Diploma for 14 to 19-year-olds
Back to Diploma in Manufacturing & Product Design news
5th Feb 2010
Students urged to choose new Diploma
Students in the north-west choosing their options for September are being urged to consider a qualification that will give them an insight into the world of manufacturing.
The Diploma in Manufacturing and Product Design (MPD) will be available to students aged 14-19 in schools and colleges in Liverpool, Wigan and Blackpool, for the first time after being piloted in 12 areas across England. The qualification is aimed at preparing young people for the world of work by giving them a fully-rounded education. It will help them to develop a range of practical and intellectual skills in a work-related context.
Martin Bevan, UK business manager for SMC Training, a division of global pneumatic component giant SMC International, and chairman of the Diploma in MPD steering group, said: “Students taking the Diploma in MPD will have the opportunity to sample working life within the sector and build a range of skills and knowledge valued by employers. Employers working with schools and colleges will have the chance to nurture and shape future workers. The Diploma in MPD offers a link between industry and education and it is hoped that working with employers will inspire young people to aim for a career in the sector.
“The Diploma in MPD will open students’ eyes to the huge variety of jobs available in manufacturing, whether it is in food and drink, cosmetics, hi-tech electronic gadgets, passenger jets, clothes or computers. It will help young people develop practical, as well as, theoretical and academic skills in areas like English, science, mathematics, design and ICT, and will give them an opportunity to see how the things they learn in the classroom can be applied in the real world.”
One of 14 new Diplomas for 14 to 19-year-olds developed to sit alongside GCSEs and A-Levels, the Diploma in MPD is designed to provide a solid foundation either for pursuing a career in industry or undertaking further qualifications. It is delivered by consortia, or partnerships, of local schools, colleges and employers, allowing students to divide their time between the classroom, college, and the workplace.
Employers can get involved in delivery by mentoring students, setting projects, hosting site visits and offering work placements. Big names already involved in the Diploma in MPD include Cadbury, Siemens, Boeing, Nestlé, Bombadier Transportation and the Polestar Group.
The Diploma is available at three levels. Foundation level is targeted at 14 to 16-year-olds and is equivalent to five GCSEs; higher is for 16 and 17-year-olds and is equivalent to seven GCSEs; and advanced is equivalent to three-and-a-half A-levels and is targeted at 18 and 19-year-olds.
The Diploma in MPD curriculum was developed by employers and covers three main themes, which are business and enterprise, product design and materials science, and production systems. Students are assessed on competency in English, maths and ICT, while additional and specialist learning options give students the chance to develop their particular interests by taking specialist courses relating to specific manufacturing sub-sectors. The flexible nature of the Diploma in MPD means that it can also be undertaken alongside other qualifications such as A-levels and GCSEs. Depending on the level and pathways followed, the Diploma in MPD will prepare young people for employment, to undertake an Apprenticeship, or to go into Further or Higher Education.
For more information about the Diploma in Manufacturing and Product Design and to read about the projects students have been involved with, visit: http://www.manufacturingdiploma.co.uk/.
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 joanne.mead@nexnet.co.uk or paul.newham@nexnet.co.uk.
