Skillsmart Retail has warned retail companies not to rush into offering nationally recognised qualifications through its training programmes, as McDonald's announced it is doing this week.

The restaurant chain, along with Network Rail and Flybe, have all been given Awarding Body status by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority, meaning they can offer training that is equivalent to GCSE, A level and degree level in some cases.

But Skillsmart Retail believes firms should approach with caution. "This is an important part of raising skill levels and we welcome moves to support this," says Beverley Paddey, head of standards and qualifications at Skillsmart Retail. "However, setting up an award body does have serious implications including being open to external scrutiny. We encourage retailers to think about the range of options available."

The Government says the move will help recognise the value of company training, and the CBI is backing the changes too, calling them a significant milestone on the road to reforming qualifications so that they better reflect the skills and competencies employers need.

McDonalds will pilot a basic shift managers course, while Flybe will pilot an airline trainer programme. Network Rail will offer its staff qualifications in track engineering.

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