Skills for Work: Understanding the Changing Labour Market
Understanding the changing labour market is a 20 hour Skills for Work unit, from Entry 1 to Level 2, that learners combine with other units into a Skills for Work Award, Certificate or Diploma. Learners find out what the labour market is, research jobs, look at why work is changing and plan the skills they will need. Literacy carries the unit: defining and explaining terms, reading job information, discussing change, comparing skills and, at Level 2, judging bias and reliability in sources. Evidence can be spoken or written. Numeracy is light: reading statistics in labour market information and spotting skewed or out of date data at Level 2.
- Awarding body
- WJEC
- Level
- Entry Level 1 to Level 2
- Guided learning hours
- 20
- First taught
- September 2027
- Amount of literacy work
- Medium
- Amount of numeracy work
- Low
How this unit is assessed
- Entry Level (Entry 1, Entry 2, Entry 3): Three learning outcomes with separate Entry 1, Entry 2 and Entry 3 assessment criteria. Evidence is compiled into a portfolio, internally assessed by the centre and externally quality assured by WJEC. 20 guided learning hours.
- Level 1 and Level 2: Three learning outcomes with separate Level 1 and Level 2 assessment criteria. Evidence is compiled into a portfolio, internally assessed by the centre and externally quality assured by WJEC. 20 guided learning hours.
Skills that use Interpreting data
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Reading statistics in labour market information
The amplification defines labour market information as information, data and statistics about the supply and demand of jobs and trends, and at Level 2 lists skewed or out of date statistical data as a form of bias. No criterion asks learners to calculate, so the numeracy is reading figures and judging whether they are misleading, mainly when evaluating samples for L2 2.3.
Numeracy: Interpreting data
Getting pupils ready
- Year 7
- Pupils read a bar chart of the number of jobs in five sectors in Wales and say which sector is largest and which is smallest.
- Year 8
- Pupils read a line graph of jobs in one sector over ten years and describe the trend, then say whether the figures are recent enough to trust.
- Year 9
- Pupils compare two graphs about the same job market, one with a cut off axis, and explain which is misleading and what conclusion each could lead a reader to.
Show the specification wording and the LNF statements
Where it is in the specification: Amplification of learning outcome 2, page 8; Level 1 and Level 2, assessment criterion L2 2.3, page 6
“information, data and statistics about the supply and demand of jobs”
Progression step 3
I can extract and interpret information from an increasing range of diagrams, timetables and graphs (including pie charts).
I can draw conclusions from data and recognise that some conclusions may be misleading or uncertain.
Progression step 4
I can interpret graphs that describe real-life situations, including those used in the media, recognising that some graphs may be misleading.
I can draw conclusions from data and recognise that some conclusions may be misleading or uncertain.
Good to know
- Each level has its own unit code: "S665E1", S665E2, S665E3, S665L1 and S665L2, and the unit is 20 guided learning hours (Unit overview, page 3).
- No special equipment is needed: "Assessment of this unit should not require any specific resources" (Resources required for assessment, page 11).
- Spelling and long writing are not the point: "Assessor judgements should focus on meeting the standard, not spelling or presentation unless specifically assessed" and "extended written work is not required unless appropriate" (Sources of evidence, page 10). Teacher observation notes from group or one to one discussion are listed as evidence (page 10).
- The specification accepts "video/audio recordings" of a learner giving a presentation or taking part in a discussion (Section 4.1, page 18), and the portfolio "is not limited to paper-based materials" (page 18).
- The suggested tasks are optional: "These tasks are not mandatory." (Skills for Life and Work specification, Section 4.1, page 18).
- AI misuse is malpractice, including "Copying or paraphrasing whole responses of AI-generated content" (Section 4.6, page 21), so written explanations must be the learner's own.
Links with other qualifications
The pack names Fairness and inclusion in the workplace, Customer service, Rights and responsibilities in the workplace and Wellbeing in work as closely related Skills Suite units, and Using IT in the workplace lists this unit as a partner. Jobs of the future, Exploring career pathways and Working in Wales cover neighbouring careers ground. Reading sources for bias and reliability builds on GCSE English Language and Literature and GCSE Cymraeg Language and Literature, discussing change in the world of work links with GCSE Business, and reading graphs of jobs data links with GCSE Mathematics and Numeracy.
Source: WJEC Understanding the changing labour market unit delivery and assessment pack, read with the WJEC Entry 1 to Level 2 Skills for Life and Skills for Work specification, approved by Qualifications Wales, teaching from September 2027 (© WJEC CBAC Ltd 2026).