Learning Skills Council (LSC) Funding Concerns
Support the campaign to reverse cuts to NVQ programme funding, which will have a major impact on FE provision in Hospitality and Catering
Significant changes are proposed in the draft LSC funding document for 2007/8 which will result in a severe cut in the resourcing of level 1 NVQ craft catering programmes (with implication that level 2 will follow).
The LSC will in future cease to fund optional units beyond the minimum required to complete one learning aim. This means that centres will no longer be able to run both food preparation and cooking routes alongside a food and drink service qualification. The result is that the traditional craft catering programme linking food preparation and food service qualifications will no longer be available, with the implication that all will need to be addressed within the reduced learning hours allocated for one learning goal.
This could have dramatic implications within the FE sector, particularly in smaller colleges and especially with regard to the realistic work environments now established in successful Colleges. This is further compounded by the lack of decision regarding the Vocationally Related Qualifications (VRQ) pilots and the apparent failure to give the green light to development of a food service version.
There is a growing lobby at national level via the Professional Association For Catering Education (PACE), People 1st and City and Guilds to change LSC guidance to support the reopening of a separately funded Food Service pathway at level 1 and prevent the same issue arising at level 2 when qualifications are reviewed next year.
Funding aside, it is feared that not only will this be likely to kill off front of house service qualifications in many colleges, it will also mean that learners training to be chefs will not get access to the front of house to support the realistic work environments which prepare students for our industry.
The changes are not proposed and the funding document is not a draft. They are real. It is not particularly additional units but multiple and differing pathways with specific endorsements to one overarching qualification aim that are of concern.
We urgently need you to voice concern by completing the forms below and also e-mail Martin Christian-Kent, Research Director at People 1st at the following address :- martin-christian.k@people1st.co.uk.
