How big should the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education be?

It’s time to create a directory of all the apprenticeship standards and technical qualifications that need to be developed, says Graham Hasting-Evans.

In order to establish how big the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education should to be, we need to know how many apprenticeship standards and technical qualifications will have to be developed, quality-assured and managed.

There are currently some 1,700 existing apprenticeship job roles in England, excluding higher and degree apprenticeships, and the best estimate is that if we continue with the present Trailblazer approach, there will eventually be up to 2,500 standards.

And, as Peter Lauener, the interim CEO of IfA-TE, said at the recent AoC conference, the government does not, as yet, have a list of apprenticeship standards that will be needed.

Now let’s look at the other component: technical qualifications. In June 2016 Ofqual reported that as a result of the way such qualifications are recorded between England and Wales, the total number of registered qualifications has risen from 21,676 to 31,600.

This means that the number of technical qualifications likely to come out of the Post-16 Skills Plan process – bearing in mind that already there appear to be duplications between the ideas in the Sainsbury Report and what is happening in Trailblazers – could be very large indeed!

This all presents a worrying, complex picture. No wonder employers and learners find it confusing.

So how are we going to reform the skills system and avoid ending up with a different but equally confusing picture?

No wonder employers and learners find it confusing

I believe we have to start by recognising how people get into and develop their careers. Government is planning to have four main career path routes to our destination (or ‘first-base’) job, namely:

‘Academic’, or what might be seen as the traditional route, following GSCEs, A-levels and university.

‘Apprenticeships’, which in essence is a defined period of learning and skills development that results in qualifying in a defined job role.

‘Technical education’, which involves learning beyond A-level but not necessary to a full degree level.

‘Work-based learning’, where someone gets a job and, generally, goes through a short training course, perhaps supplemented with additional ad-hoc training at a later stage.

We have to understand which route is the best for what employers and the economy need.

The government is about to appoint 15 sector chairs to the IfA-TE. This is an opportunity to confront the issue.

I believe their first task must be to bring together a range of experts who understand the needs of their sector, to analyse what is required across the four main routes.

Step one of the analysis will be to establish a comprehensive-yet-condensed list of ‘destination’ or ‘first-base’ jobs – using occupational mapping for common job types, for example ‘manager’, to avoid duplication when designing technical qualifications and apprenticeships. The list cannot be too rigid, as it will have to flex with any changes that happen in the larger economy.

The government is about to appoint 15 sector chairs to the IfA-TE. This is an opportunity to confront the issue

Once we have a reasonable list, the sector chairs and their employer groups can establish which of the four routes explained above is the primary (best) route, and which could be a secondary route for each job role.

This in turn will produce a directory of those apprenticeship standards and technical qualifications that need to be developed.

This must be robustly managed and challenge the desire to specialise too early; for example, we want to produce a ‘scientist’ rather than a ‘space scientist specialising in Mars exploration’.

If done well, this plan should result in a manageable, focused directory, and clearer career pathways for apprentices, employers, learners and careers advisers.

From this list we can then prioritise which standards and qualifications need to be developed and rolled out first.

We can also better understand from this analysis what we might need to do to support upskilling of the existing workforce, recognising that the majority of this will need to be delivered through the work-based learning route.

Academic and technical education will also contribute, but we can expect only a limited number of people doing more than one full apprenticeship in their life.

Once all this analysis is done, we will be in a position to rationally estimate the likely staffing levels needed in the IfA-TE.

 

Graham Hasting-Evans is managing director at NOCN

 

Movers & Shakers: Edition 193

Your weekly guide to who’s new, and who’s leaving.

Specialist food awarding body FDQ has announced Terry Fennell as its new chief executive.

FDQ has been a recognised awarding-body for more than 14 years and is regulated by Ofqual, the CCEA and the Welsh Government.

He will be responsible for the strategic direction of FDQ’s delivery of qualifications and be the authoritative point of contact with Ofqual and other regulatory bodies.

Mr Fennell first joined FDQ as its operations director in 2013. He will work in the new role alongside the duties of his current position as group operations director at FDQ’s parent company, the Food and Drink Training and Education Council, a role he has held since 2014. He was also recently appointed vice-chair of the Federation of Awarding Bodies.

Prior to his work at the FDQ, he worked for the Association of Employment and Learning Providers as head of delivery, and has experience in the food industry through 25 years of working on the provision and development of food-related apprenticeships.

Speaking of his appointment, he said: “I am delighted to be leading FDQ into a new era that will see new qualifications in food and drink coupled with exciting products and end-point assessment services for apprenticeships.”

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Sian Wilson has been appointed director of sales and marketing at national awarding organisation, NCFE.

In the newly created role, Ms Wilson will be responsible for overseeing business development, marketing and customer experience across both the NCFE and Council for Awards in Care, Health and Education (CACHE).

She has over 17 years of experience in the training and education field, and has managed projects and business-growth initiatives for training providers, colleges and employers in the apprenticeship sector.

Before this, she has held numerous senior positions across the UK, including director at the BWB Group, and most recently as head of apprenticeship services at the Tech Partnership.

In the role, Ms Wilson hopes to help develop the “further growth and diversification” of the NCFE.

Commenting on her appointment, she said “I’m delighted to be joining NCFE at a time of significant change and development in the further education sector and for awarding organisations.

“I was keen to be part of an organisation that not only has a strong reputation nationally for awarding and customer service, but that also has ambitious plans for the future.”

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Paul Batterbury has been appointed interim principal at Lincoln University Technical College (UTC) following the resignation of its current principal Rona McKenzie.

The UTC in Lincolnshire opened in 2014 and caters for 14 to 18-year-olds. The college offers a specialist curriculum that allows core subjects such as maths and English to be combined with specialist studies in engineering and science.

Mr Batterbury, who is currently head of science at the college, will step in as interim principal in January 2017, staying on until the end of August.

With a teaching career spanning 30 years, he has worked across a number of schools, holding the position of head of secondary school at the British School in Kathmandu, Nepal, and head of the international school at Chase Grammar in the West Midlands.

Commenting on his appointment, Mr Batterbury said: “I will be working with the excellent and loyal staff to ensure we continue to deliver great opportunities to our students to ensure that each and every one experiences success.

“Lincoln UTC offers a unique education but at its core are its students, and these shall remain our primary focus.”

 

If you want to let us know of any new faces at the top of your college, training provider or awarding organisation please let us know by emailing news@feweek.co.uk

 

Young author aims to raise awareness of autism with his new book

A media student from New College Durham has written a book that he hopes will raise awareness of autism.

19-year-old Nathan Alexander Kennedy, a level three media student, has drawn on his own experiences of having autism to write the book, which features an autistic teenager called Foster Graham as the main character.

The book's cover art
The book’s cover art

Nathan describes his book – entitled ‘The Subtlety of the Obsession’ – as a gritty coming-of-age story with “heavy elements of suspense and suspicion”, and it took him a total of two years to write alongside his studies.

Nathan said: “With this book I wanted to tell a good narrative but I also wanted to raise awareness of autism. It’s an invisible disorder that no-one really understands. The main character Foster has autism but he’s just a normal guy.”

Stuart Drummond, the course tutor for Media at New College Durham, said: “It’s great to see a young person so fully engaged with an ambitious project such as this, outside of their normal studies.

“Nathan balances his writing well with his media course at New College Durham.”

‘The Subtlety of the Obsession’ by Nathan Kennedy is currently available on Amazon as a Kindle edition.

 

Featured picture: Author Nathan Alexander Kennedy at New College Durham

 

Race to the bottom: who’s checking delivery quality of apprenticeship standards?

Firm guidelines need to be put into place to ensure the quality of the content of the new apprenticeship standards is accompanied by quality delivery, says John Hyde.

Politicians and civil servants are forever talking about ‘quality apprenticeships’. The new employer-led apprenticeship standards were introduced to ensure anyone embarking upon an apprenticeship would earn the skills and knowledge their employer required. Indeed, the contents of many of these new standards are inspirational.

At HIT, we have started to roll out the new ‘hospitality team member’ and ‘commis chef’ apprenticeship standards. Employers are very enthusiastic about the commis chef standards, and they are a real improvement on the old NVQ frameworks.

Under the new standards, the onus of ensuring quality is transferred from the provider to the employer

The new standards require a commis chef to become competent in all aspects of food-production and cookery, unlike the NVQ qualification. We have now opened our HIT chef academy at 17 centres around the country, and commis chefs can attend additional workshops on topics they may not see regularly at their workplace; covering things like offal or shellfish, pairing wine and beer with dishes, restaurant entrepreneurship and kitchen management.

The higher funding-levels for commis chefs allow us to deliver a really professional programme. Indeed in the past few weeks, a further 12 Michelin-starred restaurants have enrolled their apprentices into our academy, together with two leading contract caterers which cover the executive and director dining end of the market.

I’m sure in hospitality, our academy sets a high standard for the quality apprenticeships demanded by the politicians, civil servants and employers. Yet nowhere can I find any reference or guidance on the quality of delivery of these new standards.

Previously, SFA regulations had minimum requirements, including one-to-one site visits to learners by the provider. Under the new standards, the onus of ensuring quality is transferred from the provider to the employer, which creates uncertainty when Ofsted, the guardians of quality, can inspect only the provider as the one in receipt of government funding.

Whilst some employers will accept this responsibility, there have been horror stories from the service and retail sector in the past.

Firm guidelines need to be put into place to ensure the quality of the content of the new apprenticeship standards is accompanied by quality delivery, which is accountable, transparent and can be monitored and inspected.

Unless this is discussed now by the DfE, providers and employers, we will end up with scare stories in the press, which will force ministers again to take draconian action to enforce quality delivery, to prevent further damage the reputation of apprenticeships.

This is especially true now that price negotiations have been brought into the equation.

The contents of many of these new standards are inspirational

We had our first experience of that last week when we were invited by the SFA to tender to deliver to a national chain. Needless to say we lost out, so without too many sour grapes, it was interesting to review the process. The client generously shared their feedback and scoring with us so we knew their decision was based solely on price and not on the quality of our delivery.

Without undertaking the delivery remotely online, with no face-to-face onsite interventions, we would not compromise our delivery model to match the price. Neither we nor the client will know for 12 months who was right, until the learners complete or not.

It does seem perverse that an apprentice’s success or failure could be determined by their employer’s willingness to fund their apprenticeship sufficiently.

What will Ofsted’s role be now? Traditionally it has not involved itself in funding levels when inspecting provision. However if the negotiated price is too low to deliver the programme effectively, who is blame: the provider or the employer?

It will be the apprentice who loses out, and probably the taxpayer, as this apprentice will have to be retrained to pass their programme in the future.

 

John Hyde is the chairman of HIT Training

 

Exceptional students and staff honoured in Celebration of Success

The achievements of students and staff from Weston College have been recognised at the college’s annual Celebration of Success event.

Hosted by principal and chief executive of Weston College Group Dr Paul Phillips CBE, alongside keynote speaker and BBC Presenter Alex Lovell, the awards acknowledged students and staff that have exceeded expectations over the past year.

Three students, Jordan Tucker, Abigail Hopkins and Farrah Seyedi, were each awarded the title of ‘student of the year’ at the ceremony, which took place at Cadbury House in Bristol.

One of the students recognised by the award, Farrah Seyedi, was told she could never go to university or live independently due to her autism, but after receiving support at the specialist Weston Bay facility during her time at the college, she is now pursuing a degree and successfully living in halls of residence.

Speaking of the award, she said: “When I heard there was an award for Weston Bay I never thought it could be for me. I was speechless.”

Closing the ceremony, Dr Phillips said: “When you get success, care and support, you have the foundations to go on to even greater success, and that is what tonight has been about.”

 

Featured picture: (L-R) The three students of the year – Jordan Tucker, Abigail Hopkins and Farrah Seyedi

 

Students create 8ft Tinkerbell to promote local theatre’s Christmas panto

Theatre design students at Northbrook college are bringing magic to the stage for Christmas, after being commissioned to create a Tinkerbell figurine for Worthing Theatres.

The students from the Sussex-based college were commissioned by the theatre’s marketing team to make a larger-than-life fairy to promote this year’s Peter Pan pantomime.

With a brief to recreate the much-loved JM Barrie character with an Edwardian spin, the students got to work – constructing the figure over the course of five weeks using a child-size mannequin as a foundation. Her wings were designed, welded and fitted with 240 LED lights.

The finished creation stands at nearly 8ft tall and will be on display in the Pavilion Theatre’s Denton Lounge until mid-January.

Theatre design student Rebecca Foster said: “By working as a team we learned lots of valuable skills, including how to compromise and reach agreement on design.”

Sadie Anderson, the course leader for theatre production arts, added, “The students are rightly proud of their creation and hope it will bring to life the magical aspects of this year’s pantomime.”

 

Featured picture: The 8ft statue of Tinkerbell

 

‘Deep concern’ over local enterprise partnerships’ funding decisions

A call has been made for local enterprise partnerships to have a new contracting process that’s “fair and transparent” if they’re dealing with cash from the adult education budget, following allegations that board members are allocating valuable contracts to their own companies.

An investigation published by the Mail Online has alleged that LEPs have made more than 270 payments to companies or other projects connected with their own board members, with sums for example ranging from £13,000 to £1 million.

Conflicts of interest like these will be of concern to the sector, as LEPs already control much of the funds available to FE providers for capital spending – while last month’s autumn statement confirmed that the government is pushing ahead with plans to devolve the AEB.

The investigation prompted Mark Dawe, chief executive of the Association of Employment and Learning Providers, to hit out at “a system set up in a manner that leads to institutional bias”.

LEPs continuously seek ways to improve transparency and share best practice

“We expect a local commissioning model, used by LEPs or combined authorities, to set out the needs of the locality and then to follow a fair and transparent contracting process for the whole adult education budget open to all eligible providers,” he said.

Dr Ann Limb CBE, chair of the South East Midlands LEP, previously tweeted that bodies like hers “should be transparent in their dealings and transactions”.

In comments to FE Week however, Dr Limb, the former principal of both Milton Keynes College and Cambridge Regional College, said: “I believe that financial probity, transparent governance, and public accountability lie at the operational heart of every organisation in receipt of government funding – LEPs or FE colleges.

“I can only speak for the LEP I chair, the SE Midlands LEP, where I am confident we have in place sound processes and procedures which I welcome being scrutinised and challenged.”

Meg Hillier (pictured), the Labour MP who chairs the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee, said the issue was “of deep concern”.

“We have already raised concerns about the accountability of LEPs and the lack of basic systems in place to make sure interests are declared and where money is being spent,” she added.

A LEP-funded report published in October by Metro-Dynamics, called ‘Leading the way’, also came out in support of greater transparency.

It said: “LEPs need to continue to ensure that they are known for having the best possible approach to transparency and governance in terms of decision-making and spending.

“It is important to get the balance right, in being expected to spend £12 billion of public funding to 2021, and it is vital that accountability is, and is perceived to be, to the level required.”

The chairman of the Greater Cambridge Greater Peterborough Enterprise Partnership, Mark Reeve, told FE Week on behalf of the LEP Network Board, that “all LEPs take any allegations of improper conduct extremely seriously”.

“LEPs continuously seek ways to improve transparency and share best practice,” he said.

“It is not the role of the LEP Network to monitor how LEPs allocate grant funding or assess conflicts of interest.

“The government has clearly vested that role in the democratically elected councils who are accountable for monitoring conflicts of interest and ensuring how grant funding is awarded by the LEPs.”

A government spokesperson said: “Our rules make clear the need for a published conflicts of interest policy and insist upon transparency in the way taxpayers’ money is spent.

“We won’t hesitate to act if any LEPs are found to have failed to follow our rules.”

Apprentices get IfA representation – but no place on the board

The government has finally committed to establishing an apprentice panel for the Institute for Apprenticeships, in a move hailed by the National Union of Students as a victory for learners.

The panel was announced by apprenticeships and skills minister Robert Halfon during the sixth sitting of the public bill committee for the Technical and Further Education Bill.

“I am pleased to announce that we expect the Institute to invite apprentices to establish an apprentice panel, which would report directly to the board,” he said.

“The panel would be made up of apprentices from different occupations and experiences. The panel would decide for itself which issues to focus on, and it will challenge and make recommendations to the board.”

However, the minister told the committee hearing on November 29 that he could not “go so far as to say there should definitely be apprentices on the board” of the Institute.

His announcement has broadly been welcomed by the FE sector – but some people still believe direct apprentice representation on the Institute’s board would be the ideal situation.

This is a victory for the apprentices and learners who called for better representation in the IfA

Shakira Martin (pictured), the NUS vice-president for FE, welcomed the move and praised “the minister’s acknowledgement that the board needs to listen to apprentices”.

She said: “This is a victory for the apprentices and learners who called for better representation in the IfA, and I look forward to working with the minister constructively to make this a reality.”

However, she pointed out that she wants Mr Halfon to “be clear about how he’ll make sure the board take the views of the panel seriously”.

“If the government truly wants apprentices to be listened to, the panel should be part of the bill,” she said.

“We still believe that, ultimately, the only way to be serious about learner voice and apprentice representation is to give them two full seats on the board itself.”

Shane Chowen, the head of policy at the Learning and Work Institute, said the new apprentice panel would be “a useful addition to learner and apprentice representation throughout the Institute’s structures”.

However, he voiced similar concerns to Ms Martin about board representation, saying: “I stand by my comments at the bill committee, where I said that meaningful involvement of learners and apprentices will add tremendous value to the improvement of apprenticeships and technical education.

“This means involvement at every level – including the 15 route committees and the Institute’s board.”

He continued: “Learners and apprentices have an important perspective and contribution to make; they are the ones experiencing work and learning, applying for jobs and experiencing the outcomes.”

Mr Halfon said that apprentices won’t be put on the board “in part… because board members need to have experience and they carry a great deal of governance responsibility” he also argued that “they come under press scrutiny, which is not easy”.

Speaking to FE Week after the meeting, the shadow skills minister Gordon Marsden said Mr Halfon’s decision to appoint an apprentice panel was “a reasonable response” which justified Labour’s recent push for greater representation of the views of apprentices in the work of the IfA.

Mr Halfon confirmed during the hearing that the IfA would ensure the first panel “is in place before the institute goes live in April 2017”.

Special needs college first in the UK to receive Princess Royal Training Award

A college for people with disabilities and learning difficulties has become the first in the UK to receive a new national training award.

National Star College in Cheltenham was awarded the Princess Royal Training Award for its two-week induction training for staff, which involves a mix of classroom and workplace learning, and a tailored learning plan for each member of staff.

Launched by the City and Guilds Group, the Princess Royal Training awards aim to recognise the positive impact training and skills initiatives can have, and encourage best practice in skills development.

Other recipients of the award include BAE Systems, Starbucks, IMB UK Ltd and Transport for London.

City & Guilds Group chief executive, Chris Jones said: “I hope these awards have shone a light on how important it is for businesses to invest in training to boost their productivity, address skills gaps and develop their leaders.

“This has never mattered more than in today’s uncertain economy. I hope this year’s winners inspire other organisations to share their experiences, and put forward their training and development success stories.”

 

Featured picture: Dawn Macey-Norris, Head of Continuous Professional Development at National Star, with the Princess Royal