Welsh Baccalaureate Principal Learning in IT

1. Welsh Baccalaureate Principal Learning in IT The Employer Forum for Wales and why we support the Principal Learning in IT Ronan Miles – BT

2. Employer Forum - what we do • The Employer Forum for Wales works with e-skills UK to design, promote, champion and drive the implementation of the strategic plan for Wales • The strategic plan for Wales covers a number of strands of activity which seek to ensure that Wales has the right skills in the global digital economy and which support the Welsh Assembly Government’s ‘Skills that work for Wales’ • The Employer Forum brings together technology companies of varied sectors and sizes with presence in Wales who use IT intensively • Collectively we provide the ‘voice of the employer’

3. Employer Forum – who we are The Employer Forum for Wales consists of the following: BT Alcatel Lucent Cardiff Financial Partnership General Dynamics Draig Technology EADS Defence Systems HP Fujitsu Microsoft Mitel Valtech Steria WAG NLIAH Department for Transport The Regional Social Care Partnership for Wales Federation of Small Business Wales

4. Why we support the Principal Learning in IT • Successful IT related higher education forms an important part of our demands for the future workforce • Research has identified widespread concerns amongst both employers and HE about the technology curriculum in schools and how it serves them poorly • Many students are turned off by many of the current 14-19 IT related curriculum offerings. This in turn reduces the flow through of talent into IT related HE courses • We are passionate about the curriculum offered by the Principal Learning in IT – its design has been directly influenced by what employers want in the skills of the workforce of the future

5. Principal Learning in IT • The curriculum is designed around a rich interplay of sophisticated business, technology and ‘people’ skills – this is what our future workforce need • The curriculum is focused on ‘IT professional’ skills, not IT user skills • 50% of the curriculum is applied learning and there is flexibility for this to be delivered in a wide range of approaches by schools to add interest for students • The design of the individual units allows classroom theory and practical experience to be interwoven to provide opportunities to deepen the learning • The curriculum has employer, HE and Careers Wales active engagement

6. Some Comments …. “The inputs from local businesses will be critical to its success and, as a leading employer, this is an initiative that EADS Defence and Security is fully committed to supporting.” Stuart Bailey, Graduate and Apprentice Manager, EADS Defence and Security

7. “IT is endemic in our society and is a fundamental tool of work. This initiative forms a Gold Standard based around the needs of industry and is key to the quality of our future workforce.” Ronan Miles – Director ICT Collaborative ServicesBTID Global Platforms

8. "I see the Welsh Baccalaureate, with Principal Learning in Information Technology, as an important building block that will help us encourage more of our talented young people to opt for technology in their higher education and career choices.” Beti Williams, Director of ITWales, School of Physical Sciences, Swansea University

9. "The curriculum is a fresh approach which focuses on the business application of technology and the widest range of skills that IT professionals need. It provides students with exposure to real world business challenges that technology can solve. I believe that students following this course of study will have a great foundation which I hope will encourage them to pursue their study of IT within Higher Education before entering the digital workplace.” Professor Chris Price, Head of Department of Computer Science, Aberystwyth University