The Automotive Academy has welcomed today’s announcement of a new vocational qualification structure for 14-19 year olds, and a renewed commitment to boosting basic skills.
The Department for Education and Skills White Paper on 14-19 education and skills sets out the new qualification structure which retains and improves the well-established A Level and GCSE standards.
Commenting on today’s announcement, Automotive Academy chief executive, Dr Alan Begg said, ‘The Automotive Academy has been calling for vocational education to be on a par with academic study, while retaining vital basic literacy and numeracy skills. These proposals do just that. The education system must shake off its bias towards purely academic routes if young people are to be suitably equipped and skilled to work in a high-technology, innovative environment like the automotive industry.
We welcome the retention of A Levels and GCSEs, which have a vital role to play, but the automotive sector also needs higher quality vocational qualifications. We look forward to playing a key role in designing and developing these new qualifications and to accommodate young people in new work-based learning courses.
‘The motor industry will support this new award so that more young people will leave school with basic skills and join our industry with the appropriate abilities to succeed.’
Notes
The DfES 14-19 Education and Skills White Paper sets out:
- Proposals to introduce new specialised lines of learning leading to Diplomas in 14 broad sector areas. Employers will lead in their design.
- Specialised Diplomas to replace the current system of around 3,500 separate qualifications and to provide an alternative gateway to higher education and skilled employment.
For more see: www.dfes.gov.uk/publications/14-19educationandskills/index.shtml
