Author: Billy Camden

Media bosses have criticised the “red tape” that surrounds the government’s apprenticeships register, seemingly preventing providers from training journalists. In a letter to skills minister Anne Milton, the Society of Editors raised “serious concerns” over access to apprenticeship levy funds for media outlets. The problem specifically relates to the way the register of apprenticeship training […]

There is a funding imbalance between academic and vocational routes – and the post-18 education review panel is aiming to fix it. Philip Augar (pictured), chair of the group, said a funding disparity “particularly” in the FE sector was a main theme found in the responses to the post-18 review consultation. Addressing delegates on day […]

Almost three quarters of training providers are unhappy with the amount of non-levy apprenticeship funding available, claiming it is “insufficient” to meet demand from small businesses. A new AELP survey, published on the second day of its national conference in London, reveals that the apprenticeship money set aside for SMEs this year is vastly lacking. […]

The results of the early monitoring visits to new apprenticeship providers are “concerning”, Ofsted’s deputy director for FE has said, after a quarter were given ‘insufficient progress’ verdicts. Paul Joyce (pictured) hit out at the newcomers in his speech at the AELP conference today, asserting that apprentices “deserve better than that”. “Our monitoring visits to […]

Issues with the 10-per-cent fee that small businesses must pay when they take on apprentices have been “noted”, but there will be no announcement on a rule change anytime soon, the skills minister has said. There was a lot of anticipation over whether Anne Milton would scrap the fee altogether during her speech at the […]

A new code of governance will be unveiled today at the Association of Employment and Learning Providers’ annual conference. The code, which is still in draft and out for consultation, sets out the principles the AELP believes any independent learning provider should adopt in order to conduct its business in the best interest of its […]

The Institute for Apprenticeships has been told to “get its act together” after it emerged that its panel of apprentices has gone nearly 10 months without actually convening. The panel is made up of current or recent apprentices who are supposed to discuss issues from the learner’s perspective and raise them with the main IfA […]

A private provider has been rated ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted. But there was no cause for celebration at the country’s biggest college group as it was downgraded from ‘good’ to ‘requires improvement’. Weir Training Limited, based in Surrey, was rated grade one across the board as it progressed from its previous ‘good’ ranking. Inspectors lauded directors […]

It was exactly a year ago that we labelled the new skills minister Anne Milton “the fixer”, after she said in her speech to the AELP annual conference that she was motivated “to make it work” rather than introduce “new, bright ideas”. So a year on and just a few days before she delivers her […]