New research into Level 4 and 5 vocational and technical education supports further promotion, access and higher education recognition of these qualifications.

Forming part of the review into the effectiveness of Level 4 and 5 education, the DfE-commissioned research looked into factors affecting the design and provision of Level 4-5 qualifications and barriers to uptake such as funding, student demand and relationships with other qualifications.

The research report recommends that the DfE should continue to:

• Enable access to government finance and loans for Level 4 and 5 students.
• Encourage FE providers to enhance their facilities and expand their range and scale of Level 4 and 5 provision.
• Allow access to multiple awarding organisations, helping to create a market which encourages competition and innovation.
• Require awarding organisations to demonstrate the labour market relevance of qualifications alongside support from employers.

The report further recommends that the DfE should start to:

• Work with the sector to support the promotion of Level 4 and 5 qualifications to providers, students and employers including identifying a brand.
• Incentivise Higher Education Institutions to recognise Level 4 and 5 qualifications as providing exemptions from the first or the first and second year of a degree programme and challenge HEIs’ promotion of full-time degrees as the primary option for Level 3 student wishing to progress to higher levels.
• Stimulate FE providers and HEIs to expand their L5 provision.
• Remove from the funding register qualifications that have had no student take-up in the last few years.

More research on student and employer perceptions of Level 4 and 5 qualifications in specific sectors, how they are considered in employer recruitment decisions, and what factors affect student uptake is also recommended.