Go Skills: Passenger transport employers urged to contribute to new Travel & Tourism Diplomas

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Friday, 21, Sep 2007 12:00

Employers in passenger transport have the chance to influence what the next generation of potential workers know and think about the industries in the sector and can help improve perceptions of available careers by giving their views on a new qualification for 14-19 year olds.

GoSkills, the Sector Skills Council for Passenger Transport, is urging employers to grasp the opportunity to influence the development of new Travel and Tourism Diplomas by attending a series of consultation events being staged throughout the English regions in October. They will be asked for their views on what should covered by the Diplomas and about their expectations of young recruits and about the essential knowledge and skills that they feel should be embedded in school courses.

The new Diplomas form part of the Government agenda to place greater influence over education and training in the hands of employers and to thereby raise standards and increase opportunities for young people. The Travel and Tourism Diplomas will be available as a pilot from 2010 and will be an option for all 14-19 years in England from 2013.

GoSkills, is working in partnership with People 1st, the Sector Skills Council for Hospitality, Leisure, Travel and Tourism, to drive forward the development of these new qualifications.

David Summers, 14-19 Development Manager at GoSkills said: “This is a great opportunity for employers across the passenger transport sector to ensure that passenger transport is fully represented in the new Diplomas and the sector is given a high profile with young people. This is a real chance to influence the school curriculum and to help to prepare young people coming out of schools and into industry. We mustn’t miss out!”

Feedback from the consultation will be used to shape the new qualifications and the teaching/training programmes that support them.

Details of the nine regional events and an online booking form can be found on the 14-19 Travel & Tourism Diplomas page in the Standards, Qualifications and Skills section of the GoSkills website, detailed below: Venues, dates and times are listed below:

• 8th October: Blackpool Pleasure Beach, Blackpool, 4-6pm

• 9th October: The Deep Business Centre, Hull, 4-6pm

• 12th October: The Life Centre, Newcastle, 8-10am

• 15th October: National Space Centre, Leicester, 4-6pm

• 16th October: Birmingham International Airport, Birmingham 4.30-6.30pm

• 19th October: London Eye, London, 8-10am

• 29th October: Chilford Hall Vineyard & Conference Centre, Cambridge, 4-6pm

• 31st October: Mercedes Benz World, Weybridge, 8- 10am

• 2nd November: British Empire & Commonwealth Museum, Bristol, 8-10am

http://www.goskills.org/client/standards_goskills.aspx?id=29

David Summers can be contacted by e-mail: david.summers@goskills.org

Ends

Press enquiries please contact:

Richard Tibenham – Communications Manager - 0121 635 5530, email: richard.tibenham@goskills.org

or Fraser Tennant – Communications Executive – 0121 635 5531, email: fraser.tennant@goskills.org

For further information visit www.goskills.org