A new employer-led approvals system for level 3 technical qualifications has been launched by the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IfATE).
IfATE followed the lead of the Skills for Jobs White Paper, which set out an exciting vision for all technical education to be employer-led in a simpler and better skills system, when designing the new approvals process. This:
- Sets out what statutory tests (provided through the Skills and Post 16 Education Act) will be applied to make IfATE approval meet employers’ needs
- Ensures the system is coherent, rigorous, and streamlined to maximise quality and minimise burdens
Plans for the new system were consulted on last summer, with feedback also reported on today confirming reform was needed because employers struggle to navigate the complicated qualifications landscape. Varying quality and a lack of proper employer or industry scrutiny were seen as further barriers to employers upskilling their staff through work-focused training.
