Employability refers to a person's capability of gaining initial employment, maintaining employment, and obtaining new employment if required. In simple terms, employability is about being capable of getting and keeping fulfilling work. More comprehensively, employability is the capability to move self-sufficiently within the labour market to realise potential through sustainable employment. For individuals, employability depends on the knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) they possess, the way they use those assets and present them to employers, and the context (e.g. personal circumstances and labour market environment) within which they seek work.

Lifelong Learning UK have produced a guide that can help you identify the skills, knowledge and understanding that tutors will need to support the development of employability skills of their learners. It is an application of the 'New Overarching Professional Standards for Teachers, Tutors and Trainers in the Lifelong Learning Sector'. These standards were published in December 2006 and describe, in generic terms, the skills, knowledge and attributes required of those who perform the wide variety of teaching and training roles undertaken with learners and employers.

Application Guide - Developing Learners' Employability Skills

An application of the new overarching professional standards for teachers, tutors and trainers in the lifelong learning sector. March 2010