Qualification Focus - Employability

Supporting Young People into Employment: Why Employability Qualifications Matter More Than Ever

Helping young people develop the skills, confidence and experience needed to enter and progress in employment has never been more important.

Recent government announcements have placed youth employment and skills firmly at the centre of the national agenda. In July 2026, the government announced significant investment in technical education, training and apprenticeships, including additional college places, enhanced apprenticeship support and clearer pathways from education into employment.*

This focus comes at a time when more than one million young people aged 16 to 24 are not in education, employment or training (NEET), highlighting the need for effective pathways into work and further learning.*

The importance of workplace readiness is also being recognised by employers. In September 2026, the government announced a partnership with major retailers, including Tesco, John Lewis, Currys and Costa Coffee, aiming to create up to 100,000 jobs for young people and expand access to meaningful work experience opportunities through the new Opening Shift programme.**

For education and training providers, these developments present an important opportunity to equip learners with the practical, transferable skills employers value.

Meeting a Growing Need for Employability Skills

LASER helps bridge the gap between education and employment through flexible employability qualifications that help learners to develop workplace skills, build confidence and prepare for their next steps.

Our qualifications are designed to help learners develop the knowledge, behaviours and practical skills needed for success in employment, apprenticeships and further learning. Covering areas such as communication, teamwork, problem-solving, self-management and workplace awareness, the qualifications provide learners with a broad foundation for navigating a range of workplace situations.

For learners with limited work experience or those who would benefit from additional support, these qualifications provide a structured way to develop workplace readiness and improve progression opportunities.

Explore Our Employability Qualifications

We offer a range of qualifications designed to support learners at different stages of their journey towards employment.

LASER Entry 2 Award and Certificate in Preparing to Get a Job

Designed for learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, this qualification supports personal development, workplace preparation and progression towards employment.

LASER Level 1 and 2 Award, Extended Award and Certificate in Getting into Employment

Available at Level 1 and Level 2 in three sizes (Award, Extended Award or Certificate), this qualification helps learners develop practical workplace skills and confidence as they prepare for employment, apprenticeships or further study.

LASER Level 1 and 2 Award and Certificate in Enhancing Employability

Available in Award and Certificate sizes at Levels 1 and 2, with selected units of assessment also available at Entry 3, this qualification helps learners develop transferable workplace skills, including communication, teamwork and problem-solving. These skills closely reflect those employers recognise as critical for workplace success, and help learners become more effective and adaptable in a range of working environments.

Together, these qualifications offer flexible pathways that can be tailored to different learner needs, abilities and aspirations.

Why Add These Qualifications to Your Centre's Portfolio?

As employability, skills development and youth employment continue to be national priorities, these qualifications offer centres a practical way to strengthen their curriculum and support learner progression. Government initiatives are increasingly focused on helping young people gain the skills, qualifications and experience needed for work, while employers continue to highlight the importance of transferable workplace skills.

By offering employability qualifications, centres can:

• Support progression into employment, apprenticeships, supported internships and further learning.

• Help learners develop the workplace skills employers value most.

• Strengthen their curriculum offer with flexible qualifications to meet a wide range of learner needs.

How to Offer These Qualifications

LASER qualifications are designed to be flexible and centre-friendly, enabling centres to create provision that responds to local priorities while helping learners progress to their next steps.

To deliver these qualifications, your organisation must be a LASER Approved Centre. If your organisation is not yet approved, you can find out more about the application process on our Becoming a LASER Centre page.

If your organisation is already a LASER Approved Centre, simply submit a New Course Notification Form before delivery.

📞 Interested in finding out more?

If you would like to offer these qualifications at your centre, please get in touch with our team to discuss the available options and identify those best suited to your learners’ needs.

Full references: 

*Department for Education and Department for Work and Pensions (2026) Government invests in young people with more opportunities close to home. GOV.UK, 28 July 2026. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-invests-in-young-people-with-more-opportunities-close-to-home (Accessed: 25 September 2026).

**Department for Work and Pensions (2026) Retailers target 100,000 jobs for young people as sector joins forces with government in major work experience drive. GOV.UK, 8 September 2026. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/retailers-target-100000-jobs-for-young-people-as-sector-joins-forces-with-government-in-major-work-experience-drive (Accessed: 25 September 2026).

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