Qualification Pathways
Add manager sign-off and award a competence credential (or badge) when a pathway is complete
Who this applies to
Admins building role programmes that need a practical sign-off (for example first-line manager, site competent person). Line managers and named approvers who confirm competence in the Approvals Inbox.
Required permissions
Creating and editing pathways needs Admin access to Admin → Courses → Course Chains. Sign-off can be done by named approvers, group members, the learner's line manager (if enabled), or an admin.
Overview
A standard learning path takes people through courses, sessions, and self-assessments. A qualification pathway does the same, then adds manager sign-off and awards a competence credential (or gamification badge) when requirements are met.
Approval is not a separate step in the pathway list. You turn it on under Pathway type on the Basics screen, then configure it on the Qualification step of the wizard.
Note
Where to find it
- Go to Admin → Courses
- Click Course Chains
- Click Create New Chain (or edit an existing pathway)
Help and the learner dashboard use Learning Pathways / Learning Paths. The admin button still says Course Chains.
Set up a qualification pathway
Choose Qualification pathway on Basics
Enter a Pathway name and optional description, then under Pathway type select:
- Standard learning path — journey only, no sign-off or credential
- Qualification pathway (credential or badge after sign-off) — adds the Qualification wizard step
You can also mark the pathway as mandatory and set a due date here. See Creating Learning Pathways for step ordering and due dates.
Build the training steps
On Build, add the work people must complete:
- Add course — e-learning, policies, or documents (documents show a Document badge)
- Add session — instructor-led dates
- Add self-assessment — questionnaires or risk assessments (shown when Risk Assessments is enabled)
Set Completion rule (usually All steps required for a qualification).
Configure what they earn
The Qualification step appears only for qualification pathways. Under What they earn:
| Option | What happens |
|---|---|
| Competence credential | The usual choice. After qualify, the credential name appears on Profile → Credentials & qualifications. |
| Gamification badge | Awards a badge on qualify if a badge is already linked on the pathway. There is no badge picker on this screen — use Competence credential unless a badge is already configured. |
Enter the Credential name people will see (it defaults to the pathway name).
Choose who approves
Under Who approves, pick an approval mode:
| Mode | When to use it |
|---|---|
| Auto-qualify on completion | No manager sign-off. Completing the steps awards the credential immediately. |
| Pathway sign-off only | After all required steps are done, the item waits in Approvals → Qualifications until someone signs it off. |
| Per component + pathway sign-off | Self-assessments that require approval must be approved first (Risk Assessments queue), then the whole pathway still needs qualification sign-off. |
Then choose the people:
- Named users
- Groups
- Include submitter's line manager — uses the learner's manager / reports-to profile field. If they have no manager on file, only named approvers apply.
Tip
Set criteria and denial reasons
Under What approval means, add instructions for approvers and the checkboxes they must confirm. The default criterion is:
"I confirm this employee has demonstrated the required competencies in practice"
Tick Required on any criterion that must be confirmed before Approve will succeed. Use Add criterion for extra checks.
Under Denial reasons, keep reasons such as Insufficient practical demonstration and Further coaching required, or add your own with Add denial reason.
Review, save, and assign
On Review, check the type shows Qualification, then click Save pathway. You can Assign to groups immediately, or do it later.
Nobody is enrolled until the pathway is assigned. See Assigning Courses.
What learners see
Qualification pathways appear on the learner dashboard with a Qualification pathway badge. After the training steps are done:
| Status | What the learner sees |
|---|---|
| Awaiting Approval | Banner: All training steps are complete. Your manager will review and sign off your qualification. |
| Awaiting component review | One or more self-assessments are still awaiting approval before pathway sign-off can start. |
| Sign-off denied | A Request review button re-queues the item for approvers after the learner has addressed the feedback. |
| Qualified | The competence credential appears on Profile → Credentials & qualifications. |
| Lapsed — renew required | A Renew button if the qualification has expired and needs repeating. |
What managers and admins see
- Open Admin Dashboard → Approvals
- Filter to Qualifications
- Open an item — the screen title is Qualification Sign-off
- Confirm the required Approval criteria, add optional notes, then Approve or Deny
The sign-off panel shows the employee, credential name, any sign-off instructions you wrote, and a tick list of pathway progress. For deny, pick one or more Denial reasons.
Tip
FAQ
Is a competence credential the same as a downloadable course certificate?
No. Course completion certificates are PDFs for individual courses or sessions. A competence credential is awarded when a qualification pathway is signed off (or auto-qualified) and appears on Profile → Credentials & qualifications. External Certificates are a separate upload-and-review process.
Who can sign off a qualification?
Anyone you name as an approver, members of selected groups, the learner’s line manager if Include submitter’s line manager is ticked, and admins. Approvers work from Admin Dashboard → Approvals → Qualifications.
Does every pathway need manager approval?
No. Leave Pathway type as Standard learning path if you only need a structured journey. Qualification pathways add sign-off and a credential. You can also choose Auto-qualify on completion if the training itself is enough.
What happens if sign-off is denied?
The learner sees Sign-off denied and can click Request review to send the qualification back to the Approvals Inbox. Choose a denial reason so they know what to fix.
Related guides
- Creating Learning Pathways — build steps, ordering, and due dates
- Pathways vs Assigning Courses — when a programme (including sign-off) beats individual assignment
- Admin Approvals Inbox — Qualifications queue and Qualification Sign-off
- Risk Assessment Approvals & Submissions — component approval for self-assessment steps
- Downloading Certificates — course PDFs vs competence credentials