We believe we need to revolutionise the education system to include more practical and vocational learning. In today's job market it's skills that count. Tell us how you would improve the way young people learn and what they learn.
Posted by: Hugh Joslin | 25.03.2009 11:02am
The issues raised in the Skills Commission report on progression of apprentices into higher education point to, but do not clearly state that the key problem is the lack of clear and seamless work-based pathways across all apprenticeship frameworks.
With the exception of engineering and ICT, where in companies that are signed up to them, advanced apprentices can see clear routes into higher apprenticeships and beyond, the work-based higher skills terrain remains patchy at best. The job that now needs doing is to engage employers, sector skills councils, universities, colleges, training providers, professional bodies, the National Apprenticeships Service and HEFCE to develop higher skills apprenticeship provision that provides as good a route for work-based learners as their full-time equivalents.
This goes beyond ascibing UCAS points to advanced apprenticeships because this is not about applications for full-time degree courses, it is about development of appropriate flexible curricula to meet the needs of employers and individual learners.
Lifelong Learning Networks were set up to open progression pathways into higher education to increase the 40% progression rate for full-time vocational learners. What is now needed is concerted work on a national and regional basis to open flexible work-based progression pathways for the 50% or so of level three learners who are either already in the workplace as apprentices or joining the labour market at 18/19 with A levels or vocational qualifications.
When this work has been completed, when expectation has been established with both learners, families and teaching staff, when learners are tracked it will not be surprising that what has also been achieved will be the opening up access to the professions to people from working class backgrounds.