City & Guilds (C&G) has welcomed the announcement of the Government’s new Technical Baccalaureate Measure, but called for more to be done to help equip young people with the skills they need to transition into the modern workplace.
The vocational education organisation has said that while the introduction of the new vocational qualification is a “step in the right direction”, C&G is disappointed that maths has not been embedded into the Technical Baccalaureate and is only available as a separate qualification.
C&G chief executive, Chris Jones, stated, “Our advice to the Government and others, is that maths should be integrated, highly-contextualised and relevant to employer needs. This is what employers have told us they want.”
C&G has been running its own technical baccalaureate – known under the trademarked name of TechBac® - since 1991 and is looking to refresh the qualification based on modern feedback.
Jones explained, “We are currently in consultation with employers, training providers and young people to create a refreshed TechBac® qualification that sets young people on the path for a successful career, whether they want to move onto an apprenticeship, university or employment.”
He called on the government to be more ambitious in what they are proposing in the Technical Baccalaureate Measure, to ensure that the education system is producing young people with skills that employers need.