§ Mr. Matthew BanksTo ask the Secretary of State for Education what action he is taking to improve awareness among employers of the value of technical qualifications as compared with A-levels; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. BoswellMy right hon. Friend is working closely with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Employment, the National Council for Vocational Qualifications and the awarding bodies to explain our reforms of vocational qualifications to young people, their parents, schools, colleges, employers and higher education institutions.
The new general national vocational qualifications and national vocational qualifications are designed to exacting criteria and will offer routes to employment or higher level study, alongside A-levels and AS examinations. We intend that many young people will consider GNVQs in particular as an alternative or an addition to A-level study.