VQ Day 2010

Vocational Qualifications (VQ) Day is a UK-wide celebration of vocational qualifications for students, teachers and employers.

VQ Day 2010 took place on 23 June in each capital city across the UK. In Wales, the national VQ Day celebration took place at the Pierhead, Cardiff Bay, coordinated by: ColegauCymru / CollegesWales, NTfW and the Welsh Assembly Government.

The Day was a great event!

Click here to open the e-book: talents at work for great success stories from Wales. Published on 23 June 2010 to coincide with VQ Day, the e-book profiles the winners and finalists of the VQ Awards 2010 plus the significant achievements by Welsh individuals on the UK and world stage.

VQ Awards

The VQ Awards Ceremony kicked off proceedings, with Stephanie Lomax of Deeside College crowned Learner of the Year (under 25) and Mandy Blackwell of Coleg Gwent crowned Learner of the Year (25+).

The Awards, which were presented by Leighton Andrews, Minister for Children, Education and Lifelong Learning, also recognised the significant achievements of the runners up under 25: Luke Beard of Ystrad Mynach College, Russell Hicks of Dow Corning Ltd and Janine

Nutman of Coleg Gwent; and the runners up 25+: Justin Howell of Dow Corning Ltd. Hennie de Wet of Coleg Llandrillo Cymru and Alison Tanner of Coleg Sir Gâr.

The achievements of the winners, runners-up and other noteworthy success stories from Wales are published in the VQ Day e-book "Talents at Work"

VQ Day 2010 Winners and Finalists

Hands-on skills' demonstrations

Also on VQ Day at the Pierhead, students and trainees from further education colleges and work-based learning providers showcased a wide range of vocational skills through hands-on demonstrations. They included demonstrations of: carpentry, fitness, hair and beauty, forensics, car maintenance, construction, butchery, and theatrical make-up.

Purpose of VQ Day

There are many paths to success, and vocational qualifications are one of them. Millions of people gain a vocational qualification every year as a stepping stone to further study, better jobs and enhanced skills. We think this is something worth celebrating.

VQ Day:

• Gives national-level recognition to individuals who achieve great success through a vocational route. Academic achievements such as GCSE and A level results have always been celebrated, but it is equally important that the achievements of those who choose to study through a vocational route are recognised and celebrated on the national stage.
• Provides opportunities to explain and demonstrate vocational skills and engage more people in understanding more about the range of learning pathways and vocational qualifications that are available.

Further information

• www.vqday.org has more information on the VQ Day celebrations from all over the UK
• Edge, the independent educational foundation, coordinates VQ Day on the UK-level with the support of the vocational community.

 

National Training Federation Wales

Training Providers Welcome Launch of Best Practice Guide

Immediate: March 26, 2010

The launch of a best practice handbook for the work based learning sector in Wales has been welcomed by the National Training Federation Wales as tool for continuous improvement.

'What makes a good training provider?' has been launched by Estyn, the education and training inspectorate for Wales, in conjunction with the Welsh Assembly Government's Department for Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills and the NTfW.

The handbook draws upon a wealth of Estyn experience and evidence to provide guidance, recommendations and case studies showcasing good practice. Readers will have the opportunity to follow the learner's journey, from recruitment to achievement and progression.

As a follow up, two conferences for work based learning providers across Wales are being organised next month to promote the handbook as a tool for continuous self-development and implementing the best practice.

Arwyn Watkins, NTfW chairman, will join Ann Keane, Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Education and Training in Wales and Professor David Hawker, director general of DCELLS, as the key speakers at the conferences, to be held at the SWALEC Stadium, Cardiff, on April 28 and at Venue Cymru, Llandudno, on April 30.

Mr Watkins said work based learning providers in Wales had themselves been on a learning journey over the past four years, as they had charted a successful course to improvements.

NTfW members deliver vocational skills to more than 60,000 individuals in Wales and the current success rate on apprenticeship programme is in excess of 70 per cent compared to 34 per cent in 2004-'05.

"We remain committed to continuous improvement within the federation and do not underestimate the challenges ahead with the Welsh Assembly Government's transformation agenda, a new approach to securing the future of work based learning through tendering, at a time of economic uncertainty," said M Watkins.

"We recognise that quality in our service is not what we put into it but what the learner gets out of it. For the public's sake, we need to get the balance right and career advice and guidance must embrace apprenticeships as a pathway to success, financial reward and job satisfaction."

Ann Keane, Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Education and Training in Wales said: "There are key elements that every work-based learning provider should establish for a good quality and standard of delivery. Rigorous self-assessment underpinning improvement, strong partnerships to foster learning opportunities and a bilingual learning environment are vital to raising standards to the next level.

"We want to encourage all work-based learning providers to use this handbook to benchmark the quality of their delivery."

The NTfW has a membership of 90 quality assured training providers across Wales who are contracted by WAG to deliver £121 million of work based learning programmes from a total allocation of £127 million. The network comprises independent sector training providers, local authorities, further education institutions, charities and the voluntary sector.

For further information contact Arwyn Watkins, National Training Federation Wales chairman, on 01938 555893 or Duncan Foulkes, public relations consultant, on 01686 650818.