Engineering vocational qualifications ‘in good shape’

Although Level 1 certifications fell by 13%, Level 2 increased by 16%, with a 21% increase for Business-Improvement Techniques (B-IT). Level 3 certifications were also up 17% on Q1 2009, with increases for high-level skills in Aeronautical Engineering, B-IT, Installation and Commissioning and Engineering Technical Support. The total number of registrations for National/Scottish Vocational Qualifications (N/SVQs) for Q1 of 2010 fell by 21% compared to quarter one of 2009; although registrations for 2009 proved exceptionally high, and the current 2010 figure remains higher than any other previous figures for quarter one. While Level 2 registrations also dropped by 27% from Q1 of 2009 they are also at their highest level for any other Q1. Level 3 registrations have remained steady. Semta said the record rises in vocational qualification take up in Q1 2009 demonstrated the continued commitment of engineering employers to invest in their workforces, despite the challenging economic climate. "Unsurprisingly, the most popular qualifications during this time were those that can make huge impacts on the bottom-line, such as the Business-Improvement Techniques (B-IT) NVQ". Semta's 2010 UK Skills Report identifies the need for almost 10,000 new highly-skilled scientists and engineers a year between now and 2016. Semta chief executive Philip Whiteman (pictured) said: "We must ensure that every employee can be developed to their full potential as we need a highly-skilled and adaptable workforce, particularly to support advanced manufacturing, life sciences, green and emerging technologies. These opportunities are out there for companies who have weathered the downturn, but they need world-class skills to remain competitive. "Vocational qualifications, such as B-IT, are capable of making the biggest impacts on the bottom-line. Businesses working with Semta's National Skills Academy for Manufacturing have seen, on average a 6:1 ratio of return on their investment in skills, helping many of them survive the downturn."