14-19 Diplomas

Diplomas are innovative new qualifications designed and developed by employers for all students aged 14-19. They combine work-related experience and academic studies to introduce young people to an occupational area and prepare them for further study, training, or employment. Their aim is to bring learning to life and show how it can be applied to the real world.

Diplomas are available at three levels:

Foundation (equivalent to 5 GCSEs at grades D - G)
Higher (equivalent to 7 GCSEs at grades A* - C)
Advanced (equivalent to 3.5 A Levels)

Which Diplomas are available?

The Diploma in Engineering was among the first diplomas to be developed. Students began following it in September 2008. View the link below to find out about what one student has been doing as part of their Diploma.

The Diploma in Engineering receives much support from local employers. Click on the links to find out how you too could get involved:

The Diploma in Manufacturing and Product Design will be taught from September 2009.

The Diploma in Science is being developed for first teaching in 2011.

How do Diplomas benefit employers?

Diplomas help raise the profile of engineering, manufacturing and science and the many careers these sectors offer.

They are a great opportunity to increase the pool of suitable young people from which employers can recruit. Selecting the right people can reduce staff turnover and cut recruitment and training costs.

Diploma holders will be attractive to you as an employer because they have gained:

a realistic view of what working in your sector is like
a good grounding in the basic principles
practical skills and theoretical knowledge which you can develop further
other skills and attributes which you need such as teamwork, communication, self-management, creativity and commercial awareness
the motivation to succeed

How do Diplomas benefit students?

Students benefit from studying Diplomas because they:

flexibly blend academic and applied learning
enable them to tailor their learning to suit personal goals
offer insight into possible careers
allow them to keep their options open
help them make career decisions on an informed basis

What do Diplomas consist of?

Diplomas are designed to broaden students’ horizons and give them a range of next-step options. Students following Diplomas:

learn about the principles underlying their chosen area
do at least 10 days’ relevant work experience
are taught English, maths and ICT in relation to their chosen area
complete a project to demonstrate what they have learnt
develop ‘soft’ skills
can select additional or specialist topics

Who delivers Diplomas?

Diplomas are delivered by consortia of schools, colleges, training providers and businesses which have been approved for this purpose.