Personally Speaking - Claire Williams

Yesterday, young people up and down the country eagerly collected their Level 3 results from sixth forms and further education colleges. Anticipation and excitement in equal measure was evident as students received the final grades which would enable them to realise the opportunities available in terms of next steps and progression.

For us, at Stoke on Trent College, we proudly celebrated with learners who finally found out that their hard work had been reflected in the grades awarded for successfully completing their qualifications alongside gaining a wealth of experience and skills.

Level 3 courses offered by the College are prestigious technical and vocational qualifications respected by employers, which give young people a firm foundation for their future. Although these are an equivalent level to traditional A levels, there remains a lack of awareness publicly of their worth and value which can sometimes lead to them initially not being held in the same esteem as academic qualifications. ?

This is unequivocally not the case particularly in the current post-16 landscape where there are a host of options available for young people beyond school. For some, this may be the more conventional route of A Levels, whilst for others a T Level, BTEC or other level 3 technical or vocational qualification.

The purpose of post-16 education is to support people to move into high-skilled jobs, and either directly or through progression into good quality higher education courses.

Which is why BTEC Level 3 Technical Qualifications which ‘enable students to develop a purposeful and coherent combination of knowledge, skills and behaviour to confidently enter or progress into employment in occupations that are recognised and demanded by employers’ are increasingly popular. ?

Indeed, BTECs have been a crucial element of the further and higher education sector’s widening access success stories over the past few decades.

The Department for Education’s confirmation that they will pause and review the controversial plans to reform the diversity of post-16 qualifications and review the decision to halt the defunding of some BTECs and other alternatives to T Levels has been widely welcomed across the sector.

This is particularly good news for those courses which are offered across our four priority sector skills hubs: digital and creative, engineering and STEM, health and social care, construction and green technologies.

Future ready skills are considered crucial to both national and local economic growth, with some estimates suggesting that a third of productivity improvement over the last decade or so can be explained by improvements in skills levels.

The announcement by Bridget Phillipson, the Secretary of State for Education that the new government is launching Skills England, a new body to bring together partners to meet the skills needs of the next decade and create a shared ambition in line with Local Skills Improvement Plans (LSIP) is also welcomed.

Led by Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce, Stoke on Trent College is a delivery partner in the LSIP alongside other providers supporting the development of a much-needed pipeline of talent to underpin a prosperous and thriving local economy.

A range of routes is critical. Students at our College can testify the experiential difference they feel that comes with immersive, industry-related experiences, access to industry standard facilities and state-of-the-art specialist kit provides them with an authentic and professional work environment. ??

Yesterday, we met George, a Level 3 Creative Media Production learner who joined us from Ormiston Horizon Academy with a passion for all things film. During his time at the College, George has created promotional materials for a local escape-room business and has recently completed a work experience placement with Overclockers, a company that leads the way in bespoke PC systems and gaming.

These opportunities have benefitted George in widening his horizons and building his confidence. Widening his skillset from making vlogs for YouTube and producing short films and documentaries, including one focused on the National Garden Festival which is currently on display as part of Stoke Connected, our student showcase at the Potteries Museum and Art Gallery.

Along with many other learners celebrating success yesterday, George will now progress to Salford University. The experiences and exposure to industry offered at our College have more than qualified him for he next steps of his career. ?We look forward to following his future journey as he forges his way into the industry.