Level 2 beauty & hair students most employable

Beauty and hair courses are amongst those cited as most likely to lead to employment according to research into the curriculum on Level 2 study programmes carried out by Ofsted.

The Level 2 Study Programmes report, published today by Ofsted (21 November 2018), shows that courses in the Service Industries, including Beauty and Hair, were identified by colleges as having ‘greatest chance of progressing to employment in a relevant industry'. 

The results of the report are set to be discussed at the Association of Colleges (AoC) annual conference in Birmingham, where Ofsted's Chief Inspector Amanda Spielman will plea for local employers to help unlock the unrealised potential of young people taking Level 2 study programmes across all sectors.

There are 170,000 young people undertaking Level 2 courses at colleges across the UK. The Level 2 Study Programmes report states that the life-long employability of these learners depends on the ability of teachers to redirect their education into a course that stimulates and motivates them, and which offers the prospect of further study, training or work.

The report raises concerns that some colleges are misleading learners about their prospects of employability post-study. Amanda Spielman says:

“These colleges risk giving false hope to students. It raises the question: are they putting the financial imperative of headcount in the classroom ahead of the best interests of the young people taking up their courses. If so, this isn't acceptable.”

Ofsted will place stronger emphasis on the curriculum in the new Education Inspection Framework, which will take effect in September 2019.