He pointed to a surge in support for Diplomas since his predecessor warned they could "go horribly wrong".
But academics have warned students will struggle to win get at university as the new Diplomas are not hard enough.
Mr Balls said it would be crucial to see how many pupils choose to study the Diplomas, which combine theory with work experience, and whether universities and employers opened their doors to those who do.
The first 36,000 14-19 yearolds are set to begin studying the Diploma courses in engineering and four other subjects next year.
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