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On file: your achievements from cradle to grave

The Government is to consider compiling an electronic profile of everyone's education and experience. Judith Judd and Ben Russell report

Judith Judd,Ben Russell
Thursday 02 April 1998 00:02 BST
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WHAT would be on the electronic curriculum vitae for every individual proposed in a report commissioned by the Government?

Plans will be unveiled at a conference today, sponsored by The Independent and the Independent on Sunday, for a scheme enabling personal education and eventually employment profiles to be built up, underpining Labour's promise to promote lifelong learning. The report prepared by Tony Higgins, chief executive of the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service, will suggest that the new profiles would include examination results at least from the age of 16, such as GCSEs, A-levels, vocational qualifications, degrees, MBAs and work-related qualifications.

The profiles would also show whether people had acquired "key skills" such as numeracy, literacy and information technology. Music grades, sporting triumphs and community service might also be there along with positions of responsibility and work experience. Eventually, test results and achievements from the time of starting nursery school might be included, as well as an individual's employment record.

The report is a feasibility study and many details have yet to be considered. Would it include personal references and statements from university applicants? Qualifications would be put in automatically by awarding bodies, but would it be up to individuals to update other parts of their profiles throughout their lives?

Right, we suggest how the profiles of some well-known figures might look.

Name: Tony Blair.

Age: 46

Present position: Prime Minister and Labour Party Leader.

Education: Durham Choristers School. Third in the first-year exam.

Fettes College, Edinburgh. A-levels: English, French, History

Conservative candidate in mock election.

St John's College, Oxford 1972-75 Law degree.

Work experience: Called to the Bar, Lincoln's Inn, 1976.

Practised as barrister 1976-83, specialising in employment and industrial law.

Labour MP for Sedgefield 1983. Shadow Treasury Affairs Minister 1985 ... Elected Labour Party leader and Leader of the Opposition 1994.

Prime Minister 1997.

Other achievements: Durham Choristers School. 1965-66 Scott Cup for best rugby player.

1967 Captain of Junior Colts Cricket Team

1967 Formed drama group called The Pseuds

Six months' work experience in Paris.

Name: Ann Gloag

Age: 55

Present position: Group managing director, Stagecoach Holdings Plc

Education: Caledonian Road Primary School.

Perth High School.

No O-levels

Work experience: 1960-65 Trainee nurse, Bridge of Earn Hospital, Perth.

1965-69 Ward sister, Devonshire Royal Hospital, Buxton.

1969-80 Founding partner, Gloagtrotter. Re-named Stagecoach Express Services

1980-83 Co-director, Stagecoach Ltd.

Other achievements: Scottish Marketing Woman of the Year, 1989

United Kingdom Businesswoman of the Year, 1989-90

Name: Richard Branson

Age: 47

Present position: Chairman and Chief Executive Virgin Management, Virgin Retail Group, Virgin Communications, Virgin Holdings. Life president Virgin Music.

Education: Scaitcliffe Primary School, Berkshire, 1958-64

Stowe School, 1964-67

Five O-levels; A-level in Ancient history.

Work experience: Established student magazine while at school.

1970 Founded mail-order Virgin record service

1971 Opened first Virgin record shop ... 1984 Founded Virgin Atlantic Airways

Other achievements:

Holder of the Blue Riband Trophy for the fastest sea crossing of the Atlantic 1986

World record crossings of Atlantic by balloon 1987 and 1991.

Honorary Professor of Economics, Miyazaki Sangyo Keiei University, Japan.

Honorary Japanese citizen.

Name: Jill Dando

Age: 36

Present position: Newsreader and broadcaster

Education: Worle School, Weston-super-Mare.

Broadoak School, Weston-super-Mare

Two A-levels.

National Council for the Training of Journalists certificate 1982

Work experience: 1980-85 Reporter, Weston Mercury.

1985-87 Reporter/presenter for BBC Radio Devon

1988 Presenter, BBC South West.

1988- Presenter, BBC News. Also Holiday programme. Crimewatch UK, Summer Holiday, Songs of Praise

Other achievements: Weston Amateur Dramatic Society

1995 National Federation of Hairdressers Head of the Year.

Works to promote heart charities.

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