1. Sally Wild, Aimhigher Project Officer Vocational Pathways Strand
Base: Cornwall College Camborne

2. ‘vocational’ vs. ‘academic’:
VOCATIONAL PATHWAYS
The ongoing dilemma of
‘vocational’ vs. ‘academic’:
VOCATIONALISM: A quest for greater labour market relevance for education: for better articulation between the content of schooling and the application of acquired skills, attitudes and knowledge in the world of work’ Lauglo and Lillis 1988
A quote on the new vocationalism from a masters’ degree some 13/14 years ago, and a module on national training and education systems, NVQs were then the new thing and the argument around vocationalism and academic learning was raging as it is today. This quote from 1988.

3. From Progression from Vocational and Applied Learning to HE in England.
Adrian Anderson, Chief Executive, UVAC
(Universities Vocational Awards Council)
Academic routes on the left (and youth) more vocational/wbl on the right along with APEL

4. Qualifications levels explained in very simple language – excellent resource from Connexions:
Which Way Now?
How to Choose your Stage 4 Options

5. DIPLOMA Elephant in the room… CERTIFICATE AWARD
QCF is new framework for creating and accrediting qualifications in England, Wales and N. Ireland.
Major reform of vocational qualification system
Smaller steps of learing
- learners build up quals bit by bit
- workbased training can be recognised and formally accredited
By 2010/11 all vocational quals need to be accredited to QCF and it will replace National Quals Framework

6. Stages in the Decision Making Journey
Non-academic route learners – choices made at 14 more relevant as their goals may be closer
Year 9 – need for myth busting re apprenticeships (i.e. unpaid, only for males etc)
Year 11 – November to February before/after work experience
During Level 3 course – progression to HE or continue in job (AA)/find a job?
Foundation degree – move to do top up? Can I cope with level? Professional status?

7. Post-16 Routes
From an LSC report : Understanding Choice and the Empowered Learner, March 2009
Quantitative research asked how much young people felt they knew about various options so for example,
59% said they knew a lot about employment
38% didn’t know much about apprenticeships
Felt most knowledgable about 6th from and FE

8. L Actual Vocational Progression to HE
VOCATIONAL PATHWAYS
Options young people least knowledgeable about: vocational training and apprenticeships (42% claim to ‘know a lot’ about both routes).
Percentage of A Level and Vocational Learners in England progressing to HE
90% of A level learners progress to higher education
41% of BTEC learners
4% of Advanced Apprentices
From 2006, Adrian Anderson, Chief Executive of UVAC
L Actual Vocational Progression to HE
Actual Vocational Progression to HE

9. WORK BASED LEARNING ROUTE
Key Features of Apprenticeship:
Apprentices earn a wage
Apprentices gain recognisable transferable qualifications
Apprentices gain new knowledge and experience in the work place
Apprentices develop key skills
All areas now have an online prospectus and common post-16 Common Application Process. All qualifications fit into a 9-level national framework.
Entry level is at the bottom and Level 8 at the top. Qualifications at the same level require the same degree of skill, knowledge and understanding. They place similar demands on learners although the type of study and subject matter may differ. Courses leading to different qualifications vary in content, learning styles and assessment.
Foundation Learning Progression Pathways: for learners over 14 who are working below Level 2. Learning providers use national frameworks to create personalised programmes to respond to individual need. Aim – to provide small stepping stones to achievement.

10. Apprenticeships
National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) at either Level 2 (= 5 GCSEs A*-C) or 3 (= 2 A levels)
Key skills
Technical Certificate: i.e.BTEC National Diploma or City and Guilds award
Other qualifications / requirements as required by the occupational sector
Progression to HE possible – no mention

11. VOCATIONAL PATHWAYS THE DIPLOMA
Principal Learning
Generic Learning
Additional Specialist Learning
Equivalent to
Main subject
e.g. engineering
Project
Functional Skills
Work experience
Optional courses agreed with teacher
Foundation Diploma
Practical assessments + 1 exam
ICT/Maths/
English Level 1
Minimum 10 days
Choose from a range of qualifications including:
BTECS
GCSEs
A levels
5 x GCSEs, Grade D-G
Higher Diploma
English Level 2
7 x GCSEs, Grade A*-C
Advanced Diploma
Practical assessments + 2 or 3 exams
Extended Project
English Level 3
3.5 A levels
From 2010, this is available in 14 subjects at three levels. Local provision varies.
It’s a composite qualification that suits individuals of all abilities and aspirations.
Provides a fully rounded education but doesn’t qualify individual to do a specific job.
What’s available locally? Where can they lead? It’s important that learners get good IAG when choosing optional elements (additional and specialist learning) as this may affect future plans.

12. ADVANCED LEVEL DIPLOMA
Diploma in Engineering
Diploma in Engineering Advanced Level (Level 3)
This is a two year, full-time course based at Truro College. The course covers 9 units:
Investigating Engineering Businesses and the Environment.
In addition you will complete:
Additional and Specialist Learning. For students wishing to progress to study Engineering at university this should include A level Mathematics.
An extended project.
Work experience.
Functional skills in literacy, numeracy and ICT.
Assessment:
The course is assessed through a mixture of formal written examinations and detailed written portfolio work.

13. Diploma in Engineering: Advanced Level
The course includes work experience, visits to engineering works and projects at specialist locations
Links with employers
The course includes work experience, visits to engineering works and projects at specialist locations.
Entry Requirements:
5 GCSE subjects grade A*-C including English and Maths.
Progression:
This course leads to employment or university programmes

14. VOCATIONAL PATHWAYS GCSEs A level maths
Routes to university - maths for an engineering degree
A level maths: 1/3 x 2 5 days 
GCSEs A level maths
School   higher education
GCSEs Diploma
National Diploma: 1/8 x 2 2 days a week
New Diploma: 1/6 of A level at best?
FOUNDATION PATHWAYS in Technology at Plymouth – Year 0 of the BEng and BSc courses: for applicants without the specific A-level qualification pre-requisites. (4 GCSEs unit award)
This information came from attending one of the seminars the Faculty of Technology have held at Plymouth. Deals with the amount of maths a learner needs to support them into and through a full degree.

15. Professional Status
Engineering Technician: BTEC National Certificate or Diploma. Training and work experience
Incorporated Engineer: Degree of BTEC HNC or HND
Chartered Engineer: Honours degree (Fd + top up). Look for BSc or BEng or MEng accredited with Chartered status.

16. I want to be an electrician…
VOCATIONAL PATHWAYS
I want to be an electrician…
Analogy from a mature student I talked to for a case study:
The analogy was in answer to my question of how useful and work ready a foundation degree made him feel (he already has an HNC and NVQ Level 4)
Imagine you want to be an electrician but you decide to do a foundation degree. Your lecturer is holding a wire and you are expecting to find out how to use this in various settings – however, he says ‘We are going to look today at what runs through this wire – copper! We are going to investigate copper mining, the systems that extract copper, how it is transported and which regions of the world are the main producers…’

17. VOCATIONAL PATHWAYS Traditionally, going to university was about
learning, utility and virtue. As the cost of
higher education is increasing, and falling
more heavily on the learner, students are
going to think much more rigorously about
what kind of returns they are going to get…’
The Sunday Times magazine, Nice Little Earners 2009