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14 April 2026

Author: Jessica Hill

Investigation: Why care training is in crisis, and the solutions are falling short

The social care system is at breaking point with more than 165,000 vacancies. The government wants more apprentices to fill the gaps but, as Jessica Hill reports, it’s a tough market for providers The severely disabled man who has no one to cook him dinner. The daughter who can’t get respite from her father’s dementia. […]

Neil Bentley-Gockmann, WorldSkills UK

Neil Bentley-Gockmann is extremely proud of pivoting the focus of WorldSkills UK’s from one big showstopping annual competition event to loftier ambitions around “tackling vocational snobbery”. But he still misses the buzz the big national skills competition final used to give him in the pre-pandemic years. Bentley-Gockmann, who is stepping down as chief executive at […]

Multiply – The maths scheme that doesn’t yet add up

The flagship Multiply programme, aimed at adults with poor numeracy skills, is failing to attract learners, reports Jessica Hill. She looks at a £559 million scheme hampered by complicated funding and red tape Actress Denise Welch was “that scared” of maths at school, she used to throw up before classes. The former star of Coronation Street […]

The ‘painfully shy’ kid who became deputy principal

Those who work in FE often hold a special place in their heart for the sector. None more so than Claire Heywood, who has spent her entire 30-year learning and professional career at the Heart of Worcestershire College (HoW). For her, it is far more than just a workplace. The deputy principal believes the FE […]

ETF chief executive Katerina Kolyva

The Education and Training Foundation’s new chief executive Katerina Kolyva has taken the helm at a “pivotal moment”, guiding it to the future from turbulent times of late. Kolyva, who joined the charity last month, knows it can no longer rely on clinching automatic government contracts. Her mission is not an easy one; she has […]

Demand for student support soars as the cost of living crisis bites

Josh was a talented bricklaying student with dreams of running his own building firm. Then his mother lost one of her part-time jobs, forcing them to request financial support from his school, Hartlepool College of Further Education. Josh – not his real name – got a part-time cash-in-hand job and, after his attendance started waning […]

CEO’s mission to make AI a force for good in classrooms

Priya Lakhani, founder of one of the world’s biggest AI EdTech companies, is at pains to express how many of her glowing achievements have been driven by a strong moral conviction to make the world a better place. This is important for her, not only because she sits on the government’s AI Council and her […]

Red tape and cost pressures leave firms struggling to offer T Level work placements

Work placements are the most critical element of a T Level qualification, but employers are put off from offering them by health and safety concerns, time pressures, bureaucratic hurdles and cost fears. While the mandatory 45-day or 315-hour industry placement is regarded as the main reason why students should sign up for T Levels, colleges […]