Cabinet minister calls for "practical" education
Cabinet minister Ed Balls visited East London to check on the process of diplomas offering "real world skills" to future professionals.
The schools secretary arrived at the Half Moon Young People's Theatre to meet students and teachers, who are testing the new hands-on "practical" courses.
He said: "We're going to be going through a difficult time. But even in this difficult time we're going to have high levels of employment and people entering new jobs.
"It's important we give young people skills and qualifications so they're ready for work in around five years time.
"The right thing to do is to keep investing in skills for the future."
Selected schools and colleges in Tower Hamlets and Southwark have been running courses since September, offering core subjects such as maths and English while allowing youths to gain work experience in fields such as construction, engineering and IT.
Diplomas in hair and beauty, hospitality and business will follow this September, and courses should be available to all 14 to 19 year olds by 2013.
Half Moon is hosting students from Southwark College, who have been challenged to write, market and perform their own show in two weeks. It will be shown on January 15 and 16.
Southwark College's Habeeb Gbajabiamila, 16, said: "We're getting a feeling of how everything works and how a play is produced.
"It's not just about the actor. It's also about the director, the marketing and the industry."
For more information, go to www.direct.gov.uk/diplomas
See this week's Wharf for a full report.
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