Commenting after the release of A-level grades for 2012, Caroline Williams CEO Norfolk Chamber of Commerce said, said:
“We offer our congratulations to Norfolk students who have achieved their goals at A-level.
“Business will welcome the fact that the constant grade inflation seen in previous years has finally been constrained. Companies tell us that they have had a hard time assessing the skills and abilities of job candidates with A-level passes, to the point that only 29% of businesses surveyed in 2011 felt very or fairly confident in hiring a school-leaver with A-level qualifications. An end to grade inflation will improve business confidence in the qualifications achieved by young people.
Business will welcome the fact that the constant grade inflation seen in previous years has finally been constrained
“Yet it’s not all about A-levels and university. With university tuition fees rising and many young people looking for alternatives to higher education, business wants to see more media attention and investment in further education and vocational training.. Norfolk businesses including smaller businesses have a real opportunity to take advantage of the new apprenticeship schemes available to them to ‘train their own’. Norfolk Chamber have recently taken on 2 higher level apprentices and they are very quickly adding real value to the business at the same time as they are gaining valuable work experience.
“From September, schools will have a new duty to secure independent careers advice for students but they do need the business community to work with them to ensure the information is up-to-date and relevant to our long term needs.. Norfolk Chamber members are committed to work closely with the education sector to ensure that vocational options, including apprenticeships, are given as much attention as the option of going to university.”
