Are vocational qualifications de-valued?
Burton argues that although there is a real need for an industry-recognised structure of qualifications, NVQs do not at present provide the answer. “They have lost their value with many employers, and certainly with us,” he says. He blames competition from numerous other qualifications and courses connected with hospitality. “My view is that people are not guided to the right programme at the appropriate age,” he adds. “We have 700 people going through the modern apprenticeship scheme but, unfortunately, only 16% will ever complete the course. That’s typical of the national figures.” People 1st, the skills sector council, supports this assessment, stating in a report published in December that “employers have reported confusion over the plethora of qualifications that now exist”. It is overseeing a complete shake-up in vocational qualifications for the sector from next year. This will probably lead to in-house schemes such as Compass’s being incorporated into a nationally recognised st
