The Professional Associations Research Network (PARN) would like to wish all 120 of our professional body members a very happy VQ Day!

VQ Day is a national celebration of vocational qualifications (VQs) for students, teachers and employers. It shines a light on and recognises the millions of talented and skilled people throughout the UK who are awarded VQs.

Examples of VQs include BTECs, City & Guilds, NVQ/SVQ, OCR Nationals, Apprenticeships, HNC/HNDs, degrees with a largely vocational content and professional qualifications awarded through a recognised professional body.

Visit the VQ Day website for more information:

• www.vqday.org.uk

About our research into vocational qualifications

We recently conducted research into vocational qualifications, exploring how professional bodies are supporting a variety of entry routes and opening up new opportunities for career progression.

This research was commissioned by the National Apprenticeship Service (NAS) and now defunct Foundation Degree Forward (fdf), who asked us to investigate the views and perceptions of Foundation Degrees and Apprenticeships among professional bodies.

The findings and analysis are available in our latest book (Press copies are available upon request):

• Becoming A Professional: New Ways of Entering the Professions

More information about vocational qualifications...

We launched our research findings at our conference in London in April 2012 - 'Fit for Purpose Professionals' - which included a live debate and workshop session, plus case studies from leading professional bodies, education providers and policy makers on their experiences with vocational qualifications.

• Summary & presentations from the conference
  
• Live debate summary: Do professionals need a degree? (PDF)
    With RCN, SRA, Engineerign Council and CIMA
• Workshop Feedback Summary: Future issues (PDF)
    Looking at what issues are likely to impact on routes to entry in your profession in the next 5 years

For more information or comment from our director, Professor Andy Friedman, please contact us:

• T: 0117 928 1992
• E: info@parnglobal.com

Posted on 20 Jun 2012