Educational System Change: 20,000 Vocational Courses May Get Scrapped in Exchange for 15 New Qualifications

For some people, vocational courses are the way to go when it comes to bettering their lives. However, new educational developments in England may scrap up to 20,000 vocational course choices in exchange for 15 new qualifications for teenage students. This will all be part of the new government plan known as the Post-16 Skills Plan.

Sixteen-year olds in England will now have to choose between two options, namely academic and technical, according to this proposed plan. According to a report from the BBC, the Post-16 Skills plan aims to harness the rich potential and talent of the youth in the country and will follow Lord Sainsbury's Report of the Independent Panel of Technical Education. However, there are still those who are skeptical about the possible effects and implications of this plan.

The technical courses will have a common goal of teaching students a set of skilled occupations. These technical courses will also have a common core of subjects such as English, mathematics, and digital skills. This is done in attempt to "simplify" the current educational system.

Technical education would be provided through 15 "high quality routes," namely Agriculture, Environmental and Animal Care, Business and Administrative, Catering and Hospitality, Childcare and Education, Construction, Creative and Design, Digital, Engineering and Manufacturing, Hair and Beauty, Health and Science, Legal, Finance and Accounting, Protective Services, Sales, Marketing and Procurement, Social Care, and Transport and Logistics.

"Britain has all the ingredients needed to compete with other skilled nations, but we must create a technical education system that can harness that talent," says UK Skills Minister Nick Boles per gov.uk. "The skills plan is the next step towards that goal, building on the progress we have already made by investing in apprenticeships, and creating a skilled workforce that is the envy of every other nation. This won't just help our young people get the best jobs but it will also boost our economy, benefiting us all," he adds.