Introduction to The UK VET System Gail Campbell Head of VET Global

Vocational Education and Training in the UK Population in 2003: 60 million under 5 years: 6% 5-15 years:14% 16-pension age:62% above pension age:18% Source: Office for National Statistics

The UK “Skills Strategy” Develop a stronger enterprise culture Increase productivity for greater global competitiveness Higher employment / Lower unemployment Reduce skills shortage in order to lower inflation and promote growth Reduce social exclusion Raise standard of living

Vocational Education & Training Also known as: VET, Technical Vocational Education & Training (TVET), Voc Ed SchoolsUniversities Vocational Training Colleges and workplace Lifelong Learning Practical rather than academic and theoretical

The English Education System - An Overview

Choices at 16 years: vocational/academic Part-time College study Work based training University Employment School leavers staying in full-time education School Continuing full-time education at school Colleges of Further Education Employment & training

COMPONENTS OF A VET SYSTEM Although education systems vary, there are common elements: Training – this may be provided by colleges, private providers, employers, universities or schools Qualifications – these may be issued by the training provider, a national or international awarding body or a government body Skills Standards – each qualification should include specific elements or standards. These may be determined by the government, training providers or employers Quality Assurance – this can be done in various ways to ensure that training, qualifications and standards meet the needs of government, industry and the learner

FUNDING FOR VET Government Employer fund trainees Students Self funding Funding for training

Qualifications created by awarding bodies (eg City & Guilds and Edexcel) Training Qualifications are taught by colleges and other training providers SEPARATION OF KEY ROLES Quality Assurance Occupational Standards set by employers and used to create Qualifications (Sector Skills Councils) Learning and Skills Council provides money to providers who teach recognised qualifications. Training institutions are inspected by the Adult Learning Inspectorate (ALI)

TRAINING Rather than teaching students and then testing their level of knowledge through an examination, many vocational qualifications are based on Competency Based Training (CBT) where students learn practical skills and demonstrate these skills to an assessor In the UK most public funded training is delivered by Further Education colleges

UK Colleges 480 Further Education Colleges 4 million students – 80% over 18 years old Many different courses with focus on Technical and Professional qualifications Increasing focus on quality - Centre of Vocational Excellence (CoVEs) Wide range of provision - “Basic Skills” to Higher Education degrees

Qualifications created by awarding bodies (eg City & Guilds and Edexcel) Training Qualifications are taught by colleges and other training providers SEPARATION OF KEY ROLES Quality Assurance Occupational Standards set by employers and used to create Qualifications (Sector Skills Councils) The Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) ensures that qualifications meet the standards set by the Sector Skills Councils

QUALIFICATIONS Vocational Qualifications need to be recognised Employers will only recognise qualifications which meet their needs Qualifications can be designed based on occupational standards Evidence that a person has a certain set of skills

National Vocational Qualifications In 1981 the UK started to develop occupational standards within each industry. At that time the programme for youth training could only offer uncertified training which left employers unsure of what potential employees could actually do. A system was needed that would recognise the skills people already had. The key to any system was to have the full support of all involved, be voluntary and be done through partnership. Employers were central - they needed to be persuaded to agree common standards for all occupations within their industries. Qualifications needed to be flexible, widely recognised by industry, comprehensive, rigorously assessed, coherent and voluntary - so National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs) were created.

Qualifications Framework

Government and Sector Skills Development Agency (SSDA) Ensure that relevant sectors are represented and that the Necessary employers are involved Qualifications created by awarding bodies (eg City & Guilds and Edexcel) Training Qualifications are taught by colleges and other training providers SEPARATION OF KEY ROLES Quality Assurance Occupational Standards set by employers and used to create Qualifications (Sector Skills Councils)

OCCUPATIONAL STANDARDS In the UK there are National Occupational Standards (NOS) These standards are designed by employer bodies known as Sector Skills Councils These standards state the elements of knowledge and skill, and the levels of proficiency an individual must have in order to do a job It is not enough for a plumber to be able to bend a pipe, he should be able to bend a pipe in the correct way

QUALITY ASSURANCE Awarding Bodies inspect training providers who deliver their qualifications Employer groups ensure that qualifications and curriculum meet their requirements Quality Assurance is complex and varies greatly from country to country Training Providers can be inspected to assure the quality of teaching and resources Equipment and facilities can be inspected Training trainers is another method of ensuring quality

Sector Skills Councils Training ProvidersAwarding Bodies A B C Design Occupational Standards Design Syllabus Issue Qualification Learner Demonstration of Skills and knowledge Select Teaching materials Curriculum Development

A B C Employers Learners Training Providers (eg Colleges) Inspectorate (eg ALI) Funding Body (Learning & Skills Council) Regulatory Body (eg QCA) Sector Skills Councils Awarding Bodies (eg City & Guilds) ACCREDIT JOBS QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORISE FUNDING VALIDATE FUNDS INSPECTS TRAINS DEFINE OWNS

The main Education and Training Bodies Department for Innovation Universities and Skills Learning and Skills Councils Regional Bodies Sector Skills Councils Regulator (Qualifications and Curriculum Authority) Funding Awarding Bodies Qualifications Schools Colleges Training Providers Universities Inspection Bodies Quality Assurance