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Network for Black and Asian Professionals chief executive Rajinder Mann blames ‘squeeze on the public purse’ for network’s demise

The loss of two key contracts worth £164,000 led directly to the demise of the Network for Black and Asian Professionals (NBAP), according to its chief executive Rajinder Mann (pictured above).

Speaking exclusively to FE Week, Ms Mann (pictured above) said the loss of a contract with the National College for Teaching and Leadership (NCTL), worth £130,000, and another contract with the Education and Training Foundation (ETF) worth £34,000 meant that the NBAP was no longer financially sustainable.

“Because of the squeeze on the public purse, those programmes have not been funded and as a result of the lack of funding we could no longer sustain ourselves, despite having cut back and cut back,” said Ms Mann, who was the subject of an FE Week profile article a year ago.

Membership income, which had been “going down over the last couple of years”, only “formed about 20 per cent of our income” and “would not have covered the remaining NBAP chief executive blames ‘squeeze on the public purse’ for network’s demise overheads”, she said.

“Our organisation had a role to play, and it’s a very, very sad day for the sector,” she added. NBAP members learned of the NBAP’s closure earlier in a heartfelt letter from Ms Mann.

In the letter, Ms Mann said the closure was the “result of the current political environment and the austerity cuts in the public sector”.

Earlier this year, as reported in FE Week, Ms Mann called for colleges to make the promotion of black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) a priority, following a drop in the number of BAME principals in the FE sector from 17 in 2012/13 to 12 this year.

That number has now fallen further to 11, said Ms Mann.

“With the area reviews taking place, I think our learners are going to be further disadvantaged, BAME learners in particular, because it will be the black staff who’ll get affected,” she said.

The NCTL contract, which Ms Mann said the NBAP lost in May due to “the agenda for localism”, was “to deliver the Ofsted mentoring, Ofsted shadowing programme and also a variety of other mentoring, career development workshops,” she said.

A spokesperson for the Department for Education (DfE) said that the NBAP had been funded through the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) rather than the DfE.

A BIS spokesperson was unable to confirm details of the contract it had with the NBAP.

The NBAP was funded by the ETF in 2013/14 and 2014/15 to deliver a professional development programme for BAME staff, which included career development, mentoring and shadowing, an ETF spokesperson said. Earlier this month, the ETF issued an invitation to tender for a range of CPD work, including supporting BAME leaders and emerging leaders.

“NBAP would have been an obvious candidate to bid for this new work,” the spokesperson said, adding that the ETF was “concerned” to learn of the NBAP’s closure.

“It is imperative for the sector that the aims and objectives which the NBAP has pursued tirelessly over recent years are taken forward and their successes are built on,” the spokesperson said.

Click here for an expert piece on the NBAP by Meredith White, learner experience manager at Westminster Kingsway College.

Campaign call for NBAP

Network for Black and Asian Professionals (NBAP) chief executive Rajinder Mann called on college leaders to launch a campaign to save the organisation.

She spoke out after a number of black and Asian FE leaders told of their concerns about the NBAP’s closure during an Association of Colleges (AoC) conference breakout session hosted by the NBAP on Tuesday (November 17).

Ms Mann said: “We still want to see an organisation that addresses not just the training, but support and guidance for black and Asian people looking to go into leadership roles in FE.

“I’m a firm believer in achieving this through targeted intervention. The NBAP could still deliver that. Go out there, start a campaign.”

Anthony Bravo, principal of Basingstoke College of Technology, had earier said during the session that “something has got to be done — it can’t end like this”.

Ayub Khan, interim chief executive of the Further Education Trust for Leadership, said a replacement organisation was needed because “you have to have black and Asian people in leadership positions in colleges, so they’re representative of the communities they serve”.

Meredith White, learner experience manager at Westminster Kingsway College, said: “We went through a phase when racism went underground, but it’s in the open again increasingly. It’s important that groups like NBAP are around to help counter this.”

Busy day at the Skills Show for Theo Paphitis with visit to the hairdressers and the kitchen — and even the operating table

Skills Show patron Theo Paphitis had a busy day in the hair salon today under the watchful eye of celebrity hairdresser Nicky Clarke and was also put to work in the kitchen knocking out some delicious pasta — he even tried his hand at an operating table.

The former BBC Dragons’ Den star took part in a masterclass with the hairdresser to the stars and also former WorldSkills UK competitor Eleni Constantinou, whose efforts in Sao Paulo, Brazil, this summer earned her a medallion of excellence.

After 20 minutes with the scissors, Theo was off to learn to learn some tricks of the restaurant trade as he made tagliatelle with renowned London chef Theo Randall at the University College Birmingham demonstration kitchen.

And the challenges didn’t stop there on day two of the Skills Show at Birmingham’s NEC as he visited the Operating Theatre Live stand and later jokingly tweeted: “Would you trust this man with a scalpel??”

Would you trust this man with a scalpel?? #operatingtheatrelive #TSS15 pic.twitter.com/0L6MxOujbB

— Theo Paphitis (@TheoPaphitis) November 20, 2015

But he managed to take a few moments out of his busy crash course schedule of careers guidance to sing the praises of the Skills Show and urged young people and business to get involved.

“Get yourself down here — it’s th most amazing inspirational event where you’ve got hundreds of employers, hundreds of opportunities to try things and hundreds of careers that you probably didn’t even know existed,” he said.

“If you want to be inspired about your future or are wondering ‘what am I going to do with my future’, then get down to the Skills Show. You might just see the beginning of a great career path.”

20.11.15 - Birmingham. Theo Paphitis enjoying a lesson in hairdressing from celebrity hairstylist Nicky Clarke on The Street Spotlight Stage during his visit to the Skills Show 2015, held at the NEC, Birmingham. Photo: Professional Images/@ProfImages — From left: Eleni Constantinou, hairdresser model, Theo Paphitis and Nicky Clarke

He added: “And businesses should get involved with the Skills Show because this is their opportunity to inspire the next generation into their world; into the skills shortage that we know exists in our businesses and you can actually make a difference and possibly find the next generation that’s going to make your business grow.”

Tomorrow marks the last day of the Skills Show, which enjoyed a visit from Business Secretary Sajid Javid yesterday.

He said: “For everyone that’s come along — everyone that’s made this happen — thank you for what you’ve done.

“This is going to be a huge experience for so many young people. It’s going to be inspiring to them all, and I wish you all the very best.”

Further education and skills sector bodies welcome Chartered Status membership

The Association of Colleges (AoC) and the Association of Employment and Learning Providers (AELP) have welcomed news that FE providers can finally sign up for Chartered Status.

The Chartered Institution for Further Education (CIFE), which was granted the Great Seal of the Realm in October having been set up in 2013, announced on November 17 that colleges and independent learning providers (ILPs) could apply for membership.

Providers who wish to become CIFE members must pay a £3,000 non-refundable fee to have their application reviewed.

The annual subscription fee for successful applicants is £5,000.

David Corke, director of education and skills policy at the AoC, said: “The Chartered Institution for Further Education is in its infancy and we’ll be keen to ensure it provides genuine added value to colleges and their current and future students.

“We look forward to discussing this with CIFE’s representatives.”

Stewart Segal, chief executive of the AELP, said: “Any initiative to improve the external perception of the sector is welcome.

“Training providers have to be committed to the quality of their delivery and will consider a number of approaches including the Chartered Institute of FE.”

CIFE regulations and guidance for applicants, available on its website, detail the standards that colleges and training providers need to meet in order to join.

To be considered for membership, colleges and training providers must have an overall rating of good or outstanding at their most recent Ofsted inspection, and be in receipt of public funding from the Skills Funding Agency (SFA).

Colleges and ILPs must also show how they can meet the CIFE quality standards, covering a range of areas including teaching and learning, governance, finance and engagement with the local community and employers.

“This is another significant step along the road to the development of a Royal Chartered body in the FE sector,” said Lord Lingfield, chair of CIFE.

“There is still much to be done but we have reached the point when we should open our doors to organisational members, and bring together those high performing organisations who are key to shaping the sector’s future.”

Plans were originally drawn up, by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, for the Royal seal of approval to be granted to high-achieving FE institutions in July 2012.

It was almost another year before the appointment of Lord Lingfield as chair of the IfE.

In March last year, he told FE Week he expected “negotiations to be completed within months” that would allow for the quality mark to be launched.

But an FE Week survey on the mark, carried out two months later, uncovered concern that the Chartered Status initiative could simply “sink without trace, before further worries earlier this year that it had “stalled” after no sign of movement.

Click here for more details on applying for Chartered Status.

SFA warns colleges of a future without sub-contracting

Skills Funding Agency funding and programmes director Keith Smith (pictured above) has warned college leaders they were facing a “huge challenge” when the apprenticeship levy allows subcontractors to receive funding directly from the government.

He said the changes could have a serious impact on college funding, during an update he gave in a breakout session at the Association of Colleges annual conference, in Birmingham on Wednesday (November 18).

“Colleges are spending at the moment just under 20 pence in the pound on apprenticeships,” he said.

“However, in the adult world … over 40 per cent of that you are subcontracting out. “So if you convert that into how much money is going directly to you, in worse cases it is an average of less than 10 pence in the pound.

“You might be benefiting at the moment from subcontracting bringing money in, but from April 2017 those subcontractors will take that capacity and they will get funded directly through the apprenticeship voucher system.” Mr Smith advised colleges leader to think carefully about how to address these issues, adding: “This is a huge challenge for you.”

The government’s large employers’ apprenticeship levy reform changes set to come into action in April 2017 will mean that colleges no longer have a funding allocation for apprenticeships. Instead, employers will be able to approach subcontractors to work directly with them, potentially leaving colleges in the cold.

Mr Smith said he proposed a “two-fold” challenge to colleges — firstly to do more apprenticeships and secondly to rethink their delivery models and structures for securing business.

In response to a question from FE Week, asking how serious the problem is and what colleges could doing, Mr Smith said: “In a model where the provider is the central element of the funding system I think the subcontractor and the college can plan that sort of strategy. I don’t think that strategy works at all in the system we [SFA] are talking about designing. So I think it is a huge problem.”

He said many of the subcontractors colleges used were also prime contractors in their own right and added: “I would have to seriously question the motives for some of that and of course those organisations will need no encouragement at all to say ‘yes’ to employers.”

Mr Smith said colleges should not waste time in addressing the challenges the apprenticeship levy would bring.

He advised conference audience members that it was “hugely important — you don’t think about this in a year’s time when the detail of the new system is finalised. You must be thinking about this now.”

Gill Clipson, deputy chief executive, Association of Colleges

After taking time out from primary and secondary school teaching to have a family around 30 years ago, Gill Clipson had her eye on a career change.

She went against the guidance of a Stratford-Upon-Avon careers adviser who tried to point out that she was really “a people person” and embarked on an evening class in computer programming at Stratford-upon Avon College, excited about the prospect of joining what looked to be a burgeoning new industry.

Clipson, who has held the role of deputy chief executive of the Association of Colleges (AoC) since 2013, says this initial experience of FE changed everything.

Previously a pupil at Harold Cartwright Girls Grammar School (now Alderbrook School) and then a Warwick University student of performing arts, English and education, Clipson had never visited an FE college before.

Gill Clipson grandson Barney — Clipson’s grandson, Barney, who she describes as “a joy”

“What I discovered was this wonderful institution that had so many different things that you could do, from retraining adults to young people transferring from school and going into work or university,” she says. But the appeal of the computing course quickly waned.

“It was meant to last 10 weeks, which it probably did, but I didn’t,” says Leamington resident Clipson, aged 60.

“After week four I’d had enough — I couldn’t understand what on earth was going on.” She dropped out and had her second child — daughter Fiona, who was younger sister to Christopher, born 14 months before. Her children are now 32 and 31, and Fiona has her own child – 18-month-old Barney.

Although she had chosen to leave the computing course, what she had experienced had whetted Clipson’s appetite for the sector.

“I just discovered this world that was entirely different to anything I’d known in the school setting, and because of that I put my name down with the college and said: ‘At some stage I will be ready to come back, and I’ll be interested if you’ve got any part-time teaching posts’,” she says.

Nine months later an opportunity came up and Clipson jumped at the chance. “It was on a Friday afternoon, it was in an annexe, but for me it was a start,” she says. “I never thought about going back into the school setting … I honestly never looked back from that moment — I just felt, ‘This is where I’m meant to be.’”

Before finding her niche in FE, Clipson had trained as a primary school teacher and then went into teaching English and drama in secondary schools, which continued into her FE teaching days.

In her first teaching post, at girls’ comprehensive school Lyng Hall, she taught the full age range of 11 to 18-year-olds, and still has vivid memories of her fi rst tricky year 10 class.

“You kind of had to work for your spurs in those days,” she says.

Clipson at uni — Clipson during her time as a student at the University of Warwick, where she studied performing arts. She wrote a play called Nice One Will with classmates

Clipson enjoyed teaching Shakespeare and took a cross-curricular approach — which was uncommon at the time. “Within the secondary school system, you are very subject-based … but what I was interested in doing was working across the curriculum, using some of the techniques that you would use in drama to actually bring the history lessons to life, or integrating art and music with performing arts,” explains Clipson.

Appreciating variety was an important part of Clipson’s teaching in FE as well. “The college almost refl ects its local community — people from all walks of life doing a range of different skills, working at different levels. I think that’s really rewarding,” she says.

The serendipity of her move from schools into FE seems to have played out through the rest of Clipson’s career in the sector. “I never planned … I just took each step as it came,” she says.

She moved from being in the classroom to taking on a number of senior management positions, including assistant principal at Hinckley College, a small institution just off the Leicestershire border, in 2008.

After the sustainability of Hinckley College was called into question, Clipson teamed up with her counterpart at the North Warwickshire College, just four miles away, and took a leading role in delivering a merger.

“You have to be very clear in your own mind about what you’re taking on,” she says.

“The real work was actually how do you bring the staff of two very different organisations together, how do you work to ensure that there’s consistency, and the students — regardless of which campus they’re going to — are actually being served effectively.”

She is proud of what the merger ultimately achieved.

“The name North Warwickshire and Hinckley is still there, is recognised, and it’s gone from strength to strength, which is a great thing to see,” she says.

Clipson took up her first principal post at Salisbury College and drew on past experience for a merger with Wiltshire College.

At the start of 2008 she moved to Amersham and Wycombe College, where she served as principal until early 2013. During this period the College was downgraded from good to satisfactory by Ofsted.

But among her successes was a redevelopment of one of the college’s campuses and also setting up one of the first Peter Jones Enterprise Academies.

“I think every job that I’ve done has had its own challenges, but every job has also brought its own rewards,” says Clipson.

However, alongside her time working in colleges, Clipson was also engaged in policy and held a role at the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) for around two years.

While her children were growing up, she had taken two Open University master’s degrees — one of which focused on educational policy and management. She remembers working late into the night to get her assignments done.

Gill Clipson children Christopher and Fiona — Clipson’s children, Christopher and Fiona, at Blenheim Palace

“My kids distinctly remember me working into the small hours. I’d be working until 4am and then hear a little one wake up at 6.30am and think, ‘Oh, no.’ You find a way of doing it if you are committed to something,” she says.

And the courses proved an important grounding for Clipson’s work at the LSC.

“I saw an opportunity to understand something more about the bigger picture in which the sector operates,” she says.

“It was a great time for me in terms of understanding the machinery and how government departments operate.”

Though she moved back into a college setting for a while afterwards, she says this experience sparked her enthusiasm for eventually joining the AoC.

“Somebody at the LSC did say to me at the time: ‘I can see you working at the AoC in the future’ and I remembered that,” she says.

But looking to the future in her current role, Clipson is still taking one step at a time.

“I’m absolutely focusing on the here and now, and so unequivocally the goal with AoC colleagues is supporting our colleges through quite challenging times, with area reviews and the uncertainty that those pose,” she says, adding: “That’s where the focus is, together with the concerns over the future funding of FE.”

She says she agrees with the criticism that more must be done to improve technical and professional education and training routes, but adds that the FE sector has seen many initiatives on this topic over the years.

“If we are going to change then let’s learn from what the past has taught us — the Government must ensure that it consults with a wide range of stakeholders properly, decides what it is going to do and sticks with it,” says Clipson.

It’s a personal thing

What’s your favourite book?

Gill Clipson beach — Clipson on a family outing to Woolacombe Bay with mum and dad, Philip and Ruby Astle, and dog Whiskey

I go back to the classics a lot actually, and I love Far from the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy. It has to be up there.

What do you do to switch off from work?

I live in a small village near some hills so I do go walking, which I love. But I have to say the beach at Alnmouth, which is in Northumberland near Alnwick, is just wonderful. I shouldn’t really say this because everybody else will want to go now, but it’s magical and you can walk for miles, even in the height of the summer, and see very few, if any, people. If I need to click off I just visualise that beach and I’m just back there.

What’s your pet hate?

I travel from London to Leamington, and when you’re going home after a long day at work and you’re desperate to eat when you get through that front door — the most annoying things is someone sitting opposite you with a big bag of crisps but not offering you anything. I find that totally annoying. They should be banned unless you share them with your fellow passengers.

If you could invite anyone to a dinner party, living or dead, who would it be?

I talked about this with the team, it’s a tough one. Controversially, I’m going to invite Mary Berry; I just think she’s extraordinary. When I had the conversation with the team, I said ‘I don’t know whether to go for Nelson Mandela or Mary Berry’ — but their advice was to invite Mary Berry along with the cakes. She’s also a good female role model and she looks fabulous. I’d like to know her secret. We could have a really good conversation over a cup of tea What did you want to be when you were growing up? Honestly? A teacher. That was all I ever wanted to do

Record-breaking £14k raised for Helena Kennedy Foundation at FE Week charity auction

The FE Week 2015 annual charity auction and raffle raised a record-breaking £14,000 for the Helena Kennedy Foundation.

Leaders from across the world of FE were at Birmingham’s Hyatt Hotel on the first evening (November 17) of the Association of Colleges (AoC) conference for a three-course meal before the auction and raffle took place.

The £14,000 raised overall was a record for the event that FE Week hosts at the conference every year, in aid of the foundation that provides financial support and mentoring to disadvantaged FE learners.

Shane Mann, managing director of FE Week publisher Lsect, said: “It was wonderful to see the great and good from the sector being so generous through the auction in support of a wonderful cause.”

Items under the hammer included a helicopter flight, champagne afternoon tea at the Ritz, and a supercar driving experience.

Entertainment was provided by singer, guitarist and former FE Week designer Daniel Duke, who reached the latter stages of BBC talent show The Voice this year.

FE Commissioner Dr David Collins, who was the main speaker for the evening, took the opportunity to tell guests his view of how post-16 education area reviews would secure a long-term future for colleges.

people auction — From left: Sandra Furby, Ann Limb and Al Coates

“I love this sector and really what I want to do [through leading the area reviews] is to make sure that it doesn’t get damaged by civil servants who have never been in a college in their lives,” he said.

“I actually think this is a real opportunity. We want the areas to come up with their own solutions that work.”

Al Coates and Sandra Furby, business development director and director of learning and development at Tribal, were also presented with the HKF Ambassador’s Award for special service to the sector.

English and maths supplement 2015

Click here to download the supplement.

Movers and Shakers: Edition 155

Barking & Dagenham College has welcomed new principal Mark Robertson following the departure of Cathy Walsh OBE, who stood down from the role after seven years in the job.

Mrs Walsh joined the college in September 2008 but has decided to take some time out to travel the world.

She was awarded an OBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List for her services to education last year.

Mrs Walsh said: “It has been an honour and a privilege to head up the fantastic team here at Barking & Dagenham College and to witness the achievements we have collectively secured.

“The dedicated and talented staff team at the college continue to make a positive difference to the life chances of all who study with us. It is with pride I will think of the achievements of our students, our staff and our corporation board.”

While she may be handing over the reins of the Ofsted rated good college, Mrs Walsh will continue in her other roles.

This includes finishing her term on the London Enterprise Panel, a role she was appointed to by the London Mayor last year and which made her the first further education representative on the panel.

Mr Robertson joins from City of Wolverhampton College, where he has been principal since 2013.

He said: “I’m delighted to have joined Barking & Dagenham College as principal. The college owes a great deal to Cathy Walsh whose leadership and vision helped build one of London’s best colleges. I’m looking forward to leading the college in a new and exciting chapter in its development.”

During his time at City of Wolverhampton College, Mr Robertson led the college from an inadequate Ofsted rating in March 2012 to good last November.

The turnaround was also lauded by FE Commissioner Dr David Collins, who reported that the college had won great praise from employers for the quality of training it provides and had repositioned itself as “part of the fabric of the city”.

Mr Robertson said: “It has been an enormous honour and privilege to be the principal and to have been able to play a part in Wolverhampton college’s transformation, and in our success in becoming one of the best colleges in the country.

“That success has been a genuine team effort and it has been the wholehearted embracing of change, and the commitment to the achievements and welfare of our students, by hundreds of people across the organisation, which has resulted in City of Wolverhampton College becoming one of the top 15 per cent of colleges in England and Wales today.

“I am very sure that the college will go on to further success in the future, and will continue to serve the students, employers and communities of Wolverhampton with distinction in the months and years ahead.”

Following Mr Robertson’s departure, Claire Boliver, the college’s deputy principal, is acting as interim principal until a successor is appointed.

Staring into the funding abyss – Skills Minister Nick Boles paints stark picture of cuts to hit sector

The sector has been left staring into the financial abyss after Skills Minister Nick Boles warned Association of Colleges (AoC) conference delegates that FE would not be “insulated from further cuts” in the spending review.

P.1 Nov 23 2015 — FE Week edition 155 front cover

Mr Boles issued the stark warning during his keynote speech to college leaders at the ICC Birmingham on Tuesday (November 17) — just a few days before Chancellor George Osborne is due to announce the results of the Government spending review.

He told delegates that the Conservatives had been given a mandate, through winning the General Election in May, to enforce further funding cuts across the public sector, including FE.

And looking ahead to the spending review announcement on Wednesday (November 25), he said: “I can’t give you any advanced insight into what is going to happen.

“We do not have long to wait and we can talk about it further after the Chancellor has announced it.

“But you know and I know that those of us and those of you that are engaged in FE will not be insulated from further spending cuts.”

Mr Boles added: “We won a clear mandate for further spending cuts to bring the budget into surplus by 2019/20.

“We do not relish making cuts. There is absolutely no pleasure in the process of cutting budgets that go to FE colleges or any other part of public service.”

He said colleges would need to become “stronger as institutions, more sustainable, more able to manage the impact of those budgets that shrink and capitalise on the potential of those that are going to increase”.

He told delegates this could be achieved through post-16 area reviews across the country, adding: “I believe that you are better off, stronger together, rather than fragmented and vulnerable.”

“The first area review which took place in Norfolk and Suffolk has given us a very good model of how the process should work,” he added.

“It began sensibly enough with an analysis of that area’s needs — talking to the local economic partnership, to local employers and other groups.

“They then drew up different structural options involving sharing the costs, specialisation and curriculum reform.”

Martin Doel, AoC chief executive, told delegates that the Minister had played a “remarkably straight bat” during his speech over the spending review and warned of mismatches between FE policy demands and funding.

“You can’t, for instance, ask to promote social integration as part of the Prevent strategy, and remove the funding for speakers of overseas languages — on the same day,” he said.

“It doesn’t stack up as joined-up policy. There has got to be some considerable concern about the adult skills budget.”

FE Week reporter Alix Robertson asked Association of Colleges 2015 conference delegates for their thoughts on Skills Minister Nick Boles’s keynote speech.

Helen Wharton, director of employer and adult learning, Furness College:

With the removal of the SFA and EFA contracts, which means that anybody can deliver apprenticeships, I think one of the things for me is just how they will actually ensure that the quality is maintained in what’s delivered. We don’t want it just to be about reaching a target and a milestone. It’s about making sure that colleges have got the experience and the expertise, are embedded in their community and working with employers.

Ali Hadawi, principal and chief executive, Central Bedfordshire College:

I think in term of quoting numbers: ‘a third of apprenticeships with FE – why do you let them steal your lunch?’ – well, it’ll take time Minister. How much intervention is there with policy on what FE offers, yet there still the question – why is there such a large skills gap? Because FE has never had the freedom to close the skills gap, we’re controlled to the Nth degree on what we’re able to offer, which is very different from universities.

Amanda Burnside, principal, Wiltshire College:

I thought it was quite depressing to be honest. Obviously we understand that there isn’t very much money around at the moment, but the reality is that the FE sector has taken the biggest hit for a number of years. We’re very committed to delivering apprenticeship numbers and keeping the provision going, but the reality is that it’s getting harder and harder – there are going to be victims in this and ultimately those are going to be students. There’s a degree of naivety in some of the things that were said.

Chris Webb, principal, Barnsley College:

I don’t think there’s anything that he said that we don’t already know. I disagree with the premise that we’re not entrepreneurial, flexible and adaptive. I’m very interested about the funding gaps between higher education and FE and how that might come out and help up to address the deficits that colleges are facing. We’re currently in the area based review for the Sheffield City region, and I think the colleges work well together, we’ll see where that takes us. We know what the challenges are, we know that apprenticeships are the key focus, but employers need to put their hands in their pockets ad pay for the training and commit to giving people jobs.

Nav Chohan, principal, Shipley College:

I was interested, I feel some sympathy for him that if he gives money in one area he has to take money away from somewhere else – that seemed a fair enough point to make. So in those circumstances I can’t quite understand why there’s still investment going into UTCs, 16-19 free school and the new institutes of technology. It doesn’t really make sense when the answers to all him problems are in fact in that big conference hall.

Anthony Bravo, principal, Basingstoke College of Technology:

I asked the minister about an assurance for 16 to 18 year old apprenticeship money. The reason being we’ve used up our entire year’s allocation and we have employers waiting to take on apprentices, but we can’t take on anymore at the moment because we have got no money to do so. It’s a bit of a catch 22 because we all want to employ and recruit more apprentices, but in a financially perilous time it would be imprudent to actually go and do work without the guarantee of the funding.

Susan Pember, director of policy and external relations, Holex:

I absolutely agree with Minister Boles about the push on apprenticeships but I’m really disappointed that he had nothing new to say about adult learning and what we need to do about the adults in the workplace who have got poor basic skills.

Asha Khemka, principal and chief executive officer, West Nottinghamshire College:

Our Minister said the right things but I was very disappointed sitting in that hall. I felt we were being told off. The question is, why are there different policies for schools and higher education? I don’t have an issue with any of the principal messages, but I do have issues of contradicting policies between the sectors. Schools, more schools, more academies, more UTCs, more competition … things are not stacking up.