An announcement from the Government earlier this year – that funding for Diploma Development Partnership programmes will stop – had cast some doubt over the future of the qualification.
However, as construction and built environment industries look to train the workforce of tomorrow, many of the sector’s most influential officials have renewed their backing for these important school qualifications. The Diploma in C&BE, which combines traditional classroom learning with real-world, practical experience, aims to deliver a wider pool of job-ready young people for firms of all sizes.
Nick Gooderson, Head of Education and Research at ConstructionSkills, the Sector Skills Council, said:
“This year’s results for the Diploma in C&BE show that the UK’s construction industry has much to look forward to as the next generation of workers starts to come through.
“Not only did more than 350 talented young people achieve the full Diploma in C&BE qualification, but 1,100 successfully also passed the Principle Learning Qualification, which is a component of the Diploma and is, in itself, equivalent to five GCSEs at the Higher level and two A levels at Advanced level.
“This is all positive news for firms across construction and built environment sectors, as it means that tomorrow’s workforce is being rigorously challenged from a young age. Not only that, but because the Diploma in C&BE gives its students a grounding in emerging disciplines such as carbon reduction skills, it means that the industry will not be short of expertise in these areas for years to come.
“Although we are looking at simplifying the ways that the Diploma in C&BE is administrated, ConstructionSkills and its partner Sector Skills Councils are fully committed to taking the qualification forward and ensuring that it continues to be a big success.”
Simon Bartley, Chief Executive of UK Skills, said:
“Anyone questioning the importance of the Diploma in C&BE to the future of this country’s construction and built environment sectors is way off the mark.
“It is essential that we continually try to breathe new life into the industry through fresh ideas and a strong grounding in essential skills – and that’s exactly what the Diploma is helping us to do. We’ll continue to find ways to make sure that the qualification goes from strength to strength.”
James Wates, Chairman of ConstructionSkills and President of the Chartered Institute Of Builders, said:
“To ensure continually improving skills for our industry we should encourage and develop this engagement between construction employers, colleges and students. The Diploma is an excellent way of doing this and of giving a new generation of potential construction workers experience of and an insight into our industry. I encourage all organisations to support the Diploma actively as part of nurturing that future talent.”
David Lloyd-Roach, of the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) said:
“The Diploma offers a valuable route for young people who want to gain the knowledge and skills to allow them to flourish in the different fields of construction and the built environment. The ICE believes that its continuation is key to addressing the skills and capacity shortages affecting the civil engineering profession. In light of recent speculation, the sector as a whole should unite in defending a qualification which is already proving to be an asset for companies wishing to recruit fresh young talent.”
Roy Cavanagh MBE, Training Executive, Seddon Group Limited, said:
“At Seddon Group, we are committed to the Diploma based on its merits and the positive impact it has had with the construction industry. The Diploma together with Apprenticeship schemes operated by individual companies such as Seddon, will ensure the industry has a skilled workforce for the future. The Diploma with its mix of academic and practical components, will equip individuals for daily challenges presented by the industry.”
“It is time for more employers to follow our example in developing new talent, not only for their own organisations, but for the construction industry as a whole. Without the investment in training and the development of skilled individuals we will certainly experience a skills shortage in the future. To secure a bright future for the construction industry we need robust qualifications that challenge young people – the Diploma in C&BE achieves this.”
Ziggy Liaquat, Managing Director of Edexcel said:
“Edexcel understands the need to have tailored, innovative and employer endorsed qualifications in the construction industry. As the Diploma goes forward into the next academic year, we will continue to work with ConstructionSkills to refine and develop our qualifications to ensure that more young people can start on the road to a successful career in construction.”
Got a story? Email news@theconstructionindex.co.uk
