Examination of Witnesses (Question Numbers
140-143)
MR TIM
BALCON
22 APRIL 2009
Q140 Judy Mallaber: Have there been
any link-ups so far? There are various organisations and research
projects and government inspired programmes about getting women
into science and engineering and about girls' education, and so
on. Have there been any links made with those groups at all? Is
the potential there, as well as (I agree with Robert) linking
it into the environmental agenda, which does grab children at
an early age and could be used?
Mr Balcon: Absolutely. Might I
finish dealing with the previous question? I think one of the
things we really want to encourage is for employers to be part
of the curriculum development so there is some ownership of the
education system from other players as well, and I think in that
way you can have a really strong relationship. I am sorry, can
I return to the question?
Q141 Judy Mallaber: I was saying,
there are programmes about trying to encourage a greater group
of people, girls and women, to go into science and engineering?
Mr Balcon: Absolutely. All I can
say at this point is as part of the business plan development
there has been some discussion as to how to do that. The answer
is, absolutely, we must engage with those partners, particularly
ones that are successful. There is no point in reinventing something.
So, again, the intention is absolutely there; it will happen as
part of the business plan going forward.
Q142 Judy Mallaber: Is the new engineering
diploma helpful? We get given different views about the new qualifications,
and so on. Is that a good diploma from your point of view, in
terms of giving a base for training?
Mr Balcon: I think it is excellent.
Clearly, it needs to be developed. It is brand new. So we need
to have a look at what works well and what does not work well
and develop that forward. My frustration with the engineering
diploma, I believe, is it is challenging the education system
because it is fundamentally very different from what the schools
have been doing previously, and all I hear are negative messages
around, "It will not work, it cannot be done." The engineering
diploma has been over-subscribed, so there is a desire to do it.
There is an opportunity for students going through the diploma
to get some proper work placements so they can understand the
context of their learning much stronger than they can with the
education system. What I feel they need to do now is to stop the
people with the negative messages, those people like the experts
in the education system, saying, "I know best." I am
sorry; I do not think they do. We need the education system to
supply students that are going to impact on the core activity
of the power sector. Therefore, it is an economic objective as
well as a learning objective. You can see, I am quite passionate
about this one. We have to make this work. I do not think there
is an option, we just have to make this work, but if it can be
done better, we will do that, clearly.
Q143 Chairman: A note of passion
is a good spot to end, I think, Mr Balcon. Thank you very much
for your evidence. We much appreciate it.
Mr Balcon: Thank you very much.
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