The Beverage Service Association (BSA) has announced something of a coup in the world of training. After two years' work, BSA and City & Guilds have received approval for a barista course.

This means that a City & Guilds Level 2 NVQ in Barista Skills will now exist, and will appear in catering colleges from September, with some interest in launching it in summer.

'In the hospitality industry, City & Guilds is  the only assessment body that is recognised across the world, so it's very positive that we now have a barista qualification that staff can take with them,' said the BSA's Executive Director Jim Devlin.

The curriculum was planned by the BSA and a team including Paul Meikle-Janney of Coffee Community.

It will consist of four modules, one on product knowledge, encompassing everything from coffee at origin to fruit knowledge for smoothies.

The second is on equipment and health and and safety. The third is on drink-building techniques and the final module looks at the practical skills of life behind a coffee bar.

The BSA said this offers a new direction for the trade's barista trainers, who can now extend their ambitions into City & Guilds certification.

What they say

'I see this going three ways,' says BSA's Jim Devlin. 'Colleges will handle the whole thing on their own; colleges  will link with beverage distributors; and those in the training sectors of the trade, or companies with large training budgets, will now develop themselves into City & Guilds centres.'

During 2006, City & Guilds NPTC worked in conjunction with the Institute of Groundsmanship to produce the NPTC Level 2 Sports and Amenity Turf Maintenance.

This was launched in September 2006 and is a dedicated programme for the turf industry for use in sports amenity situations.

Learners undertake assessments for six core units plus one optional unit. Each of the optional units is a different turf type or sport. This allows learners to demonstrate which types of turf they are competent to maintain and allows managers and supervisors to appoint suitably qualified staff.

The core units are Plant Growth in relation to Sports and Amenity Turf, Principles of Machinery (Sports and Amenity Turf), Weeds, Pests, Diseases and Disorders of Sports and Amenity Turf, Health and Safety in the Sports and Amenity Turf Industry, Operation and Maintenance of Sports and Amenity Turf Equipment, Principles of Sports and Amenity Turf Maintenance.

There is a sister qualification, the NPTC Level 2 Certificate Ancillary Operations for Sports and Amenity Turf Operators, which may be appropriate to some groundsmen.

What they say

'These are exciting new qualifications tailor-made for the turf industry, and easily accessible by groundsmenthrough full or part time learning, ideal qualifications are perfect for a whole for those already in the industry and for those starting out,' says Helen Moore, Business Development Officer at NPTC.

City & Guilds is in the final stages of development of a large suite of qualifications in photo imaging. Unlike the current qualifications in photography, there is not simply one diploma or certificate, there are nearly 30 different qualifications being produced for colleges, training providers and employers to deliver from September 2007 onwards.

These qualifications will appeal to a huge range of learners; from those who wish to take a part-time, leisure or evening course, through to 14-19 year old learners who wish enter into professional employment within the photo imaging industry.

The qualifications have been designed close consultation with Skillset, the Sector Skills Council for audio visual industries. Skillset designed a Blueprint for Photo Imaging, based on industry needs, from which the qualifications were developed.

The qualifications are also based upon Skillset's newly revised national occupational standards, which mean the qualifications are relevant for all learners wishing to work in the photo imaging industry.

These fully unitised flexible qualifications are assessed by means of practical assignments, helpfully written and set by City & Guilds - meaning that centres do not need to write their own.

What they say

Andy Plowman, Product Manager for Photo Imaging, City & Guilds, says: 'These qualifications are perfect for a whole range of learners, from those pursuing a hobby in photography right up to those who wish to gain a professional qualification to find employment.'

AQA and City & Guilds have joined forces to develop and deliver Diplomas, which provide a solid foundation for 14-19 year old students in a wider range of related sectors than many of the more occupationally specific qualifications we have now.

Participating centres can choose from a wide choice of coherent progression pathways, and will be fully supported by the resources of both partners throughout. A single point of contact will simplify administration. Interested schools, colleges and training providers will offer Diplomas.

The Gateway process, established by the DfES, will enable consortia of schools, colleges and training providers to express their interest in offering the Diplomas.

All consortia applying to offer Diplomas in September 2008 should be prepared to join the Functional Skills national pilot in September 2007 and confirm this in their self-assessment forms.

As the Gateway Guidance indicates, this will give them the opportunity to address a component of the Diplomas (and of other qualification routes) early and so prepare for national implementation (2009 for English and ICT, 2010 for mathematics).

What they say

Judith Norrington, Head of City & Guilds National Policy Development, says: 'These Diplomas will give young people the opportunities to learn actively within an employment area. City & Guilds and the AQA will help teachers to deliver Diplomas. The programme is intended to start fairly small and then scale up.' Visit www.diplomainfo.org for further information.

The complementary therapies world is changing. Later this year therapists will be able to join the voluntary register for Integrated Health Care Professionals, because their work will be professionally recognised thanks to a new qualification, the Level 3 Diploma in Complementary Therapies.

The qualification is approved by the Aromatherapy and Allied Practitioner's Association (AAPA) for Aromatherapy and Massage, and by the International Federation of Reflexologists (IFR). Both bodies will allow learners to join the relevant association as full members and use MAAPA and MlFR after their names.

Learners will have a choice of diploma that will include assignments, case studies, and GOLA testing, practical observations, external practical examination and viva.

For a learner to gain professional status they must achieve the diploma of their choice, for example, the Diploma in Aromatherapy, and then put into practice their skills and record their performances by completing case studies.

They would be required to show reflective practice of the treatments carried out then use that evidence to gain the Level 3 Diploma in Professional Practice in Aromatherapy.

What they say

This can only lead to a growth in the sector as complementary therapies gain respect from the wider public. Those taking the qualifications will also benefit, as they will be confident that the qualification is recognised by regulatory bodies as well as the integrated healthcare industry.

Changes to Business Improvement Techniques NVQs (2257) and new investment from the Learning and Skills Council mean that these qualifications are now more flexible and need no longer be restricted to manufacturing industries. Their objective is to improve business performance as a whole by introducing 'lean thinking'.

This encourages a culture that is focused on the benefits of continuous improvement, as well as ensuring a safer, more organised workplace. The NVQs are designed for those who have a role in developing and supporting business efficiency in a wide range of sectors covering manufacturing, engineering, retailing, banking and the health service.

They are suitable for all staff within an organisation, from senior management to supervisors and team leaders, and are exceptionally useful for anyone involved in increasing business performance by continuous improvement.

From September, new teachers and those with current teaching qualifications in the learning and skills sector in England will be required to work towards Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills (QTLS) status.

The qualifications are the result of a Department for Education and Skills initiative to transform teacher training and continuing professional development in the whole learning and skills sector in England.

They are part of a reform that sees all existing teacher-training qualifications, from all awarding bodies and universities, replaced by the new QTLS qualifications, and City & Guilds is currently developing the full suite of qualifications that will sit on the QTLS framework.