FE Week Reporter | FE Week

Number of Neets falls — but England still behind European neighbours, warns thinktank

The number of young people not in education, employment or training (Neet) fell in the first three months of 2014 — but England is still playing catch-up to its European neighbours, a thinktank has warned. Official figures out today show that 13.5 per cent (975,000) of England’s 16 to 24-year-olds were considered Neet for January to […]

Learndirect could get £100m flotation

Learndirect could be in line for a £100m flotation, it has been reported. According to Education Investor magazine, the training provider’s owner, Lloyds Development Capital (LDC), has appointed Numis Securities to advise on the listing. Neither Learndirect nor LDC, part of the Lloyds Banking Group, would deny the rumour when pressed by FE Week, but both […]

Twitter row principal calls off CEO move

A Hampshire principal caught up in a Twitter row in which BBC presenter Jeremy Clarkson was labelled a c*** has called off his move to become a chief executive. Anthony Bravo (pictured above) was signed up to leave Basingstoke College of Technology (BCoT) for the job at Bradford College Group but, less than a fortnight […]

Government announces traineeships in future could take less than three weeks

The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) has confirmed to FE Week that the traineeship minimum duration rule of six weeks has been scrapped. In new joint guidance from BIS and the Department for Education out today and due to come into force for new starts from August, the rule has been replaced with an […]

Baker in ‘no Neets’ plea as youth job hopes take centre stage

The number of jobless young people is as its lowest level in five years, but at the Youth Employment Convention it was a pressing issue that was still very much on the agenda. The latest statistics show the number of 16 to 24-year-olds not in employment, education or training (Neet) fell by 48,000 to 868,000 […]

A new conversation between colleges and employers — next steps

It’s time for colleges to “acknowledge publicly that their primary purpose is their contribution to the economy,” believes Lynne Sedgmore. Skills Minister Matthew Hancock officially launched our paper, A New Conversation, written together with our partners at the UK Commission for Employment and Skills and the Gazelle Group, on Tuesday, May 13. This timely paper, […]

Edition 103: Sue Husband, Gary Headland and John Allen

The new Skills Funding Agency director of apprenticeships and delivery service has taken up her post. Former McDonalds UK education boss Sue Husband started in her new role on Tuesday (May 12), with FE Week having exclusively revealed the move three months ago. Her agency duties include providing expert advice and support to Local Enterprise […]

Facing up to the corporate challenge in the classroom and the boardroom

The challenge facing young people is the same as the one facing college principals — develop your skills and your offer if you want to survive, explains Signe Sutherland. The entrepreneurial mindset has become a necessity for the next generation workforce, faced with an unprecedentedly challenging and volatile employment market. It is no different for […]

Taking a new, entrepreneurial view of employers

The role of FE colleges is changing, explains Sharron Robbie. Viewing businesses as customers, stakeholders and strategic partners is key, she says. Recently, we’ve seen a real change in the way FE colleges connect and engage with employers. There has been a major shift from the traditional, transactional attitude to a more strategic, partnership-focused approach. […]