be licensed, registered or certified

to be permitted to work by a government authority,

agency or approved certifying body.

Job activities and tasks include:

(a) providing technical assistance in research on and

development of electrical equipment and facilities,

or testing prototypes

(b) designing and preparing blueprints of electrical

installations and circuitry according to the

specifications given

(c) preparing detailed estimates of quantities and costs

of materials and labour required for manufacture

and installation according to the specifications

given

(d) monitoring technical aspects of the manufacture,

installation, utilisation, maintenance and repair of

electrical systems and equipment to ensure

35

Skills:

A range of specialist cognitive and practical

skills to:

identify and deploy known solutions to

defined problems, including

accomplishing functions and solving

problems by selecting and applying

relevant methods, equipment, tools,

materials and information

deploy appropriate retrieval tools

associated with the field of work or

discipline

use effective communication and

information technology skills to present,

and explain information concepts and

ideas

produce from pieces of information

cohesive texts, which may be short and

varied, and

identify, apply, reflect and communicate

an assortment of mathematical

procedures and representations in a

number of contexts, which may be

interrelated.

Autonomy and Responsibility:

Can take responsibility for:

implementing appropriate approaches to

complex work procedures and processes,

resources or learning, including leading

peer teams within a technical activity

exercising self-management within activity

guidelines that are usually predictable,

but are subject to change in a number of

contexts, and which may be interrelated

completion of functions in work or learning

with readily available support and under

limited supervision, and

consistency of self-understanding and

behaviour in accordance with socio-

cultural norms.

satisfactory performance and compliance with

specifications and regulations

(e) planning installation methods, checking completed

installation for safety and controls or undertaking the

initial running of the new electrical equipment or

systems

(f) assembling, installing, testing, calibrating, modifying

and repairing electrical equipment and installations

to conform with regulations and safety requirements.

Knowledge, Skills and Aspects of competence:

Understanding the implications of new information for

both current and future problem-solving and

decision-making

Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths

and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions

or approaches to problems

Managing one's own time and the time of others

Teaching others how to do something

Selecting and using training/instructional methods

and procedures appropriate for the situation when

learning or teaching new things

The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for

combining or grouping things in different ways

The ability to quickly and repeatedly measure and

estimate exact positions

Knowledge of the structure and content of the

engineering related technical English terminologies

Knowledge and use of relevant engineering

applications and programs

Job may require him/her to work alone or in

conjunction with engineers, building contractors,

architects and scientists.

Qualifications or equivalent requirement:

Certificate or Diploma in electrical installation and/or

maintenance, higher qualification or equivalent.

Example job titles:

- Electrician

- Electrical engineering technician

36

Role in context:

Under limited supervision can:

function both independently and/or in a

facilitative role with multiple groups, and

take responsibility for the routine work of

others, and for the nature and quality of

some outputs.

Self-development:

Can take responsibility for:

own learning within a predictable

environment with limited supervision

identifying and complying with advised

ethical standards.

- Electric power transmission engineering technician

- Electrical installer

- Electrical fitter mechanic

Some related occupations examples:

- Power production plant operator

- Electrical mechanic

- Cable Jointer

- Electronics and communications technician

- Lift Electrician

- Electrical lineworker

* Use of the QF summary level descriptor is for indicative purposes only and reference should be made of the full QFEmirates level descriptor applicable to each level

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