Back to school with a difference

Today sees the launch of the Diploma in Construction and Built Environment (C&BE), with over 3,000 students across the country starting the school term on this brand new qualification.

To mark this milestone, the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families the Rt. Hon. Ed Balls MP visited Year 9 students from St Bonaventure's School at Newham Sixth Form College on their first day of the course, which is set to bridge the gap between vocational and academic studies.

He saw them examine the designs for the nearby London 2012 site and construct their own model buildings for the Olympic village.

Ed Balls, Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, said: "Education is all about opportunities - a good education opens doors. It is the single best way to do well and to gain the skills to succeed.

"We have made great inroads in this area and we now have more young people staying on post-16 than ever before, with record GCSE and A Level results.

"I want to see a situation where every single young person has a range of interesting, exciting and challenging options ahead of him or her at every stage of their education, so that they never feel tempted to drop out or give up. This year will see some of the biggest steps towards this goal yet."

The C&BE Diploma, which has been developed by employers, schools, colleges and universities, aims to help young people aged 14 to 19 realise their potential and gain knowledge and skills in a ‘real world' environment. It can be taken instead of or alongside GCSEs, A-levels and vocational subjects and it aims to equip students with skills they can apply to the next stage of their development; be that university, college or the world of work.

Nick Gooderson, Head of Standards and Qualifications at ConstructionSkills, the lead partner in the C&BE Diploma, said: "Today is a celebration of all the hard work undertaken to ensure the Diploma is a success. Employers, universities, schools and colleges have all teamed up to deliver a truly unique qualification. The key now is to maintain the momentum as the number of students taking the course increases."

Val Lowman, Managing Director of Be Onsite, the not for profit arm of Bovis Lend Lease, said: "For many years now, the industry has been campaigning to ensure that workers come into the sector with the right skills. The C&BE Diploma is an excellent platform for shaping tomorrow's workforce and we are very excited to be part of this innovative programme."

Paul Cannons, Co-chair of the Construction and Built Environment Diploma in Newham said: "In Newham alone, there are several large skill projects in the pipeline over the next 10 years, such as the Olympic site and the Thames gateway. So for these youngsters, the skills they will gain and the contacts they will make through work placements will prove very useful later in life."

Ayo Ogbeide, 14 year old of St Bonaventure's School student said: "I decided to do the Diploma in Construction and the Built Environment because I am interested in Architecture and I know the C&BE Diploma would further my understanding and knowledge in this area."