Posted on: 26/09/11
Following an announcement last week by the Minister of State for Universities and Science, David Willetts, overwhelming support has been declared for the new e-skills UK and employer-led work to re-design the IT curriculum for young people.
The programme, called ‘Behind the Screen’, is a partnership of employers right across the economy, including IBM, the BBC, Blitz Games, Capgemini, Cisco, Deloitte, HP, John Lewis, Logica, the Metropolitan Police Service, Microsoft, National Grid, Procter & Gamble, Sainsbury’s, SAS, Steria and TATA.
'Behind the Screen' will set out to establish a brand new academic curriculum, including new, rigorously assessed GCSEs and A-levels.
New GCSE and A-levels will cover computational principles, systemic thinking, software development and logic. Coursework will develop deep analytical, problem solving and critical thinking skills. Industry-backed challenges will encourage creativity, entrepreneurship and team work. Tough exams will motivate and differentiate. Teachers will be supported by employers, and students will have access to a rich online resource pool - including online lessons from national and international experts.
A new approach is critical for the IT Sector which is vital for economic and employment growth. The sector contributes £81 billion in its own right to the economy, 9% of the total, and in terms of employment is growing five times faster than the UK average. Interestingly, the proportion of people under 30 employed in the sector was 33% in 2001 down to just 19% in 2010. 500,000 new entrants into the sector are needed in the next five years, and employers report a crisis over the lack of a strong pipeline of new talent.
Karen Price OBE, CEO e-skills UK says:
"Young people are digital natives yet experience shows that they are being turned-off IT study and IT careers in the classroom. For example, applicants to Computer-related degrees have declined by 44% since 2001. Our goal is to place IT as the spearhead for a new model of academia/industry partnership in schools, and create a new generation of technologists who invent, innovate, and become the entrepreneurs of tomorrow."
Stephen Leonard, Chief Executive, IBM UK & Ireland and an e-skills UK board member, explained:
"We are long overdue a completely new approach to teaching IT as a subject. With our work, we will make IT inspiring to young people and put the UK on the world stage in educating the technologists of the future. We are putting the weight of industry behind a transformation in education, working with schools and universities to create courses of academic substance and industry relevance."
An innovative pilot to test a new GCSE concept will be run from November this year through to June 2012 involving 20 schools, 100 students and a cohort of teachers who have volunteered to take part in the trial. Employers are providing a rich set of resources, and an Awarding Body will work alongside the pilot to establish a rigorous mechanism for assessment and achievement.
For updates on the programme, go to www.e-skills.com/behindthescreen.
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