Employers must be consulted on new skills-based diplomas if they are to improve the employability of school leavers and benefit business, it has been claimed.
Last week, schools secretary Ed Balls revealed plans to let diplomas covering humanities, languages and science go head to head with A-levels to become the qualification of choice for young people.
The three new qualifications will add to other more industry-specific diplomas already announced. The first five, in subjects including engineering, will be introduced in September 2008.
However, the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) has warned that the government must engage with employers from the word go to ensure that the skills taught are valuable to businesses.
The CIPD added that employers are ‘crying out’ for work-based diplomas that are more relevant to their skills needs, but will only embrace them if they’ve been fully consulted to ensure that students leave school with more relevant skills.
Martyn Sloman, learning and development adviser at the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), commented:
“We’ve long argued that learning needs to be better geared to the workplace, and that different routes to qualifications need to be recognised.
“However, it is absolutely vital that government works actively with employers from the earliest design stage of the proposed new vocational qualifications – and particularly learning and development and HR professionals.”
The BCC added that the diplomas should put more of an emphasis on transferable skills, employability and sector specific knowledge.
Charlotte Moore-Bick, senior policy adviser at the BCC, said:
“Provided that diplomas are developed with significant business input and are rigorous, highly esteemed qualifications, they represent a real opportunity for both businesses and young people.”
© Crimson Business. Ltd. 2007
