Labour’s John Woodcock has replaced Yvonne Fovargue as Shadow Education Minister for Young People.

The MP for Barrow and Furness, in Cumbia, and former Shadow Transport Minister announced the appointment on Twitter this morning, saying he was “really pleased to be returning to Labour’s front bench”.

He takes on responsibility for 14 to 19 apprenticeships, vocational education, youth services and careers advice in Shadow Education Secretary Tristram Hunt’s team, while Liam Byrne retains the Shadow Skills Minister brief in Shadow Business Secretary Chuka Umunna’s team.

The Labour duo will be taking on Skills Minister Nick Boles, whose brief straddles both the Department for Education and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.

Mr Woodcock told FE Week this afternoon that he was “delighted” with the appointment, adding: “I have seen in my constituency the vital importance of good apprenticeships and strong FE institutions and am looking forward to getting out across the country to understand how government must improve to help young people get the chances they need.”

Ms Fovargue had been appointed to the post in October. She replaced Rushanara Ali, who resigned after refusing to support her party’s stance on military action in Iraq.

Ms Fovargue, who has taken on the role of Shadow Veterans Minister, said: “I have enjoyed my time in the education team. FE is such an important sector and brings immense value to the country, but faces a big challenge around funding.

“I know that John has the skills and knowledge to make a big impact and will be an excellent shadow minister.”

Mr Woodcock was first elected to represent Barrow and Furness in 2010 and was re-elected with 42.3 per cent of the vote in the May 7 General Election.

The father-of two and former journalist for the Scotsman was Shadow Transport Minister from 2010 to 2013.

His Labour profile said that he had to step down from the transport brief “as he recovered from a nasty fall off his attic ladder. He admitted suffering from depression triggered by the slow recovery from his accident and now campaigns to raise awareness of mental health issues, which affect one in four of us in any given year”.

He served on the House of Commons Defence Committee over the last two years.

 

Apprenticeship target a ‘significant challenge’

The creation of 3m apprenticeships by 2020 is a “significant challenge” that can only be achieved with more funding and employer engagement, sector leaders have said.

The Conservatives made the target acentral plank of their General Electionmanifesto.However, it would require a huge increase on the 2,208,100 apprenticeship starts over the five academic years from 2009/10 to 2013/14.

The most successful academic year during that period was 2011/12 which saw 520,600 starts, but it fell to 510,200 in 2012/13 after a minimum 12-month duration was introduced for apprenticeships in August 2012.

It slumped to 440,400 in 2013/14 and there would have to be a 36 per increase on that figure to achieve the 600,000 starts per year needed by 2020.

Concern also remains over whether there will be sufficient funding, improvements to  schools’ careers guidance on apprenticeships,and interest among small and medium-sized enterprises to produce the extra starts.

But the government’s tactics for achieving the 3m target will, according to new Business Secretary Sajid Javid in a Sky News interview on Tuesday (May 12), be laid out in an employment and apprenticeships bill set to unveiled in the Queen’s Speech.

Martin Doel, chief executive of the Association of Colleges, said the target would be a “significant challenge” that “can be achieved if the government and others can persuade sufficient numbers of employers to recruit an apprentice”.

He said: “We will also need to ensure the careers advice, delivered by schools, gives a thorough explanation of the opportunities provided”.

Dr Lynne Sedgmore, executive director of the 157 Group, said: “Securing such an increase will rely on gaining much more buy-in from the employer community and that, in turn, is about making sure employers can see the value of engaging with skills training.”

David Hughes, chief executive of the National Institute of Adult Continuing Education, said the 3m target was “an ambitious yet important step”. He called for more “incentives for employers to take on apprentices”, the “quality bar” to be raised through a new apprentice charter, and traineeships to be given a “shot in the arm”.

Stewart Segal, chief executive of the Association of Employment and Learning Providers, said there would need to be “improved careers guidance in schools and for adults, a streamlined system of contracting and funding that gives providers and employers greater certainty over planning, and a more considered approach to apprenticeship reform”.

He added: “Above all, it will need increased and sustained investment.” The Skills Funding Agency (SFA) confirmed in March that apprenticeship  funding would be protected from 24 per cent sector cuts with apprenticeship allocations “initially set at £770m”.

Nevertheless, Bedford College principal Ian Pryce tweeted on Monday (May 11) that the 3m target was still “not achievable” and called on the government to “allow us to use that funding for 19-24 full level three who get job after”.

John Allan, national chairman of the Federation of Small Businesses, said the government would need to “improve take-up among the UK’s 5.2m small businesses”.

“Apprenticeships must be affordable, have standards based on current industry practice, and the quality of training must give confidence to employers that apprenticeships will produce the skills they need,” he said.

A CBI spokesperson said: “Employers must have real control over standards and funding if more businesses are to step up and play their part.”

The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills told FE Week that Mr Javid and Skills Minister Nick Boles were not available for comment.

Editor’s comment

The party political focus on FE and skills during the last Parliament was the greatest it has been in a long time, as that ‘parity of esteem’ mantra, trotted out to knowing nods and various seals of approval, showed.

And that focus has intensified with Prime Minister David Cameron putting a 3m apprenticeships target front and centre for his new Government.

It’s an aim the sector can take pride in being set. It’s a tribute, finally, to the economy-boosting powers of FE and skills.

Questions as to whether it’s a realistic aim and whether the methods by which it might be achieved would dilute the quality of provision are best left until we know more of the Government’s tactics.

But it has already shown commitment to the apprenticeship cause with safeguarded funding for the programme.

However, while this is something to be celebrated, at some point it will be worth reminding Skills Minister Boles that there’s more to FE and skills, at least for now, than apprenticeships.

It’s a reminder that will hopefully not be necessary for Business Secretary Javid (as himself a product of FE and skills).

Chris Henwood, FE Week editor

chris.henwood@feweek.co.uk

More than 200 college jobs are facing the axe in West Yorkshire in a bid by management at Leeds City College and Bradford College to balance the books in the face of funding cuts.

Leeds is trying to knock nearly £11m from its budget by cutting 146 staff members while Bradford needs to make £8m in savings as it puts 140 jobs at risk.

The University College Union (UCU) branded the cuts “astonishing” and was preparing to ballot for strike action at both colleges.

A spokesperson for Leeds said: “Like colleges all over the country including colleagues in Bradford, we are again facing the impact of government funding cuts for the 2015/16 academic year.” The college, according to the UCU, was planning to get rid of 312 full time jobs in management, business support and teaching and bring in 166 lower-paid roles, resulting in the loss of one-in-four lecturing jobs at the college. The college also planned to close three of its campuses — Morley, Meanwood and St Bartholomew’s.

The Leeds spokesperson added: “The college is working hard to absorb as much of the reductions in income as possible from non-pay budgets but regrettably, it is envisaged that there will be an impact on courses offered, estate portfolio and staffing.

“The college seeks to minimise compulsory redundancies as far as possible, with job losses mitigated through offering enhanced voluntary severance, ensuring redeployment opportunities are maximised, and implementing a managed vacancy freeze as the default position.”

She added that the 33,000-learner college was “extremely disappointed” by the UCU ballot at “a difficult time for staff”.

The job cuts at Leeds, which had a January Skills Funding Agency (SFA) allocation of £42m, follow 100 redundancies in 2014.

A spokesperson for Bradford said the proposed job cuts there would deliver “efficiency savings” while “improving effectiveness and simultaneously delivering growth”. “The college has entered into a consultation process with staff and stakeholders and a voluntary redundancy programme has been made available to staff with the intention of avoiding the need for compulsory redundancies if possible,” she said. Bradford had a January SFA allocation of £17.8m and a student population of 17,840.

UCU regional official Julie Kelley said industrial action was “always a last resort” but strike action could not be ruled out.

“The pace and scale of the job losses at Leeds City College and Bradford College is astonishing,” she said.

“Colleges that are experiencing difficulties need to work with us to try and manage the situation.

“The last thing we can afford is knee-jerk job cuts that leave a lasting legacy on the local community.”

UCU is expected to announce a timetable for ballots in the next few days. In the last month, East Kent (40), Lewisham and Southwark (112), Petroc (no figure announced), Stafford (no figure) and Telford (85) colleges have all warned of job losses, along with Birmingham Metropolitan, where 250 posts were at risk.

 

Priory Central Services has been ordered to leave the healthcare employers’ Trailblazer group after it was hit with a grade four Ofsted rating, FE Week can reveal.

The employer provider, which runs the national medical chain that includes the famous London Priory rehabilitation centre attended by celebrities, has also been served with a notice of concern by the Skills Funding Agency (SFA) in light of the inadequate rating on April 17.

It had been part of the healthcare Trailblazer group that designed level five assistant practitioner and level two support worker standards.

But Jane Hadfield, chair of the Trailblazer group of NHS trusts and other healthcare-related organisations including the Royal College of Nursing and Hospice UK, told FE Week that “following discussions with our partners in the healthcare Trailblazer, we have written to Priory requesting that they end their involvement with the group”.

Priory, which offers healthcare training and apprenticeships to around 370 learners, is still represented on a separate adult nursing Trailblazer group by its former head of learning and development Janet Cowie, who finished full-time with the company last August, but still works for it as a consultant.

However, Dr Terry Tucker, who chairs the Trailblazer group developing an adult nursing higher apprenticeship standard that also includes employer provider BUPA, told FE Week: “Ms Cowie has been an extremely useful and valued member of the group.

“However, we will now have to have to hold a discussion in the next few days, in light of the Priory’s grade four Ofsted and the decision taken by the healthcare Trailblazer group, to decide whether or not to end her and the Priory’s involvement with our group.”

Ms Cowie said she still hoped to stay with the Trailblazer group, adding: “I think the Priory was unfairly treated by Ofsted, as it was inspected [in March] during the period between when I left and before a permanent replacement was found.”

As previously reported by FE Week, Priory’s Ofsted report told how “trainers are not sufficiently ambitious for apprentices”.

Ofsted found it had “no significant strengths” and issued it with grade four ratings across the board. It was last inspected in 2013, when it was deemed to require improvement.

A spokesperson for Priory, whose January allocation from the SFA consisted of £342,943 adult skills budget money and £15,419 for 16 to 18 apprenticeships, said: “We are disappointed by this outcome [with the healthcare Trailblazer group], but we have a robust action plan in place to address all the issues raised by Ofsted.

“We are committed to — and are investing heavily in — our staff, and our learning and development function is under new leadership.”

An SFA spokesperson said the notice of concern was issued following the inadequate Ofsted judgement and the agency would “continue to follow its intervention policy” that could eventually lead to contract termination.

A spokesperson for the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills said it was up to the individual Trailblazer groups to decide whether to cut ties with Priory.

 

Labour’s top education and business teams have emerged from a post-election mini-reshuffle identical to their pre-election make-up.

Acting Labour leader Harriet Harman, who became leader of the opposition following Ed Miliband’s resignation, made some minor changes to the shadow cabinet team following the defeat of key politicians such as Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls and Shadow Foreign Secretary Douglas Alexander, and the resignation of London mayoral hopeful Sadiq Khan.

But Ms Harman announced on Monday that Shadow Business Secretary Chuka Umunna (above right) would remain in place, alongside Shadow Education Secretary Tristram Hunt (above left) despite the prospect that Mr Hunt may end up in the contest for the Labour leadership.

Mr Hunt has been mooted as a possible leadership candidate by pundits and has hinted that he may throw his hat in the ring, while Mr Umunna declared his intention to run for the leadership on Monday (May 11) in Swindon, but  withdrew from the race on Friday, citing the media “attention” he had experienced as a candidate.

The re-shuffle also did not touch Yvonne Fovargue, who remains in place as Shadow Education Minister with responsibility for 16 to 19 education, or Liam Byrne, who is still Shadow Skills Minister.

The Liberal Democrats, also in the process of launching their own leadership contest, are expected to announce their key spokespeople once a new leader is in place.

 

Shadow Business Secretary Chuka Umunna has dropped his bid to run the Labour Party, citing the “scrutiny and attention” of the leadership contest as behind his withdrawal.

The MP for Streatham, seen as on the right of the party, has been critical of former leader Ed Miliband in the days after the crushing General Election defeat.

He was second to throw his hat into the ring to head the party following Mr Miliband’s resignation as Labour leader.

Shadow Care and Older People Minister Liz Kendall, MP for Leicester, was first to announce her leadership intentions, but Mr Umunna had proved a bookies’ favourite with Betfair, Paddy Power and BetVictor offering, at one stage, odds of 2/1, Betfred 15/8 and Ladbrokes 13/8.

But a statement from Mr Umunna today reads: “Shortly before the election campaign, I made the decision, in the event that Labour was defeated and a new Leader was to be elected, to stand for the leadership of the party if there was a desire in the party for me to do so.

“I dearly hoped Labour would win the election and it was a decision I would not have to implement.

“I also thought I understood the scrutiny and attention a leadership contest would bring.

“As a member of the Shadow Cabinet, I am used to a level of attention which is part and parcel of the job. I witnessed the 2010 leadership election process close up and thought I would be comfortable with what it involved.

“However since the night of our defeat last week I have been subject to the added level of pressure that comes with being a leadership candidate. I have not found it to be a comfortable experience.

“One can imagine what running for leader can be like, understand its demands and the attention but nothing compares to actually doing it and the impact on the rest of one’s life.

“Consequently after further reflection I am withdrawing my candidacy.

“I apologise to all those who have kindly supported and encouraged me to do this and for disappointing them. I know this will come as I surprise to many but I had always wondered whether it was all too soon for me to launch this leadership bid – I fear it was.

“Most importantly, I continued to have very real concerns and worry about this bid’s impact on those close to me.

“I intend to carry on playing my full role as a proud member of our Shadow Cabinet taking on the Tories. I also hope to play a leading role in Labour’s campaign to keep the UK in the EU during the forthcoming referendum which is absolutely crucial.

“Most importantly, I will as ever continue to serve the area I know and love – the Streatham parliamentary constituency.”

 

Pic: Chuka Umunna at the FE Week annual apprenticeship conference in March this year

Sector leaders lined up to pay tribute to the efforts of former Business Secretary and self-proclaimed FE-saviour Dr Vince Cable as a “champion of the sector”.

The senior Liberal Democrat became one of the most high-profile casualties of the General Election on May 7, when he lost his Twickenham seat to the Conservatives. He has since been replaced as Business Secretary by Conservative Sajid Javid.

Dr Cable claimed last October that he fought off suggestions from civil servants in 2010 that budgets across the sector should be cut to a level that would have “killed off FE”.

His claim was backed-up at the time by former Skills Funding Agency director of provider services David Hughes, chief executive of the National Institute of Adult Continuing Education. Mr Hughes said: “Vince was always — and I’m sure still is — a champion for FE and the support it gives to people who need help to get on in society. His passion for the sector and determination to make it as good as he possibly could shone through.”

The sector, not including apprenticeship budgets, is currently being hit by 24 per cent cuts despite Dr Cable’s former presence in Government. Nevertheless, former senior civil servant Sue Pember (pictured), who worked with 10 FE and skills ministers and eight secretaries of state over six years up to 2013, remained full of praise for Dr Cable. The former head of FE and skills investment at the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, who will start as director of policy and external relations for adult learning provider membership body Holex in August, said: “Dr Cable was an incredible and supportive Secretary of State and a true champion of FE. He fully understood how adult education enhanced lives and individual prospects and how in turn that bolstered productivity.”

Martin Doel, chief executive of the Association of Colleges, said: “The fact Dr Cable remained as Secretary of State for the full five years gave him a good knowledge of FE, only adding to his evident personal commitment to colleges. Throughout that period we knew we had someone at the top who understood and appreciated the work of colleges.”

Stewart Segal, chief executive of the Association of Employment and Learning Providers, said: “We are grateful to Dr Cable for protecting the apprenticeships budget during the past five years and for overseeing the launch of traineeships. Dr Cable showed a real propensity to listen to concerns, such as ones about employer contributions to apprenticeships, and take notice of the frontline evidence presented to him.”

Dr Lynne Sedgmore CBE, executive director of the 157 Group, said: “We are especially sad to say goodbye to Vince Cable, who has been very supportive
of FE despite the difficult times we have been facing over the past few years.”

Main pic: Vince Cable

Danny Lawson/PA Wire

 

Prime Minister David Cameron has appointed the Conservative MP Sajid Javid (pictured) as Business Secretary in his new majority government.
He replaces Vince Cable, the Liberal Democrat who held the post for the last five years until he lost his seat in Parliament on May 7.
Reporter Freddie Whittaker delves into the background of the new man in charge of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), and looks at what the FE and skills sector might expect.

 

A former banker and Treasury minister, Sajid Javid is seen, by the business community at least, as a safe pair of hands. But will his FE background be enough to win over a sector demanding more attention and funding?

A key ally of George Osborne who, like Education Secretary Nicky Morgan, has risen swiftly through the ranks having worked for the Chancellor, Mr Javid will have to work hard to overturn the perception that he is a Treasury stooge placed in BIS to deliver deeper cuts.

So, along with delivering the 3m new apprenticeship starts and siting a university technical college within reach of every city, among other manifesto pledges, Mr Javid will have to preside over a cut to the adult skills budget of 24 per cent in 2015/16.
He will also find himself using cash from fines imposed on his former employer, Deutsche Bank, for their part in the Libor manipulation scandal to fund some of the planned apprenticeships growth thanks to a policy revealed in the General Election run-up designed to generate £200m.

And he will do all of this with his prized limited edition print of Margaret Thatcher hanging on the wall of his office at 1 Victoria Street, as he revealed on Twitter just days after the election.

Given his background, Mr Javid is unlikely to face the same criticism at BIS as he did upon his appointment as Culture Secretary last year, when he was accused of being out of his depth.

Although he didn’t have long to settle into his last job, Mr Javid made a staunch defence of a free press one of his key messages, which suggests that he may be an unlikely champion of whatever cause he decides is most important in his new brief. And Mr Javid is no stranger to FE.

As a former student at Filton Technical College [see below], now part of South Gloucestershire and Stroud College, who served as Parliamentary Private Secretary to the former Skills Minister John Hayes, he should be familiar with the demands of the sector. But if he isn’t, sector leaders were certainly keen to help him out.

Dr Lynne Sedgmore, 157 Group executive director, told FE Week that Mr Javid’s business experience and time spent working for former Skills Minister John Hayes, would “undoubtedly have left him with a clear view of the importance of a strong skills system”.

She said: “Colleges are, of course, critical to that system. This is a good and high-profile appointment, and we look forward to working with him.”

David Hughes, chief executive of the National Institute of Adult Continuing Education (Niace), said Mr Javid knew “first-hand” what people can achieve through “determination, ambition and perseverance”, and said he looked forward to working with him.

Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL) general secretary Dr Mary Bousted told FE Week she hoped Mr Javid would continue the “supportive work” of his predecessor, adding that it was “particularly important that economic growth related to training and skills is developed in tandem with key partners for sustainable progress”.

A spokesperson for the University and College Union said he hoped the new Business Secretary would visit colleges to see the “valuable work” they do, particularly in adult learning, adding: “This is a crucial area where more than 1m learners have already gone since 2010 as a result of funding cuts, and where the UK lags behind other countries.

“We look forward to working the new ministers to ensure that apprenticeship expansion is focussed on quality.”

As reported on feweek.co.uk, Mr Javid’s appointment has also been welcomed by Association of Colleges chief executive Martin Doel, who said he would be encouraging him to ensure those “many millions of adults not eligible for an apprenticeship are able to access training”.

And Association of Employment and Learning Providers chief executive Stewart Segal said his organisation was “looking forward” to discussing with the new BIS team how training providers can play a “key role” in delivering planned growth of the apprenticeship programme.

 

Meet the new boss, same as the old boss

Nick Boles (pictured) “quickly grasped the importance of FE and training, particularly apprenticeships” in his first stint as Skills  Minister, according to Association of Colleges (AoC) chief executive Martin Doel.

Mr Doel said the AoC therefore “looked forward to continuing its work with Mr Boles,” who was first appointed Skills Minister in July when Matthew Hancock was promoted to attend cabinet as business and energy minister.

“Nick Boles may only have joined the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and Department for Education last summer but he has quickly grasped the importance of FE and training, particularly apprenticeships,” said Mr Boles.

“We look forward to continuing our work with him in the coming months and encouraging him to look at the other forms of technical and professional education that colleges can provide to help young people and adults boost their skills.”

Association of Employment and Learning Providers chief executive Stewart Segal praised Mr Boles for having worked with the sector on issues such as Functional Skills and for his “pragmatic approach” on apprenticeship reforms.

“We warmly welcome the reappointment of Nick Boles as skills minister,” he said. “Firstly, he provides continuity in the role when the sector needs some stability as it faces major funding challenges over the next five years.

“Secondly he worked with the sector on issues such as Functional Skills and has taken a pragmatic approach on the apprenticeship reforms. We need to ensure all stakeholders are involved in these reforms if providers are to help the new government achieve its ambitious target for growth in the programme.

“We also hope that the minister works closely with the Department for Work and Pensions to bring about greater integration on employment and skills, especially when the government is committed to reducing youth unemployment.  We look forward to working with the minister in these very challenging times.”

Sixth Form Colleges’ Association deputy chief executive James Kewin said: “We welcome the reappointment of Nick Boles as Minister of State for Skills. As the minister in the Department for Education with responsibility for sixth form colleges, we look forward to continuing our constructive working relationship with him.

“The minister acknowledged last year that our sector had absorbed huge funding cuts and we will urge Mr Boles to fight our corner in this year’s spending review.

“Although the 16 to 19 budget is outside the funding ringfence, cutting it further will seriously damage the life chance of thousands of students.”

Dr Lynne Sedgmore, executive director of the 157 Group, said: “We are pleased to see Nick Boles continuing in his role as Minister for Skills – over the past ten months we have developed a very positive relationship with the Minister and it is good to see the continuity and stability which his appointment represents.

“The new government has set out a clear vision for the future expansion of apprenticeships and for a significant change to the way in which our skills system is viewed, and colleges are ready to work with the new ministerial team to achieve the best outcomes for both learners and employers.”

Dr Mary Bousted, general secretary of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL), said: “Nick Boles’ role as Minister for Skills is to be welcomed as a continuation of his interest in the sector and ATL would urge that a stronger partnership ethos is developed among key stakeholders to ensure the sector develops a positive and robust sector identity. Mr Boles could cement his presence in the sector by facilitating such a change.”

Brian Lightman, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), said: “We look forward to working with the new ministerial teams at the Department for Education and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.

“The reappointment of ministers from the previous administration, including Education Secretary Nicky Morgan and Schools Minister Nick Gibb, as well Nick Boles as Skills Minister, will provide much-needed consistency and stability. It also means these departments will benefit from having at the helm a set of highly experienced ministers.”

Graham Hasting-Evans, managing director of NOCN awarding organisation, told FE Week: “The sector faces its greatest challenge in a generation, with all the inherent major risks for the future. In that sense, we should welcome stability with the re-appointment of Nick Boles as Skills Minister.

“In his short time as Skills Minister, he’s already demonstrated a pragmatic willingness to reconsider difficult and controversial issues and to make clear decisions.

“The current Trailblazer apprenticeship process, while producing some good apprenticeships in a few sectors, is still not fit-for-purpose.

“If the Government is going to achieve its ambition of 3m apprentices, as needed for a growing economy, then the Minister is going to have to face some major challenges, funding being the main one.

“We fully support the commitment to supporting young people into apprenticeships, but we think we now urgently need structural as well as process changes to make it happen. The Government must also focus on employability skills as well as English, maths, science and IT.

“Re-skilling and support for adults with low skill levels must also be a priority. There are many people who could fulfil employers’ requirements, but are lacking in adult skills. The country cannot afford to ignore this.”

Mr Boles was not available for comment since his reappointment on Monday (May 11), but told FE Week the day after the election: “FE colleges face many challenges and some are taking longer than others to get themselves in a position where they can compete with other providers.”

He said colleges would no longer be able to rely solely on government funding, so they should improve links with “employers who pay for training directly”.

“The expansion of apprenticeships was a key part of our manifesto and we intend to deliver on that,” added Mr Boles.