Key manufacturers in the land-based engineering sector have given their backing to a series of high quality vocational qualifications provided by IMI Awards.
Bagma, Claas and John Deere have all given their support to the new Tech Level qualifications, which were produced in response to a Government call for training programmes that specifically meet employers’ requirements and help young people get a foot on the job ladder.
IMI Awards, which specialises in providing qualifications and accreditations to land-based, automotive and related sectors, developed the qualifications specifically to meet the rigorous new requirements.
The IMI Awards Level 3 Diploma in Land-based technology and Extended Diploma in Land-based technology have been approved for Key Stage 5 performance tables from 2016 with teaching beginning this year.
Rob Gray, Qualifications Development and Marketing Manager for IMI Awards, said: “Agriculture and the land-based industries are a thriving sector and provide a wealth of opportunities for young people entering the job market. The Tech Level qualifications are designed to give young people the necessary background knowledge and training to get them into employment.
“We are really pleased to have received such good support from our industry partners and to see that, after spending the last few years expanding our offering to other sectors, we are now the preferred awarding organisation to the land-based, as well as automotive, industry. It was very important to us that we met the exacting standards set by the DfE.”
Skills Minister Matthew Hancock said: “High quality qualifications developed by industry leaders and backed by world-leading businesses will ensure that young people know which courses are best to study. These new courses are highly ambitious and valuable for young people and employers.”
IMI Awards have announced that a number of their qualifications have been accepted in to the Key Stage 4 and 5 performance tables. As well as the land-based sector, their 16-19 applications were supported by firms from a variety of sectors, including Vauxhall, BMW, Honda and Volvo for light vehicle; Kawasaki for motorcycle and The Motorsport Industry Association for motorsport.
IMI Awards were the only awarding organisation to receive letters of recommendation from employers representing the automotive, land-based and motorsport industries.
Included in the Key Stage 4 performance table list are their new 14-16 qualifications in Service and Maintenance Engineering. These courses are designed to offer progression in to a broader range of further education or employment post-16, and are the equivalent of a GCSE.
In addition, a number of IMI Awards Level 3 qualifications have been approved for inclusion in the interim 16-19 Key Stage 5 performance table list. These new Tech Levels are rigorous courses that are on par with A Levels and designed to lead to a recognised occupation.
The new high quality Tech Levels will be taught from September 2014 and send a strong message regarding the government’s commitment to giving vocational education the same esteem as academic learning. The move is part of a response to Professor Alison Wolf’s report that called for a radical overhaul of vocational education. As a result, 91% of the 3,721 qualifications currently approved for teaching will be removed from the 2016 tables.
