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05 Nov 2009
Date announced for VQ Day 2010
The announcement follows a successful two years where over 200 colleges, employers, learning providers and awarding organisations have joined in the celebrations, as well as famous faces Alesha Dixon and James Martin.
Since VQ Day launched in 2008, over 140 politicians from across the UK have pledged their support including the English minister for further education Kevin Brennan MP, Scottish minister for Schools and Skills Keith Brown MSP, Welsh Deputy Minister for Skills John Griffiths AM and Sir Reg Empey MLA, Minister for Employment and Learning in Northern Ireland.
VQ Day is fast becoming a permanent fixture in the education calendar and awareness in 2009 was double that of 2008, according to independent YouGov data.
Plans for 2010 and beyond are currently being developed by the partners behind VQ Day, including City & Guilds. Led by the independent education foundation Edge, support comes from the wider education community including representation from all four UK nations, examination boards, employers' organisations, the Association of Colleges and the Association of Learning Providers.
Edge is calling on schools, colleges, learning providers and employers to sign up for 2010 at www.vqday.org. From early 2010 the site will contain information and downloadable toolkits to help colleges, learning providers, employers and schools around the country get involved and hold their own VQ Day celebrations.
Andy Powell, chief executive of Edge, commented:
'Millions of people gain vocational qualifications every year that are the stepping stone to a brighter future, be that further vocational study or university, a better job or enhanced skills.
'Young people are being given greater access than ever to vocational learning opportunities, businesses are using vocational qualifications to respond to changing business needs and vocational qualifications are helping people of all ages realize their dreams and fulfill their talents.'
-ENDS-
Media contacts:
For more information on VQ Day please contact Zoe Penn or Andy WrayT: 020 7419 6950
E: vqday@bbpr.com
Notes to Editors:
- City & Guilds (www.cityandguilds.com) is the expert and leading authority in vocational education and training - both in the UK and beyond. In operation for the last 130 years,
City & Guilds is the UK's leading awarding body for work-related qualifications. Twenty million people in the UK have City & Guilds qualifications, and the organisation
awards a further 1.5 million qualifications to learners every year.
About VQ Day - 23 June 2010
- Millions of people will gain a vocational qualification this year that will be the stepping stone to a brighter future. VQ Day celebrates this achievement and the many paths to success taken by learners of all ages.
- Plans for VQ Day are being led by Edge, the education foundation, in conjunction with the vocational qualifications community including: the Association of Colleges (AoC), the Association of Learning Providers (ALP), Association of Scotland's Colleges, Alliance Sector Skills Scotland, City & Guilds, Department for Employment and Learning (DELNI), Department for Business, Innovation & Skills (DBIS), Edexcel, EDI, the Federation of Awarding Bodies (FAB), the FE Reputation Strategy Group (FERSG), fforwm, Hackney Community College, the Institute of Leadership & Management (ILM), Learning and Skills Council (LSC), National Training Federation for Wales, Ofqual, Ofqual Northern Ireland, OCR, Scottish Government, Scottish Qualifications Authority, Scottish Training Federation (STF), Skills Development Scotland, Qualifications & Curriculum Development Agency (QCDA) and the Welsh Assembly Government among others.
About Edge
- Edge is an independent education foundation. It is dedicated to raising the status of practical and vocational learning, so that all young people have the opportunity to achieve their potential, and the UK's future workforce is equipped with the skills to be successful in the modern economy. Edge believes that 'learning by doing' is as important as academic learning, and that there are many paths to success. For more information visit www.edge.co.uk/.
- To view the video associated with this press release, please visit the following link: www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6Gvr_hepHk
