GCSEs setting kids up for failure, says Futureworks

On the day that 750,000 school leavers prepare to pick up their GCSE results, the Futureworks School of Media has claimed the qualifications are leaving them ‘unskilled and unprepared’ for the world of work.

The Manchester-based institution claims students are leaving school armed with good grades but lacking the common sense and initiative to do the job, and should consider diplomas and vocational training instead.

“Practical, hands-on courses are the only solution,” said Futureworks’ managing director Chris Mayo. “Diplomas and private courses teach students to do a job – the qualification is almost a convenient by-product. Without this kind of realistic, vocational training, young people are entering the world of work unskilled and unprepared; they are being set up to fail.

“The current education system has become more about achieving results for schools – not the students themselves. Teachers are under pressure to produce good grades, not to produce well-rounded, resourceful young people.

“The vocational courses we offer are challenging and demanding, purposefully designed for industry and delivered by industry experts. They are a true representation of what students can expect from the world of work.”

The Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce said GCSE teenagers should also think about vocational skills and apprenticeships.

Brian Sloan, from the Chamber, said: "Most of those receiving their GCSE results today will be planning to do A-levels and then go on to university. However, we would urge these young people to look at all the options available to them, including apprenticeships and other vocational qualifications. Schools must show pupils that the academic route is not the only path to a career."