All the diplomas, 14 in total across a wide range of industries, are being driven by the requirements of each sector and developed in conjunction with employers, a range of sector skills councils, further and higher education establishments, training providers and awarding bodies. SummitSkills, the sector skills council for building services engineering, has been involved in the development of both the Engineering and Construction & Built Environment diplomas.

Operating at three levels, the new diplomas will provide a flexible learning route appropriate for the full range of learners, from pupils wishing to go on to university to those who are not performing well within the confines of traditional academia. Students will be able to choose diplomas alongside GCSEs and A-levels, or in place of them.

In addition to job specific learning, the diplomas will ensure students of all abilities have an excellent grasp of English, maths and ICT, relating these subjects to practical applications in the work place. Students will also learn a range of life skills, including teamwork, communication skills and self-management, plus grounding in health and safety and sustainability.

In order for the new diplomas to be successful, the involvement of employers is imperative to maintain the work-based relevancy of this education route. In return, employers will be supplied with a pool of potential employees trained to a high standard with a good understanding of a particular sector and experience of the work place.

Employers can help assist the scheme in a number of ways:

• By providing student placements for the statutory ten-day work experience required as part of the qualification.
• Allowing teachers to spend time with their company to ensure their knowledge of a particular industry is up-to-date.
• Visiting schools and colleges to talk to young people.
• Supplying schools and colleges with resource material.
• Providing real technical problems for young people to solve.

For employers, the benefits are:

• The diploma process will create new recruitment channels, supplying candidates ready for the work place.
• Support for this scheme will help to build links with schools and colleges, helping to attract potential recruits and enhance a positive reputation.
• By raising awareness of our industries, young people enter in to the sector with a better understanding of what they are signing up to, resulting in lower drop-out rates.

SummitSkills Chief Executive Keith Marshall stated: “The diplomas are a key development for our sector, improving understanding of building services engineering and the quality of people recruited into the sector. We are looking forward to continuing to work closely with employers and deliverers to ensure that the diplomas are a success.”

The new diplomas will help to make sure that all young people have access to relevant education, not just those who fit into the more traditional academic mould. Alan Johnson, Secretary of State for Education and Skills, said: “Diplomas will be an attractive and flexible option for young people. They are just one part of our plans to encourage more young people to stay in education and training. With fewer low-skilled jobs, we need more high-skilled candidates. Diplomas will provide the missing link – creating the mix of vocational and academic education that we’ve lacked for so long. Their introduction is one of the most radical educational developments taking place anywhere in the world and we are putting funding, energy and commitment into making them a reality.”

If you would like to get involved please visit one of the diploma websites or contact SummitSkills on 01908 303960.

For more information about the Construction & Built Environment diploma, please visit www.cbediploma.co.uk. For more information about the Engineering diploma, please visit www.engineeringdiploma.com.  

Background on Diplomas

The first five Diplomas will be ready for teaching in 2008. They will be in the areas of: Construction & Built Environment; IT; Creative & Media; Health & Social Care, and Engineering.

From September 2009, a further five diplomas will be taught for the first time in Land-Based & Environmental Studies; Manufacturing; Hair & Beauty; Business Administration & Finance, and Hospitality & Catering. These will be joined, in 2010, by Diplomas in Public Services; Sport & Leisure; Retail, and Travel & Tourism.

The diploma will provide an attractive learning route for young people of all abilities, who see the blend of theoretical and applied learning as more motivating and engaging than either purely theoretical or occupationally specific training.

Diplomas can be taken at Level 1, 2 or 3. Level 1 is equivalent to four or five GCSE passes and Level 2, five or six GCSE passes at grade A* to C. Level 3 is equivalent to three A-levels and will be accepted by universities and colleges as well as allowing students to go directly into work if appropriate.

Diplomas give young people first hand experience and insight into the world of work and a broad-based understanding of one or more sectors of employment, preparing them to make informed choices on career or further study.

There is a vital work experience element in diplomas so that learning through doing is increasingly taken into the workplace, helping to ensure a sound understanding of an area of employment.

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