Parity of esteem

Currently debates regarding education and training remind me of similar debates 30 years ago

The debates currently going on regarding education and training remind me of similar debates that raged in educational and technical journals 30 and more years ago.

Classically, proponents of the "parity of esteem" theme, vis-a-vis academic and vocational tuition, have cited as evidence the training of medical doctors.

Regarding the training of young people who worked in small firms, various Industrial Training Boards encouraged Training Groups to be formed. Essentially this involved a training officer being employed jointly by a number of small companies. The role of this individual was to ensure that apprentices in all the companies were given guidance and training opportunities comparable with large firms. This was done, for example by liaising with colleges of further education. Courses were arranged to ensure that the full potential of these new employees was fully realised and that the scheme was cost effective. 

Generally, the first year of training was "off the job" - often in a college, though not exclusively so. This arrangement, according to the progress of the student/trainee, gave the opportunity for laying the basis of a successful career as craftsman, technician or technologist, etc. Colleges of further education worked associatively with one another, the highest education sector and with schools, thus ensuring a comprehensive service with respect to counselling.

I can testify, as a former Chairman of a Training Group and also a College Vice Principal, that this system worked very well. I am sure that there are other Chartered Management Institute members of mature years who will concur with this rather biased viewpoint!

Bill Jordan, Budleigh Salterton, Devon

Next letter: Engineers will be an extinct species