Diploma day a
success!
Young people in Nottinghamshire had the
opportunity to find out about a new qualification as the national
Diploma roadshow visited Southwell Racecourse in Newark.
Over 300 students in Nottinghamshire
came along to the roadshow to learn about the Diploma, which is a
new qualification for 14-19 year olds. They heard what the Diploma
has to offer and had the chance to explore their options using high
tech touch screen kiosks in inflatable ‘pods’.
The event took place on Wednesday 28th
January 2009 at Southwell Racecourse in Newark.
The Diploma is a new qualification that
combines learning in the classroom with practical experience.
Young people in Newark and Sherwood, Bassetlaw and Mansfield were
amongst the first in the country to begin studying the Diploma in
September 2008.
Four Diplomas are currently available
in Construction and the Built Environment, Creative and Media,
Information Technology, and Engineering. Diplomas in Business,
Administration and Finance, Hair and Beauty, Hospitality, and
Society, Health and Development will be offered in the area from
September 2009.
Students thoroughly enjoyed the
interactive experience and felt the day helped them sort out what
they wanted to do in Year 10. Ryan, a student from Retford said: “I
thought the day was really interesting. You learn about what a
Diploma is and what jobs and courses you can go on to do. The pods
were really good for getting a better idea about what to expect
from the Diploma.
“I think I might do Building and
Construction but I want to talk to my Connexions Personal Adviser
first. I expected the Building and Construction to be mostly
practical, but it seems like it’s a balance between practical and
class work. The day’s been a good way of helping me decide what to
do.”
Connexions Nottinghamshire's Central
Vacancy Unit team, organised the event and arranged for employers
and training providers to be in attendance to explain the
opportunities to young people. Connexions Assistant Chief
Executive, Gary Longden said: “What’s been particularly good
is to have the combination of both the National and local
perspective. The pods have provided an overview of what young
people can expect from a Diploma; Connexions Personal Advisers have
been able to provide specific information and advice about local
availability and provision and local employers have discussed
opportunities. It’s been a great day and the young people I’ve
spoken to seem excited about the possibilities.”
The Diploma is part of a national programme to widen the choices
available for young people to encourage them to learn for longer
and gain the skills they need to succeed in work and
life.
Roy Haynes, 14-19 Strategy Manager at
Nottinghamshire County Council, said: “The Diploma Road show is a
very engaging event. I’ve spoken to several young people this
afternoon and what they’re impressed with is how different this new
qualification is. They’ve been excited by the fact that it’s
relatively hands-on, there’s an emphasis on problem-solving and
it’s all about applied learning.
“They’ve enjoyed the touch screens, the
Pods, the DVD and the fact that we also have employers here so it’s
been a good opportunity for them to talk about their future
plans. It’s still early days and this is such a new and
different qualification that it’s important to explain it in an
interesting and engaging way to young people.”
Students began studying the Diplomas in
selected schools and colleges around the country from September. By
2011, 17 Diplomas will be available in England. GCSEs and A Levels
can be taken as part of a Diploma course.
For more information about Diplomas
click here
