FE Week Reporter | FE Week

Cornwall College go wild for new £300k training kitchen

A new generation of chefs from South East Cornwall and Plymouth donned their whites for the first ever practical lesson in Cornwall College Saltash’s brand new £300,000 industry standard training kitchen. The state-of-the-art facilities will be used to train full-time post-16 students, 14-16 year olds from local schools, and apprentices in Professional Cookery qualifications. Chef […]

Youth unemployment ‘never’ higher

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) have published the September edition of their Labour Market Statistics, and the summary table of statistics says that youth unemployment has “never” been higher (click here to download). The ONS Statistic Bulletin published 14 September reads: “The unemployment rate for 16 to 24 year olds was 20.8 per cent […]

Social media in FE: Facebook

Like any other company, business or organisation FE colleges are open to as much reputation tarnishing as any other brand. However by managing your social media presence and using Facebook as part of your social marketing strategy, you can start to engage with your audience and realise that social networking isn’t just about the number […]

Will 12 week apprentices ever be derailed?

Train’d Up is the latest provider to be advertsing 12 week apprenticeships. The Skills Funding Agency has allocated Train’d Up £585,542 to deliver apprenticeships in 2011/12. The company website (see below) advertises City & Guilds Railway Engineering NVQ Level 2 Apprenticeship, promising learners “£100 per week for 12 weeks.” FE Week has spoken and written […]

Understanding the Further Education Loans consultation

It won’t be easy. It’s at best confusing and contradictory, and at worst – morally deficient. As part of the government’s further education reform program, they have made the decision to begin charging over 24s for their first Level 3 qualifications (A level equivalents). They soon realised that some people who don’t have these qualifications […]

Frank McLoughlin, principal, City and Islington College

By his own admission, Frank McLoughlin wasn’t a particularly academic child. “I can remember this old nun putting her hand on my head and saying to my mum ‘Francie isn’t very clever, not like his brother.’ “And I was thinking ‘My God – I am standing here, you know.’” But growing up in Harlesden in […]

DfE considers first four 16-19 free schools

It has emerged that four 16-19 Free Schools have been proposed. Last May the Department for Education (DfE) announced it would consider applications from people who want to set up age 16-19 Free Schools. According to House of Commons Hansard 13 Sept 2011, Labour’s MP for Scunthorpe Nic Dakin, asked Schools Minister, Nick Gibb if […]

SFA to take personal assets from directors of fraudulent providers

The Skills Funding Agency (SFA) has new powers allowing them to take personal assets which belong to the directors and senior management of fraudulent, unproven providers. A spokesperson from the SFA told FE Week: “Contracts between the Chief Executive of Skills Funding and lead providers, which started on the 1 August 2011, contain a clause […]

FE Week launch

The FE Week team, left to right: Claire Harrison; Tashanna Egbochue; Ruth Sparkes (EMPRA); Shane Mann; Claire Edwards; Nick Reinis; Nick Linford; Nick Summers; Jan Murray (freelance). FE Week launched with a packed out party at St Stephen’s Tavern in Westminster, on Tuesday night. College principals, MPs and members of the press filled the first […]