You can do project work in science, technology, engineering or maths (STEM) and count it towards your DofE Skills section through the CREST Awards scheme. Lots of people think of ‘skills’ as being related to art, music or drama, but we know that people can be skilled in all kinds of areas, including STEM.
CREST is a tried and tested awards scheme that recognises STEM project work and, just like The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, you can achieve CREST Awards at Bronze, Silver and Gold level (as well as others!)
There is a lot of overlap between the Skills section of your DofE and the criteria that you’ll be meeting as part of a CREST Award. It might be much easier than you think to achieve both of these awards!
How long will my DofE programme take?
The time it will take to complete your programme and achieve an Award is in many ways down to you. The minimum time for each section of the DofE programme is given in months.
The shortest amount of time in which you could complete your Bronze DofE programme is six months (of which a minimum of three needs to be your Skills section); your Silver DofE, 12 months; and your Gold DofE, 18 months (if you haven’t got your Silver DofE).
Why do both?
Why not? By registering for your DofE and CREST Awards you can gain twice the recognition for the efforts you put in. Both CREST Awards and The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award are recognised by colleges, universities and employers.
How do the Awards overlap?
A CREST Award can count towards your Skills section at any DofE Award level:
Level
| DofE Skills section
| CREST Awards
| How do they fit?
|
Bronze
| Age 14+ (takes 3 months
| Typically aged 11-14 10 hours minimum
| Make sure you do a minimum 12 hours on your CREST project
|
Silver
| Age 15+ Takes 6 months
| Typically aged 14-16 30 hours minimum
| You should do more than enough in your CREST minimum project to count for your Silver DofE Skills section
|
Gold
| Age 16+ Takes 12 months
| Typically aged 16+ 70 hours minimum
| Make sure that you do your project work over the full number of months required for your DofE
|
If you are doing the bulk of your CREST project in a condensed time, ensure you can extend your project over the months required for the DofE. During your programme you’ll need to do each activity for an average of an hour a week over this time.
Already done a CREST Award?
If you have started, or completed, a CREST Award before you have started your DofE programme, you can count your activity towards the achievement of your DofE Award if it was done in the preceding three months.
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