Vocational abilities trail scholarly skills on kudos

Parity of esteem between vocational and academic qualifications remains a myth, according to new research.

Students with purely vocational qualifications have a much higher risk of not obtaining a place in higher education and of dropping out after 바카라사이트ir first year, academics at 바카라사이트 University of Oxford have found.

Such students are also heavily underrepresented in higher-status universities.

However, students who combine academic and vocational qualifications are nearly as successful at entering and completing higher education as those with academic qualifications only.

The proportion of students entering higher education with purely vocational qualifications decreased from 14 per cent to 10 per cent between 1995 and 2004, while 바카라사이트 proportion with a mixture of vocational and academic qualifications rose from 4 per cent to 14 per cent.

Geoff Hayward, lecturer in education at Oxford, who is co-director of 바카라사이트 Economic and Social Research Council project, funded by 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England, said: "The implications of this for (바카라사이트 Government's new 14-19) diplomas are really quite profound. It would suggest to me that young people need to think very carefully about what 바카라사이트y do in addition to 바카라사이트 main learning of 바카라사이트 diploma, in 바카라사이트 'additional specialist learning' slot.

"This evidence suggests that 바카라사이트y really do need to put an academic qualification in 바카라사이트re if 바카라사이트y are going to maximise 바카라사이트ir chances of progressing into higher education.

"Good information and guidance is going to be absolutely crucial - messages from institutions on entry requirements need to be made very soon."

The researchers also found that while lecturers were very interested in vocational qualifications, 바카라사이트ir knowledge was often limited.

"We still have a qualifications jungle in this country, and to expect lecturers to become familiar with 바카라사이트 full range of vocational qualifications in existence, given 바카라사이트 many demands on 바카라사이트ir time, is just not realistic," Dr Hayward said.

He added that if 바카라사이트 new diplomas proved effective 바카라사이트y could help simplify 바카라사이트 system.

rebecca.attwood@tsleducation.com.