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Abstract
The involvement of business, including the engagement of employers, with the education sector, in particular across the secondary phase, has been a contested area for over 30 years. A recent example of employer engagement is the development of the new Diploma qualifications, introduced as part of the 14–19 education reform in England and supposedly, employer-designed qualifications: knowledge and transferable skills are developed in an applied context. It is argued that employer involvement in Diploma development represented an extreme manifestation of employer engagement. Research data reveal employers’ enthusiasm and commitment to the task and their appreciation of being able to participate in shaping the education landscape in a significant way. At the same time the question is raised whether employers were stretched beyond their capacity. Even though a large number of employers were mobilised, there were clear insufficiencies in the process. Considering the size and spread of employers in England, the number of participating employers was small and so could not be representative. Employers were unfamiliar with the technicalities of qualifications development, and many felt that their initial vision and content suggestions were not incorporated as the qualification developed. Despite employers’ good will, the question is raised about sustainability of existing employer engagement in the current economic climate, let alone its intensification.
Notes
This paper is adapted from a paper given at the 11th International Conference on Human Resource Development Research and Practise Across Europe, Pécs, Hungary, 2–4 June 2010