DEPARTMENT FOR
CHILDREN, SCHOOLS AND FAMILIES News Release (2007/0166) issued by
The Government News Network on 20 September 2007
Schools Minister
Jim Knight said today that diplomas can play a key role in helping
the next generation succeed in the global skills race.
He said diplomas provided the right mix of practical and academic
learning which was crucial in meeting the challenge of a future
where the number of unskilled jobs will shrink dramatically and
there will be a higher demand for skilled professionals.
Speaking at a major conference on Diplomas held today Schools
Minister Jim Knight said:
"In future, young people will need the mix of academic and
practical skills the Diploma delivers.
"By 2020, estimates suggest there will only be 600,000
unskilled people left in work in this country - whereas there will
be 4.6 million more highly skilled jobs to fill. We are at the
starting line of a global skills race which British businesses,
universities and colleges must win - and Diplomas will play a key role.
"There is a growing consensus among employers, universities
and the broader education community that diplomas are going to
make a real difference.
"These creative, innovative qualifications are unique in
overcoming the artificial and unhelpful divide between academic
and practical learning.
"Our challenge now is to ensure that young people
themselves, as well as their parents, also share in the enthusiasm
and excitement, understand the new opportunities on offer, and
feel confident that choosing a diploma will help them fulfil their ambitions."
More than 40,000 students are expected to take the Diploma when
the first five courses - Construction and the Built Environment;
Creative and Media; Society, Health and Development; Engineering;
and Information technology - go live in September 2008.
NOTES TO EDITORS
1. In March, 145 groups of schools, colleges and training
providers ('consortia') were given the green light by
ministers to offer places on Diploma courses to students in 97
local authority areas in England. A further 197 consortia have
been given provisional approval to deliver the new qualifications
in September 2009. Other consortia will have the chance to apply again.
2. A Schools & Connexions Pack will be distributed widely
from 24 September to over 1,300 educational institutions, as well
as regional delivery consortia, Connexions advisers, SSAT
co-ordinators, local authorities and Diploma Development
Partnerships that have been signed up to deliver the
3. The launch of schools resources is just one element of a range
of activity taking place in September 2007 to help progress 14-19
learning reform.
4. All local authorities have now put in place an online 14-19
Area Prospectus, aiming to provide independent and impartial
information on local options (including Diplomas) to young people
and their parents, helping them make informed choices about where
and how they would like to undertake their learning.
5. In support of this, twelve new quality standards have now been
developed, setting out the expectations for Information, Advice
and Guidance services, in advance of local authorities assuming
overall accountability for the quality of young people's
information, advice and guidance as of 2008. A User Guide and Good
Practice Guidance will be published in October 2007.
6. The developments follow close on the heels of the QCA
publishing full details of the first five Diploma qualifications
in early September, including guidance on curriculum aims, key
learning themes, processes, subject range, content and curriculum
opportunities. These resources join further information provided
by QCA and its partners as part of a new and developing online
information facility http://www.qca.org.uk/diploma .
7. For more information about the Diploma and 14-19 education,
visit http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/14-19.
PUBLIC ENQUIRIES:
0870 000 2288
info@dcsf.gsi.gov.uk
INTERNET ADDRESS :http://www.dcsf.gov.uk
http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/findoutmore
If you would like to receive email notification of new press
notices in the subjects of your choice, please click on
'register' on our site:
http://www.dcsf.gov.uk,
'Latest News'.