29 May 2009
"At long last, vocational learners are getting the opportunity
to stand up and say that they're proud of their achievements. For
far too long, vocational qualifications have been seen as the poor
relation to their academic counterparts, and I'm glad to be part of
the move to change this. On June 24th, I'll be celebrating VQ Day -
a UK wide celebration recognising the achievements of vocational
learners and the colleges and learning providers that help people
achieve their success. "There are many paths to success and VQ Day
is a chance for learners all over the UK to come together and
celebrate their individual achievements. It showcases not only the
variety of qualifications available, but the doorways a vocational
qualification can open and the many people who have gone on to
excel in their chosen field. As a vocational learner myself, I
relish the opportunity to lend my support and get involved. "In
these increasingly testing economic times, it is more important
than ever to make sure that the UK has the right skills to see us
through. A vocational qualification can set you up for life and
it's great to be part of an event to celebrate the millions that
take a VQ every year. "Having had a passion for food all my life,
it was clear to me from a young age that the academic path was not
going to be the right one for me. Like the girl in the
current Edge adverts, I dreamed of becoming a head chef and soon
realised that the only way to achieve my goal was by learning the
practical skills necessary to become a top chef - something that
you just can't learn from books. At 16, I enrolled at Scarborough
Technical College on a catering course and I never looked back. "My
other great love is motoring, another industry which relies heavily
on people with vocational qualifications. Car mechanics can't be
taught in the classroom - they need real hands-on skills which can
only be learnt through real hands-on experience. "I would urge
everyone who already has a VQ to look at how they can get involved
in the day, and everyone who is considering taking a VQ to contact
their local college or training provider to find out more about the
many options available. I truly believe that my vocational training
laid the foundations for my future career and subsequent success,
and I'm really pleased that vocational qualifications are finally
getting the recognition that they deserve."
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