Response
Education Select Committee: the future of post-16 qualifications
02 Mar 2022
The Education Committee held an inquiry examining how effectively post-16, level 3 education and qualifications (such as A levels, T Levels, BTECs and apprenticeships) prepare young people for the world of work. The committee considered the government’s current work and proposals in this area and looked at whether an alternative model, which enables a greater blend of academic and vocational pathways, should be explored.
The government’s commitment to boosting skills and investing in lifelong learning is very welcome. No matter how a person chooses to engage with education post-16, be that at a further education (FE) college or a university (or indeed both), it is vital that they are supported and given every opportunity to succeed. As part of the government’s overall agenda, the Skills and Post-16 Education Bill does have much in it that can bring about positive change and speaks to some of what the sector has been calling for on both qualifications and beyond.
This submission highlights some of the areas where we believe the government are right to make changes, but also areas of some concern, such as potential unintended consequences of the planned reforms that need to be mitigated or addressed.