Paul Offord | FE Week

Halfon: Careers advice at colleges ‘state of the art’ but schools not good enough

The skills and apprenticeships minster has hailed the “state of the art” careers advice that colleges deliver, but called on schools to “do more” as he looks ahead to unveiling the government’s ‘comprehensive careers strategy’. Robert Halfon told an audience of education professionals at Westminster Academy today that careers guidance would play a “significant part” in […]

Halfon puts lifelong learning back in the spotlight

Lifelong learning is firmly back on the government’s agenda, according to the skills and apprenticeships minister Robert Halfon, who says the government’s new industrial strategy includes provisions for adult education. The green paper released on January 23 acknowledged a “growing challenge” with training for older people, and committed to exploring “ambitious new approaches to encouraging […]

Introducing the Institute for Apprenticeships board members

The government has finally announced the eight Institute for Apprenticeships board members (listed below), with the chair to be confirmed at a later date. This will come as a relief to the sector after FE Week’s front page last week reported concern that the government remained silent on board members and other permanent leadership posts, under […]

Digital Apprenticeship Service will go live in February

The new Digital Apprenticeship Service is ploughing ahead, and all levy-paying employers will be able to register next month. Having been given a thorough “private beta assessment” by the Government Digital Service, the online service, which lets levy-payers access their accounts and make payments online, has been cleared for use, the Department for Education has […]

SFA forced to delay publication of 2015/16 achievement rates as “technical issues” ongoing

Qualifications achievement rates data for 2015/16 will not appear in tomorrow’s FE statistical first release because of “technical issues”, the Skills Funding Agency has revealed. The SFA announced last month that it would “shortly publish provisional 2015 to 2016 qualification achievement rates and minimum standards” covering apprenticeships and education and training. It added: “We aim […]

Breaking: Industrial strategy green paper explains plan for Institutes of Technology ‘in all areas’

The government’s new industrial strategy green paper has fleshed out what it expects from a “prestigious” new network of Institutes of Technology, set to be handed £170 million to improve higher-level technical education nationwide. The government first announced plans for the institutes in July 2015, then again through its Post-16 Skills Plan in July. The Prime Minister’s […]

DfE advertises for over 100 paid advisors to help with Sainsbury reforms

A job advert for more than 100 panel members to help develop new technical qualifications has been posted for the Department for Education, with payments expected to top half a million pounds. It explained the DfE is seeking experienced industry professionals who would like to help shape the “future technical education system”, as set out by Lord […]

It’s official: public sector apprenticeships target set at 2.3 per cent

The government has confirmed that at least 2.3 per cent of the workforce in public sector bodies in England will have to be apprentices, in a move requiring that 200,000 more will have to be recruited by 2020. The target was provisionally aired a year ago, as part of a consultation on how large a […]

Over 60 MPs call on minister to commit to adult education resurgence

More than 60 MPs have written to the apprenticeships and skills minister, backing a campaign in support of a return to widespread ‘night schools’ and demanding more government commitment to adult education. The signatories, who included Angela Rayner, shadow education secretary, and Gordon Marsden, shadow skills minister, warned Mr Halfon of a “gaping skills gap” […]