The new government diplomas being hailed as the qualification of choice by Children’s Secretary Ed Balls have been criticised for not preparing students for the working world.

Recruitment specialist, Resourcing Solutions, has commented that the five diplomas, including construction and engineering, due to be rolled out in September are 'ludicrous' and do not have the backing of other educational establishments including top class universities.

"It is essential for students to have experienced the practical side of the industry so what is the point in having these diplomas when they don’t even take students into the field," said Richard Lawrance, managing director of Resourcing Solutions.

"By allowing pupils to pass their diploma with work experience in a shop for example and not even remotely relevant will be totally detrimental for the industry."

Under the new diploma system, students will have little practical experience, and with some universities considering introducing entrance exams, the concern is that students opting for diplomas will not be at the same academic level as those choosing other qualifications such as A Levels.

"The government have made another huge mistake," added Lawrance. "We need to take a stand as there is already a skills shortage in the construction and engineering industry and with pupils not even having the right qualifications to carry out the roles, we are going to face great problems in the future," he said.