The Automotive Academy has welcomed the announcement of a new vocational qualification structure for 14-19 year olds, and a renewed commitment to boosting basic skills.

The Department for Education and Skills White Paper on education and skills of this age group sets out the new qualification structure for A-level and GCSE standards.

Automotive Academy chief executive, Dr Alan Begg says: “The Automotive Academy has been calling for vocational education to be on a par with academic study, while retaining vital basic literacy and numeracy skills. These proposals do just that.

Begg believes that the education system must “shake off its bias towards purely academic routes if young people are to be suitably equipped and skilled to work in a high-technology environment”.

“We welcome the retention of A-levels and GCSEs, which have a vital role to play, but the automotive sector also needs higher quality vocational qualifications. We look forward to playing a key role in designing and developing these new qualifications and to accommodate young people in new work-based learning courses.”