Nicholas Soames, Member of Parliament for Mid Sussex, has welcomed the new Technical Baccalaureate designed to help young people get the high-quality vocational education they deserve.

The TechBacc, announced by the Government on the 22nd April, will combine three key elements – a rigorous vocational qualification, a core maths qualification and an extended project to test literacy skills.

This new measure will finally give vocational education the high status it deserves — putting it on a par with A-level study and recognising excellence. It will give young people a first-class vocational alternative to academic routes, ensuring they have the technical ability employers want and giving Britain the skilled workforce it needs to compete in the global race.

Nicholas Soames said; “This announcement is fantastic news for young people in Mid Sussex who want to work hard towards a technically skilled job or apprenticeship.

“For too long, too many students haven’t had the chance to study for high-quality vocational qualifications that are recognised by employers. This measure will ensure that young people receive a rigorous education in the skills employers value and help them get the jobs they deserve.

“‘The TechBacc will be a mark of achievement for young people who successfully study three key elements – a rigorous high-quality vocational course, maths and literacy. We are being clear to our young people about the skills they need to succeed and get good jobs. We want an education system in which everyone can reach their potential.

“Our reforms to post-16 qualifications, including the introduction of the new TechBacc will do that. They will incentivise the development of high-quality courses and incentivise schools and colleges to offer the courses that get young people on in life.”

Notes
 

• On 22 April 2013 the Skills Minister; Matthew Hancock MP announced the Technical Baccalaureate, a vocational qualification which will provide an alternative to the A level study route for young people in post-16 education. The measure follows Professor Alison Wolf’s review of vocational education. It will be introduced for courses beginning in September 2014, reported for the first time in the college and school sixth-form performance tables in January 2017 (DfE Press Release, 22 April 2013, link).
• The TechBacc will be a performance measure marking achievement by young people aged 16 to 19 in three areas. The three elements are:
  • A high-quality Level 3 vocational qualification — the Government has previously announced that only the best courses, recognised by employers, will continue to count in league tables. A list of these courses will be published towards the end of the year;
  • A Level 3 ‘core maths’ qualification, including AS level maths. Further information about core maths courses for post-16 students will be published by the Department for Education (DfE) in due course.
  • The extended project. This will develop and test students' skills in extended writing, communication, research, and self-discipline and self-motivation (DfE Press Release, 22 April 2013, link).
• Giving young people the skills they need to get into work. The occupations most suited to young people achieving the TechBacc would be those requiring significant theory and knowledge, including:
  • STEM technicians (eg laboratory technicians, IT technicians, various engineering technician roles, construction professionals);
  • service technicians (retail and hospitality management, personal services, junior accounting positions); or
  • creative technicians (digital media, other media, creative industries, sport industry, material/textiles, design) (ibid.).

The Technical Baccalaureate will give young people the skills they need:

• Youth unemployment increased by 40 per cent under Labour. When Labour came to power there were 652,000 unemployed 16-24 year-olds. This rose to 930,000 when they left, up by 278,000. Youth unemployment therefore increased by 42.6 per cent under Labour (ONS, Labour Market Statistics, link).
• The number of NEETs went up by a third under Labour. There were 655,000 16-24 year-olds not in education employment or training in England in the second quarter of 2000, the first quarter for which figures are available. This had risen to 874,000 in the second quarter of 2010, when Labour left power. This means the number of NEETs rose by 33 per cent under Labour (The Data Service, NEET estimates by labour market status, 24 February 2011).
• Under Labour, the NEET rate rose in UK while it was falling internationally. Between 2000 and 2008, the NEET rate for 15-19 year-olds for the UK rose from 8.0 per cent to 8.8 per cent, while the average for OECD countries fell from 9.2 per cent to 7.0 per cent. Over the same period, the NEET rate for 20-24 year-olds for the UK rose from 15.4 per cent to 17.0 per cent, while the average for OECD countries fell from 18.2 per cent to 14.7 per cent. The UK fell behind countries including Hungary, Greece and the Slovak Republic (OECD, Education at a Glance 2010, 7 September 2010, Table C3.4a, p.356-7).