Skip to content
25 April 2026

Author: Expert Contributor

SPONSORED: Formula 1 linked STEM challenge kickstarts engineering careers

Three boys from deep in the Kent countryside stood on a stage on turn 1 of the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi just days before Formula 1 cars skidded and smoked around the corner at the last race of the F1 season. The boys, ‘Evolve UK’ were crowned F1 in Schools World Champions in […]

It’s time to take on the subcontracting profiteers

Subcontractors account for more than 10 per cent of ESFA funding. They need overseeing properly, says Simon Ashworth It was good to see the ESFA’s Peter Mucklow in edition 306 of FE Week confirming government recognition that subcontracting plays an important role and that there will be not be a complete ban on it. Some […]

The levy: change should be evolutionary – not revolutionary

As an employer of apprentices that has made full use of the levy, I have sometimes found it difficult to understand why more levy-paying businesses haven’t taken advantage of the levy reforms, says Sharon Blyfield Towards the end of last summer, the number of registrations on the apprenticeship service suddenly jumped to nearly 20,000, which […]

To be critical of colleges for running the courses learners want is bizarre

Blaming colleges for simply recruiting students to course subjects they want to study is weird and not the solution to the problem of matching skills to the economy, says Adrian Perry After years of cuts, FE is getting mentioned in government education briefings and House of Commons debates. This is good news, but it brings […]

Hosting WorldSkills 2027 would have far-reaching benefits for the whole UK

Everyone should support efforts to host the WorldSkills international competition, says college leader and former psychologist to Team UK, Jo Maher, because the benefits to UK plc are far-reaching and promote economic growth My role as psychologist and team leader for WorldSkills Team UK meant that I was lucky enough to attend five international skills […]

SPONSORED: Supporting Line Managers To Transform Apprenticeship Delivery

Line managers are crucial to successful learning and development. It doesn’t matter how much money an organisation spends on giving employees opportunities to increase their knowledge and improve their skills, if line managers don’t then give employees the opportunity to use those new capabilities in their day-to-day work, it’s money and time wasted. Learning doesn’t […]

SPONSORED: Are your learners leaving education with the skills employers look for?

What do employers really want? – it’s an age old question with a seemingly endless list of possible responses and accompanying challenges. Problem solving? Motivation? Resilience? Confidence? Literacy and numeracy? Digital skills? All of the above? When we simplify it down, employers – no matter what industry they operate in – are looking for talent. […]

Manifestos give little hope SEND reform will deliver

With the General Election nearly upon us, Natspec’s Clare Howard has been assessing the three main parties’ promises as they battle to gain or remain in power The Education Select Committee’s October report scrutinising the 2014 reforms to Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) referred to “a treacle of bureaucracy… conflict… and despair”. So will […]