Entry into a career in construction could be boosted as technical education is set to be transformed to provide young people with clear training routes on a par with academic qualifications.
The reforms are based on the recommendations of an independent panel on technical education chaired by Lord Sainsbury which are to be adopted by the Department for Education and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, minister Nick Boles confirmed this week.
Under the changes, students can choose between an academic or technical pathway once they have completed their GCSEs. Under the latter, they can opt for either a two-year, college-based programme (including compulsory work experience), or an employment-based programme – most likely an apprenticeship. After this, they can progress to higher technical education, a degree apprenticeship or a higher apprenticeship.
“Learners will also be able to move more easily between technical and academic routes, so that no options are closed off when they choose a pathway at 16. This should put technical and academic learning on a more even footing and encourage more people to join construction.
The first routes will be made available for students who sit their GCSEs in 2019. The intention is to replace the current complex system with, “high-quality routes, with the content for those streamlined routes and standards developed and respected by employers”.
It is hoped that the reforms will encourage more young people to follow a path into construction. Image: Monkey Business Images/Dreamstime.com
Students will be able to embark on one of 15 new pathways, including construction, engineering and manufacturing. They will also have the option to take a transition year or a traineeship to prepare themselves for their training scheme.
Each college programme will feature training in English, maths and digital skills.
Steve Radley, director of policy at the CITB, said: “Construction firms have long wanted to see new entrants get a broader knowledge base before they specialise, which is one of the ambitions in the government’s new Skills Plan.
“This will give learners a better understanding of construction as a whole and the more adaptable skills employers are looking for.
“Learners will also be able to move more easily between technical and academic routes, so that no options are closed off when they choose a pathway at 16. This should put technical and academic learning on a more even footing and encourage more people to join construction.
“The key is how this plan will be implemented. CITB will help make the new construction pathway successful by providing robust Labour Market Information on skills needs, and support employers to develop high-quality standards.”
The current system, in which 20,000 courses are provided by 160 organisations, is thought to be too confusing for students to choose a career path.
Professor Dame Ann Dowling, president of the Royal Academy of Engineering, commented: “The Royal Academy of Engineering welcomes this seminal review of technical education undertaken by Lord Sainsbury and the panel.
“We have argued for many years that the qualifications system in England is too complex and difficult to navigate for students and employers. The Academy fully supports the proposed ‘routes-based’ system as a mechanism to substantially simplify the current qualifications on offer through the public purse.
