At a Glance
- Tasks: Shape the quality of vocational education across Scotland and support learning providers.
- Company: Join Skills Development Scotland, the national skills agency driving inclusive growth.
- Benefits: Enjoy progressive benefits, hybrid working, and a focus on employee wellbeing.
- Other info: Flexible working environment with opportunities for personal and professional development.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on vocational learning and help shape the future of education.
- Qualifications: Experience in quality assurance within vocational education is essential.
The predicted salary is between 36000 - 60000 £ per year.
We are recruiting a permanent full time Work Based Learning Quality Adviser.
As a Work‑based Learning Quality Adviser, you’ll play a key role in shaping the quality of vocational education across Scotland. Working with Scottish Government‑funded learning providers, you’ll help ensure learners and employers receive high‑quality, meaningful experiences that make a real difference. You’ll support providers to reflect on, evaluate and continuously improve their delivery—offering expert advice and guidance to help them meet, and go beyond, national quality standards. This is a role where your expertise directly influences outcomes.
Working independently and flexibly, you’ll manage your own workload while delivering robust assessments and high‑quality project outputs. You’ll engage confidently with a wide range of stakeholders, from senior leaders to front‑line staff, building strong relationships and influencing positive change. Clear written and verbal communication skills are essential, enabling you to produce insightful reports and provide practical, actionable feedback.
With a strong commitment to continuous improvement, you’ll help shape the future of vocational education in Scotland, adapting to an evolving strategic landscape and contributing to system‑wide improvement. Your work will include leading continuous improvement projects, collaborating with colleagues and external partners, contributing to reviews of Modern Apprenticeship frameworks, and leading thematic quality reviews. As a trusted adviser, you’ll coach and support providers and internal colleagues to strengthen their understanding of quality requirements.
You’ll bring relevant experience of quality assurance—ideally within a vocational education and training setting—along with an understanding of the wider context in which the Quality Assurance team operates within National Training Programmes (NTP) and Skills Development Scotland. Experience supporting learning providers to enhance their continuous improvement practices would be particularly valuable.
About SDS: Skills Development Scotland is the national skills agency. Our ambition is to drive productivity and inclusive growth through investment in skills, enabling businesses and people to achieve their potential. Through the sharing of expertise, intelligence, and extensive partnership working, we enable the development and delivery of innovative solutions to Scotland’s skills and labour market challenges.
This is even more important given the current economic climate and recessionary outlook.
Values:
- We put the needs of our customers at the heart of all we do.
- We make use of our combined strengths and expertise to deliver the best outcomes.
- We demonstrate self‑motivation, personal responsibility, and respect.
- We continually improve to achieve excellence.
SDS is an award‑winning equal opportunities and fair work employer. Our values and culture are owned and driven by our colleagues and show our commitment to our customers – the people of Scotland. Our employees enjoy a wide variety of progressive benefits and working practices. We prioritise employee engagement, wellbeing, and development, making us a great place to work.
This role can be located at any of our SDS locations, although occasional travel to Glasgow offices will be required. SDS is working to a hybrid working model, therefore the successful applicant is expected to work from both home and an SDS workplace on a regular basis.
At SDS we are committed to equality, diversity and inclusion. If you’ve got the right skills for the job, we want to hear from you. We encourage applications from the right candidates regardless of age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, belief or race. To support our ambitions our application process is anonymised. Therefore, while we want to know about your relevant skills and experience, please avoid disclosing any identifying characteristics.
The closing date to submit your application is Thursday 5th March 2026. Interviews are due to be scheduled as soon as possible thereafter. More information on the interview format will be made available if you are invited to interview.
If this opportunity excites you and you would like to discuss the role in more detail to help you decide if it is right for you, please contact Michael McHugh at michael.mchugh@sds.co.uk or 0141 468 7008.
Work-Based Learning Quality Adviser employer: Skills Development Scotland
Skills Development Scotland (SDS) is an exceptional employer dedicated to enhancing vocational education across Scotland. With a strong commitment to employee wellbeing and development, SDS offers a progressive work culture that prioritises engagement and inclusivity, alongside a hybrid working model that promotes flexibility. Employees benefit from a range of innovative perks and the opportunity to make a meaningful impact on the skills landscape, ensuring that both personal and professional growth are at the forefront of their experience.
Contact Details:
Skills Development Scotland Recruitment Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Work-Based Learning Quality Adviser
✨Connect with Local Educational Institutions
Get involved with universities and colleges in your area, especially those that offer adult continuing education programmes. Attend open days or even guest lectures to network with faculty members and find out about potential job openings before they even get advertised.
✨Leverage Professional Education Networks
Join professional networks focused on adult education, such as the Adult Learning Australia or the International Society for Technology in Education. These communities often have job boards or can point you towards opportunities at places like Skills Development Scotland just waiting for the right candidate!
✨Showcase Your Passion for Lifelong Learning
In your interviews, share your own experiences and thoughts on lifelong learning. Highlight any courses or workshops you've taken recently to demonstrate your commitment to personal development and the importance of education. This is a big plus for roles in this field!
✨Apply Through Our Website
Don't forget to check out our careers page at Skills Development Scotland. Applying directly through our website not only makes your application stand out but also shows you're genuinely interested in joining us. We love seeing candidates who take that extra step.
We think you need these skills to ace Work-Based Learning Quality Adviser
Some tips for your application 🫡
Highlight Your Experience in Education:When crafting your CV for the Work-Based Learning Quality Adviser role, make sure to emphasise any relevant experience in adult or continuing education. This could be teaching credentials, training sessions you've facilitated, or programmes you’ve developed. The more specific you can be about your contributions and outcomes, the better!
Showcase Your Interpersonal Skills:In the adult continuing education sector, strong communication and interpersonal skills are key. Use your cover letter to share specific examples of how you’ve worked with diverse groups or handled different learning styles. Let us see how you've engaged learners—you’re selling your teaching style here!
Connect Your Passion to Our Mission:At Skills Development Scotland, we value candidates who resonate with our mission to empower lifelong learners. Make sure your cover letter reflects your passion for adult education and your alignment with our goals. A genuine connection can really make your application stand out!
Keep it Professional Yet Personable:While it’s important to maintain professionalism in your application, don’t be afraid to let your personality shine through. We’re looking for someone who can connect with our learners, so a friendly, approachable tone can help convey that vibe in your written materials. Apply through our website and let us see the real you!
How to prepare for a job interview at Skills Development Scotland
✨Showcase Your Passion for Lifelong Learning
When interviewing for a role in adult continuing education at Skills Development Scotland, it's super important to highlight your passion for lifelong learning. Share personal anecdotes or experiences that demonstrate your commitment to education and how you've fostered a love for learning in others – this is something hiring managers love to see!
✨Prepare for Adult Education Methodologies
Be ready to dive into your knowledge of andragogy and educational theories during the interview. Expect questions about how you would adapt your teaching styles for adult learners – think about specific strategies you’ve used in the past and be prepared to discuss how they positively impacted your students.
✨Discuss Your Experience with Diverse Learners
At Skills Development Scotland, you’ll likely encounter a diverse range of adult learners, so don’t shy away from discussing your experience with different demographics. Be prepared to share your successes in engaging learners from varied backgrounds, and how your approach has adapted to meet their unique needs.
✨Demonstrate Your Ability to Collaborate
Given that this is a full-time role, teamwork will be essential. Be ready to talk about your experiences working in collaborative settings, whether it be with fellow educators, administrators, or community partners. Highlight specific projects where your collaborative efforts contributed to successful educational outcomes.
