New manufacturing diploma goes live

The Diploma in Manufacturing and Product Design (MPD) is available to pupils and students aged 14 to 19. It has been developed to sit alongside traditional academic qualifications such as GCSEs and A-Levels. The qualification is being delivered by consortia of local schools, colleges and employers, allowing students to divide their time between classroom, college and real work environments. Championed by some of the country's leading manufacturing employers, the new Diploma in MPD has been designed to equip young people with the skills and knowledge needed to pursue a career in industry, and will be taught from a curriculum designed by employers for employers. Derek Jones, who leads the project team behind the Diploma in MPD, said: "It has been developed in consultation with over 5,000 employers, universities and colleges. The content is intended to give young people a well-rounded set of skills applicable to manufacturing, and also ensure they have a good mix of general employment skills prior to entering the workplace. "It has been created to involve the manufacturing industry directly in the education of the future workforce. This will enable employers to pass on work-relevant skills and knowledge and also give them the opportunity to inspire a new generation to join their industry." Employers involved in delivering the Diploma in MPD from this autumn include Cadbury, Polestar, Boeing, Siemens, Kawasaki Precision Machinery, Bombardier Transportation, Princess Yachts and Müller. They will be directly contributing to the learning experience by giving talks to students, hosting site visits, setting topics for projects, mentoring students and offering work experience placements. Kawasaki Precision Machinery general manager Steve Cardew (pictured with pupils in Plymouth) said: "Our involvement is a great opportunity for us to contribute to a stimulating course that will help us explain our business and industry to the next generation and wider community, as well as equipping them with the skills to pursue fulfilling careers." All students taking the Diploma in Manufacturing and Product Design will study the principal topics business and enterprise, product design and materials science and production systems. The additional and specialist learning element gives students the chance to tailor their qualification by taking courses related to particular manufacturing sub-sectors. They will also be assessed in functional skills including English, maths and ICT, as well as 'soft' skills such as team working and critical thinking. The Diploma in MPD is available at three levels, foundation, higher and advanced. Depending on the level and pathways followed, it is intended to offer a platform for Further or Higher Education, or for taking an Apprenticeship or another form of work-based training. The Diploma in Manufacturing and Product design is one of 17 new Diplomas being rolled out by the government as part of a major overhaul of 14-19 education. For more information, visit the website for the Diploma in Manufacturing and Product Design, at http://www.manufacturingdiploma.co.uk/.