IfL responds to announcement of tech level qualifications
The Institute for Learning (IfL) has responded to the government’s announcement of technical level qualifications and applied general qualifications.
IfL’s chief executive, Toni Fazaeli, said, “Raising the status of vocational qualifications in England is vital for our economy and it is right that young people should be able to choose a vocational route that is on a par with A levels. IfL has strongly supported the idea of a technical baccalaureate that recognises the very highest achievements of learners taking vocational courses, and is pleased that the new tech levels – designed to be stretching and strong – will count towards it.
“Excellent teaching and learning will be critical to the success of these new qualifications, and IfL believes that learners must have the guarantee of being taught by qualified, expert vocational teachers and trainers. The draft deregulation bill issued this week proposes to single out the profession of teaching as the one profession where initial qualification will no longer be a national requirement.
“Like other professionals, following initial qualification, teachers and trainers need to stay up to date with the latest developments for their practice to be excellent. Further education teachers and trainers are dual professionals and need to be leading edge in their subject or vocational area, as well as in teaching and training methods, through continuing professional development (CPD).
“High-quality, rigorous vocational education is essential to the future of our economy and society, which depends on our capacity to develop a highly skilled workforce, but it is important also to remember the wider role of further education and skills. Teachers and trainers in our sector are skilled at adapting their provision to help the most vulnerable people in our society overcome potential barriers to accessing further education – including learning difficulties and disabilities, caring responsibilities, chronic illness, bereavement and unemployment. These learners will be poorly served if the criteria for college and sixth-form performance tables restrict the learning options available to them.”
