Qualification-awarding bodies NCFE and Pearson have pledged to work with the industry and academics to create new travel and tourism qualifications for 16-19-year-olds.
Representatives from the bodies took part in a webinar with college lecturers to discuss issues facing the sector following the decision to defund Level 3 courses in England.
An education and skills working group, which met for the first time last month at Abta’s offices, also heard that there is an opportunity for new further-education courses in travel and tourism.
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Awarding body City & Guilds said in April it will scrap aviation, travel and tourism courses from the end of this year to focus on a smaller number of sectors.
David Rowley, product manager in technical education at NCFE, who took part in the working group meeting and webinar, said: “We have an opportunity to create a fantastic technical education landscape for the travel and aviation industry.”
He said the Department for Education regarded A-levels as the route for those heading to university in the academic space, while T-levels prepare students for the workplace.
However, there are alternatives to A-levels, such as alternative academic qualifications, and occupational entry alternatives in the technical space.
We have an opportunity to create a fantastic technical education landscape for travel and aviation
Rowley suggested a technical Level 3 course in travel could be created, covering knowledge that a travel consultant needs, such as world geography, sustainability and business.
He said it could be called a Level 3 technical operational entry diploma in travel.
NCFE has invited college lecturers to regional forums from June 12 to assess “a smorgasbord of what we can develop”.
Rowley urged lecturers to attend and “keep banging the drum for travel”.
Courses will be submitted for approval from July 2024, with students starting in September 2026, ensuring there is no gap in provision.
Karen Donovan, senior product manager at Pearson, told the webinar her company was “committed to this sector” and would offer travel and tourism as long as it was able to do so.
“We are starting to consider what the content will look like and how to future-proof that future skills environment,” she said, pointing to topics such as travel technology, including virtual and augmented reality, facial recognition and AI, as well as big data, sustainability, safety and hygiene.
More: Qualifications working group eyes ‘opportunity’ for new tourism courses
Academics back report warning against ‘rushing ahead’ with qualification reforms
Government plans to scrap travel courses will hit pipeline of talent for employers