INDUSTRY NEWSwww.industrialtechnology.co.ukDiplomas will fail pupilsfor the working worldThere are mixed views on the latestraft of proposals for the sectorspecific proposals, with detractorssaying they could undermine theintegrity of traditional subjects, andeven arguing that their lack ofpractical work will ultimately failboth students and employersThe new diplomas, due to be introduced in September, willbe catastrophic for the education system and will notprepare students for the working world in the slightestaccording to leading recruitment specialist, ResourcingSolutions. Five diplomas are being rolled out which will includeconstruction and engineering, but despite them being hailed as thequalification of choice by Children’s Secretary Ed Balls many arealready wary of their introduction, including top class universities.Richard Lawrance, managing director of Resourcing Solutionscomments: “It is ludicrous that students can pass the constructiondiploma without even stepping onto a building site! It is essential forstudents to have experienced the practical side of the industry sowhat is the point in having these diplomas when they don’t even takestudents into the field. By allowing pupils to pass their diploma withwork experience in a shop for example and not even remotelyrelevant will be totally detrimental for the industry.”Huge government mistakeNot only will they have little practical experience, students who wantto pursue a career in construction may not even be accepted intotheir chosen university as many universities have said that theywould not automatically accept diplomas as they would A levels.Lawrance continues: “The Government has made another hugemistake. Some universities are already thinking of introducingentrance exams as they feel that the new AS levels are easier thantheir predecessors; so who knows what will happen to every studentin the country that chooses to take these diplomas.“We need to take a stand as there is already a skills shortage inthe construction and engineering industry and with pupils not evenhaving the right qualifications to carry out the roles, we are going toface great problems in the future.”It is fair to say that there are mixed feelings on the diplomasacross industry. Overall, employers have backed the sector relateddiplomas as a parallel qualification to GCSEs and A levels. They werecreated with substantial business input and retain the strong supportof employers. However employers are worried about the more recentproposals in the government’s diploma strategy to introduce a newrange of academic diplomas in areas including sciences. And CBImembers fear they would not have any greater value to young peopleor to employers than the existing GCSEs or A levels, and wouldinstead be an unnecessary distraction.The CBI says that it is fully committed to supporting the followingpriorities: improving school-leavers’ basic skills; continuing toenhance GCSEs and A levels; and making sure the more vocational,sector-specific diplomas are a real success. And the CBI is also keento work with the government to ensure the business communityunderstands the diploma grading system properly. But it is urgingpolicy-makers to streamline the number of levels of diploma to two,rather than increase it from three to seven as is proposed, whichwould simply be be confusing.There are also concerns that the over-loaded education systemcould not cope with all the planned reforms given the lack ofresources available, including too few specialist teachers in mathsand science, and a poor careers advice service. Going ahead withthese plans without tackling concerns, employers fear, could lead toa fractured two-tier education system with private schools opting forGCSEs and A levels, or even the International Baccalaureate, whilestate schools use diplomas.CBI director-general Richard Lambert comments: “We know thatemployers are really keen to have a positive role to play in educatingour young people. There has been genuine enthusiasm for the sectorspecific,vocational diplomas as firms recognise that they have thepotential to add real value to students who are keen to learn in-depthabout a particular sector and gainvital employability skills. Howeveremployers understand and valueGCSEs and A levels and firmlybelieve that these should remain acornerstone of the educationsystem.”Tackling theissues affectingmanufacturingNow in its fourth year, theEuropean ManufacturingStrategies Summit is theconference and networkingevent at which to find outthe answers to the keyquestions affecting allmanufacturing industriesacross the globe.The four day event from6-9 October begins withtwo exclusive tours takingplace in Leipzig: one atDHL’s new flagship Air Hubfor a demonstration of thelatest logistics principlesbeing implemented and theother at BMW’s state of theart production plant wherecutting edge best practiceand technology is beingused to maximise outputand manufacturingefficiency. Find out more atwww.ems-summit.com.Orders holdingup as prices riseWhile manufacturers saw amodest improvement intheir order books in June,the rise in prices ofmanufactured goods willcontinue almost unabatedover the next three months,warns the CBI.Ian McCafferty, the CBI’sChief Economic Advisersaid: “Manufacturingdemand is holding upreasonably well.Manufacturers, especiallythose exposed to the globaleconomy, have been lessaffected by the slow-downin domestic spending thanother sectors. At the sametime, however, there hasbeen no let up from theimpact of higher costs onmanufacturers, and theCBI’s data shows firms stillhaving to pass them on inhigher prices.”customised solutionsSpecialists in Brake MotorsFor stopping any applicationTo order a catalogue please contact us below.For the very latestproduct information,most up to date industrynews, plus companyprofile information, visitthe pages of <strong>Industrial</strong><strong>Technology</strong> online atindustrialtechnology.co.ukTel. 01270 270022 Email. lafertuk@lafert.com www.lafert.com6More details: Write in 60 on the free information card
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