Guarantee progression for apprentices urges UVAC

31 Mar 2010

"Government should invite universities to make an apprenticeship admissions pledge" is one of 24 recommendations in a key report for the Higher Education Minister David Lammy by the Universities Vocational Awards Council (UVAC).

The report, entitled Progression from vocational and applied learning to higher education in England, was produced at the invitation of the government and builds on Alan Milburn's report on Fair Access to the Professions.

UVAC concentrates on apprenticeships and the call for a pledge on admissions is translated as "where an appropriate course is available they will guarantee interviews to Advanced Apprenticeship framework completers."

Other recommendations are that:

• government policy should see progression to higher education as including all forms of provision including modular courses (such as those being developed by the Centre for Work and Learning
• the UK Commission for Employment and Skills should evaluate the benefits to apprentices who progress to higher education
• the "excellent" work of Aimhigher and Lifelong Learning Networks should be celebrated
• level 3 vocational qualifications should only be fundable if they include a progression route to higher education
• higher education institutions should enhance their knowledge of vocational qualifications
• government should ensure that any future funding system supports part-time learning more effectively and reflects more fully the additional costs of part-time learning. Any review of HE funding should consider how bite-sized chunks of learning are delivered on the basis of learner and employer need
• UCAS should consider providing an online directory and/or information on part-time HE programmes