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Niace calls for apprentice charter in funding consultation response
The National Institute of Adult Continuing Education (Niace) has called for the introduction of an apprentice charter and job outcome payments.
In his response to the government’s consultation on apprenticeship funding reforms, Niace chief executive David Hughes (pictured) welcomed the government’s commitment to encouraging employer investment in apprenticeships, but said it needed to go further.
He used his response to call for extra measures to improve quality of apprenticeships.
He said: “Niace’s vision for apprenticeships starts with the recognition that there are three stakeholders critical to the success of the programme — the government, employers and the apprentices themselves. All three make an investment and all three share in the returns.
“We support expansive apprenticeships, where the focus is on developing the whole person for a job, a career, and other careers and for life, and going beyond that, to instil a sense of curiosity, lifelong learning, discovery and improvement in all apprentices.
“We welcome the government’s commitment to encouraging co-investment in apprentices by employers. A greater employer cash contribution will increase the available funds for widening access to the apprenticeships for currently under-represented groups, including people with disabilities and learning difficulties.
“However, there are three key challenges to be addressed. Firstly the proposed new price negotiations between employers and providers may negatively impact apprenticeship quality.
“Niace believes that the quality of apprenticeships and the interests of apprentices need to be championed by the introduction of an ‘apprentice charter’. This three-way agreement between apprentices, employers and government, would ensure an expansive approach, leading to a secure job, thereby helping to deliver the positive returns on investment for all three of the apprenticeship stakeholders.
“Secondly, the current consultation continues to advocate introducing a principle of universal employer co-investment of external training, including for apprentices aged between 16 and 18.
“If this is introduced too rapidly, there is a serious risk of this reducing the number of employers engaged with the programme. Careful planning is needed for the implementation, to secure current employers and to ensure that their return on investment is made clearer as their costs increase.
“Thirdly, the consultation has an insufficient focus on the effective measurement of success in order that the quality of the apprenticeship system can be objectively assessed. Niace advocates adopting an additional performance measure of a job outcome payment. Niace’s recommendation would incentivise more employers to adopt a strategic and expansive approach to their apprenticeship programmes.
“We are looking forward to the outcomes of the consultation and to continuing discussion about how the apprenticeships programme can be developed to meet the needs of the three key investors.”
The consultation closed today.
Skills Minister reveals identity of first new FE college in 20 years
Skills Minister Matthew Hancock has confirmed that Essex-based charity Prospects Learning Foundation is to become the first new FE college in more than 20 years.
The announcement that the independent learning provider’s proposed incorporation has been officially rubber-stamped follows a full public consultation earlier this year.
The move was first exclusively revealed by FE Week in July last year and it will see Prospects, which has a current Skills Funding Agency allocation of £2.6m and already brands itself as Prospects College, renamed Prospects College of Advanced Technology.
It will operate as a college from September, with current chief executive Neil Bates (pictured) taking on principalship.
Mr Hancock said: “Prospects College of Advanced Technology will offer high-level specialist vocational provision with employer ownership at the heart of its mission.
“I welcome the establishment of new colleges, which will drive up quality, help learners make the vital transition from education to employment and support economic growth.”
Mr Bates said: “Prospects has a proud history spanning 45 years during which time we have trained thousands of people for careers in the Engineering and Construction industry. Incorporation represents the start of a new era.
“Working hand in hand with our employers we will train the next generation of technician engineers, aerospace engineers, project managers , building service engineers and skilled construction workers. We aspire to be world class and nothing less will do”
David Sherlock CBE, who will be the first corporation chair of the new college said: “This is a very important day.
“The new college will be dedicated to the provision of high quality specialist technical training and apprenticeships supporting employers in sectors which are crucial to the national and regional economy.”
See FE Week edition 101, dated Monday, May 5, for more.
Second superbike racing season under way for student four years after landmine horror
Former Lance Corporal Murray Hambro lost both his legs below the knee in a landmine explosion while on patrol in Afghanistan in 2010, but last month the 34-year-old motorcycle maintenance and repair student started his second season racing in the Triumph Triple Challenge Racing superbike series, writes Paul Offord.
Chichester College learner Murray Hambro is no ordinary motorbike racer.
The 34-year-old former soldier suffered horrific injuries when his tank was blown up by a landmine while on patrol in Afghanistan in December 2010.
The former Lance Corporal in the Second Royal Tank Regiment had driven motorcycles since he was a child, but having been fitted with prosthetic limbs after the explosion, a surgeon said his racing career was over.
But Murray took no notice and bought a brand new Triumph Daytona 675 after leaving hospital.
Murray said: “The bones in my feet were shattered by the force of the explosion and I also broke my pelvis and shattered six vertebrae.
“The treatment I received was second-to-none, but I remember a surgeon asked what my hobbies were.
“I told him I liked riding motorbikes and he said I would probably have to find something else. That was like a red rag to a bull to me.”
Murray searched on the internet to find out what modifications he would need to ride his new bike.
He said: “The rear braking is normally done with your right foot, but I found out I could have it converted so I could activate it with my right thumb.
“Gear changes are also normally done with the rider’s left foot, but I got a button connected to the handlebars to do that.”
He started his first season in the Triumph Triple Challenge Racing superbike series, which was televised on Eurosport, in March last year.
It involved racing at up to 160mph over nine weekends at famous courses across the country, including Silverstone, in Northamptonshire, and Brands Hatch, in Kent.
He was the only competitor with prosthetic limbs but finished 28th overall out of 34 competitors.
Murray also started on a level two motorcycle maintenance and repair course with Chichester College in September last year, which has given him the skills to carry out repairs when his bike crashes or breaks down.
He said: “I was recently given a new Triumph Daytona 675 by my sponsors and some of my fellow students helped me carry out the same modifications that I had to get mechanics to do before.
“I’m planning to take it a step further start a level three course in September.”
Murray’s wife Hannah, aged 32, who is mother to his one-year-old son, Harley, is fully supportive of his racing career.
He said: “My main goal after I was injured was actually to walk by myself down the aisle on my wedding day [on August 28, 2011], which I managed. There is always a bit of worry now on Hannah’s part [for his safety while racing], but she is really supportive and comes along to some race weekends.”
He is a member of the True Heroes Racing team, which uses competitive motorsport to support injured UK service personnel.
Murray said: “I had no idea what would happen with my recovery after the explosion, as it all happened so quickly, but I was back on a motorbike after four months and even able to ride a bicycle with my prosthetic limbs a month later.”
Cap: Murray Hambro racing his Triumph Daytona 675 motorbike.
Keith’s feeling animated thanks to makers of Wallace and Gromit
A Weston College graphic design degree student is feeling animated after working with the makers of Wallace and Gromit.
Keith Kilpin, aged 24, initially completed two weeks’ work experience last summer with Bristol-based Aardman Animations, which makes the popular animated films using plasticine models and stop motion animation.
He impressed them so much he was invited back to work on the official Hobbit app for the Desolation of Smaug film, for which he received an official credit, and an interactive flash game called Wizards vs Aliens for CBBC.
Keith is now hoping to secure regular freelance work with Aardman after he graduates in June.
He said: “Thanks to the broad skills my degree has equipped me with, I’ve had the opportunity to work on a really wide variety of projects with Aardman.
“I think it’s a really quirky and interesting place to work and I love the atmosphere here.”
Cap: Wallace with student Keith Kilpin
Career prospects take off thanks to work experience
The career prospects of 12 level three travel and tourism students from City College Norwich took off after they spent three days working at an airport.
The work experience at Norwich International Airport included helping with check-ins and boarding on the customer service and information desks.
They also worked for the airport’s travel agency, Travel Norwich Airport, within the airport terminal building and at a branch in Norwich town centre.
Half of them have since been offered summer jobs at the airport.
Brogan West, aged 17, a student who worked at the airport, said: “Everything was easy to pick up and the training we had from the airport staff was really good.”
Another 74 level one, two and three hospitality and catering students worked at the nearby four-star Holiday Inn Norwich North hotel.
They tried out housekeeping, bar work, food preparation, waitering and management roles.
Cap: Students Brogan West, aged 17 and Daisy Hughes, 18, on the runway
Teenager impresses on TV hairdressing talent show
Exeter College level two hairdressing student Kobi Kirby was the youngest of eight contestants to take part in BBC Three show Hair — a competition to find the best young amateur hairdresser in the country.
The 17-year-old made it all the way to the semi-finals and finished fourth overall — one place behind level two Riverside College hairdressing student Katie Crompton, 30, who featured in edition six of Campus Round-Up.
Kobi, who has as a Saturday job at Attitude salon, in Exmouth, had only begun his college course a few weeks before filming started and had no other formal training.
Linda Creed, hairdressing lecturer at Exeter College, said: “I am delighted Kobi did so well on the show. The experience helped him showcase his passion for hairdressing and his range of skills.”
Kobi said: “I’m really proud to have got as far as I did on Hair. Now I want to get on with my studies and then hopefully progress with my career. I would like to eventually work on photo shoots and hopefully have my own salon.”
Cap: Hairdressing student Kobi Kirby cutting a woman’s hair
Zombie video helps raise safety awareness for blood transfusions
Students at North Nottinghamshire College took inspiration from classic rock and horror films to help raise awareness among hospital staff about safety rules for blood transfusions.
The group of 12 level three creative media production students created a video, which is now used as a training tool by Doncaster and Bassetlaw Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, featuring zombies infected with bad blood taking over a hospital ward.
The students starred in the short film and wrote lyrics for “You Give Blood a Bad Name” — a humerous song they recorded for the backing track in the style of Bon Jovi hit You Give Love a Bad Name.
Media lecturer Darren Dutton said: “The finished video is excellent and conveys a serious message in a fun and unusual way.”
Visit www.bit.ly/bloodvideo to download the video.
From left: Student Lee Forshaw, aged 20, made up like a zombie