FE Week Reporter | FE Week

Marlena is student hairdresser of the year

Stoke on Trent College learner Marlena Luczak has been named Student Hairdresser of the Year at the 2014 British Hairdressing Awards. The 28-year-old level two hairdressing student was one of thousands of learners from FE providers and commercial salons who entered the competition by submitting four photos of a hairstyle created on a model. The […]

Photography learners show faith in model chaplain

Photography learners showed faith in a heavily tattooed college chaplain they used as a model for a series of striking pictures for their course portfolios. Rob Popejoy, aged 30, who is an Anglican Christian, is a multi-faith chaplain at City of Bath College. Level three photography student Fen Petch-Eades, aged 17, recently took photos of […]

Looking out for apprentices during administration

With around 900 apprentices left uncertain of their future following the administration of Phones 4U, Jane Byford considers the legal position for learners, and also providers, in such a situation. Although the economy is recovering and most businesses are gradually making their way out of the recession, the risk of going into administration still remains, […]

Edition 115: Lisa O’Loughlin, Jack Carney and Mike Cladingbowl

The Manchester College is set for a new principal next month. Lisa O’Loughlin takes over from Jack Carney having joined the college in July last year as a vice principal, from Blackburn College, where she was deputy principal. She starts in the post from November 1 and will work alongside Mr Carney until his retirement […]

There’s always time for a career review

Niace is calling for adults to have an entitlement to career reviews, not just in mid-life but at other points in their lives, including returning to work from maternity leave, long-term sick leave and caring responsibilities. David Hughes explains why. Why, when most of us will now work for 50 or more years, do we […]

Reform warning as apprenticeships plummet

Apprenticeship funding reforms have been thrust back into the spotlight after government figures indicated the programme was heading for the second consecutive annual drop in the number of starts. Provisional data shows that in 2013/14 the number of all-age apprenticeship starts was 432,400, a 13 per cent fall from the comparable figures for 2012/13. Although […]

Ofqual accreditation plan ‘not as straightforward as it sounds’

Jim Proudfoot looks at Ofqual plans for accreditation requirements. In order for a qualification to be offered in England it must have been accepted onto the Register of Regulated Qualifications to show that it is of a required standard and fit for purpose. Until now all these qualifications have had an “accreditation requirement”. This means […]

Jean Kelly, chief executive, Institute for Learning

As the Institute for Learning (IfL) enters the last few weeks of its existence, Dr Jean Kelly’s mood is a mixture of sadness and demob happiness. Her desk in the open plan offices the IfL shares with dozens of other third sector organisations near Old Street is surrounded by boxes as all 14 members of […]

Adult skills budget going on ‘wrong sort of IT’

Further education colleges have a vital role to play in bringing digital skills qualifications up to date to boost computer literacy, a group of Lords has heard. The House of Lords digital skills committee heard the adult skills budget (ASB) was being spent on the “wrong sort of IT” from a panel of expert witnesses […]