GoSkills: Lamb to chair languages diploma

Go Skills logo for press releases

Thursday, 03, Apr 2008 12:00

GoSkills to lead development of new 14-19 qualification

The appointment of Dr Terry Lamb 1 as Chair of the development partnership for the new Languages diploma was welcomed today by GoSkills, the Sector Skills Council for Passenger Transport.

The announcement 2 coincided with the publication by DCSF of its Qualifications Strategy for 14-19 year olds which sets out plans to incorporate the very best of existing qualifications into four key national qualification structures: Diplomas; GCSEs and A-levels; Apprenticeships; and a Foundation Learning Tier of courses that act as a route into higher level qualifications.

GoSkills’ Chief Executive, Peter Huntington, said: “This languages qualification is going to open up new exciting prospects for our young people and is a really valuable opportunity for appropriate employers in the passenger transport industries, as well as in other sectors, to put languages at the forefront of their skills agenda. We are delighted that the Languages Diploma has such a knowledgeable and respected Chair to lead its development and we look forward, as the lead Sector Skills Council, to working very closely with Dr Lamb and other appropriate stakeholders, to establish the full membership of the Diploma Development Partnership. We look forward to working closely with other SSCs, with employers, with colleges and universities and with our other partners such as CILT3 on this exciting development.

Dr Terry Lamb said, "I am delighted to be taking up this key role in the development of the Diploma in Languages. The new Diploma represents a unique opportunity to raise the profile of language learning in schools and colleges, and to encourage more young people to take up and continue the study of languages. Language learning and cultural awareness are absolutely vital for success in our increasingly globalized lives, and the new Diploma will encourage young people to develop high-quality language skills and intercultural awareness, taught in innovative and exciting ways, which they can then apply in real-life contexts."

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

Notes to Editors:

1. Dr Terry Lamb (Languages DDP Chair) is Senior Lecturer in Education at the University of Sheffield. He is a leading EU expert on Intercultural Education. He previously spent 16 years teaching languages in secondary schools. A former President of the Association for Language Learning, he was a member of the government’s National Languages Steering Group. He is a governor of CILT, the National Centre for Languages.

2. A press release on the consultation announcement can be viewed at http://www.dfes.gov.uk/pns/newslist.cgi

3. CILT is the National Centre for :Languages and has a partnership with GoSkills in relation to language standards and qualifications across the Network of SSCs.