The Northern Ireland Assembly - Report on the Inquiry Into Education and Training For Industry

[342] FECC. In this respect, the Committee for Employment and Learning has already made comments to the Department on its draft Strategic Plan 2001-2004.

[343] Fermanagh District Council

[344] Upper Bann Institute of F&HE

[345] NATFHE

[346] Institute of Directors

[347] Upper Bann Institute of F&HE

[348] North Down and Ards Institute of F&HE

[349] EGSA

[350] Newry and Mourne District Council

[351] Newry and Kilkeel Institute of F&HE

[352] InterTrade Ireland

[353] Cookstown District Council

[354] NIEC

[355] &EA

[356] Extern, NIOCN

[357] Royal Academy of Engineering, North Down Borough Council, Simpson

[358] T&EA

[359] NIOCN

[360] Northern Ireland Business Education Partnership

[361] France, the Netherlands, Portugal, Sweden and the UK.

[362] The definitions of educational levels used in this paper are given in Appendix A

[363] Above Level 3 is all higher education qualifications, Level 3 is all A-level and equivalent academic and vocational qualifications, Level 2 is 5 GCSE Grades A-C and all equivalent academic and vocational qualifications. Below Level 2 is self-explanatory. A full description is provided in Appendix A.

[364] This was allocated to <Level 2 because all apprenticeship certificates in the other countries examined were only awarded to candidates who also passed written technical and general examinations

[365] In order to create a consistent time-series from 1985 onwards we were obliged to put all City & Guilds certificates into a single category. These include single subject certificates, Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3 awards. The estimate of 40 % represents the share taken by single subject certificates and Part 1 awards.

[366] This figure is slightly less than the percentage gaining 5 Grade A-C passes at GCSE. In fact it is chosen as a proxy for the percentage of O-level holders who have passes at Grades A-C in Mathematics, English and one other subject. This grouping was chosen since all the comparator qualifications in other countries were grouped certificates which required a pass in Mathematics, the language of instruction and at least one other subject for the award. However, it could be argued that this figure is rather generous especially with respect to the younger age groups. The figure of 40 % is, of course, based on flows of individuals before they proceed to other qualifications. It seems likely that most of those who have obtained Maths, English and one other subject at GCSE grades A-C will obtain a higher qualification. Those left may well be predominantly less qualified. However, the allocation of only 30% of the adult population with O-level to Level 2 is probably an under-estimate of those in this group. A sensitivity analysis in Table 1 shows the effect of allocating 44 % with O-level to this category.

[367] This proxies those who do not obtain at least two A-levels ie university entrance level qualification. All qualifications at this level in France and Germany confer the right to proceed to university and test a range of subjects.

[368] This is a grouped examination consisting of 3 externally set and marked written papers in French, mathematics and history/geography together with teacher assessment in other subjects. Some 11 per cent of all those who pass take a special series designed for those who study in a vocational college. We consider these to be below the standard of the main examination and have therefore assigned it to this level. Sensitivity analysis in Table 1 shows the effect of assigning all Brevet passes to < Level 2.

[369] These are rigorous vocational examinations which require a pass in written general examinations and practical tests. The BEP requires three years of study post Brevet and it is difficult to decide whether to classify it as equivalent to, at least, an NVQ 3 pass. However, the French authorities do not recognise the BEP as a Level 3 qualification since it does not give access to the university. We have therefore assigned it to Level 2 but a sensitivity analysis in Table 2 shows the effect of assigning a proportion of these certificates to Level 3.

[370] This category is highly problematic. The change in the composition of this category after 1991 and the reasons for the change can be found at http://cep.lse.ac.uk/datalib/training/germany/mikrozensus.htm The implications for assessing growth in qualification Levels over time are discussed in Part 2 of this report.

[371] Apprenticeships where the holders have a school leaving certificate from the Hauptschule or the Realschule have been discounted to allow for the small proportion of apprenticeships which are of two rather than 3 or 3+ years duration.

[372] PricewaterhouseCoopers (2000), Northern Ireland Economic Review & Prospects, June 2000, Belfast.

[373] These were noted as 'hard-to-fill vacancies' as opposed to skill shortages. Note that there is some overlap between these two terms.

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