For each Warwick Award-accredited activity you complete, you will earn Core Skills Points. These points help you track your progress towards the Award and your development of the different core employability skills it covers.

Each activity will be worth a different amount of Core Skills Points, based on a number of criteria, including how much time is spent developing a skill, how intense that development is, and how much opportunity you have to practise that skill. The Core Skills Points value will be listed next to the name of all Warwick Award-accredited activities.

Some examples of activities that will earn you Core Skills Points towards the Warwick Award are:

• Academic modules from your course – if they give you the opportunity to develop the Warwick Core Skills.
• Skills training – whether online of face-to-face.
• Work placements, internships, or study abroad visits.
• Leadership roles - such as SSLC representative or Society executive - that have allowed you to develop or practise employability skills.

One (1) Core Skills Point equals approximately five (5) hours of learning effort, and you will need sixty (60) Core Skills Points to complete the Warwick Award Gold level – more information about the different levels of the Award is below.

60 Core Skills Points is equivalent to 300 hours of activity throughout your time at Warwick. Therefore, we expect most Gold Awards to be earned over the course of a three or four-year undergraduate degree. However, if you’re a Masters, Exchange, Degree Apprenticeship, or part-time student then don’t worry; other award levels are available with a lower points threshold to ensure you can still earn a Warwick Award during your time as a Warwick student.

If you take part in our summer 2022 Warwick Award Pilot, any Core Skills Points you earn can be carried over once the full Award launches in Autumn 2022, giving you a head start towards whichever Award level is the best fit for you.

We know different students are with us for different periods of time, so we’ve created five different streams of the Award, so you can choose the one that suits you.

Each requires a different number of Core Skills Points to be earned and, therefore, different amounts of activity.

1. Warwick Award (Gold) – 60 Core Skills Points (300 hours of activity): This level is aimed at students who begin the award at the start of their course and have at least three years to take part in 300 hours of activity.
2. Warwick Award (Silver) – 30 Core Skills Points (150 hours of activity): This level is aimed at students who begin the Award part way through their course, for PGT students who are only with us for one year, or for UG students who don't manage to accumulate 300 hours of activity.
3. Warwick Award (Postgraduate) – for those students who earn an additional 20 Core Skills Points/100 hours of activity after earning the Gold Award: This award is aimed at PGT students who are new to Warwick, as well as those who studied at Warwick as undergraduates and earned the Gold Award, but who want to continue to develop their skills. This award is also applicable to students registered for a 4-year masters.
4. Warwick Award (Exchange) – 20 Core Skills Points (100 hours of activity): This level is for incoming exchange students, who are generally with us for one academic year.
5. Warwick Award (Apprentice) - 20 Core Skills Points (100 hours of activity): This level is aimed at apprentices and includes recognition for the skills developed in the workplace setting.

Anyone taking part in our Summer 2022 Pilot – which runs from 25 April to 26 August 2022 – will be eligible for a special level of the Award.

Warwick Award (Pioneer) - 20 Core Skills Points (100 hours of activity): This level is only available to students who register for the Warwick Award Pilot and who earn 20 Core Skills Points during the duration of that Pilot. The Pioneer level allows you to gain Core Skills Points for activities you've taken part in this academic year, even from before the start of the Pilot. The Pioneer level allows you to gain Core Skills Points for activities you've taken part in this academic year, even from before the start of the pilot. If you're continuing your studies next academic year you can carry over the Core Skills Points you get during the pilot, to give you a head start on gaining the full award when it launches in the Autumn.

What is the Warwick Award?

The Warwick Award gives you the opportunity to develop vital skills that will improve your employability after graduation. The award is included free with all undergraduate and taught master’s programmes, can be completed at a pace that suits you over the course of your degree. For undergraduates, it will appear on your Higher Education Achievement Report (HEAR) transcript, while postgraduates who complete the Award will be issued with a digital certificate by the Skills Team.

The Award is based around 12 core employability skills that we’ve worked with a range of employers to identify as being crucial for the next step in your journey. These skills are: Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, Self Awareness, Communication, Teamwork, Information Literacy, Sustainability, Ethical Values, Digital Literacy, Intercultural Awareness, Organisational Awareness, and Professionalism.

The Award recognises the transferable employability skills you will develop through completing not only your academic modules, but also the extra-curricular training courses and co-curricular activities you get involved with during your time at Warwick. It also highlights training and development opportunities so you can craft a full range of skills to help set you up for a fantastic start to life after graduation. The Award can also be personalised to allow you to shape your own employability skills development, and focus on the skills that matter the most to you and your future.

Who is eligible for the Award?

The Award is for all undergraduate, taught postgraduate, exchange, and degree apprenticeship students, and there is no charge to join.

Why should I complete the Award?

Completing the Award helps you get better at recognising and articulating what skills you learn during your time at Warwick. Through the reflections you’ll make as part of the Award process, you’ll build a bank of examples of when you’ve put your employability skills into practice – perfect for when you’re applying and interviewing for jobs and internships.

The Award is an investment in yourself, your skills, and your future. It will allow you to recognise skills you’re already building, and will point you in the direction of various opportunities to help develop them further.

Why should I join the Pilot?

By joining the Pilot, you’ll get a head start on your progress towards completing the full Award, and you’ll have the chance to help us test the Award, give feedback, and shape the future development of it. This will help us ensure the Award offers exactly what you and your fellow students need.

When does the Pilot finish and what happens afterwards?

The Pilot runs until 26 August 2022, although some activities that form part of it might end earlier than that. During and after the Pilot, you will have opportunities to feed back on the Award, and we’d love to hear any testimonials from you too.

If you manage to accumulate 20 points during the pilot, you will achieve the Pioneer level of the Warwick Award. If you still have further years of study at Warwick you can then take these points with into next year and continue working towards the full Award once it launches fully at the start of the 2022/23 academic year.

How do I take part?

Easy! Just complete our Warwick Award Pilot registration form.

Who can I contact for more information?

Please email skills@warwick.ac.uk with any questions and we will get back to you.