FE Week Reporter | FE Week

Skills Minister admits to ‘nerves’ over making employers cough up for apprenticeships

Skills Minister Nick Boles has admitted to being “nervous” about proposed employer cash contributions towards apprenticeship training costs. Addressing the Association of Employment and Learning Providers (AELP) autumn conference in Birmingham last week, Mr Boles acknowledged employers already contributed to their apprenticeship programmes in “a million ways”. And he said he was still considering whether […]

Second academic issues guidance criticism

Further education sector bodies have called for action after another academic criticised careers advice in England. In a report written for the Sutton Trust, Professor Tristram Hooley of the University of Derby described statutory guidance issued by the government on careers advice as “weak” and called for the role of the National Careers Service (NCS) […]

‘Light-bulb moments’ figure in final IfL survey

The results of the final Institute for Learning (IfL) survey of teachers and trainers in FE and skills are presented by Shane Chowen, IfL policy officer (communications and research). It has been a privilege to work for FE teachers and trainers as the IfL’s policy officer for the last three years. My policy colleague Rachel Cooke […]

WorldSkills wins £18m BIS boost

The government has pledged to continue funding the Skills Show, skills competitions and the UK’s entry to WorldSkills for another two years. The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) promised £18m for Find a Future, which organises the Skills Show and WorldSkills, spread over 2015-16 and 2016-17. From April, the funding will be routed […]

QCF ‘needs fixing, not ditching’

Ofqual has been urged not to “throw the baby out with the bathwater” after its boss hinted the Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF) could be scrapped. Federation of Awarding Bodies (FAB) chief executive Stephen Wright said he would like to see the brand and good elements of the QCF retained after Ofqual chief executive Glenys […]

Apprentice group campaigns on childcare

The National Society of Apprentices (NSOA) has called for a childcare funding scheme that hands out up to £8,400 a-year to young adults in FE extended to apprentices. The group — launched by the National Union of Students (NUS) in March, as reported at the time by FE Week (pictured) — gathered views from 50 […]

Study programmes

Click here to download the supplement Study programmes have had more than a year to bed down now and so it’s a fair time to reflect on what effect they’re having on the FE and skills sector. While a work experience element is included in the study programme ‘package,’ the most notable component is that […]

Lambeth strike vote shelved to consider ‘new offer’

A ballot that could have led to renewed industrial action at Lambeth College has been suspended to allow union members to consider a “new” offer, FE Week can reveal. University and College Union (UCU) members walked out for five weeks from June 3 in a dispute over new staff contracts introduced on April 1, which […]

Trial over a4e seven accused of fraud offences under way

The trial of seven people charged with fraud-related offences after allegedly ripping off the taxpayer at welfare-to-work provider A4e is under way at Reading Crown Court. Ex-A4e recruiters Hayley Faye Wilson, Matthew Hannigan-Train, Sarah Hawkins, Serge Wyett, Yasmin Ahmad and former account managers Ines Cano-Uribe and Zabar Mehmood Khalil all pleaded not guilty when the […]