Diplomas engineer a bright future

PUPILS from five schools are the first in Oldham to take a new course to train the engineers of the future.

They are studying for a diploma which combines academic and practical learning to prepare them for work or higher education.

Pupils from Crompton House, Kaskenmoor, North Chadderton, St Augustine,and South Chadderton have started the engineering diploma at level one (the equivalent of five D to G GCSE grades) or level 2 (seven A* to C grades).

They spend a day each week at the City Learning Centre in Chadderton, Kick Start on Huddersfield Road or Oldham Training Centre in Lees Road.

Oldham College is also running a level three course worth 3.5 A-levels.

Khuram Sardar, design and technology head at South Chadderton School, is leading the diploma and said: “50 per cent of the teaching is applied, that’s the biggest difference.

“The course has been written with employers because they are constantly saying that the pupils we are sending as school leavers, and even graduates, haven’t got the skills they want.”

Diplomas were launched nationally in 2008 and Oldham introduced two subjects then — creative and media and construction and built environment — with three more due to start next year.

As well as learning about a specific sector, the qualification includes functional skills in English, maths and computer technology as well as skills such as team work and creative thinking.

“It’s not an easy option. It’s a very academic course and there was a selection process for us to assess that pupils were at the right level to come on this course,” explained Mr Sardar.

“They have got to be pretty sure that they want to do engineering, but the skills are transferable. Someone passing a level 2 diploma could decide go to sixth-form to do A-levels. Universities have also said they will accept level 3 as a qualification.”

A total of 17 diplomas will be available in England from 2011 in subjects ranging from public services to environmental and land management.

And the involvement of businesses is key with visits to companies, talks by employers and work experience central to the course.

Oldham students are already set to visit Diode UK to produce commercial circuits and other people supporting the course include the Army, the police, Shop Direct and Oldham Motor Company.

However, Mr Sardar appealed for more to come on board and added: “We had a few companies we made links with, but we haven’t been able to make them stick.

“With the credit crunch it is quite difficult for companies to support schools.

“To find out more about the diploma in Oldham visit www.direct.gov.uk/ diplomas