Shifting Foundations: the Impact of NVQs on Youth Training for the Building Trades

Abstract

The (1990) regulations for Youth Training (YT) combined with the introduction of assessment to NVQ standards have led to a significant reduction in the amount of mathematics taught to young building trainees compared both to the previous City and Guilds qualification and compared to what is required for young people on similar courses in France and Germany. The linking of YT funding to outcomes of NVQ assessment without proper guarantees of independence for college-based assessors has resulted in damaging pressures on colleges to deny entry to poorly-qualified trainees and to pass students who are only barely competent. The article concludes that young people on YT should be entitled to receive general education in addition to occupational competence in order to bring their provision into line with mainstream 16-19 provision in Britain, to ensure future flexibility and adaptability and to match training standards for 16-19 year olds in other European countries.

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