Creating first class options through the TechBac – information from City & Guilds

Demand for a first class vocational training system has created space for a new route into university, which leading skills provider City & Guilds has started to develop ready for the next cohort of learners.

The 2013 report of the Commission on Adult Vocational Training and Learning (CAVTL) identified the crucial importance of vocational teaching and learning being characterised by a clear line of sight to work, and underpinned by a two-way street – based on genuine collaboration between education providers and employers.  The survey of progress one year on (November 2014) called for four signposts towards a first class Vocational Education and Training (VET) system:

1. a new framework of vocational pathways to higher level vocational learning
2. the development of a vision and proposition for a VET Centre to provide a ‘dynamic practice development and innovation hub’
3. further consideration to the characteristics and features of pre-vocational programmes
4. a robust evaluation strategy to measure progress towards the creation of a VET system.

City & Guilds was established to promote technical education, and has been the driving force behind it for nearly 150 years. Now, having worked on the robust evaluation strategy called for on the fourth signpost, they are taking the lead in a new approach to 14-19 vocational education, aligned to the first and third signposts, and designed to assist learners in their route to employment, whether the next steps are higher education, apprenticeships or employment itself.

The City & Guilds TechBac is a gold standard curriculum that combines professional and technical skills with real world experience. At the core of TechBac is a Technical Level Qualification that is recognised on DfE performance tables. These technical qualifications are available at level 2 and 3 and designed to prepare students for the next step.

TechBac sets these respected qualifications in a broader programme which develops the skills that enable young people to succeed in their chosen careers. These skills also support success at higher education: systematic approaches to problem-solving, teamwork, communication in all its forms, focus on tasks, and understanding how to research and be innovative in tackling challenges. It also incorporates the Extended Project Qualification, which has an established reputation for developing independent research and study skills.

The main focus of TechBac is employability, equally vital for graduates and apprentices.  TechBac learners undertake a dedicated work placement, and have access to industry advice to support their professional growth. TechBac promotes the attainment of seven key skills that employers demand, and which also underpin success in further learning: communication, digital skills, enterprise, delivering results, innovation, self-development and workplace literacy.

For more information please contact Tony Forster at City & Guilds – [email protected]