FOREWORD
FOREWORD
Empowering Young People to Respond to Change
Against the backdrop of COVID-19 the rate of change around us has accelerated - changes in technology , industries , careers , learning and lifestyles . The role of education and learning will remain crucial as we continue to respond to change at an individual , community and wider economic level . We will all have to learn as job roles change and adapt to technological developments .
The make-up of the workforce and careers is going to continue to
evolve in the coming months and years with greater automation , a shift to digital enabled roles and growth , contraction and transformation happening across many business sectors .
From an education perspective there needs to be the choice of qualifications and courses which supply the skills that are required by employers – and in the UK we already have this with a number of effective pathways such as A levels , Technical and Vocational ( including Pearson BTECs ) and workbased provision , including Apprenticeships and the introduction of T Levels will add another level of occupational choice for 16-18-year olds .
It ’ s critical that we focus on developing talent to meet the needs of existing and emerging industry sectors where there are employment and career opportunities . I believe the key to this is flexibility and choice .
Multiple pathways offer choice to people of all ages to be prepared and supported for life and careers in this rapidly changing world . Currently 40 % of young people post-16 choose the academic route offered by A levels , progressing to higher education . The remaining 60 % choose vocational or work-based pathways . It ’ s critically important that we maintain the choice for the 60 % between early specialisation that T levels offer ( training for a very specific job aged 16-18 ), and the broader careerfocused option of vocational qualifications such as BTECs . For over 30 years , BTECs have provided learners with up-to-date industry knowledge , skills and behaviours which open doors to a range of careers , as well as access higher education - most importantly , equipping them with skills such as teamwork , critical thinking , decision making and communication skills that are transferable in a changing world .
Continual transformation of education will be crucial as we prepare for the future ; the increasing role of technology in learning , embedding the right skills in the educational journey and creating a culture of lifelong learning – it is these components that will help us to be flexible and adapt to whatever the future of work holds .
National Careers Week gives us the opportunity to celebrate careers guidance and educational resources across the UK . Linking education with the world of employment means young learners and adults have greater visibility of the pathways available to them , enabling them to make better decisions to make progress in their careers and in their lives .
I ’ m delighted to be supporting such an important issue of Careermag .
Cindy Rampersaud Senior Vice President at Pearson for BTEC and Apprenticeships
www . careermap . co . uk Issue 6 | 3