Alix Robertson | FE Week

Parliamentary debate approved on ‘totally unacceptable’ apprenticeship cuts

A parliamentary debate on the drastic funding cuts to apprenticeships proposed by the government and exposed by FE Week has been approved by the Backbench Business Committee. David Lammy MP put his case for the debate to the committee on October 11, in a move that gives a significant boost to FE Week’s #SaveOurApprenticeships campaign against the cuts. He called for […]

Halfon calls UTCs “incredible” despite one in 10 already shut

Apprenticeships and skills minister Robert Halfon has dubbed the University Technical College programme “excellent”, despite ten per cent of the 14 to 19 institutions closing just six years since they were first introduced. In his first major speech in his current role, Mr Halfon told the audience of the Edge Foundation Annual lecture: “I actually […]

Marsden survives Labour party reshuffle

The “indefatigable” shadow minister for higher education, FE and skills has kept his post, following a Labour party reshuffle. Gordon Marsden has held onto the role since September 2015, when he moved over from the transport department, and was praised by Jeremy Corbyn during an exclusive interview with FE Week back in February. The Labour […]

First two national colleges open their doors to students

The first two of five planned new government-backed national colleges have opened their doors to students, after £80 million was allocated by the government for their development. Apprenticeships and skills minister Robert Halfon was guest of honour at Tuesday’s official opening ceremony for the National College for Digital Skills, in Tottenham Hale. A spokesperson said […]

Employers more satisfied with private training providers than colleges

Private training providers will be patting themselves on the back this week, following Skills Funding Agency research that revealed they are significantly more popular with employers than general FE colleges. Training providers scored a massive 83.9 per cent for employer satisfaction according to the results of the latest SFA employer satisfaction survey, while colleges’ rating […]

The unstoppable rise of management apprenticeships

Management is now the third most popular apprenticeship subject, and analysis by FE Week suggests it will rocket to the top spot once the apprenticeship levy kicks in next year. A huge 83 per cent of all 25+ higher apprenticeship frameworks are currently in management, according to the latest Department for Education data. And the […]

Fairness fears over college apprenticeship groups

Industry insiders fear that new apprenticeship college training groups could unfairly distort the market and divert government cash away from frontline education services. Groups of colleges banding together to set up bodies to help broker joint deals with local employers to encourage them to take on apprentices, prompted Mark Dawe (pictured), the boss of the […]

Council forces students with special needs to pay over £600 in travel costs

One council’s controversial decision to make families of students with disabilities or special needs to pay for college transport costs has come under fire from an autism charity and the National Union of Students. Sunderland City Council started charging families £600 per academic year to transport each post-16 student with educational needs or disabilities (SEND) […]

Conservatives talk big on skills agenda ahead of Budget

Ministers were in fine voice on skills at the Conservative Party conference this week, but the FE sector must now wait to find out if the lip service they paid will translate into extra financial support. Skills were at the top of the agenda at the event in Birmingham, and featured in the speeches of numerous party heavyweights including education secretary Justine Greening, […]