Addressing the All Party Parliamentary Group for Apprenticeships Julia Chippendale, managing director of industry specialist awarding organisation EAL, said qualifications bring validation to skills and learning.
She told vice chair Lord Aberdare, assembled MPs and skills chiefs that government should protect qualifications along with rigorous standards and frameworks to ensure that the UK remains eminent in skills provision.
“Qualifications are key to validation of an apprenticeship – they should be protected to ensure that the system is robust,” said Chippendale.
“We are in real danger of losing vital skills for the nation – it’s not just a financial issue but one of cementing our industrial heritage and building a future for so many sectors.”
EAL is the leading awarding organisation for UK engineering and serves, rail, aerospace, advanced manufacturing and building services. More than 100,000 learners have received EAL qualifications in the past year.
“We must ensure that there is parity between vocational pathways to work and academic routes. EAL is working to help make that happen,” Chippendale added.
EAL, which is part of the Semta Group, is the lead sponsor of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Apprenticeships and reinvests profits to aid skills provision in the UK.
