Lonan3 Posted January 28, 2008 Share Posted January 28, 2008 LINK TO STORY McDonald’s and other big businesses will award their own qualifications equal to GCSEs, A levels and degrees, in subjects such as fast-food restaurant management, the Government will announce today. Network Rail, Flybe and McDonald’s will become the first companies to be given such powers by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA). Gordon Brown will announce the move today as he seeks to regain the initiative over the issue of the unskilled unemployed from the Conservatives. "Have a nice day!" "Well done - have a GCSE." "Your flight has been cancelled." "Brilliant! Have an A-level." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mission Posted January 28, 2008 Share Posted January 28, 2008 Hamburger University Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluemonday Posted January 28, 2008 Share Posted January 28, 2008 Another nail in the coffin of what was once a fine education system. What next? A levels in twocing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ai_Droid Posted January 28, 2008 Share Posted January 28, 2008 Another nail in the coffin of what was once a fine education system. What next? A levels in twocing? Being a bit unfair, it's a transferable vocational traing in catering and management, isn't that positive? Particularly for those that didn't have the resources to take A-levels and degree's in the first place, this could be a nice route off the breadline for many. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluemonday Posted January 28, 2008 Share Posted January 28, 2008 I see your point but I don't see why the Government have to get involved and use it as a means to regain the initiative over the issue of the unskilled unemployed from the Conservatives. Loads of companies and places have done vocational training for years - not news at all. As a means of enhancing work options it's good but I fail to see why Gordon has to use it to score points of the other bunch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ai_Droid Posted January 28, 2008 Share Posted January 28, 2008 I see your point but I don't see why the Government have to get involved and use it as a means to regain the initiative over the issue of the unskilled unemployed from the Conservatives.Loads of companies and places have done vocational training for years - not news at all. As a means of enhancing work options it's good but I fail to see why Gordon has to use it to score points of the other bunch. Without government involvement, you have a problem with the transferability of the qualification. A vocational management course in macdonalds propbably won't be recognised anywhere else, but if it counts as an A-level, it's far more useful, potentially. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluemonday Posted January 28, 2008 Share Posted January 28, 2008 I remain to be convinced that attempting to associate it in the public perception with established educational qualifications is particularly wise. And as I said before using it just to score points of the cons is to my mind just cheap point scoring. Granted the whole area of unfulfilled potential is a problem that needs resolving but is this the way? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lonan3 Posted January 28, 2008 Author Share Posted January 28, 2008 Surely it would have been better to compare them to something like City&Guilds qualifications - purely vocational - rather than trying to base them on academic standards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluemonday Posted January 28, 2008 Share Posted January 28, 2008 Agreed. And keep the political point scoring out of the equation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albert Tatlock Posted January 28, 2008 Share Posted January 28, 2008 this could be a nice route off the breadline for many. McCobblers...straight onto the bunline. Just think, there'll be tens of thousands more taking 'A' Levels, and average grades will go up and up, and more NuShite 'targets' will be 'met', but at the expense of 'A' levels being further undermined. As said previously, these qualifications should be tied to vocational qualifications such as City and Guilds etc. - not grouped as 'A' levels. It's just the same as if Spar shops or the Co-Op were to offer 'A' levels to their staff - though I think I'd struggle, as I don't think I could put together a 1000 word essay on shelf-stacking or sorting out the papers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tucker Posted January 28, 2008 Share Posted January 28, 2008 So what the heck is an NVQ then ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ai_Droid Posted January 28, 2008 Share Posted January 28, 2008 Just think, there'll be tens of thousands more taking 'A' Levels, and average grades will go up and up, and more NuShite 'targets' will be 'met', but at the expense of 'A' levels being further undermined. As said previously, these qualifications should be tied to vocational qualifications such as City and Guilds etc. - not grouped as 'A' levels.It's just the same as if Spar shops or the Co-Op were to offer 'A' levels to their staff - though I think I'd struggle, as I don't think I could put together a 1000 word essay on shelf-stacking or sorting out the papers. How, it's not actually an a-level mcd's are issuing, they've just got recognised equivalency now. Don't really get the point on City n Guilds and NVG. There are already vocational GCSE's, they're just different boards as far as I know. Edit, quick google has the answer, NVQ's are being replaced by vocational a-levels: http://www.learndirect-advice.co.uk/helpan...ocqual/#vocgcse These qualifications are gradually being replaced. The Advanced GNVQ has been replaced by the Vocational A level. You can't now start an Advanced GNVQ. Foundation and Intermediate GNVQs are being replaced by GCSEs in vocational subjects. You can't now start a Foundation or Intermediate GNVQ. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lonan3 Posted January 28, 2008 Author Share Posted January 28, 2008 I don't think I could put together a 1000 word essay on shelf-stacking or sorting out the papers. Exceptionally boring LINK Shelf stacking machine "This shelf stacking machine is designed particularly for storing and retrieving paper reels in print shops, however, it can ultimately also be used for storing and retrieving other goods." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluemonday Posted January 28, 2008 Share Posted January 28, 2008 Toilet rolls? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VinnieK Posted January 28, 2008 Share Posted January 28, 2008 Another nail in the coffin of what was once a fine education system. What next? A levels in twocing? Being a bit unfair, it's a transferable vocational traing in catering and management, isn't that positive? Particularly for those that didn't have the resources to take A-levels and degree's in the first place, this could be a nice route off the breadline for many. Aye, I think the news media has been a bit unfair in its portrayal of the scheme. What's actually being proposed is recognition of and transferability of industry vocational training and has little effect on the A-Level system as a whole. I don't really see how it threatens or undermines the standard of the education system - people being allowed to use their training to undertake vocational courses in a similar field isn't going to mean that suddenly medicine is going to be any easier to get into, or that chemistry is going to be any less respected. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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