Technical and professional routes to be developed
06 November 2015
“UK Technical and Professional Education (TPE) is too complex and confusing and failing to deliver skilled employees” says Skills Minister Nick Boles. The Minister has announced a review panel to develop up to 20 specific new technical and professional routes which will lead to employment or degree-level study. Young people taking one of these routes will specialise over time, gain a work placement while at college, and then progress to an apprenticeship.
The government believes that “a new system with clearer routes to the world of work will ensure young people get the skills employers are looking for in our modern economy”.
The content of each route will be designed with direct input from employers, who will look at the skills required “at the highest levels” and trace these back to age 16. The development will be guided by an expert panel whose members include:
- Lord Sainsbury - Chair and former Minister of Science and Innovation
- Professor Alison Wolf - author of 2011 review of vocational education
- Bev Robinson - Principal and Chief Executive of Blackpool and the Fylde College
- Simon Blagden - Non-executive Chairman of Fujitsu UK.
The government also will be involving a university vice chancellor.
The announcement of this new panel and TPE routes intends to address the issues raised by the productivity plan in relation to providing clear routes to employment. The panel was apparently inspired by the minister’s visits to the Netherlands and Norway over the summer. The government intends to take an evidence-based approach to using learning from these systems.