several rows of students sit as they listen to their teacher present. The back row which holds three students sits in the foreground.

Higher technical education consultation

DfE Skills & career development Universities & higher education Government departments & agencies 2019

Higher technical qualifications (HTQs)

11. Would you support incorporating the flexibilities/requirements in the statements (listed below) in the Institute approval process?

a. Flexibility to include additional content - Strongly agree
b. Broader qualifications - Strongly agree
c. Smaller qualifications - Strongly agree
d. Flexible learning - Strongly agree

We strongly support the introduction of more additional features allowing qualifications to be delivered in more flexible ways.

Additional content and broader qualifications would allow employers to choose qualifications/providers that are more sectorally or geographically aligned to their
needs. This may include, for example, technologies, methods/techniques and practices that develop geographical insight and value, which may be commonly
adopted in industry but not fully aligned to the occupational map or subject domain in which the qualification and standard are primarily defined.

Just one example of this is the application and use of location data, geospatial technologies and software platforms in the practice of data science/data analysis (for which the apprenticeship standard’s qualification is usually delivered by computer science, which does not teach these skills or platforms ). Skills need to be developed not only for the creation, curation and assurance of geographic information, but also critically with the contextualisation, analysis, interpretation and use of this information. This is where geography – and its spatial lens - has a particular role to play in unlocking greater insight and thus greater value from data, especially in relation to other datasets and approaches.

A more flexible approach to qualifications would therefore also benefit occupations that potentially multiple occupational maps, or where an occupation is used by multiple distinct sectors in different ways.

More flexible learning pathways and smaller qualifications, including modular delivery, and step-on and -off points would provide significant advantages to employers and students, allowing technical education to be used for re-skilling and up-skilling in a more flexible way. It may also open up opportunities for greater collaboration between employers and universities to embed technical education opportunities within higher education pathways, e.g. a work placement sandwich-year as a L4 or L5 technical qualification embedded within a wider degree (a concept that has been noted as very popular with employers at RGS-IBG roundtable events and forums on apprenticeships and work-enhanced learning). From our work in this area, we are aware that employers are keen to see greater flexibility around the use of the levy to support work-based learning and technical education of both new entrant and existing staff, including up-skilling and re-skilling.

We would also be interested, for example, in offering ‘geography enrichment’ to technical learning across many different pathways, where a geographical or spatial lens brings insight and adds greater value, or through contributing to a more flexible modular delivery approach e.g. to allows disciplinary knowledge/skills /approaches and professional standards to be taught to sector-specific cohorts for apprenticeships or technical education that cross multiple sectors (e.g. data science, economist).

We also encourage the Department and the Institute to encourage qualification providers to increase their flexibility in qualification validation and delivery, e.g. multiple cohort entry (rolling intakes), step-on/step-off points/policies for career breaks, a greater range of models for learning delivery and assessment methods (day release, block, distance, blended) and how these are integrated in the offer and articulated to the employer.

Delivery of higher technical education (HTE)

20. To what extent do you agree or disagree that additional non-financial support will be needed to enable providers to develop their workforce and engage fully with employers?

Agree.

What might examples of non-financial support be?

We would encourage, and could support, opportunities for provider staff to undertake secondment or work-shadowing, or other appropriate mechanisms, with employers/businesses so that they are fully up to date with current and emerging applications of, for example, technology, methods and data (in context), to better understand the practical applications of their teaching for students.

Student and employer demand

23. To what extent do you agree or disagree that there is a need and opportunity for more young people and adults (including those who need to upskill and retrain) to be undertaking HTE in the future?

Strongly agree.

24. In pages 34-36 we set out measures to improve the profile and prestige of HTE. We propose to ensure that HTQs have a clear product identity and are promoted through a campaign. We also want HTQs to be given the recognition they deserve in school and college destination measures and amongst employers. We will look to harness the prestige of high-quality providers and professional bodies to promote HTE. To what extent do you agree or disagree with these measures to improve the profile of HTE?

Agree.

Professional and subject body advice is extensive, personalised to subjects (and sometimes to student cohorts or characteristics), independently recognised as innovative, designed in support of the transition between school and further/higher education, and valued by students, teachers and schools, parents, universities and employers.

These bodies advocate for their disciplines but maintain independence to individual providers and education institutions. They allow prospective students to become better informed regarding the breadth and quality of options available to them should they choose to pursue a subject or interest into higher education and beyond.

Bodies which accredit programmes of study, especially those leading to professional registration or Chartered status, are particularly well-placed to provide advice about the range of suitable study options for specific career pathways.

Our recent experience in providing subject choice advice for geography includes, for example:

1. Geography Ambassadors [https://www.rgs.org/schools/geography-ambassadors/] – a subject focused scheme, free to schools, which recruits, trains and supports undergraduates, postgraduates and professional geographers to make school visits to share the benefits of geography in further study and careers. The scheme delivers 1100+ Ambassador sessions annually, typically to class-sizes of pupils, reaching an audience of c. 30,000 young people.

2. Professional Ambassadors (RGS-IBG) and GeoMentors (Esri, working with RGS-IBG) – schemes to encourage professionals using their geographical skills, knowledge and experience in the workplace to share their career experiences and expertise with teachers, schools and universities.

3. Going Places with Geography [https://www.rgs.org/schools/teaching-resources/going-placeswith-geography-brochure/] – Events for Key Stage 3 students on the importance of geography and its relevance for future study and careers.

4. Choose Geography [https://www.rgs.org/choosegeography/] – Advice and resources to support students at all stages (school, university, postgraduate and graduate) in choosing courses, applying successfully, and making the most of their studies in geography.

5. Undergraduate programme accreditation [https://www.rgs.org/research/programme-accreditation/] – Our recognition of degree programmes which achieve the expected standard in delivering the necessary knowledge, skills and understanding expected of high quality geography graduates.

6. Hosting university/employer forum events on work-enhanced learning in geographic information science and geospatial data practice, identifying greater opportunities for collaboration between businesses and universities to develop the specialist skills, knowledge and understandings for the future workforce.

7. Chartered Geographer [www.rgs.org/cgeog] - Our internationally recognised professional accreditation for those using their geographical knowledge, skills and understanding in the workplace. CGeog provides a pathway for the career development of professionals across a wide range of sectors who incorporate geographical thinking into their work.

25. In pages 36-39, we set out measures to improve information, advice and guidance (IAG) for different groups. For young people and their teachers, we will work with the Careers & Enterprise Company, Career Development Institute and UCAS to achieve this, whilst for adults we will work with the National Careers Service and professional bodies to improve IAG. We will also improve employer understanding of HTE by working with LEPs, Growth Hubs and the National Apprenticeships Service. To what extent do you agree or disagree with these measures to improve IAG for young people and their teachers, adults and employers?

Agree

In what other ways could we help fill the HTE information gap for young people & their teachers:

Our recent experience in providing subject choice advice for geography to young people and their teachers includes, for example:

2. Professional Ambassadors (RGS-IBG) and GeoMentors (Esri, with RGS-IBG) – schemes to encourage professionals using their geographical skills, knowledge and experience in the workplace to share their career experiences and expertise with teachers, schools and universities.

In what other ways could we help fill the HTE information gap for adults?

Refer to our response to Question 24 for our recent experience in providing subject choice advice to individuals considering choosing geography.

In what other ways could we help fill the HTE information gap for employers?

Our recent experience in providing subject choice advice and information about geography to employers includes, for example:

1. Professional Ambassadors (RGS-IBG) and GeoMentors (Esi) – schemes to encourage professionals using their geographical skills, knowledge and experience in the workplace to share their career experiences and expertise with teachers, schools and universities.

2. Undergraduate programme accreditation [https://www.rgs.org/research/programme-accreditation/] – Our recognition of degree programmes which achieve the expected standard in delivering the necessary knowledge, skills and understanding expected (by employers) in high quality geography graduates.

3. Hosting university/employer forum events on work-enhanced learning in geographic information science and geospatial data practice, identifying greater opportunities for collaboration between businesses and universities to develop the specialist skills, knowledge and understandings for the future workforce.

4. Chartered Geographer [www.rgs.org/cgeog] - Our internationally recognised professional accreditation for those using their geographical knowledge, skills and understanding in the workplace. CGeog provides a pathway for the career development of professionals across a wide range of sectors who incorporate
geographical thinking into their work.

28. Do you have any other comments?

The Royal Geographical Society (with IBG) is the UK’s learned society and professional body for geography. We are also a membership body with over 16,500 members and Fellows. We work closely with geographers in schools, universities, and in professional practice setting standards (for the discipline and individuals), accrediting programmes and individuals (notably Chartered Geographer), delivering mentoring and training, and profiling careers and opportunities. We also advocate for the discipline, engage the public through an extensive and broad range of programmes, and are actively engaged in knowledge exchange activities across our communities.