Latest news from FE Week

All trailblazer assessment plans are going to be put out to public consultation from the end of this month, FE Week can exclusively reveal.

Jennifer Coupland, deputy director of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) and Department for Education (DfE) apprenticeship strategy and policy unit, set out the plans in a letter emailed to all Trailblazer groups yesterday (October 5).

The letter, which has been shown to FE Week, said: “Following the next monthly deadline for expressions of interest, standards and assessment plans (October 29), we will place all assessment plans online for a period of two weeks”.

An accompanying note explained that employer, provider and assessment organisations will be encouraged to read through the plans and provide feedback through online surveys, which will be promoted through BIS and the Skills Funding Agency (SFA) publications and social media.

Ms Coupland added in her letter that Trailblazers will “have a further week to review and discuss comments with their BIS relationship manager” after the fortnightly survey periods.

“I hope you will agree that these changes will improve transparency, scrutiny and the evidence base supporting our assessment plan approval process,” she said.

Association of Employment and Learning Providers chief executive Stewart Segal feared that the two-week consultation period would not be long enough.

“We need to review the whole governance process for developing and maintaining standards and assessment plans for the long term,” he said.

Teresa Frith, senior skills policy manager for the Association of Colleges, agreed with Mr Segal.

She said the two week consultation period seemed “a little short” but added that it “does create an open and transparent process. It gives all interested parties the opportunity to respond”.

The move follows the launch of a similar process for Trailblazer expressions of interest and standards in August.

It comes after an FE Week report on August 6 revealed mounting frustration among Trailblazers groups, over delays with standards that they had designed being cleared for use by the government.

There are still only 55 standards judged ready for delivery by BIS, following approval of their assessment plans.

Meanwhile, 133 standards have been published but are awaiting approval for delivery.

Of these, 12 have been waiting since November, and a further 19 have been waiting since December.

Provisional figures published earlier this week in the Statistical First Release also showed there had been just 400 starts under the new Trailblazer standards.

 

Business Secretary Sajid Javid has ruled out a degree apprenticeships target — warning it would be “too complex” and could “lead to the wrong kind of behaviour”.

The Bromsgrove MP was grilled by members of the House of Commons Business, Innovation and Skills Select Committee on Wednesday (October 14) in a one-off evidence session.

They questioned him about whether — in light of the 3m apprenticeships target for the period of this Parliament having been set — government should also be aiming for a set number of higher level apprenticeships.

“We have not set a target for higher level apprenticeships. Sometimes your targets, just generally, can lead to the wrong kind of behaviour and be too much of a blunt instrument,” said Mr Javid.

“So I didn’t want to have more targets within targets, and then more targets as it would make it more complex.

“We have rationale for it, and I have explained that, but we want to see an increase in quality.”

He added: “If your concern that it is just about quantity that the government is going to focus on then it couldn’t be further from the truth.”

It comes with the latest statistical first release showing that, provisionally, the number of higher apprenticeship starts last year came in at 19,300 — just under 4 per cent of the total number of apprenticeships (492,700).

Final figures show there were 9,200 higher apprenticeship starts the previous year (2.1 per cent of the total), 9,800 (1.9 per cent) in 2012/13 and 3,700 (0.7 per cent) the year before that.

And Mr Javid told members of the committee, which was looking into the work of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) and also heard from BIS permanent secretary Martin Donnelly, of the government’s “passion” for degree apprenticeships.

He told how he wanted to see the proposed levy help fund growth in the programme.

“We had to come up with a way in which we could focus on all qualities of apprenticeships, especially the more higher quality apprenticeships — for example degree apprenticeships are something that we are very passionate about,” he said.

“We want to see a big growth in that and it costs a lot of money and I wanted to see if there was a sustainable way to fund that and that is why we came up with the levy.

“But there are different types of quality apprenticeships and within five years from now there might be a type of apprenticeship that we don’t have today, in terms of focus.

“But if employers demand a certain skill that they think can also be dealt with by an apprenticeship, if it is not just through a degree route for example, then we want to leave that flexibility.”

He added: “There will be a huge focus on both the quality of apprenticeships as well as the quantity.

University reserves of around £12bn could play an important role in rebalancing the funding deficit between higher education and FE, a report by Policy Exchange has said.

The think tank reported that the university sector now holds a “staggeringly high” level of discretionary reserves, which stands at £12.3bn even after accounting for pension liabilities and the deficit within the universities pension scheme.

It makes up 48 per cent of the entire annual operating income of the university sector, the report said.

With these resources available for universities to draw from, Policy Exchange has proposed that the Department for Business Innovation and Skills (BIS) redirect £532m from universities grant funding towards boosting higher level professional and technical education in FE.

The report, entitled Higher, Further, Faster, More — Improving higher level professional and technical education, called on the government to provide further support for FE.

It said that the sector is “in a position of great risk,” as a result of “a systematic imbalance between the two halves of our tertiary education system”.

While admitting that the proposal was unlikely to be well received by the higher education sector, the report said: “When looking at the post 19 education and training system as a coherent

whole, the higher education element is significantly better funded than its FE counterpart”.

It said higher education income is at record levels, with an operating surplus of 3.9 per cent recorded for 2013/14.

Since the introduction of tuition fees in 2009/10, higher education has seen an overall rise in income of 26 per cent, it said, while FE colleges have seen funding plummet in the same period, with the adult skills budget being cut by 24 per cent in the same period.

Policy Exchange warned that, according to the National Audit Office, more than one in four of the entire FE college network could effectively go bankrupt within a year.

The report also called for FE to be treated as equal to higher education, with student loans being extended to FE students aged 19-24 years and maintenance support being introduced in the sector.

Currently advanced learning loans are only available for learners aged 24 and over, studying at Level three and four.

The government scrapped the 24+ advanced learning loans system for apprenticeships in 2013, due to a disappointingly number of applications.

Jonathan Simons, head of education at Policy Exchange, who has also written an exclusive expert piece on this issue for FE Week, co-wrote the report with Natasha Porter, deputy head of education.

He said: “The case for training and for skills has never been more important — to help create 3m apprenticeships, to fuel the Northern Powerhouse, to boost social mobility and to drive economic growth.

“The UK is home to world beating universities that we should all be proud of. But as well as degrees, we also need many more people with high class technical and professional skills.”

The University and College Union (UCU) welcomed the report’s call for more FE funding, but challenged the idea of taking cash from higher education.

Sally Hunt, UCU general secretary, said: “What is happening in the FE sector is absolutely catastrophic and risks undermining our ability to deliver the skills this report and others identify as crucial for the future of our economy.

“However, we do not accept that the best way to achieve this is to raid cash from our world-leading universities.”

But John Widdowson, president of the Association of Colleges, said: “Policy Exchange makes a strong and convincing case for the government to rethink funding for post-18 education and training in the upcoming Spending Review.

“The outdated practice of highly funding our universities whilst continually taking money away from colleges, is creating a surplus of graduates and not enough people with the qualifications required for technical and professional jobs, such as engineering and construction.”

David Hughes, chief executive of the National Institute of Adult Continuing Education, (Niace), said: “Niace is pleased to see that Policy Exchange are joining us in advocating a universal and unified post 19 funding and student loans system together with a call for personal learning accounts to give people greater control and access to learning throughout their lives. These were key issues within our submission to HM Treasury ahead of the Spending Review.”

 

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Dozens of high achieving apprentices and employers have been recognised at National Apprenticeship Awards ceremonies across England.

The events for London (pictured above), the South West, North West (including Liverpool, Cumbria and Lancashire), Yorkshire and the Humber, West Midlands, and North East took place between Thursday (October 8) and yesterday (October 15).

It is understood that awards and special commendations went to 47 apprentices and 53 employers.

Speaking after the North East ceremony at the Discovery Museum, in Newcastle, yesterday, Skills Minister Nick Boles said: “From local businesses to large household names, from intermediate to degree apprentices, all of today’s winners truly deserve this recognition.

“The success of each winner reminds us of how crucial apprenticeships are in supporting our workforce, our businesses and our economy.

“This is why we are committed to delivering 3m apprenticeships by 2020.”

The awards celebrate the success of the country’s highest achieving apprentices and apprenticeship employers.

More outstanding apprentices and employers will be recognised in ceremonies for the South East, on Wednesday (October 21), North West (including Manchester, Cheshire and Staffordshire), on Thursday (October 22), Thames Valley and Solent, on Thursday (October 22), East of England, on Tuesday (October 27), and East Midlands, on Thursday (October 29).

Sue Husband, director of the National Apprenticeship Service, said that the awards, now in their 12th year, “enable talented apprentices and committed employers to receive the recognition they richly deserve”.

“They not only help celebrate the achievements of apprentices and businesses, allowing them to gain the credit for investing in their own futures, but they drive up quality and encourage others to get involved,” she added.

Here are the winners and highly commended entries:

Yorkshire and the Humber
Winners:
McDonald’s Award for Intermediate Apprentice of the Year: Karolina Polniaszek, Superdrug
EAL Award for Advanced Apprentice of the Year: April Bell, Monica F Hewitt
City & Guilds Apprenticeship Champion of the Year: Martin Kennedy, Portakabin Ltd
The E.ON in partnership with the National Skills Academy for Power Award for Medium Employer of the Year: Genix Healthcare Ltd
BAE Systems Award for Large Employer of the Year: Portakabin Ltd
BT Award for Macro Employer of the Year: Lloyds Banking Group
EDF Energy Award for Newcomer SME of the Year: Sheffield Media and Exhibition Centre Limited

Highly Commended:
Kathrine Rundell, Third Energy UK Gas Ltd
Ruby Magson, Hemingway Bailey
Matthew Weeks, Bluefin Insurance Services
Yorkshire Coast Homes
Margaret & Michael Naylor & Associates
Wakefield Council
Yorkshire WaterHull City Council

West Midlands
Winners:
Mcdonald’s Award for Intermediate Apprentice of the Year: Kathleen Sandford, the Community Housing Group
EAL Award for Advanced Apprentice of the Year: Joshua White, IBM
The Nuclear Decommissioning Site Licence Companies Award for the Higher Apprentice of the Year: Stephanie Palmer, Fujitsu
Unilever Small Employer of the Year: ISO Quality Services Ltd
BAE Systems Award for Large Employer of the Year: Redrow Homes
BT Award for Macro Employer of the Year: Compass Group UK & Ireland
EDF Energy Award for Newcomer SME of the Year: eTech Solutions Ltd
Rolls-Royce Award for Newcomer Large Employer of the Year: Highways England

Highly Commended:
Bethany Griffin, Sanctuary Housing Association
Ryan Shemwell, Green Lighting Ltd.
Hannah Scott, Jaguar Landrover
Andrew Morley, Jaguar Landrover
Green Lighting Ltd
The Community Housing Group
The Landscape Group
Jaguar Land Rover ltd
Halfords Ltd (Retail)
Black Country Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

North West
Winners:
McDonald’s Award for Intermediate Apprentice of the Year: Adam Huddleston, Dr Oetker UK Ltd
EAL Award for Advanced Apprentice of the Year: Paul Haynes, BAE Systems (Submarines)
The Nuclear Decommissioning Site Licence Companies Award for the Higher Apprentice of the Year: Joanne Sharples, BAE Systems
City & Guilds Apprenticeship Champion of the Year: Poppy Wolfarth, Asset Training and Consultancy Ltd
Unilever Small Employer of the Year: Prima Software Ltd
The E.ON in partnership with the National Skills Academy for Power Award for Medium Employer of the Year: A & G Precision and Sons Ltd.
BAE Systems Award for Large Employer of the Year: Silentnight Brands
BT Award for Macro Employer of the Year: Sellafield Ltd
EDF Energy Award for Newcomer SME of the Year: Driscolls Antiques Ltd

Highly Commended:
Jacqueline Whitehead, Plus Dane Group
India Ratcliffe, Loungy Upholstery Ltd, Craig Eccles, Paradigm Precision
Natassia Sinclair, Weightmans LLP
Hannah Bell, GlaxoSmithKline
Natalie Roberts, Merseyside Police
Liam Hogan, Cathy at Image Hair and Beauty
Arthur Padgett Limited
Weightmans LLP
Unilever UK Limited
Aintree University Hospital
Eden Rivers Trust

South West
Winners:
McDonald’s Award for Intermediate Apprentice of the Year: Odette Carroll, Brunelcare
EAL Award for Advanced Apprentice of the Year: Jonathan Taylor, Alcoa Power & Propulsion
The Nuclear Decommissioning Site Licence Companies Award for the Higher Apprentice of the Year: Malgorzata Barzowska, level 3, Airbus UK
City & Guilds Apprenticeship Champion of the Year: Hayley Barnden, Defence Equipment and Support, Ministry of Defence
Unilever Small Employer of the Year: Beauty Oasis Spa
The E.ON in partnership with the National Skills Academy for Power Award for Medium Employer of the Year: River Cottage Ltd
BAE Systems Award for Large Employer of the Year: South West Water Limited
EDF Energy Award for Newcomer SME of the Year: Vector 7

Highly Commended:
Meghan Callaghan, L J Boyce Ltd
Jessica Herbert, Rolls Royce Plc
Tom Heal, ME and WJ Heal
Andrew Cooper, GKN Aerospace
The Seafood Restaurant
Plymouth City Council

London
Winners:
McDonald’s Award for Intermediate Apprentice of the Year: Maria Dare-Ojo, Compass Group UK and Ireland LTD
EAL Award for Advanced Apprentice of the Year: Lauren Tiller, BT
The Nuclear Decommissioning Site Licence Companies Award for the Higher Apprentice of the Year: Sean Norgate, BT
City & Guilds Apprenticeship Champion of the Year: Joshua Uwadiae, eCourier
BAE Systems Award for Large Employer of the Year: Breyer Group plc
Rolls-Royce Award for Newcomer Large Employer of the Year: UBS Wealth Management
The E.ON in partnership with the National Skills Academy for Power Award for Medium Employer of the Year: Troup Bywaters + Anders
BT Award for Macro Employer of the Year: BAE Systems Plc
Unilever Small Employer of the Year: Keybridge IT Solutions

Highly Commended:
James Manning, ASDA Home Shopping Centre
Aaron Barrett, Breyer Group Plc
Naim Hamade, BT
Gabriele Power, Channel 4 Television Corporation
Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health
Lancaster London
Barclays Bank plc
IBM UK Ltd.
Sweett Group PLC
Haymarket Media

North East
Winners:
McDonald’s Award for Intermediate Apprentice of the Year: Ryan Davies, South Tees -Hospitals NHS Trust
EAL Award for Advanced Apprentice of the Year: Matthew Collins, Proctor and Gamble
The Nuclear Decommissioning Site Licence Companies Award for the Higher Apprentice of the Year: Nathan Charrada, Proctor and Gamble
City & Guilds Award for Apprenticeship Champion of the Year: George Ritchie MBE, PX Limited
EON and The National Skills Academy for Power Award for Medium Employer of the Year: Sotech Limited
BAE Systems Award for Large Employer of the Year: Gestamp

EDF Energy Award for Newcomer SME of the Year: PROPS North East

Highly Commended:
Ryan Hepple, TW Steam and Heating Ltd
Victoria English, Caterpillar Peterlee Ltd
Bethany Cross, Northumberland Fire and Rescue
Stephen Gowland, Ils solicitors
Caterpillar Peterlee Ltd

 

 

 

 

A new Skills Funding Agency (SFA) requirement for lead contractors to pay for an external audit of their subcontracting arrangements will “create the need for hundreds of additional reports,” Association of Colleges assistant chief executive Julian Gravatt (pictured) has warned.

He said the requirement, contained in funding agreements for 2015/16 and requesting ‘annual subcontracting assurance,’ was already carried out internally by providers as “good practice”.

A notice has been sent by the SFA to lead providers about the new clause, which requires lead providers that “subcontract more than a defined level of provision to obtain a report from an external auditor that provides assurance on the arrangements in place to manage and control their subcontractors”.

Lead providers must also provide “a certificate confirming that the report provides satisfactory assurance,” according to the notice, which has not been sent to subcontractors but is available on feweek.co.uk.

“It is good practice for college audit committees to get an internal auditor to look at their education and training subcontracts, but it is not necessary for the SFA to be so prescriptive on the issue,” said Mr Gravatt.

He added the new clause would “create the need for hundreds of additional reports for colleges and larger training providers”.

Policy Consortium member and Institute of Education senior research associate Mick Fletcher said: “It seems to me to be another example of passing a job and the associated costs to providers because the SFA no longer has the resources to provide proper oversight of the sector.

“Lead providers will no doubt pass the extra cost to their subcontractors and ultimately it will come out of resources intended for learners — there is nowhere else.

“Meanwhile, the government will continue to claim that cutting ‘back office’ staff at the SFA doesn’t affect the front line.”

And Association of Employment and Learning Providers chief executive Stewart Segal also questioned the need for the new clause.

“The external assurance can be integrated into the existing assurance process, including financial and process audits, and we believe

it should not add significant costs to the process,” he said.

“We will continue to discuss the implementation of these new requirements with the SFA.”

The SFA declin declined to comment on criticism of the new clause. It is understood that information in the notice will be incorporated into future published guidance.

• CBI calls for ‘clarity’ on Trailblazer assessments

• AELP warns against new starts without knowing costs

 

The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) has hit out over fears that companies and providers could be hit by costly new apprenticeship exams with big awarding organisations (AOs) yet to say what they’ll charge.

In an exclusive interview with FE Week Neil Carberry (pictured above left), CBI director for employment and skills, said businesses had been increasingly concerned about rumoured end-point assessment costs.

Three AOs have so far been approved by the Skills Funding Agency (SFA) but none has so far set a price.

And Association of Employment and Learning Providers (AELP) chief executive Stewart Segal (pictured above right) has gone even further and cautioned members, saying they “should be aware of the cost of assessment before they take on any new starts”.

Mr Carberry said: “What is important is giving businesses and providers clarity as soon as possible on the new assessment system and associated costs.

“Companies are concerned that assessment costs for trailblazers are proportionate.

“We have been getting more worried that government inspired end assessment criteria are driving up costs for trailblazers.”

It comes with provisional government figures this month showing 400 starts under the new standards in 2014/15.

Each Trailblazer group has to include an estimate of costs when they submit their assessment plans — but this information is not published.

However, a number of published assessment plans include some reference to potential costs.

The level three electrician standard includes an AM2 test which “will be approximately £700”.

Meanwhile, the Tech Partnership, the employer-led network behind both the network engineer and software developer Trailblazer apprenticeships said in its assessment plan that “our aim is that assessment costs will be 10 to 15 per cent of the total cost of the apprenticeship”. This would give a “direct cost of assessment of three days of assessor per apprentice”.

Terry Fennell, group operations director at the Food and Drink Training and Education Council Group of Companies, told FE Week that the Butchery Employer Trailblazer group had estimated the end point assessment cost for the butcher standard to be around £600.

Despite the uncertainty over assessment fees, providers are expected to include costs when claiming funding from the SFA.

A City and Guilds spokesperson told FE Week: “We are still working with trailblazer groups to decide the pricing structure for end assessment apprenticeships.”

A spokesperson for Pearson said it was “too early at this point” to have information about how much they would charge.

An OCR spokesperson said: “It’s too early to say what OCR will be charging as nothing has been finalised.”

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Editor’s comment

I agree with Stewart

This week Sajid Javid, the Secretary of State at the Department for Innovation and Skills (BIS), told the select committee he felt it necessary to support the introduction of an apprenticeship levy because the new ‘higher quality’ standards were more expensive than the current frameworks.

Cheap portfolios with tick box assessor observations are out, to be replaced in many cases by attendance at an approved test centre.

This new end point assessment, in the case of the network engineer standard for example, will last a full week at a test centre.

Significantly upping the cost of assessment isn’t necessarily a bad thing. If employers see a real value from any corresponding increase in the quality of training and rigor of assessment to achieve a pass, merit or distinction.

But it raises some important questions, such as; how can providers responsibly negotiate fees with employers if they don’t know the cost of assessment? If only one assessment organisation gets approved for a standard what is their incentive to offer a competitive price? And, who will pay for the apprentice travel and accommodation for assessment centres and who will pay for expensive assessment resists if the learner fails to attend or pass?

Steward Segal, the chief executive of the AELP, is right.

Providers need to down their trailblazer tools and stick to the current frameworks until these questions are answered.

Chris Henwood
FE Week editor
chris.henwood@feweeek.co.uk

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Click here to download Nick Linford’s Trailblazer funding slides, presented at the AELP Autumn Conference

Boris Johnson (pictured) has been given a key role in deciding the future of London’s FE colleges, FE Week can reveal.

The London mayor will, it is understood, lead the capital’s post-16 education area review, which is yet to be officially announced.

A City Hall spokesperson told FE Week that Mr Johnson, who is also the MP for Uxbridge and South Ruislip, had already taken a leading role in preparations for the review.

He said: “The mayor is working with borough leaders, government and the skills sector, using the area review process to help deliver our vision to strengthen post-16 skills and education in London.

“It is vitally important that businesses can access workers with the right knowledge and skills if the capital is to maintain its current strong position as a global hub for business, talent and creativity.”

The government has said the reviews were “designed to achieve a transition towards fewer, larger, more resilient and efficient providers, and more effective collaboration across institution types”.

It announced the second lot of the first round of reviews on September 25, involving 21 general FE colleges and 13 sixth forms colleges (SFCs) in the Tees Valley, Sussex Coast and Solent regions.

Twenty two general FE colleges and 16 SFCs were announced in the first round of reviews for Birmingham and Solihull, Greater Manchester and the Sheffield City region, announced on September 8.

College governors’ board chairs, joined by either their chief executives or principals, and officials from local authorities take part in each steering group.

Members of local enterprise partnerships (Leps), the FE Commissioner, the Sixth Form College Commissioner and Regional Schools Commissioners, and Department for Education and Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) officials will also attend.

The Greater Manchester group chair is chief executive of Trafford City Council Theresa Grant, but FE Commissioner Dr David Collins is chairing the five other steering groups.

It is understood Mr Johnson will be working with London Borough leaders in his role. There will be little opportunity for delay, with his term of office set to end in May.

The government has said that more area reviews would be announced “shortly”.

However, a BIS spokesperson declined to comment on when the London area review would be announced, or how many general FE and SFCs would be involved.

The government is expected to face calls to boost FE budgets with funding from the higher education sector in a new report.

The Policy Exchange is due to publish its report on Monday (October 19) and it is thought the conclusions will include a rebalancing of government finances towards the two sectors.

It comes after Jonathan Simons, head of education at the right-leaning think-tank, which counts Skills Minister Nick Boles as founder, said the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) should divert cash from universities to help FE, which is “falling over”.

In an exclusive interview with FE Week, and expanding on his above comments from the Northern Rocks pedagogy conference in Leeds in June, he said the government needed to ensure value for money for “all students, regardless of what route they take”.

Mr Simons said: “In advance of a challenging spending review, we need to think hard about how we best spend all available government funds. When it comes to post-secondary education, the field is currently skewed in favour of higher education.”

The Skills Funding Agency announced in July that FE providers faced a cut of 3.9 per cent on their non-apprenticeship adult skills budgets between August and March 2016.

It came on top of cuts of up to 24 per cent already made to adult skills budgets earlier this year.

Mr Simons said: “When the adult skills budget is being cut by 24 per cent in 2015/16, and at the same time the higher education sector reports discretionary reserves for 2013/14 equivalent to just under half of their entire annual income, I’d expect BIS to think hard and work with colleges, universities, employers and training providers to ensure value for money in education for all students after the age of 18, regardless of what route they take and which qualifications they study.”

A BIS spokesperson said: “Any funding decisions will be made following the spending review.”

Mr Simons’ comments come with the adult skills budget having been cut by 24 per cent since 2009-10. And, according to the National Audit Office, more than one-in-four of the entire FE college network could effectively go bankrupt within 12 months.

Image: cartoon from edition 142 of FE Week