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Apprentice loans still processed due to ‘comms failure’
Business Secretary Vince Cable was grilled by MPs over why apprentice FE loans were still being officially advertised and processed despite the policy having been dropped.
He faced questions, along with civil servants Martin Donnelly and Howard Orme, about the loans for apprentices over the age of 24 being scrapped, as exclusively revealed in December by FE Week.
During the hearing, Dr Cable promised to investigate the matter, along with what he called a “communications failure” which led to the Skills Funding Agency (SFA) continuing to advertise 24+ apprentice loans on its website.
Labour MP Ann McKechin asked why members of the committee had not first heard about the decision to scrap the loans, which are still being processed by the Student Loans Company and advertised on the SFA website, through parliament.
She said: “Our committee staff noticed a reference reported in FE Week that you are withdrawing this particular scheme but we were unable to find any statement that you had made to parliament in this regard.
“We only found out simply by chance as a committee. There didn’t seem to have been any announcement made to parliament. It seemed to have gone into a newspaper first of all.”
Dr Cable said: “The 24+ loan scheme has worked well, in other words had a very big take-up for most of the training. But in the apprenticeship area there was very little take-up, we concluded that was not working and we decided to cease it. I can certainly try to find out why we did not brief parliament more thoroughly, that’s a perfectly fair point.”
Committee chair Adrian Bailey asked Dr Cable: “I understand from FE Week that the SFA website is still advertising these loans. There just seems to be some muddling and confusion.
“An announcement which was in FE Week that Parliament is not aware of, and the SFA, not exactly an insignificant player in this area, isn’t aware of it. What is going on?”
Dr Cable said: “I don’t know where the communications failure has occurred, we can investigate that, but certainly it’s absolutely right that they should be advertising 24+ loans because that is the policy and it is working. For apprenticeships, it has ceased and we can find out why the message hasn’t got through.”
He also defended the government’s traineeship programme and said it would help improve apprenticeship numbers in the 16 to 19 age group.
He said: “The figures show that apprenticeships have been expanding quite rapidly for all age groups except 16 to 19 and that almost certainly reflects employer preferences for people who have work experience.
“That’s why the apprenticeship reform we are ticking through at the moment is bringing in this concept of traineeships.
“Quite a lot of them are going into formal education. There is obviously a NEETs [Not in Education, Employment or Training] problem we are trying to address in a variety of ways. It is high and it is a worrying social phenomenon. I have seen some figures in the last week or so that show there is some genuine interest in the traineeship model but it’s far too early. We can certainly brief you on the figures we have got.”
He added: “Employers find it very difficult to take on teenagers, partly because a worryingly high number do not have English and maths, but also because habits of work have not been established.
“They want people who are ready for work and we have got to create a pathway which traineeships are designed to do.”
Business Secretary grilled by MPs over failed apprentice FE loans
Business Secretary Vince Cable (pictured) was grilled by MPs over apprenticeship FE loans during a sitting of the Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) Select Committee this morning.
He faced questions, along with civil servants Martin Donnelly and Howard Orme, about the loans for apprentices over the age of 24 being scrapped, as exclusively revealed at the time by FE Week.
During the hearing, Dr Cable promised to investigate the matter, along with what he called a “communications failure” over the fact the Skills Funding Agency is still advertising 24+ apprentice loans on its website.
Labour MP Ann McKechin asked if there had been any announcement to parliament about the decision to withdraw the scheme, and why members of the committee first heard about the change after reading about it in FE Week. Dr Cable said he would look into it.
The committee asked further questions about traineeships, demanding take-up figures and questioning the success of the scheme.
Dr Cable emphasised the importance of ensuring teenagers had the basic qualifications and work experience needed to get jobs, and admitted that at the moment employers found it “difficult” to hire younger people.
For fuller coverage of today’s committee hearing see edition 90 of FE Week, out on Monday, January 27.
Rise in ‘economically inactive’ 16 to 24-year-olds
The number of 16 to 24-year-olds not in work in the UK has risen slightly, a monthly report has revealed.
According to the latest labour market statistics released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), the number of 16 to 24-year-olds considered to be “economically inactive” rose by 1.16 per cent from 2,495,000 in the period of September to November 2012, to 2,524,000 in the same period last year.
The bigger rise was in the 18 to 24 age group, where the number of people who were economically inactive rose by 1.31 per cent from 1,601,000 to 1,622,000.
The rise in the number of 16 to 18-year-olds who were inactive was 0.9 per cent — from 894,000 to 902,000.
According to the ONS, economic inactivity is defined as those who are out of work including those who choose to be — for example, if they are looking after a home or retired.
The employment rate for those aged 16 to 64 for September to November 2013 was 72.1 per cent, up 0.5 percentage points from June to August 2013.
There were 30.15 million people in employment aged 16 and over, up 280,000 from June to August 2013.
The next round of quarterly figures for the number of young people not in education, employment or training (Neet) is due out next month.
Keep calm and carry on for vintage tea party
Members of an AS-level film studies group stepped back in time for a 1940s-themed tea party to celebrate the launch of a new module on Second World War cinema.
The South Cheshire College learners also decorated their classroom with Union Jack bunting and other wartime memorabilia, including classic posters and ration books, before watching a black and white wartime film.
Chantal Bradburn, film studies course team leader, said: “Up until now on the course, the group mainly focused on modern-day films, but this module will give them the opportunity to study films from the wartime era.”
Students Katie Short, aged 17, of Nantwich, said: “I’ve not really watched many old films so I’m looking forward to the module.”
Cap main image: Students seated for vintage tea party. Inse left: Ewan Young, aged 16, Katie Short, 17, and Joe Speet, 16, holding ration books
Photographers in the frame for prestigious competition
Three budding photographers snapped up the chance to visit the House of Commons as part of a prestigious national competition.
Walsall College HND photography students Hannah Walklett, aged 19, and Kristofor Green, 32, were shortlisted for the final of the EEF Made in Britain photography awards and former Walsall student Shane Butler, 20, won in the best photograph by an amateur photographer category.
The trio travelled to London for a celebration event hosted by Barry Sheerman MP on the House of Commons terrace.
Hannah said: “The occasion itself was quite informal and consisted of a room full of photographers all comparing and talking about their work which was nice. The fact we got shortlisted out of about 800 entrants is a fantastic achievement.”
Cap: Hannah Walklett, Shane Butler, and Kristofor Green outside Walsall College
Scholarship is good result for Lucy
International footballer Lucy Whipp proved she’s on the ball by securing a place on the prestigious Talented Athlete Scholarship Scheme (TASS).
The 18-year-old, a student at Wigan’s Winstanley College, has managed to balance the demands of playing for Everton Ladies first team while studying for her A-levels.
She has also picked up 11 caps for England at various youth levels and played in the UEFA European Women’s Under-17 Championships last year.
Lucy plans to take a year out from studying after completing her exams this summer, but will during this time be able to make the most of football training facilities, physiotherapy, and sport psychology on offer at Liverpool John Moores University through the TASS scheme.
Lucy said: “I’m really pleased and proud to gain a place on the scheme, as it will be really helpful in my development as an athlete. I’ll continue to play for Everton Ladies first team and take a year out before deciding on a future career.”
Cap: Lucy Whipp playing against Iceland for the England under-17 side
Michelin-starred chef backs traineeships
Michelin-starred chef Jason Atherton was guest of honour at a ceremony to mark the launch of a new hospitality and catering traineeship scheme by independent learning provider Hospitality Industry Training (HIT).
Mr Atherton, who runs awardwinning London restaurant Pollen Street Social, met with students during the event at Hospitality House, in London. The top chef was keen to throw his support behind HIT’s new trainseeships, as he started his career through the YTS (Youth Training Scheme) in the 1980s.
He said: “The great thing about the hospitality industry is that if you can show some passion and flair, you can go far. It’s crucial that young people are given the opportunity to get into this amazing industry. Traineeships like this enable people like me to take young people into the kitchen and give them a chance to grow.”
Cap: From left: Jason Atherton with HIT apprentices Jacobo Ameijenda, aged 27, and Ryan Hazell, 18, and HIT assessor Derren Mallet
Swashbuckling Howard is star of the Musketeers
A former Kingston College drama student is one of the stars of the latest television adaption of The Three Musketeers.
Howard Charles plays Porthos in the new big-budget BBC series, called The Musketeers, which is based on Alexandre Dumas’ classic novel.
The 30-year-old former national diploma and degree drama student left Kingston College in 2005, but has spoken about the crucial role it played in launching his acting career.
He said: “Potential is nothing unless you learn how to harness and channel it into something creative, making it happen, and it was Kingston that made me realise that.”
Carlos Santos, Howard’s film and TV lecturer at the college, said: “He was always a hard-working and very positive student, but also had a good balance between life and work. With a good sense of humour, I am looking forward to seeing him as Porthos in this new role.”
Peter Mayhew-Smith, college principal, said: “We’re enormously proud to see a talented and
able young actor like Howard Charles progress from Kingston College and into
a major role such as this.”
Cap: Howard Charles as Porthos Image provided by BBC/Outline Productions