Unison: New labour market tsar must protect underpaid apprentices

The government’s new director of labour-market enforcement must protect apprentices from exploitation in the workplace, one of the UK’s largest trade unions has said.

Unison demanded that Sir David Metcalf urgently find a solution to ongoing problems with illegal apprenticeship wages, shortly after he was appointed to the position on 5 January.

The newly created post comes with responsibilities which include protecting both apprentices and lecturers paid below the minimum wage – bringing new hope for better treatment for people across the workplace.

According to the most recent Apprenticeship Pay Survey in 2014, carried out by the now-defunct Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, apprentices aged 16 to 18 were hit hardest by minimum wage non-compliance.

Nearly a quarter were found to be on the wrong pay levels, compared with 20 per cent of 19- to 20-year-olds, 17 per cent of those aged 21 to 24, and eight per cent of those aged 25 or older.

Nearly a quarter were found to be on the wrong pay levels

Overall, 14 per cent of apprentices of all ages and at all levels were paid under the minimum wage and just 26 per cent said they knew what the relevant minimum wage actually was.

Ruth Levin, Unison’s national officer for FE, told FE Week that Sir David needed to do more than just enforce the wage threshold.

“Simply enforcing the minimum wage won’t end the exploitation of vulnerable workers,” she said. “It’s important too that apprentices are not taken advantage of.

“FE staff must also be protected from the widespread and unethical use of zero-hours contracts.”

As the first director of labour market enforcement, Sir David will have to guide employment enforcement bodies in stamping out exploitation, using intelligence to help identify and improve vulnerable areas – including FE.

His work will be accompanied by a £1.7 million government campaign to raise awareness of national minimum and national living wage rates, including those for apprentices and lecturers on zero-hours contracts.

FE Week asked the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy about when the next Apprenticeship Pay Survey would be published to reflect the current situation, but we were told only that it would be published “in due course”.

Shakira Martin, the NUS vice president for FE, told us: “We welcome the creation of a director of labour market enforcement as an opportunity to protect the employment rights of students, young people and apprentices.”

Mark Dawe, the chief executive of the Association of Employment and Learning Providers, said the sector should play its own part in ensuring Sir David’s work is successful, and that providers should explain to employers of apprentices what their contractual obligations are.

We welcome the creation of a director of labour market enforcement as an opportunity to protect the employment rights of students, young people and apprentices

He added: “Conversations will take place between providers and apprentices to make them aware of their rights, and the skills minister issues a standard welcome letter to each apprentice along the same lines.”

In December 2016, apprenticeships and skills minster Robert Halfon released the latest version of the letter that providers are required to send to all new apprentices, which states: “You are entitled to an apprentice minimum wage starting at £3.40 per hour, if you’re under 18 or in your first year, increasing to £5.55 if you’re over 18, and in line with the National Living Wage if you’re over 25 and in your second year.”

Sending this letter has been a requirement since the first one was issued by former skills minister Matthew Hancock in October 2013 – following FE Week’s report which found hundreds of adverts for illegal, underpaying apprenticeships on a government-funded website.

Sir David, who was previously the chairman of the Migration Advisory Committee, will report to the secretaries of state for the Home Office and BEIS.

He declined to comment on specific FE matters, but said: “While the UK is by and large a fair and safe place to work, there are still rogue employers who exploit their workers. This will not go unpunished.”

The creation of his post follows the government’s decision in October to commission Matthew Taylor to conduct an independent review into employment practices to ensure rules are up to date.

Active IQ unveils Level 3 Diplomas in Personal Training for Health, Fitness and Performance

Active IQ, the UK’s leading Ofqual-recognised awarding organisation for the active leisure, learning and wellbeing sector, has launched two Level 3 Diplomas in Personal Training for Health, Fitness and Performance.

Designed with FE Colleges in mind, these truly vocational programmes combine comprehensive theoretical knowledge with practical experience to prepare school leavers to work in the leisure and fitness industry or progress to degree courses.

The Active IQ Level 3 Diploma and extended Diploma in Personal Training for Health, Fitness and Performance are supported by two of the industry’s leading professional bodies – the Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity (CIMSPA) and ukactive.

Combining college study and work experience with local employers, the qualifications ensure that students will enjoy full educational support and group teaching alongside time on the gym floor working with fitness professionals.

 

Two variations are available:

  • The Active IQ Level 3 Diploma in Personal Training for Health, Fitness and Performance is a smaller qualification that can be combined with other Tech Level, Applied General and/or A Level qualifications.
  • The Active IQ Level 3 Extended Diploma in Personal Training for Health, Fitness and Performance is a full time course that includes additional modules to equip students with vocational skills alongside the research skills required for academic study to enable them to access higher education degree programmes.

Both qualifications aim to provide learners with the broad base of knowledge and skills to be able to work in a variety of customer-facing roles within the active leisure industry, including fitness instructing and personal training, as well as being able to access higher education degree programmes.

 

Who could do this qualification?

Learners must be 16+ years old and have basic skills in communication as discussing, presenting, reading and writing are all involved. A degree of physical fitness is also necessary. On achieving the qualification, learners will be capable of progressing to work as a fitness instructor, personal trainer or administrator in the active leisure industry.

 

What will they study?

Study areas include exercise and fitness knowledge, planning and instructing gym sessions, planning and instructing personal training, nutrition, technology in sport and exercise, entrepreneurship, marketing, customer service and managing personal and professional development. Students will learn how to:

  • Develop their understanding of anatomy, physiology and nutrition and how it relates to exercise and fitness.
  • Plan and instruct safe and effective exercise and physical activity sessions.
  • Deliver safe and effective personal training sessions.
  • Deliver exceptional customer service.
  • Manage own personal and professional development.
  • Develop enterprise skills.
  • Market and sell products and services.
  • Understand how technology is used within physical activity, fitness, sport and exercise.

 

What will they study?

A mandatory requirement is access to meaningful employer engagement such as structured work experience or work placements to develop skills and knowledge relevant to the qualification, managing projects set with input from industry practitioners and attending master classes. Employer engagement shows a clear line of sight to work, enriches learning and raises the credibility of the qualification.

 

Advanced study options

The qualification is designed to offer entry to employment; however it also provides the perfect platform for learners to progress on to the following qualifications and/or apprenticeship frameworks:

Level 3 Diploma in Exercise Referral

Level 3 NVQ Diploma in Personal Training

Active IQ Level 3 Diploma in Instructing Pilates Mat Work

Active IQ Level 3 Diploma in Teaching Yoga

Level 3 Diploma in Sports Massage Therapy

Advanced Apprenticeship in Exercise and Fitness

 

Find out more by visiting Activeiq.co.uk, calling 0845 688 1278 or emailing businessdevelopment@activeiq.co.uk.

Alternatively, learners can progress to higher education degree programmes as the qualifications have been nominated for inclusion in the UCAS Tariff For Higher Education for entry from 2018.

Ofsted watch: Poor start to the year for FE colleges

No college inspection report to have been published by the education watchdog since the beginning of the year has resulted in a higher grade.

It’s part of a general downward trend across the general FE, independent learning provider and adult and community learning sectors at the start of 2017.

Ten of the 15 Ofsted reports published between January 1 and 13, based on inspections carried out late 2016, have handed out a lower rating – with only one provider going up (see table below for full details)

Safeguarding concerns were central to Epping Forest College’s drop from grade three to four, while issues with English and maths were among the reasons cited for South Staffordshire College, Preston College and East Berkshire College all falling from grade two to three.

Independent learning provider Expedient Training Services Ltd was handed graded fours across the board, down from its previous grade three.

The Jarrow-based provider was slammed as having “no strengths” in a damning report published January 5.

It was one of three ILPs to have dropped a grade, with the other two going from grade two to three.

A further three adult and community learning services went down from a grade two to a grade three.

Meanwhile, Midlands-based Aspiration Training was the only FE and skills provider to have gone up a grade.

It received grade twos across the board, up from its previous grade three, in a report published today (January 13).

Leaders and managers were praised for “significant improvements” at the training provider since its previous inspection in January 2015.

And four providers – one college, two ILPs and one ACL – held on to their previous grades.

Interestingly three of these were grade twos, but still underwent a full inspection.

Meanwhile, five providers underwent a short inspection, meaning that they were previously good and remain good.

No sixth form college, employer provider or other FE and skills sector reports have been published since January 1.

FE and skills sector Ofsted inspection results published January 1 – 13 2017

 

This is the first of a new weekly FE Week feature, in which we will be summarising the trends in Ofsted reports published over the previous week.

Wave three of area reviews produces four merger proposals

Just five mergers have been proposed in the latest area reviews to have completed – and with one of them already off the cards, parts of the sector are beginning to voice concerns.

Five of the seven wave-three review reports were published by the Department for Education on Tuesday (January 10).

However, the recommendations for the Black Country, Coventry and Warwickshire, Cumbria, Liverpool City Region, and North and Mid-Hampshire reviews revealed just five planned mergers involving 12 colleges.

But this figure is outweighed by the 18 colleges to emerge from the process with no firm recommendations for change.

What’s more, one of the proposed mergers – a link-up between Lakes College and Carlisle College – has already been scrapped.

Janet Clark, the post-16 policy specialist at the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, hit out at the lack of change.

It’s disappointing that all that money has been spent, and all the stress that it’s caused staff, and nothing’s come of it

“It’s disappointing that all that money has been spent, and all the stress that it’s caused staff, and nothing’s come of it,” she said.

Ms Clark said that former FE commissioner Sir David Collins’ prediction last year that the number of colleges would reduce by a third following the reviews “hasn’t happened”, but conceded that “there’s no way of forcing colleges to merge if they don’t want to”.

Governors at Carlisle College have decided to reject the Cumbria review’s preferred merger option, and will instead pick up previous talks with Newcastle-based NCG.

Mark Stanger, chair of governors at Lakes College, described the abandoned merger as “disappointing for all concerned”.

These latest reports follow long delays to 13 reports from the first two area review waves, which were finally published at the end of November.

These reports resulted in just 21 proposed mergers involving 45 colleges – leaving the same number of institutions planning to remain as they were.

Combined with these new reports, it means that just one third – or 57 – of the 167 colleges involved are so far looking to merge following the area review process.

One of the proposals involves a two-stage, four-way merger in Liverpool which will eventually create a super college in Sefton, while the Black Country review unusually did not propose any mergers.

This new wave of releases means that every report into the first three waves has now been published except for the London reviews.

The capital was split into four sub-reviews, two of which were originally part of wave two. These were later put back in order to coincide with the other two reviews in wave three.

A DfE spokesperson said these reports would be published “in due course”.

Halfon denies picture ‘bleak’ for adult education in ‘night school’ debate

The skills minister has denied that the picture of adult education is “bleak”, as Labour MP David Lammy launched his campaign for a “renewed culture of night schools”.

Mr Lammy led an adjournment debate in the House of Commons this afternoon on the future of adult education.

He took the opportunity to call for a return to the traditional concept of “night schools” –  offering widespread part-time evening classes for adults, including mothers wanting to return to work, who want to retrain – either by local authorities or FE colleges.

The former skills minister said during the debate that the UK has a “proud history” of adult education, and looking back to past successes reflected “we need to make sure we don’t lose the legacy of Samuel Morley, John Ruskin and William Morris”.

 “They are helping thousands of modern day Educating Rita’s gain the confidence that they need to flourish,” he added.

But skills minister Robert Halfon (pictured above) said during the parliamentary exchange that the prospects for adult education are not “bleak” and the government is providing funding for the issue.

David Lammy during the adjournment debate on adult education

“Our spending review was better than it has been in recent years for protecting the sector given the funding pressures,” the skills minster said.

“The whole purpose of the technical and Further Education Bill is to expand the role of the Institute for Apprenticeships, including technical education.

“The apprenticeships levy [due for launch in April], taking with it the adult education budget, the apprenticeship funding, and advance learner loans will provide more funding to support adult further education more than any time in our island’s history.”

According to government figures, there are around 1.5 million fewer adults aged 19 or over participating in further education than there were during Mr Lammy’s stint as minister between 2007 and 2008, when the figure stood at 3.75 million – a fall of 38 per cent.

Mr Halfon  accepted that night classes have taken a hit over recent years, and gave the example of Harlow College in his own constituency where “you couldn’t get a car parking space for evening classes” in the 1990s, but can now.

But he added: “Evening classes are still run in 1,380 centres. Yes we need to do a lot more and yes there are problems but it is not completely bleak.”

Mr Lammy and Mr Halfon both admitted that it was both Labour and Conservative governments who were to blame for the decline in adult education.

But Mr Lammy said the current government is “obsessed” with education policy for 16 and 18 year olds but “denies opportunities” to the “already marginalised”.

He believes that too many people are trapped in low-paid work, and that “there is no real prospect of moving up the ladder” for those who “missed out as teenagers”.

Mr Lammy told FE Week afterwards: “I’m very pleased to have had the opportunity to bring this important issue before the House today.

“I know that the minister agrees with me on the importance of adult education but I think that he and the government still have some very difficult questions to answer.”

Plumbing lecturer saves Moldovan primary pupils from sub-zero temperatures

A plumbing lecturer from Suffolk New College has travelled to one of Europe’s poorest countries to help install toilets at a primary school.

Forty-six-year-old Richard Steward was among a team of volunteers who travelled to Moldova to carry out major refurbishment on a local school, which teaches 200 pupils.

Situated in the village of Ivancea, where temperatures plunge well below zero during winter, the school’s outside toilets needed replacing with more suitable indoor facilities.

The volunteers built four toilet blocks in just a week, fitting lavatories, basins, urinals, hot-water cylinders and a septic tank outside. They also distributed shoes and clothes to local families.

There were no hotels in the village so Richard and his fellow volunteers slept in classrooms on blow-up beds, and used a camping shower to wash.

Richard, who has been a plumber for 20 years, said: “Our efforts mean the children now have indoor toilet facilities before the very cold Moldovan winter sets in.

“The school was really grateful with the work and provided us with a show by the children to say thank you. It was hugely rewarding to be able to use my plumbing skills for such a worthy cause.”

 

Featured picture: Plumbing lecturer Richard in his element

Horticulture students plant 33,000 tulips in historic gardens

Green-fingered students from Bridgwater and Taunton College have assisted in planting 33,000 tulip bulbs at the historic Forde Abbey in Dorset.

A group of level three horticulture students planted the bulbs, which will form the spring display at the Abbey’s formal gardens.

As well as planting, students also received a tour of the rest of the grounds which span 30 acres, from head gardener Danny Burlingham.

Mr Burlingham said: “We are very grateful for the assistance that the horticulture students offered with the mass bulb planting. We have designed a new scheme within the formal gardens and it will be a fantastic spring display.”

Forde Abbey dates back 900 years, with the gardens originally used by monks to grow large quantities of vegetables, before being taken over by Sir Francis Gwyn during the early 18th century, who created the beginnings of the garden that remains now.

Tom Cunningham, course leader for horticulture at the college, said: “It was a pleasure to be able to assist Forde Abbey gardens with the project, and it offered good practical experience for the students. We are always keen to get involved in the local community projects.”

 

Featured picture: Forde Abbey in Dorset

Two students have been named the nation’s top paperhangers

Two students from Doncaster college have taken first and second place at the 20th annual Paperhanging Apprentice of the Year competition.

Painting and decorating apprentices Mitchell Scott and Thomas Mills took home the top awards in the competition, which was open to all registered apprentices in the UK.

Applicants were assessed on their wallpaper-hanging skills, and the finalists were decided after a series of heats which concluded at the college’s Hub campus in October.

Seventeen-year-old Mitchell Scott, who currently works for G Heaton Painting and Decorating, was named Junior Apprentice Paperhanger of the Year, with Thomas Mills taking second place in the senior category, receiving a £150 prize and a trophy.

The competition has been a long-standing fixture on the industry calendar, and it was the first time there have been separate categories for juniors and seniors, with the winners announced during a gala dinner.

Speaking of his award, Mr Mitchell said: “It feels amazing to have won the competition and to be named the Junior Apprentice Paperhanger of the Year”.

 

Featured picture: Paper boys: Thomas Mills, left, and Mitchell Scott

FEATURE: Visual impairment college opens eyes to specialist education in BBC documentary

The Royal National College for the Blind (RNC) has appeared in a BBC documentary presented by a former student who attended the college 30 years ago. Samantha King reports.

When alumni return to college, it’s unusual for them to bring a BBC documentary crew with them, but that was exactly what happened when Ian Hamilton approached his former college in Hereford about a documentary he was making on inclusive education for children with disabilities.

First aired on BBC Scotland on December 21, and still available on the BBC’s iPlayer, the film ‘Am I Included?’ explores the difference between mainstream and specialist education, and looks at the debate on whether young people with disabilities should be taught in mainstream schools, or if specialist schools are the way forward.

Recalling his own experience of the college, presenter Hamilton used the RNC as an example of specialist support that had a lasting and positive impact on his life, and caught up with current students to see how much things had changed.

 

Students play blind football. The ball contains loose ball-bearings so it rattles when it moves, allowing the players to locate it.

One of the pupils interviewed, Thomas, has reportedly had requests for autographs since his appearance on the show, which he has been more than happy to oblige.

Speaking of the college’s debut on BBC Scotland, principal Mark Fisher said “The benefit for us is to really remind people what specialist education is about. We get frustrated sometimes when it’s seen as outdated, when it’s actually very modern, and very much part of providing learning solutions for people who have barriers.”

Principal Mark being interviewed

Mr Fisher who has been principal at the college since December 2015, worked for disability charity Scope for 15 years, before joining the RNC as a deputy residential manager in 2002.

His views in favour of specialist education were aired during a segment of the documentary, when he was interviewed by Mr Hamilton.

“Young people need to be independent learners and where it goes wrong in mainstream is where people sometimes are over-supported and they become dependent on others. We need to make sure that we address that,” Mr Fisher explained.

“Ian’s experience is the same we find now, in that a lot of our students need confidence more than anything else. They need to have community participation and feel included beyond the class – it’s not just what happens in the classroom, it’s a 24-hour provision”.

The Royal National College for the Blind was established in 1871, and currently has 85 students who are blind or partially-sighted. With a maximum capacity for 90, Mr Fisher insists that the college is “exactly where it needs to be”.

“The thing to bear in mind is the only thing our students have in common is visual impairment,” he added. “We have the most diverse range of students you can imagine for a small college.”