Member Article

Engineering firms snubbed in qualifications shake-up

Yesterday it was announced that the engineering diploma will be downgraded in value from five GCSEs to one.

Education Secretary Michael Gove confirmed the move following a review of the vocational education system by Professor Alison Wolf.

Prof Wolf suggests that by “pretending” all vocational qualifications are equally valuable does not earn them respect.

Mr Gove hopes the changes will put a stop to schools using more than 3,000 vocational courses to boost their standings in official league tables.

However, the downgrading of the engineering diploma has offended engineering companies, not least John Hardy, managing director of Gateshead-based Portland Consulting Engineers, who expressed his concern.

Mr Hardy said: “This is ridiculous and will erode the value of engineering even further.

“Prospective candidates for engineering need to have basic skills in numeracy and literacy before even launching themselves into a subject that is complex in nature.

“We are failing young people by not giving them the basics to tackle the more complicated issues they will face in life. Not giving the basics is just moving the problem further down the line to the next institution or body responsible for their education.

“It is like the domino effect and the young person never actually gets to point where they can stand on their own two feet and be independent. The whole education process is failing industry big style.”

Stephanie Fernandes, from The Institute of Engineering and Technology, commented: “We are generally disappointed with this outcome, especially given the amount of work that it took to highlight the importance of engineering.

“For many young people, who perhaps aren’t academically inclined, it provided a route into work.

“We need the Government to support the engineering industry, and this move is almost at odds with calls to rebalance the economy.”

Mr Gove said: “The weaknesses in our current system were laid bare by Professor Wolf’s incisive and far-reaching review. The changes we are making will take time but will transform the lives of young people.

“For too long the system has been devalued by attempts to pretend that all qualifications are intrinsically the same. Young people have taken courses that have led nowhere.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Tom Keighley .