Post-16 skills

ePolitix.com asked Stakeholders to comment on the education and skills select committee findings on post-16 skills.

The committee's report described the 'Train to Gain' initiative as "unduly restrictive" leaving a "demand led" learning system a distant possibility.

Stakeholder Response: Chartered Management Institute

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Mary Chapman, chief executive of the Chartered Management Institute, "welcomes its call for 'a much stronger focus on management skills than is currently the case'.

"It is encouraging that recognition is being given to the vital role management skills play in driving productivity and performance," she said. 

"The impact of good management and leadership on the development of all skill sets has been largely neglected, until now. 

"This new emphasis is a welcome, if overdue step in the right direction.

"The select committee's report also highlights how the current infrastructure, with its emphasis on publicly-funded provision for lower level qualifications, makes inadequate provision for the development of essential management and leadership skills. 

"Only one in five managers holds a management qualification - an untenable situation, given the expected growth in professional and managerial occupations.

"With the UK's ambition to grow higher level skills and build on its knowledge economy, the recommendation that the 'government should also look urgently at the practicalities of introducing more provision at levels three and four' is a positive move. 

"The remit of this inquiry by the education and skills select committee was wide-reaching, covering the full infrastructure for adult skills. 

"The Institute particularly endorses its final call for a new inquiry looking in depth into 'policy on the development of management skills'."

Stakeholder Response: Assessment and Qualifications Alliance

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Dr Mike Cresswell, AQA director general, said: "Diplomas are a blend of academic and vocational skills and that's why AQA and City & Guilds is the ideal choice for any school, college or consortium looking to offer them.

"The collaboration brings together the leading providers of qualifications in both fields enabling us to develop qualifications which provide a rewarding and stimulating experience for students and which will help them to progress.

"AQA is also developing new functional skills qualifications. Educators and employers have identified functional skills as vital for enabling young people and adults to have the practical skills they need to succeed in further learning, employment and the wider society.

"They will be suitable, therefore, for a wide range of people, including students in schools during Key Stage 4 and adults involved in learning programmes to prepare them for work.

"AQA will be offering new functional qualifications in English, mathematics and ICT for young people and adults following the completion of a two-year pilot of functional skills qualifications commencing in September 2007.

"AQA's Level 1 and 2 Certificate in Preparation for Working Life and its soon-to be-approved new Level 1 and 2 Certificate in Enterprise and Employability will also provide excellent opportunities to develop generic skills for work with students of all ages."

Stakeholder Response: Association of Teachers and Lecturers

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ATL told ePolitix.com: "It is an excellent report, and vindicates much of what ATL has been saying over the past year. 

"However, it remains to be seen whether the government acts on any of these recommendations, since it is so wedded to implementing the Leitch report.

"No organisation, to our knowledge, is opposed to the aim of getting more adults qualified to at least level 2 (equivalent to five grades A* - C at GCSE). 

"But the government and Leitch are confusing many issues - in particular:

qualifications with skills

• the acquisition of skills by post-16s with UK economic growth
• the take-up of the 'train to gain' scheme by employers with an increase in the demand for skills by learners
• removing alternative courses with creating a truly 'demand-led' range of courses 
• what sector skills councils say is needed with what employers actually need. 

"We believe skills are only part of the story.  A one-size-fits-all solution to improving skills levels is totally inappropriate. 

"For millions of adults employability is not relevant since they are not able to work – those with severe disabilities, mental health problems, or long-term caring responsibilities. 

"Many workers have the skills required, but not the paper qualifications. Others need to be given the opportunity to return to learning at their own pace.

"The government should provide suitable opportunities for the whole range of young people and adults and their particular needs. 

"Instead, most of government funding is being made available for a narrow Leitch-driven agenda. 

"As a result fewer colleges are able to offer A-levels, ESOL courses or the so-called recreational courses that really would make learning demand-led."

Stakeholder Response: The Federation of Small Businesses

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FSB skills chairman Colin Willman said: "We support the principle of 'Train to Gain' being demand-led but the system must be working more effectively. 

"Skilled brokers, with a business background, must provide clear information, advice and guidance which are aimed at the 'often overlooked' small businesses.  

"The Qualifications and Credit Framework must take heed of the advice and ensure that their is future endorsement within the qualifications structure for small business' skills needs."

Stakeholder Response: Institute of Hospitality

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"The Institute of Hospitality believes that career progression should be open to all and that a demand-led system is one where both learners and employers are able to select the training and development solutions which best meet their particular needs.

"The Institute of Hospitality supports the education and skills committee view that there is a need for a greater focus on management skills than is currently the case. The way in which qualifications are nationally presented and brokered could be greatly improved.

"Sector skills councils should be supported with appropriate funding to allow them to focus on working effectively with employers in identifying their needs and gaps in the supply of skills. 

"This information will in turn support awarding bodies in the development of appropriate qualifications for the many specialist sectors they service.

"The Institute of Hospitality supports the Federation of Awarding Bodies view that the particular expertise of awarding bodies lies in converting the skill needs of employers into attractive, deliverable qualifications and that it is the role of the QCA to accredit qualifications."

Stakeholders Response: The Electrical Contractors' Association

To send a comment to the Electrical Contractors Association, click here

"'Train to Gain' is a good idea in principle but from the electrical industry's point of view, it doesn't appear to be working in its present form.

"The initiative does not reflect industry requirements as it is intended to provide learners with qualifications up to NVQ level 2 or equivalent, yet our industry requires NVQ level 3 as a minimum standard for qualified operatives.

"While there are mechanisms in place with 'Train to Gain' to provide level 3 standards, these do not currently suit the needs of employers and therefore the uptake is poor.
 
"What's more, 'Train to Gain' was apparently implemented without serious consultation of the industries who are intended to benefit from it.

"Had such consultation taken place with the sector skills councils, relevant trade bodies and other stakeholders, the issues could have been avoided in the first place and Train to Gain would be fit for purpose, providing industry and employers with what they need."

Stakeholder Response: IET

 

To send a comment to the Institute of Engineering and Technology, click here 

Professor Matthew Harrison, director and education programme coordinator of the London Engineering Project, said: "Engineering skills are in great demand with a recent survey by the IET suggesting that 53 percent of engineering employers expect difficulty fulfilling their skills needs next year.

"So demand-led initiatives like these do make sense in the engineering sector.

"But the opportunity should be taken to bring new people into engineering and to ensure that people get access to the higher level skills required by engineering - much more than the first level 2 qualification promised for all so far."

Stakeholder Response: GuildHE

To send a comment to  GuildHE, click here 

Alice Hynes Executive Secretary said: "Many of our members will agree with the need to support the better use of credit frameworks by putting in place flexible and manageable funding arrangements.

"These mechanisms need to encourage the employed part-time learner, as well as make it simpler for the provider universities and specialist HE colleges to offer employment geared opportunities.

"The challenge of demand led work commissioned by the “employer” is well understood by GuildHE members who work with the NHS and in teacher education and would support concerns that any brokerage should work as crisply and efficiently as possible.

"However there are also very different challenges when providing for the diverse expectations of the solo practitioner and the small to medium sized enterprising business thriving in the creative industries sector.

"As value-led educational providers, well used to supporting a wide range of practices and professions, GuildHE members can work innovatively with their sectors but it is a more serious job persuading the employers to spend hard earned profits on developing skills for the benefit of their industries."