Skills Council asks employers to design their ideal school leaver

Employers throughout England are being asked to shape the school leaver of tomorrow, by defining the skills and knowledge that they consider to be essential and desirable for young people joining their businesses.

Their input will be fundamental to the first phase of development of the learning content of a brand new qualification ñ the 14-19 specialised Diploma in Business, Administration and Finance. This will be one of fourteen specialised Diplomas corresponding to key sectors of the economy, which are at the heart of the governmentís vision for the future of 14-19 education.

The Financial Services Skills Council (FSSC) is leading the development of the Business, Administration and Finance specialised Diploma, in partnership with the Council for Administration and Skillsmart Retail Ltd. The new qualification will be trialled from 2009 and rolled out nationally from 2013.

The specialised Diploma will have three key components: a main programme, generic learning and additional/specialist learning. The main programme will enable students to develop the knowledge, understanding and skills relevant to the sector and provide opportunities for these to be applied in a range of contexts and environments. The generic learning will be cross-curricular and will cover elements such as functional skills, critical thinking skills and employability skills. The additional/specialist learning will enable students to build other components into their programme of study. Work related learning, including work placements, will be a key feature of the diploma.

Teresa Sayers, FSSC Chief Executive, said: ìThe difficulty in recruiting young people with suitable skills is becoming a recurring theme. This is a fantastic opportunity for employers to have their say on what the school leaver of tomorrow should be taught and to exert a real and lasting influence on the choices available to students in schools and collegesî.

Any business that recruits young people into business, administration or finance roles is invited to respond to the ìDesign Your Own School Leaverî online survey via www.fssc.org.uk.