Employers are being asked to advise on government plans to get manufacturing in the school curriculum by 2009.
A manufacturing diploma for 14 to 19-year-olds is one of a series of new vocational qualifications planned as part of a far-reaching reform of the education system. All five sector skills councils (SSCs) representing the manufacturing industry are involved in its development and their input is being championed by Improve, the SSC for food and drink manufacturers.
Employers are being urged to have their say from the outset. They can log onto a dedicated website (www.manufacturingdiploma.co.uk) for the opportunity to express their views on the content and structure of the diploma. The site will be accessible from 1 July, and feedback will be used in the design of the qualification, ensuring that it delivers relevant skills in response to employer needs.
A steering group, comprising employer representatives from all the manufacturing sub-sectors, has been formed to oversee the development of the diploma. Chaired by Chrissie Dunn, a businesswoman with more than 25 years' experience in food manufacture, and a board director of Improve, the group will take responsibility for approving the final content and structure of the diploma.
Chrissie Dunn said: "The new diploma will give school pupils an alternative to the traditional academic route of GCSEs and A-levels. It will combine practical work with technical theory, and as it's being designed by employers, will lay an important foundation for a range of initiatives to help close skills gaps and reduce skills shortages."
The four sector skill councils that are partnering Improve are: Semta, which covers the science and engineering sector, Cogent, sector skills council for the chemical, nuclear and gas industries, Proskills, which represents process and general manufacturing industries, and Skillfast UK, which covers the clothing, footwear and textiles sector.
The government also has plans for 13 other specialised diplomas for 14 to 19-year-olds to be launched across England from 2008. They will cover sectors as diverse as hair and beauty, sports and leisure, and retail.
For your chance to have a say on the design of the new specialised Diploma in Manufacturing, visit www.manufacturingdiploma.co.uk. For further information on the diploma, please contact your relevant sector skills council: www.improveltd.co.uk, www.cogent-ssc.com, www.proskills.co.uk, www.semta.co.uk, www.skillfast-uk.org | 
