Diploma for 14 to 19-year-olds
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29th Jan 2010
Mobile phone guru backs new Diploma for digital age
There are few jobs that capture the imagination in quite the way that Abdul Ghafoor’s does. His role at mobile phone giant Orange involves developing some of the most hi-tech and highly coveted gadgets available today, as well as identifying the ‘must-have’ products of tomorrow.
Now, the senior product manager from Luton has signed up to champion a new qualification for teenagers which he believes will help develop the next generation of cutting-edge product designers.
The Diploma in Manufacturing and Product Design is one of a number of new qualifications for 14 to 19 year olds. It has been developed to equip young people with the skills and knowledge needed to pursue a career in industry and is taught from a curriculum designed in partnership with manufacturing and product design employers.
As an employer champion for the Diploma in MPD, Abdul is tasked with raising awareness of the qualification and encouraging more companies to become involved in its delivery.
Abdul, 30, who works at Orange’s London headquarters, said: “I have already been lucky enough to work with Diploma students studying other subjects and host visits here at Orange. I recognise that the Diploma in MPD is closely aligned with what I do on a day-to-day basis – starting from scratch and developing concepts for products, then taking the most successful concepts to market.
“My job involves working with a number of different parties before a phone hits the shelves. I liaise with Orange’s technology partners and manufacturers, and internally with our devices team to ensure that the infrastructure and customer service support is in place to deliver the product.
“We are constantly trying to identify new opportunities in what is a highly competitive market. Beating our competition be releasing a new phone first, developing a new technology or launching a new service has huge business advantages.
“A recent example of my work has involved bringing the iPhone to Orange. I worked with every element of the company, ranging from suppliers to the handset’s manufacturer to ensure that everything was in place for the launch.”
The Diploma in MPD sits alongside traditional academic qualifications, with students dividing their time between the classroom, college, and the workplace. It is being delivered by consortia, or approved partnerships of local schools, colleges and employers. Employer involvement in delivery can vary from providing work experience or hosting site visits, to keeping teachers up-to-date with sector developments and setting project topics based on real manufacturing scenarios.
Abdul grew up in Luton and studied Computer Science at Manchester University before joining Tiscali as a broadband support worker. He then worked in several other roles, joining Orange as a client services manager before progressing to the role of senior product manager, a position he has held for over two years. He also provides mentoring and support within Campus Luton, a coalition of all colleges and schools providing education and training for 11 to 19 year olds in the town, and is a governor of Luton Sixth Form College.
He added: “I’m now in my dream job but I didn’t follow a normal career path by any means. It took me some time to work my way into this position. A course or qualification as career-orientated as the Diploma in MPD would have helped me tremendously if it had been around when I began my career. That is why I can see such value in the Diploma in MPD, and why I am supporting it. This qualification is going to appeal to a wide range of students because of its mix of classroom-based and work-based teaching. It will keep young people engaged and enthusiastic about their learning.
“I have mentored students in Luton for several years now and it is fantastic to see a qualification launched which will give young people the experience and skills to thrive in the workplace from day one. To my mind, any form of education which allows students to see the real world application of what they are studying has to be a positive development. I think it is crucial that companies in the sector recognise how important this qualification will be in developing skilled recruits who will meet their future needs.”
For more information, visit the website for the Diploma in Manufacturing and Product Design, at http://www.manufacturingdiploma.co.uk/.
Ends
Issued on behalf of the Manufacturing Diploma Development Partnership, by Nexnet PR, Leeds, www.nexnet.co.uk. For further information call Nexnet on 0113 247 0029 or email paul.newham@nexnet.co.uk .
