Author: FE Week Reporter

What does FE professionalism look like? How should it be achieved? And how should FE professionals make their voices heard? These were questions fuelling debate at the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL) FE conference, entitled Vocationalism is Professionalism, on Friday in Paddington, West London. The thorny issue of a professional membership body for FE […]

Ofqual FE chief Jeremy Benson hailed plans for an apprenticeship levy an “extraordinary concession” by the Treasury and said it would provide “momentum” for the programme’s 3m starts target by 2020. Mr Benson, Ofqual executive director for vocational qualifications, spoke about the large employer levy at an Education Reform Summit, in London, organised by The Education Foundation, on […]

The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) today restated its concerns over plans for an apprenticeship levy on large businesses as it called for existing reforms to “speed up”. The CBI and Pearson have published the result of their education and skills survey of 310 companies, which reveals that 81 per cent of respondents felt reforms […]

The Treasury’s productivity plan proposes converting colleges into Institutes of Technology, moving away from the per-qualification funding system for adult learning and further devolution of skills matters to regions. Here, FE Week brings you the sector’s response.   Dr Mary Bousted, general secretary, Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL) “It is worrying that the government […]

The Treasury this morning published its eagerly-awaited productivity plan. Here, FE Week examines the main headlines for the FE and skills sector. Apprenticeship levy Announced by Chancellor George Osborne during his emergency summer budget on Wednesday, the apprenticeship levy has already divided opinion in the sector. The productivity plan expands on the rationale behind the policy, […]

Former Whitehall FE and skills chief Dr Sue Pember has backed Chancellor George Osborne’s “brave” apprenticeships levy plan for large businesses. Dr Pember (pictured above) outlined her views in an exclusive FE Week webinar yesterday on how Wednesday’s budget announcements would affect FE. “The announcement on apprenticeship levies was very brave and something that should have happened […]

The country’s most outstanding BTec learners and providers were celebrated in the plush setting of London’s Royal Horticultural Halls. Comedian Rob Beckett hosted Pearson’s national BTec Awards 2015 on Tuesday with an audience of around 150 guests. Attendees included the winners and their nominees, family members, lecturers, college principals and other stakeholders including Lady Garden of Frognal, and […]

Careers advice, the government’s 3m apprenticeship target and impact of the FE funding cuts were at the top of list for the House of Lords social mobility committee in inaugural hearing. The committee, chaired by Lady Corston (pictured above), was set up to investigate the transition between school and work, and what happens to young […]

The government is set to embark on its fifth review of apprenticeships in just four years after plans for a levy on large businesses to fund growth were announced in the summer Budget. The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) confirmed it would run a consultation on its plans for the levy before announcing […]