FE Week’s brilliant cartoonist Bill Houston was quick on the draw at the Association of Colleges conference this week, where he could be found sketching dozens of familiar sector faces.
He set up his booth on Wednesday right by the entrance to the conference at the ICC Birmingham – where he dashed out quick-fire pen-on-paper caricatures of delegates on breaks between speeches and seminars.
Bill, who has drawn the paper’s cartoons since the start of the last academic year, said during the lunchtime before we went to press: “It’s been really good fun coming down and actually meeting a lot of the people who appear in my drawings for the paper. I think everyone has enjoyed having their pictures drawn today.”
Bill, a full-time cartoonist since 2004, who has had work published by Harper Collins, Puffin, and Penguin Books, completed dozens of new caricatures at the conference.
Email paul.offord@feweek.co.uk if you can guess who they are. A mystery prize will go to the first correct answer.
The whole notion of full-time vocational courses has been “challenged” by the man who chairs the Apprenticeship Delivery Board, much to the dismay of many of his colleagues in the sector.
David Meller (pictured), who also called for financial help to be given to poorer learners needing to relocate, made the controversial comments in a blog on the Conservative Home website.
His rejection of full-time FE courses, which echoes the repeated assertions from the former skills minister Nick Boles that apprenticeships are better value all-round, has raised suspicions that additional funding cuts will be announced for colleges in the chancellor Philip Hammond’s autumn statement on November 23.
“I would challenge the whole notion of full-time vocational courses in FE,” wrote Mr Mellor, who advises Mr Boles’ successor Robert Halfon on how to get more employers to take on apprentices.
“We know the best way to learn vocational skills is on the job, with part-time education to support workplace learning.”
“Too many Conservatives” see apprenticeships as “a consolation prize for youngsters who can’t do A-levels or get into university”
However, he did admit that “too many Conservatives” see apprenticeships as “a consolation prize for youngsters who can’t do A-levels or get into university”, and called for new measures to prevent disadvantaged learners missing out on “highest-quality” training because they can’t afford to relocate.
“We should put in place schemes to ensure school-leavers all over the country have access to the best opportunities, regardless of whether they choose the academic or vocational route,” he said.
“For example, we financially support young people moving anywhere in the country to go to university.
“We should have a similar system for the highest-quality apprenticeships, to avoid youngsters in deprived areas missing out on great opportunities away from home.”
Mr Meller’s comments prompted David Hughes, the chief executive of the Association of Colleges, to leap to the defence of full-time vocational training courses.
“Apprenticeships aren’t right for everyone,” he told FE Week.
“The technical and professional education and training on offer in colleges is very practical and not carried out solely in a classroom, giving students the experience required for the workplace.
“Catering students learn their skills in an industry-standard kitchen and college restaurants are frequently open to the public, meaning that the students work directly with real customers. This is part of a full-time FE course.”
On the subject of financing learners to relocate, he said that “changes must be made to the student loans system for FE students”, which would mean “creating a personal learning account to allow students a lifetime loan allowance and maintenance loans for all courses at level four and above”.
Andrew Harden, head of FE at the University and College Union, told FE Week that he sees it as “encouraging” that the government is committing to apprenticeships, but insisted that “they are not a silver bullet” and that “college-based courses also have an important role to play”.
He said: “If the government wants to achieve its aim of creating a highly skilled society, it should invest in the full range of technical provision and student support, so everyone can access the learning they require regardless of their age or location.”
Other ADB members announced in January include David Abraham, the chief executive of Channel 4, Mike Thompson, the head of employability at Barclays, and Simon Blagden CBE, a non-executive chairman at Fujitsu.
Nadim Zahawi
Nadim Zahawi, the Conservative MP for Stratford on Avon, was formerly the board’s co-chair and an advisor on apprenticeships to the prime minister, but FE Week learned in August that he no longer holds either role.
The board was launched in July 2015, tasked by the government with increasing “the number of apprenticeship places that employers offer, by encouraging existing employers to expand their programmes and securing new employer engagement”.
Your weekly guide to who’s new, and who’s leaving.
Syed Jaferyhas joined the Nottinghamshire Training Network (NTN) as its new managing director.
The organisation is a network of independent training providers, colleges, schools and employers who work to support individuals into education, employment and training.
His main responsibilities in the new role will include meeting with partners, developing classroom delivery for traineeships, and developing learner experience.
Mr Jafery joins the NTN from his previous role as operations director and company executive director at Skills Training UK – a leading training provider – which he held for over nine years.
Prior to this he was performance manager for Brent and Haringey at Working Links, where he worked with the long-term unemployed, including those with disabilities and ex-offenders.
His passion for working with those with disabilities is something he hopes to develop further in his new role as managing director, and he has hopes to implement a specialist training provision that caters to a wide spectrum of disabilities.
Speaking of his plans, he said: “Disability has a wide spectrum; you cannot just have just one word or programme, so we have to come up with a very sophisticated model. I’ve got a few people who are going to assist me with that. I want NTN to be a pioneer, that’s my vision.”
Cherryl Martin has been appointed commercial director at new specialist training facility iMET, which stands for Innovation in Manufacturing, Engineering and Technology.
Work began on the building in Cambridgeshire in 2014, and it is due to be completed in November 2017.
Targeting learners working at level three and above, the facility aims to teach specialist skills including virtual reality, augmented reality, computer-aided design and 3D and 4D modelling, a technique which uses time as an extra dimension.
In her new role, Ms Martin will be at the forefront of business skills growth, ensuring the curriculum serves the skills needs of the region, as well as actively collaborating with employers to ensure iMET is meeting their training needs.
Speaking of her new role, she said: “We’ll be looking at learning technologies and how you can push the boat out with that. You can’t talk the talk of innovation and then do everything with a classroom and a projector.”
Peter Riletthas been appointed chair of the governing body at City of Bristol College.
The appointment follows the conclusion of the West of England area reviews, signalling a fresh start for the college, which provides education and training to 25,000 learners in and around Bristol.
Prior to his new role, Mr Rilett served as chair of the North Bristol NHS Trust board for several years, and is a non-executive director and advisor for a number of local companies.
Speaking of his new appointment, he said: “I am personally committed to the future of our city, and ensuring the college secures the best possible futures for all of its students. The college has a really important role in supporting our city to secure the skills it needs for today, tomorrow and beyond.”
Mr Rilett will join the board on November 11, and takes up the role of chair with effect from the end of December.
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
The pressures of student life can often be overwhelming, but one college in Hampshire has found a unique way to lower student stress levels and provide an escape from the hustle and bustle. Samantha King reports.
South Downs College in Waterlooville has recently opened a sensory room, designed to help students who suffer from high levels of anxiety or stress – particularly those on the autistic spectrum – find peace and calm in the college environment.
The breathing dogs in baskets
With blackout blinds, aromatherapy, stress balls, specialist lighting and a range of soft furnishings, the new space provides the perfect escape for when things get a bit too much; while two pretend puppies that seem to breathe are proving especially popular with students.
Darren Darby, the additional learning support manager at the college, said: “We have two pets that look real in little baskets, and they actually breathe so you can see the movement of their chests go up and down. A lot of our students find them very comforting when they go in there.
“We’ve got a whiteboard up at one end of the room so if students want to scribble and draw on there, they can use that. It’s quite well equipped, and has lots of different sensory aspects, so we can cater for whatever an individual student may need.”
Comfortable seating and lights
Entry to the sensory room is through a special pass, issued by the additional learning support team following a consultation to assess the needs of the student. Passes are only issued to students who will benefit from the use of the room, in order to maintain its status as a safe and calm retreat.
The college, which has a large number of students with additional learning support requirements had recently signed up to the Ambitious About Autism Charter, which supports FE providers in improving their offer to young people with autism and other disabilities. It was this that inspired the idea for the sensory room.
Darby explained: “We’re quite unique in the fact there’s not many colleges that actually have sensory rooms unless they’re a specialist college.
“We signed up to the Autism Charter, so we were looking at a facility that could provide for students on the autistic spectrum, and give them a place that was away from the areas of the college some students may find a bit overwhelming.
It’s just a really calm place that they can go to if they were feeling particularly stressed at any time throughout their day
“We also wanted to extend the space for students who may suffer from high levels of anxiety and stress, and offer them a space that was quiet and peaceful.
It’s just a really calm place that they can go to if they were feeling particularly stressed at any time throughout their day.”
Funded by the college’s additional learning support budget, the new room is situated at the heart of the college and connects to an existing lunch and breakfast room away from the main refectory.
It is hoped the new sensory room will have a positive impact on the health and wellbeing of students, allowing them to recharge away from loud noises and potential stressors that are a natural part of college life.
Darby said: “The project has taken a lot of planning within the ALS team. We’ve had to really analyse and decide on equipment that we think would be cost effective but will also be really beneficial.”
The room was officially opened by Kevin Filby, deputy director of service development at Ambitious About Autism.
Featured picture: Kevin Filby from Ambitious About Autism opens the new sensory room
For once, fights in the classroom have been actively encouraged, during a day-long stage combat workshop at a college in Lincolnshire.
Students at North Lindsey College were taught the arts of stage safety, victim control techniques and reverse energy in order to create a believable yet perfectly safe fight scene.
The workshop has helped students to prepare for an upcoming production of Macbeth, teaching them the correct techniques when using holds, footing, grip, weight balance and vocals.
The session was delivered by Rob Leonard, a teacher at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, and former workshop co-ordinator at the British Academy of Stage and Screen Combat.
Performing arts tutor, Phil Collingwood, said: “To have Rob here is a real coup for North Lindsey College and shows our ongoing commitment to providing the finest dramatic education we can.
“The students had the time of their lives and we are looking forward to Rob’s return in the New Year – with swords!”
Performing arts student Mollie Slack added: “I didn’t realise it would be as hands on as it was. It will really help me in the future to put the actions in place that we have learned without hurting anyone.”
Featured picture: Rob, centre, shows students how to fight safely
A student on the newly introduced golf greenkeeping standard apprenticeship has taken second place in the Toro Young Student Greenkeeper of the Year awards.
Vince DeMarzo, a student at Hadlow College in Kent, was judged on his knowledge of greenkeeping tasks, skills, and health and safety, alongside understanding of the job role, from personal development through to industry awareness.
He was up against five other finalists in the inaugural under-20 category, selected from hundreds of entrants across the UK.
Vince, who is currently awaiting level two certification, works at Wildernesse Golf Club as an assistant greenkeeper, and has ambitions to work at a high-profile golf championship course in the future.
He said: “I’d love to work at one of the courses in the Milan area. I’m hopeful, since British greenkeepers are highly sought after in continental Europe. I’d also love to work in Australia or the US, but you need an entirely different knowledge-base, given the diverse climate, pests and diseases or the US.
“Ultimately, my aim is to work on a high-profile championship course that features on TV.”
Featured picture: (L-R) Paul Copsey, work-based assessor at Hadlow College, with Vince DeMarzo
Fashion students at Hull College have designed and produced a batch of hats and syringe driver bags to help hospital patients feel less self-conscious about hair loss and carrying their medication.
The hats and bags which were presented to the pathology unit at Castle Hill Hospital will be given out free to patients as part of National Pathology Week, which celebrates the contribution that pathologists make to healthcare in the UK.
Patients undergoing palliative care often carry syringe drivers, which are small portable battery powered machines that administer a continuous dose of painkiller.
Kerry Drury, one of the hospital’s pathology lab social practitioners, said: “Some of our patients are on palliative care and need a syringe driver to carry medication all day. The bags enable them to go about their daily life and still keep their medicine with them without drawing the attention these usually get.
“The hats have been created in a modern and fashionable style which helps the patients undergoing chemotherapy feel less self-conscious.”
The students produced the hats and bags with donated fabrics as part of their induction week at the college, and the project will count towards their industry skills studies module.
Featured picture: Kerry Drury with the hats and bags provided by Hull College Students
Congratulations to Richard Atkins, who as principal led the college to success, and of course to all the staff.
But league tables only have one top spot and with over 200 colleges in the UK, many college leaders will be less pleased.
I can’t pretend that publishing a full league tables using four measures won’t ruffle a few feathers
But the government has for many years collected and published learner and employer satisfaction data.
Now it’s being shared with employers through the new ‘Find apprenticeship training’ site (which we reviewed here) which is designed to “enable comparisons to be made against other colleges”.
Following the Enterprise Act 2016, the government has also improved destination data; readers will be familiar with our apprenticeship volume analysis.
This is my first attempt at a scoring system, and while I’m pleased with the results, colleges should expect refinements for 2017.
To rise to the challenge of a post-Brexit Britain, we need a clear, accessible skills system, says Graham Hasting-Evans
When you’re up to your neck in alligators it’s difficult to remember your first objective was to drain the swamp – or to put it another way: we need to get a grip following Brexit.
The objective is clear. In the next five years we must boost skills and productivity by 30 per cent. Last month the National Audit Office report ‘Delivering the value through apprenticeship reform’ stated bluntly that the “ONS estimates that Germany, France and the USA are each about a third more productive than the UK”.
Clearly reform is urgently needed.
Creditably the government has been trying to deliver critical changes and has some excellent policy ideas. But it lacks the vision, coherence and focus needed to create the single skills-enhancement strategy the economy requires.
We need clarity from two perspectives: both within the sector and from the outside. To paraphrase David Hughes in his opening speech to the AoC Conference, the future does look bright for the FE sector. However, it still needs to rise to the challenge.
We must commit to a single skills enhancement strategy, underpinned by a single skills-system, which embraces all the various initiatives, while ensuring increased productivity and social mobility, including development for the existing workforce.
The current plan focuses on reformed apprenticeships and new technical education qualifications, but we need to go further. There are two major gaps that still need filling: a plan for upskilling the existing workforce, and clarity of career pathways for those entering the system.
The future does look bright
Regarding the first, boosting productivity is not just about training up new workers. Only two per cent of our workforce is replaced every year – so a large part of increasing productivity must lie in upskilling. Yet with the distorted focus on the apprenticeship levy, professional development as a strategy to improve productivity has been cast aside by the government. This makes no sense. Training new entrants will not alone increase our productivity as a nation; we need a skills-enhancement strategy to improve capabilities at all levels of industry.
It is certainly the case that employers are looking at ways to use the levy pot to upskill existing workers, but they are likely to find that there is currently not a sufficient number, or breadth, of apprenticeship standards at this level to achieve their aim – nor are they in the pipeline.
In truth, it seems ridiculous that we should have to rebrand the idea of professional development as an ‘apprenticeship’ in order for it to be seen as worthy of investment, but that’s for another day.
The vast majority of the new standards are currently aimed at new entrants. If the aim is truly to boost productivity, more higher-level standards and qualifications need to be developed that would allow the levy to be spent on valuable professional development.
The second gap that needs filling is to establish clear pathways for young people. Improving social mobility increases productivity, but how can people move up the socio-economic ladder, if they can’t even understand which qualifications they need to take? We need to communicate better and in order to do this, we need to package the complexity of the further education offer as a single skills system.
To do this, rather than focusing solely on qualifications, we should focus on destinations. This doesn’t have to mean choosing ultimate career destinations at a young age, but simply directing young people to what could be called a ‘first-base job’.
There may be multiple routes to a first-base job: an academic or technical qualification, an apprenticeship (with or without a technical qualification) and/or work-based training. But whichever route learners take, it’s important they are equipped with both employability skills and the necessary broad knowledge of their sector or discipline so they can adapt as the economy changes.
Which brings us back to the first gap: the skills enhancement strategy. We must recognise that getting a first-base job is not the end, but rather the beginning. People will need to adapt and retrain throughout their working life.
If we get the skills enhancement strategy and underpinning system right, productivity and social mobility will rise – and that has to be a big step towards a successful economy.
