Databases and classifications

Ward Educational Consulting has experience of working with databases for vocational education and training, including their development and maintenance, interpretation of the resulting data and use of classification systems.

Examples of projects undertaken:

· Pilot study on Evaluating the Responsiveness of VQs (Vocational Qualifications) (QCA for the VQ Remit organisations, 2004), with follow up work on specific data issues (QCA 2005)

· Contribution to further follow up on Indicators of VQ Responsiveness by categorising qualifications as ‘vocational’ or ‘other’ (As subcontractor to RCU Ltd for QCA, 2005)

· Contributor to project to analyse available data on post-16 provision of education and training in Bedfordshire and Luton (Vocational Technologies Ltd for Bedfordshire and Luton LSC, 2003-04, building on similar project undertaken with GES, 2002)

And (during employment with Guildford Educational Services Ltd):

· Project to analyse available data in post-16 provision of education and training in Bedfordshire and Luton (Bedfordshire and Luton LSC, 2002

· updating of the LSC (formerly FEFC/FEFCW) Qualifications database (four projects, 1995 to 2001)

· Project on converging the statistical and funding data requirements of the Further Education Funding Council for Wales (FEFCW, 1996)

· survey of databases of vocational qualifications in EC member states, followed by exploration of potential for networking these databases, development of prototype and survey of potential users (CEDEFOP, 1992-3)

· National Qualifications Survey to establish feasibility of obtaining data on candidates obtaining vocational qualifications (Employment Department – TEED, 1991); subsequent work (as sub-contractor to NCVQ) on qualifications file for the resulting National Information System for Vocational Qualifications

· management of work to prepare, input and proofread data for the National Council for Vocational Qualifications database

· collection of short course record (SCR) data for FESR survey (Department for Education, 1991-93)

· Participation in first invitational conference on databases for Education and training in Europe (CEDEFOP, 1988) and in subsequent activities of EUDAT (European Association of Databases).