Boards and steering groups

Employer Steering Group for IT Diploma

Purpose and objectives

The DDP Employer Steering Group (ESG) brings together a coherent voice of employers for the Diploma Development Partnership (DDP).

1. The ESG as a group will help to ensure that the Diploma qualification will offer excellent preparation for future careers, particularly in the IT sector or in IT-related careers in other sectors. This will include the ESG:

• Acting as an influencer to partners including Awarding Bodies, QCA and DfES, to ensure that the qualification continues to meet employer needs.
• Providing advice and / or endorsement of approach at key decision points during the development of the Diploma.
• Endorsing plans, and contributing as a group to the development of:
  • Teaching & learning materials,
  • Diploma Information Advice and Guidance,
  • Teacher upskilling.

2. Individual members of the ESG may also choose to:

• Contribute to the Diploma through materials, support, resource, sponsorship etc and / or enable access to others in their companies who may be interested.
• Support communications and promotional activities.

Input from the ESG will be complemented by wider employer engagement as appropriate, with particular reference to the needs of smaller companies.

Context

Specialised Diplomas are at the heart of the government's 14-19 reform strategy. The intention is that Diplomas in 14 'lines of learning' become a national entitlement by 2015, with the first 5 being available for first teaching in September 2008.

The development of each Diploma is led by a Diploma Development Partnership, which is convened by a Sector Skills Council - e-skills UK in the case of the IT line of learning.

The ESG provides input into the DDP Steering Group.

Find out more: IT Diploma

Last modified: 18 Dec 2006