The new boss of the Association of Employment and Learning Providers (AELP) has laid out his top priorities.

Ahead of his first speech as chief executive — which he will deliver at the FE Week Annual Apprenticeship Conference (AAC) tomorrow — Mark Dawe told FE Week that getting the levy right, making sure employers are fully engaged with high quality delivery, and ensuring that small and medium-sized employers (SMEs) are not left to “pick up the scraps” were top of his agenda.

The former OCR chief, who takes over from the outgoing Stewart Segal at AELP, said the FE sector is entering a “critical period where we can get it right”.

On the apprenticeship levy, which was revealed will give employers a 10 per cent top-up to their monthly contributions in yesterday’s budget, Mr Dawe said the sector should be aiming for a “simple but effective” system.

“The levy should be understood by all those involved, particularly employers, and we will ensure providers get funding as it has been described. There should be no barriers to either.”

Mr Dawe also told FE Week that he was concerned with the government’s recent comments about SMEs.

Last week, Skills Minister Nick Boles re-emphasised plans to make SMEs rely on unspent apprenticeship levy funds from larger companies to pay for their training.

Mr Dawe said: “It feels like the SMEs are getting the scraps. If you hear how the large employers are talking they could be using up the levy and more in the next two years.”

On the need for high quality providers, Mr Dawe said the government’s money should be targeted at ensuring high quality good provision is supported, and not undermined by sustaining poor quality weak provision.

“The sector’s aim should be to ensure high quality delivery with excellent outcomes for student and business, whatever the type of provider, and we hope that ministers will keep their word about making no attempt to ‘fix the market’ for apprenticeships.”

Speaking about the introduction of Trailblazers, Mr Dawe said: “Let’s just step back and make sure this is a long term sustainable set up, which is valid, reliable and a manageable assessment.

“It should give employers what they want but also learners training and qualifications that allows them flexibility.”

Following a morning speech from Ofsted boss Sir Michael Wilshaw at the AAC, Mr Dawe said the chief inspector “needs to retire before he does any more damage to our education system and the economic wellbeing of this country”.

He added: “Inspection of delivery, whoever is delivering to the learner, is important, but it has to be relevant and should facilitate high quality provision. I have enormous respect for what they are trying to do and many members of the team, particularly Paul Joyce, but even today we are hearing worrying comments.

“Everyone seems fixated on the need for an apprenticeship to require the operation of a lathe or use of a spirit level rather than a coffee machine or leg wax – I know which ones I have had more contact with recently, and the training is really important.”

He said education as a whole needs an inspectorate which “appreciates the benefits of work based learning, understand the needs of the employers in each sector, operates a framework that is appropriate for work based learning, and with inspectors who understand it”.

Commenting on 16 to 18 learning, Mr Dawe said that schools and parents need to realise that further learning can be completed in the workplace, including higher apprenticeships, which for many would be a “better route”.

He said: “Parents need to think hard about the £50,000 debt that comes with going to university and only 50 per cent of students end up going into graduate level jobs.

“Vocational routes provide a salary and relevant industry training along with generic skills.”

Mr Dawe said he will also fight for “absolutely unfettered access” to schools and their students and to allow providers into schools.

“Even when it isn’t deliberate, there is still a bias in many schools to staying on to do academic programmes or classroom based vocational rather than more suitable work based programmes.

“The government recognises this but at end of day, they have to convince the parents. We all have a role in providing high quality information advice and guidance, particularly employers and providers.”

Employers will receive a 10 per cent top-up to their monthly levy contributions as a result of today’s budget.

Chancellor George Osborne only briefly mentioned the levy in his speech to the House of Commons at lunchtime.

However, the 10 per cent top-up plans were unveiled in a budget report subsequently published by the Treasury.

It will mean, for example, if an employer pays a £2,000 levy, then its levy pot will be £2,200.

“From April 2017, employers will receive a 10 per cent top-up to their monthly levy contributions in England and this will be available for them to spend on apprenticeship training through their digital account,” said the Treasury.

“The government will set out further details on the operating model in April and draft funding rates will be published in June.”

The new measure comes in addition to the £15,000 allowance previously announced for levy payers.

The Treasury re-iterated today that the levy “will be set at a rate of 0.5 per cent of an employer’s paybill and will be paid through PAYE”.

“Each employer will receive an allowance of £15,000 to offset against their levy payment,” it said.

“The government will apply a 10 per cent top-up to monthly funds entering apprenticeship levy payers’ digital accounts in England from April 2017.”

The Treasury also announced plans for more work coaches in Birmingham.

“This budget announces the extension of additional work coaches in Birmingham for the next financial year,” it said.

“These additional work coaches work with businesses to match individuals with apprenticeships, training opportunities and skilled jobs.

“There are currently 100 additional work coaches in Birmingham who work with businesses to match workers with apprenticeships, training opportunities and skilled jobs. This scheme will continue until 2017.”

It comes after FE Week exclusively revealed this morning that extra money looks set to be made available for 16 to 18 apprenticeships following today’s budget.

Extra money is set to be made available for 16 to 18 apprenticeships following today’s budget announcement, FE Week understands.

Chancellor George Osborne is due to deliver his budget speech to the House of Commons at around 12.30pm today.

FE Week understands it is unlikely Mr Osborne will announce the 16 to 18 apprenticeships increase to MPs, but it will be confirmed via a subsequent Skills Funding Agency (SFA)/ Education Funding Agency update bulletin.

This may not be new funding, as FE Week understands a shared apprenticeship budget between the Department for Education (DfE) and Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) is being considered.

It would allow for funding to be moved between provision for the 16 to18 (DfE) and 19+ (BIS) age groups.

This comes as the SFA this morning announced details of “a performance-management point two form to allow increases and virements to your [providers’] 2015 to 2016 funding year contract”, which it said “will be published shortly”.

Providers will hope any funding increase helps alleviate recent growth request issues for 16 to 18 apprenticeship funding, as reported in FE Week.

The SFA confirmed last month that while it had awarded an additional £25m to colleges and training providers to deliver 16 to 18 apprenticeships – there was no extra cash for 16 to 18 traineeships.

That announcement, which should have been made on January 8, was in response to growth requests submitted by providers to help fund apprenticeships and traineeships in 2015/16.

The previous two budget announcements were hugely significant for FE.

Mr Osborne unveiled plans for the apprenticeships levy in July.

Other elements of that budget speech which impacted on FE, related to further devolution to Greater Manchester, including employment services, and the introduction of employment adviser support for 14 to 17-year-olds in Birmingham through the Jobcentre Plus.

The much-feared November budget did not result in the huge cuts to FE funding that had been feared.

The Chancellor did, however, confirm that from April 2017, employers would have to pay 0.5 per cent of their pay roll costs towards the levy — offset by a £15,000 allowance that meant most employers would not have to pay.

Mr Osborne also announced that FE loans were to be extended to the 19+ age group and increased the government’s commitment to funding apprenticeships, calling it “the flagship of our commitment to skills”.

“In the last parliament, we more than doubled the number of apprentices to 2m. By 2020, we want to see 3m apprentices,” he said.

“And to make sure they are high quality apprenticeships, we’ll increase the funding per place — and my Right Honourable Friend the Business Secretary will create a new business-led body to set standards.

“As a result, we will be spending twice as much on apprenticeships by 2020 compared to when we came to office.”

Association of Colleges chief executive Martin Doel travelled to Buckingham Palace yesterday to collect his CBE awarded in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours list.

Mr Doel (pictured above), who was recognised for his work in the FE sector, was presented with the medal by Prince William, the Duke of Cambridge.

Mr Doel said it was a “great honour” to receive his CBE and a “real pleasure to be joined at the ceremony at Buckingham Palace by my family”.

“They have had to put up with many, many disrupted weekends and evenings as I have worked with my colleagues at AoC to do our best to support colleges and their students — the recognition is as much for them as for my efforts,” he added.

An AoC spokesperson said Mr Doel had been “instrumental in supporting and representing the FE sector through a period of significant challenge and change” during more than seven years with them.

She added: “Through his work, he has highlighted the importance of colleges in providing high-quality technical and professional education and training, promoting the essential role they play in providing valuable employability skills.”

Carole Stott, chair of AoC, said: “I am very pleased for Martin who thoroughly deserves this recognition.

“Over the years, Martin has ensured that colleges are highly regarded, and he has fought hard to ensure that future generations can continue to develop their talents and their careers through attending their local college.”

Mr Doel became chief executive of the AoC in 2008 but is standing down from September 1.

FE Week reported in November last year about Mr Doel’s move to a new professorship of FE and Skills at the Further Education Trust for Leadership (Fetl).

He will actually start part-time with Fetl from April 1, while continuing with AoC, before going full-time in the new post four months later.

Mr Doel moved to the AoC after a career in the Royal Air Force. He was previously director of training and education for all three Armed Services, working in the Ministry of Defence.

He was appointed OBE in 1998 for his work in support of operations in the Balkans and for his contribution to Anglo-German relations.

Picture by Anthony Devlin/PA Archive/Press Association Images

The National Union of Teachers (NUT) has led a one-day national strike for sixth-form college’s (SFCs) across the country, including a march on Parliament to protest against cuts to funding for the sector.

The NUT held a rally at noon at the Camden Centre, where speeches were made by figures including Kevin Courtney, deputy general secretary of the NUT, and author and commentator Owen Jones (pictured left).

Protestors then travelled to Parliament on Routemaster buses (below right) branded with slogans including ‘save 16-19 education’, and chanted and waved banners outside the Department for Education (DfE).

A petition for education secretary Nicky Morgan was presented at the door.

Commenting on the strike, a spokesperson for the DfE said the department had spoken to 90 per cent of sixth form colleges yesterday (Monday 14), and knew of only two that were expecting to be closed due to the strike action.

On Twitter, Henley College posted that teaching was cancelled for the day, and local news website Brighton and Hove News reported that Brighton and Hove SFC was closed.

Picket lines were also photographed at a number of colleges, including St Francis Xavier SFC, which was visited by NUT general secretary Christine Blower, and City and Islington SFC, which was visited by Mr Courtney.

The plan to strike had been temporarily threatened by court action, launched by the government in an attempt to prevent it taking place. However, London’s High Court yesterday (March 14) ruled against the challenge, enabling the strike to go ahead.

Commenting on the events, David Igoe, chief executive of the Sixth Form Colleges’ Association (SFCA), said: “As far as we know the strike is having little effect on the ground with no colleges reporting to us that they are closing.”

He added that the SFCA’s position on the strike action remained the same.

“We have no problem standing with the Union in pursuing a better funding deal for sixth form colleges, but believe this strike to be ill-judged and potentially damaging to young people’s education,” he said.

“This is a vital time in the run up to public examinations and a strike can damage the reputation of colleges with potential parents and students who are considering their next steps at 16.”

Mr Igoe added: “Our campaign of relentlessly presenting the evidence for the effectiveness and efficiency of SFCs led, we believe, to the helpful statement by the chancellor in the Autumn statement which both gave a funding guarantee for the sector and the opportunity to consider academy status and the VAT rebate.

“We will continue to press the government for recognition that the funding settlement for the 16-18 phase is inadequate and will prevent colleges and schools from delivering a worthwhile curriculum.

“Industrial action targeted just on the SFC sector is unlikely to make this case as effectively as our cross-party political campaigning and may, indeed, make things worse for our colleges.”

A DfE spokesman said in a statement on Monday (March 14): “The NUT is seeking to disrupt the education of thousands of students and damage the reputation of the profession. We are disappointed with the court’s decision and are considering our options.

“We recognise the importance of investing in education which is why, thanks to the difficult decisions we have taken elsewhere, we have been able to protect core 16 to 19 funding.

“At the same time we have ended the unfair difference between post-16 schools and colleges by funding them per student to ensure that all young people leave education with the skills they need to thrive in modern Britain.”

SFC members of the NUT voted for strike action on February 29, with 86 per cent in favour, from a 44 per cent turnout.

The question put to members was “In order to persuade the Secretary of State for Education [Nicky Morgan] to increase presently inadequate funding levels which cause detrimental changes to terms and conditions within the sixth form college sector are you prepared to take a day’s strike action?”

A total of 1,689 NUT members took part in the ballot, with 1,453 voting for the strike action and 235 against.

Photos by Jess Hurd. 

London’s High Court has rejected a government attempt to stop strike action taking place at sixth form colleges across the country tomorrow.

The ruling comes after FE Week reported on Friday that the government had launched court action to challenge the planned National Union of Teachers (NUT) action.

It means that the strike action will now be going ahead tomorrow.

Kevin Courtney, deputy general secretary of the National Union of Teachers, said: “The High Court’s decision is a victory for democracy and common sense.

“It is abundantly clear that government cuts to sixth form college funding are having a direct impact on our members’ terms and conditions and as such we are entitled to take strike action.

He added it was “regrettable” the government had not attempted to “resolve the dispute”.

“No one wants to take strike action but this is a serious issue that is getting increasingly worse,” said Mr Courtney.

“The NUT has been left with no option but to raise awareness of the problem through industrial action. Nicky Morgan’s challenge to the legitimacy of our strike action has just made that job easier.”

The union announced on February 29 that its members had backed the strike through a ballot, with 86 per cent voting in favour of the industrial action from a 44 per cent turnout.

A total of 1,689 NUT members took part in the ballot, with 1,453 voting for the strike action and 235 against.

The question put to members was “In order to persuade the Secretary of State for Education [Nicky Morgan] to increase presently inadequate funding levels which cause detrimental changes to terms and conditions within the sixth form college sector are you prepared to take a day’s strike action?”

A Department for Education spokesman said: “The NUT is seeking to disrupt the education of thousands of students and damage the reputation of the profession. We are disappointed with the court’s decision and are considering our options.

“We recognise the importance of investing in education which is why, thanks to the difficult decisions we have taken elsewhere, we have been able to protect core 16 to 19 funding.

“At the same time we have ended the unfair difference between post-16 schools and colleges by funding them per student to ensure that all young people leave education with the skills they need to thrive in modern Britain.”

Nine out of ten apprenticeship sector leaders who took part in an exclusive FE Week survey fear quality will suffer as the government drives towards 3m apprenticeship starts by 2020.

It was carried out ahead of the FE Week Annual Apprenticeship Conference (AAC) – which will be attended by nearly 1,000 staff from colleges, independent training providers and awarding organisations over tomorrow, Thursday, and Friday at the Birmingham ICC.

There was a fairly even split, among 209 respondents to the survey sent to delegates, between those that thought the 3m target would be achieved and those who didn’t — but 88 per cent were concerned about quality suffering.

FE Week survey results:

Are you concerned quality will suffer in effort to increase quantity?
Yes – very concerned	85	41%	183	88%
Yes – a little concerned	98	47%
No – not very concerned	21	10%	23	11%
No – not at all concerned	2	1%
Don’t know	3	1%	1	0%
Total	209

 

Delegates at AAC, which is organised by FE Week parent company Lsect in partnership with the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), will hear tomorrow from Skills Funding Agency director Keith Smith who is now leading levy implementation.

Ofsted chief inspector Sir Michael Wilshaw will also deliver a keynote conference speech on Thursday morning, when he is expected to repeat his concern raised in October about poor quality apprenticeships, for example in cleaning and coffee making.

A damning Ofsted report published at the same time, following a thematic review, also warned of low-skilled jobs being rebadged as apprenticeships.

Sir Michael will be joined for a question and answer session after his AAC speech by Ofsted deputy director for FE and skills Paul Joyce, who told the BBC at the start of National Apprenticeship Week that the inspectorate had come across “apprentices that received very little to no training”.

“The best practice is with industries that have quite a long history of apprenticeships, like construction and engineering, but with some sectors like retail and customer services, the experience was less positive,” he added.

Delegates also expressed concern, through the survey, about lack of detail over the way the reforms, such as the levy, would be implemented.

Neil Coates, director of vocational and growth at Newham College, asked: “When will we know all the facts? The lack of clear information at a time of area reviews is a massive disadvantage to FE colleges.”

Matt Garvey, managing director at independent training provider WBTC, said: “The vision is sound but the lack of detail on how the reforms will work has created an environment of rumour, supposition and fear.”

Karen Bailey, head of competence development at employer provider Volvo Group, warned the “ill thought out” reform programme was in a state of “chaos”.

“We are planning our budgets for next year and the information changes week by week,” she added. Ms Bailey said the situation was an “utter disgrace” and appeared “to be led by the Treasury as a revenue stream rather than by BIS as a way of improving apprenticeships”.

When asked to comment on the findings of the survey, Skills Minister Nick Boles said: “One of the main objectives of our reforms is to put an end to poor quality apprenticeship training.

“Following the introduction of the apprenticeship levy employers will control the money invested in apprenticeship training and will have a strong incentive to drive up its quality.”

More survey results will be published tomorrow, and live conference action can be followed on Twitter with the #AAC2016 hashtag.

Middlesbrough College has been confirmed as the latest new member of 157 Group, FE Week can reveal.

Zoe Lewis (pictured above), principal and chief executive, announced the news on the college’s website today.

It comes after the 157 Group exclusively revealed its expansion plans to FE Week in January and brings the total number to 31.

Ms Lewis said: “We are delighted to be selected to join the 157 Group.

“It’s recognition of the high quality training we provide and we look forward to working in collaboration with like-minded colleges to shape the future skills agenda and create a network of excellence across the country to support employers with their training needs.”

FE Week revealed on March 1 that City College Plymouth (CCP) had become the second college to join the 157 Group as part of its expansion plans.

The group’s chief executive, Ian Pretty said at the time he was “pleased to welcome” CCP, which was rated ‘good’ by Ofsted at its most recent inspection in 2012, “to our network of forward thinking, entrepreneurial colleges”.

That announcement came a little over a month after Cardiff and Vale College became the first college to join the 157 Group.

Reflecting on the latest announcement, Mr Pretty said: “Middlesbrough College embodies the 157 Group mission; it is employer facing, it is entrepreneurial and it has a deep commitment to improving the employment prospects of its learners.

“Middlesbrough College gives the 157 Group a presence in the North East, they have shown they are dedicated to their community and their region, investing in the most disengaged young people to improve their life chances through the MC Academy and shifting their offer to meet local economic needs which enhance their region’s economic competitiveness.

“They work with over 1,000 employers and have over 1,000 apprentices and have exciting plans for the years ahead. We can’t wait to get started working with them.”

A 157 Group spokesperson added: “Membership of the 157 Group is now 31 full members and two corporate partners. With the addition of Middlesbrough College we now have a presence in the North East meaning our network stretches across every region of the UK with partnership from business as well.

“We are a strong voice for our members and the FE sector as we seek to transform the UK economy through the delivery of high quality technical and professional education.”