Core Skills, Key Skills and General Culture: In Search of the Common Foundation in Vocational Education

The concept of core skills has become central to all policy details around post-16 education and training. Core skills are seen as the essential foundation for further education and training, as well as providing a catalyst for other desirable curriculum and qualification reforms- such as the integration of academic and vocational learning. However, they have not lived up to their promise. The article argues that core skills are an ineffective surrogate for general education and culture in vocational programmes.