FE Week Reporter | FE Week

Labour leader speaks to college staff and students

Labour Party leader Ed Miliband came in for a grilling from journalism students from Harlow College during a visit. They quizzed him on tuition fees, youth unemployment and how he deals with pressure, among other issues, on Wednesday, November 12. Tom Powter, a 21-year-old learner studying for National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ) […]

Cash boost for award winning entrepreneurs

A team of budding entrepreneurs from Barking & Dagenham College won £5,000 through developing digital business cards that can be shared via an app and online. Animation and IT students Thomas Gill, aged 21, Steven Upton, 19, Phil Newberry, 22, Tony Newberry, 21, scooped first prize in the team section of the Edge Challenge. The […]

Traineeship ‘evolution’ announced as Boles rejects new funding system plan

Plans for a new traineeship funding system, in which providers could be paid based on learner job outcomes for 2015/16, has been rejected by Skills Minister Nick Boles. The government’s eight-week consultation on traineeships considered making progression into apprenticeships, jobs or further learning a funding incentive. Launching the consultation in June, then-Skills Minister Matthew Hancock […]

Bob’s big break in action film with Jude Law

A 20-year-old former City of Liverpool College drama student has co-starred with Jude Law in a Hollywood action movie. Bob Schofield completed an HNC in drama at the college in 2012 and worked in theatre before securing his big break by being cast in the film, called Black Sea, which was directed by Oscar-winning film […]

Getting on their bikes to raise £2.3m for Children in Need

Further education learners John Dunwell and Jessica Davies helped raise £2.3m for Children in Need through a gruelling cycling challenge. They raised the money as part of a team of inspirational young people sponsored to cycle 450-miles from Salford, Manchester, to London, on rickshaw bikes ahead of the main BBC fundraising show hosted by Terry […]

TSS

UK national skills champions crowned at the Skills Show 2014

The Skills Show 2014 ended tonight with a celebration of the UK’s most skilled apprentices and learner as the winners of the National Skills Competitions were announced. Nearly 600 competitors showed off their skills in 64 competitions at the Birmingham NEC hoping to take home a gold, silver or bronze medal. For those under 21 […]

‘Don’t abandon expensive subjects to balance books,’ FE Commissioner warns

Colleges have been warned against abandoning expensive subjects like science and engineering as they attempt to balance their books. The warning comes from FE Commissioner Dr David Collins in a report on his first year in office. Dr Collins, who took up post in November last year, warns that colleges already in tough financial situations […]

Gazelle founders stand firm amid college withdrawal

Gazelle’s five founder colleges have re-affirmed their commitment to the organisation with the announcement that one college was set to quit the group amid claims it could spend membership fees better elsewhere. Gloucestershire College, which has more than 7,000 learners and dished out around £130,000 in membership fees and staff training costs to Gazelle since […]