Professional Development Learning Courses
Our tailored Professional Development Learning Courses (PDLCs) ignite potential through targeted workplace training. This form of endorsement enhances skills and keeps knowledge current, helping learners to progress and benefit from continuous development.
What is endorsement?
Endorsed courses are alternatives to regulated qualifications. They’re developed by centres, rather than TQUK, and aren’t reviewed against Ofqual criteria or placed on the Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF). But every centre that delivers one goes through our rigorous External Quality Assurance checks, meaning they provide the same high levels of learning we expect from all our recognised centres.
How are regulated and endorsed different?
RegulatedEndorsedDeveloped by TQUK to meet national standards or skills gaps
Developed by centres or employers to address specific local skills gaps
Certificate issued by TQUK upon successful completion
Centre subject to annual EQA activity
Appears on the RQF
Why choose PDLCs?
Our PDLCs are for career-hungry professionals ready to sink their teeth into new skills and development-focused organisations committed to nurturing top talent.
With a structured assessment approach covering foundation, proficient, and advanced levels - plus diverse evaluation methods - this form of endorsement helps learners demonstrate their growth whilst keeping track of continuous progress.
What subject areas do they cover?
There’s plenty of choice when it comes to our Professional Development Learning Courses. Covering a wide range of sectors, we can endorse courses in subject areas such as:
Team-building
Customer and client relationship building
Policy and process-building
Recruitment specific to industry
Product and service knowledge
Company-specific technology platforms
Courses for the curious
We’ve developed three distinct types of endorsement, covering specialist training, workplace development and recreational skills.
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CLCs offer formal recognition for specialist training courses, tailored to centre-specific needs. Each course is unitised, with learning outcomes and assessment criteria that add credibility to learners' achievements.
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Targeted at continuous professional development (CPD) within the workplace, these courses focus on enhancing professional skills without requiring formal assessments. They provide flexible, practical training solutions for organisational growth and employee development.
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These informal, learner-focused courses promote personal enrichment and the pursuit of hobbies or skills in a relaxed environment. While less formal than CLCs and PDLCs, they maintain structured learning to ensure meaningful experiences for learners.
Assessment
Hours/Duration
Learning Outcomes
Assessment Criteria
Formative, Summative, Holistic
At least 21 hours. Must take no more than two years to complete.
Online, In-class, Blended
Summative assessment (to demonstrate knowledge and skills)
Units
Delivery
At least two
At least three per unit
No maximum hours. Must take no more than a year to complete.
At least three per learning outcome
At least one
At least three per unit
No assessment criteria required
Workplace, Blended
Informal formative assessment (the creation of something)
Maximum of 150 hours. Must take no more than a year to complete.
1–5 units
At least three per unit
At least three per learning outcome
Online, In-class, Blended
Advertising and Titling
As a regulated awarding organisation, TQUK is subject to the Conditions of Recognition as set out by Ofqual. These Conditions don’t just extend to us; all our centres must adhere to them as well. When titling and advertising an endorsed course, centres must follow the advertising regulations and the titling regulations.
Get to know the ins & outs
Whether you're interested in discovering more about our endorsed offering or wanting to learn how to write a PDLC, our brochure and guidance document have everything you need to get started!
