An interview with Matthew Hancock, the new Minister for Skills

The new Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Skills (left) came in for his first sector grilling today when FE Week was invited to his office at the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS). Among the issues raised in a tough Q&A session were the FE minister’s change in job title from Minister of State to Parliamentary Under Secretary, and the division of his post between BIS and the Department for Education (DfE).

Here’s a taster of what readers can expect from the Matthew Hancock interview in the next edition of FE Week.

Every minister has a different approach to their job. What are the key differences or similarities in your approach and that of your predecessor, John Hayes?

John Hayes and I are good friends and we go back a long way.

I hope to learn a lot from the way he did the job. But there are quite a lot of similarities.

He and I are both passionate about FE and apprenticeships and I want to move in the broad direction that he set out.

Is it significant that FE is now represented by a Parliamentary Under Secretary rather than the more Minister of State post? And will you be able to pack as much punch as John Hayes?

That’s my plan. But John has big shoes to fill.

But no, the new job title is not significant.

The job was expanded to include responsibility for all post-16 funding outside of universities.

So it includes sixth forms and sixth form colleges to make sure that in the 16-19 funding area we look across the whole piece and don’t treat FE as separate to schools.

The responsibilities are wider and it’s my first ministerial post so it would be extremely unusual for that to be a Minister of State post.

What proportion of your time will be taken up with DFE-related issues and can you be an effective minister in the dual role?

Yes — and it’s vital to make that work.

FE is funded both from DfE and BIS so for the last few years there’s been a twin responsibility for the person sitting in my seat and I’m working very hard to make sure my role works.

I don’t see my time as split between the two departments — I see all of my time as spent on issues that cover both departments.

For instance, the apprenticeship unit is shared between the two departments and my private office is one team that moves between the departments, talking to both.

I’m very clear that I have one job that happens to have funding from two departments.

How familiar have you become in the short space of time you’ve been in the post with FE and the role it plays?

I’ve been listening and learning and getting out to colleges.

I’ve been meeting people from across the sector and also meeting businesses — people who are taking on apprentices and people who have training needs.

As well as being an economist, I come from a small business background. My family’s business invented an online post code finder and they still run that business today.

I grew up in that environment and seeing how, especially in IT, classic academic subjects don’t teach you what you need to be an IT professional.

What would you say to criticism that one A Level at an FE college doesn’t give you enough of an insight into the sector to be running it?

It gives me more of an insight than having no A Levels.

That’s why I’m spending time visiting colleges and other providers, talking to stakeholders.

I’m in listening and learning mode and I’m all ears to advice from all quarters to make sure I get the full picture.

The other thing is the fact I went to an FE college does give me a feel for the sector, but of course that was a long time ago and I need a feel for what’s happening on the ground now in order to be able to make decisions in the months and years ahead.

Picture: Matthew Hancock MP (left) in his office, reading the lastest edition of FE Week with the editor Nick Linford

We must look outward

International partnerships are vital to bring out the best in FE, says Amarjit Basi, Principal of New College Nottingham, in a comment on a recent speech by the chief inspector Sir Michael Wilshaw

Sir Michael’s advice that colleges should “worry more about Deptford not Delhi” have provoked a diverse range of views. As an FE college that is sponsoring a new venture in Delhi, it inspires us to explain how international partnerships enable us to link to our community diaspora, and to extend educational opportunity to our students.

Like Delhi, Nottingham is young, ambitious, innovative and cosmopolitan. Once famous for lace and other manufacturing, it is now 84 per cent service-based, re-creating itself around the international knowledge. And some of
Nottingham’s fastest growing and most successful small businesses come from our Indian community.

Delhi, the largest commercial centre in northern India, has economic growth of about 11 per cent a year. Like Nottingham, it has a strong dependency on the service sector, and a shared recognition that advanced
manufacturing, clean technologies and entrepreneurship underpin further and sustainable future growth.

Report after report from major research organisations, such as the OECD, the McKinsey Institute, the World Economic Forum (WEF) and the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR), focus on the changing profile of international research and development (R&D), education, training and learning. The WEF, for example, expect that within five years, about 30 per cent of multinational companies will locate more than a quarter of their R&D in emerging economies.

As China, India and Brazil flex their R&D muscles, and innovative approaches to learning gather pace, such as mobile learning technologies and new Internet strategies, not being involved in international vocational developments risks cutting off the flow of ideas from some of the most dynamic economies in the world.

It is these economies that in 20 years will be recognised as setting the standard for educational innovation and R&D. According to a report from McKinsey, India and China alone are expected to swell the global graduate workforce by a net 184 million over the next two decades, providing two-thirds of the world’s increase in science and engineering graduates – with India, in particular, likely to produce a surplus of high-skill workers.

So we must look outward. International initiatives need to bring the best of educational practice within reach of each college’s local community, and enhance their capacity to deliver high quality outcomes for their learners and communities.

Indeed, current and planned reforms of our educational system stress that for too long we have been inward-looking, and that standards that do not take account of international benchmarks sell our young people short.

The IPPR report ‘Oceans of Innovation: The Atlantic, the Pacific, Global Leadership and the Future of Education’ (2012) offers a way forward. It argues that the pace of worldwide innovation is now such that in the future ‘everyone has to think like an entrepreneur’. This crucially links trends in worldwide R&D and the accompanying innovation spin-offs with the need for entrepreneurial learning.

We must seek out the best educational practice across the world, with a conscious strategy of cross-fertilisation of ideas and innovation. The race to the top for our students depends upon academic and vocational excellence, but will be differentiated by those individuals, communities and economies that demonstrate entrepreneurial mindsets. Only through this will our students benefit from the best ideas from across the world, and be supported to compete in the world market for skilled labour.

Curiosity, creativity and connectivity are king in a world where innovation and enterprise have become watchwords for economic success.

As a founding member of the Gazelle Colleges Group, we are committed to playing a pivotal role connecting to global labour markets and innovation networks. In our case, this means working in partnership with local employers and entrepreneurs – many with global presence (Experian, Alliance Boots, Speedo, Rolls-Royce and Capital One) – to support our students to realise their personal aspirations and to prosper when they emerge into a global labour market.

We are planning to open a vocational centre in Delhi to support the much-needed development of intermediate and higher level vocational and technical skills in India’s rapidly growing construction and service economy. It will also allow us to improve teaching, learning and training in Nottingham and to better prepare learners for the global marketplace.

We must actively interact with and measure ourselves against the rest of the world to enable this nation’s students to win ‘the race to the top’. In this way, we believe that we will enhance our students’ transition to meaningful employment, support business growth and contribute to community well-being.

The race to the top is as critical in Deptford as it is in Delhi.

Students race to motoring qualification

The race is on for Norfolk students to get under the bonnet of a Formula Ford racing car on a new course run with Shawn Taylor Racing.

City College Norwich got the racing car for students on its motorsport vehicle maintenance and repair course to tinker with under the guidance of the expert racetrack firm.

Eighteen students are on the one-year course that will give them practical experience of maintaining and repairing cars for optimum racing performance.

All of the students will work towards the Institute of the Motor Industry level two extended diploma in the subject that could lead to a career as an automotive technician.

Corrienne Peasgood, principal at City College Norwich, said: “We have excellent teachers and facilities for our general motor vehicle courses and it was a logical extension to offer this exciting new course in motorsport vehicle maintenance and repair.”

Shawn Taylor, from Shawn Taylor Racing, said: “As a former student of the college, my race team and I are very excited to be working in partnership with City College.”

Arts student ready for X Factor boot camp

Simon Cowell will be casting his eye over a former London college student whose band has made it through to the X Factor boot camp.

Luke White, who studied performing arts at Barking and Dagenham College, and his Times Red bandmates Scott Ritchie and Staz Hair wowed show judges with a rendition of Amy Winehouse hit Rehab.

The Romford 25-year-old, who achieved a distinction in his BTec first diploma in performing arts, spent three years in a

Take That tribute band, before starting his own three-piece. Luke, who was was keeping tight-lipped about how far the band get in the hit ITV show, said: “I made some great friends at college and spent every day doing what I love.”

A college spokesperson said: “All of the team here is hoping that these Essex boys go all the way to the final.”

Westminster gig for student five-piece

Five young musicians will rock the House of Commons when they perform for Speaker John Bercow in November.

Stoneway – made up of Ste Fisher, Alex Roberts, Sarah Ash, Daniel Smith and Merryn Dowson from Warrington’s Priestley College – won the opportunity in a national competition promoting intellectual property rights and live music.

“We were absolutely ecstatic when we found out we had won because so many other tracks had been sent in,” said 16-year-old Merryn, who is studying A level music.

Stoneway – who can regularly be seen performing in pubs around Runcorn and Warrington – sent their track to Weaver Vale MP Graham Evans who chose them to represent his constituency.

“I’m absolutely thrilled for Stoneway, who as well as being excellent young musicians have been wonderful ambassadors for their college and for the local community,” he said.

Students build a better cabinet

A cabinet maker struck gold as his West Sussex college scooped the UK’s best performer title at a construction sector competition.

Celebrity builder Tommy Walsh, formerly of BBC show Ground Force, was on hand to dish out awards with Edward Harringman, 19, claiming top honours at the Skillbuild finals.

Meanwhile, Chichester College got the overall award for the performance of its five level two and three diploma students at the Preston event, held over three days last month.

The college beat 184 other colleges to the best performer gong with students Edward, Steve Pickton, 18, and silver-winning Alistair MacAllan, 22, competing at cabinet making.

Ben Shotter, 19, came fourth in carpentry and Richard Freshville, 29, was put through his paces at painting and decorating.

John Bradbury, construction course leader at Chichester College, said: “This was a total shock — to think we outperformed so many colleges is excellent.”

Principal Shelagh Legrave said: “This is a wonderful result. I’d like to congratulate our five students who competed, and in particular Edward Harringman.”

Chefs cook up Olympic culinary experience

Top chefs at the Olympics were so impressed by the culinary skills of a hearing-impaired learner that they’ve offered him a job.

Hospitality and catering student Ryan Easton, 19, cooked for more than 13,000 athletes during a 10-week placement at the Olympic Park athletes restaurant, serving some of its biggest stars, including Usain Bolt and Mo Farah.

He was one of 52 students from Redbridge College in Sussex given the opportunity to work as a full-time paid professional chef at the Games.

“It was very hard work each day but if there were any problems we all helped each other. The people I was working with were all incredibly nice,” said Ryan, who worked as a commis chef.

“I learnt new skills and techniques I hadn’t seen before. The thing I will remember most is the respect I received and knowledge I gained from the experienced chefs who acted as my mentors.”

Vilson Delishaj, 17, was also feeling the heat at the Olympic Park. “This was my first ever experience of paid work in the industry,” he said.

“It was great to be able to meet and learn from experienced chefs from all over the world – to get paid as well made it even better.

“Being in the athletes’ village was just amazing. Everyone was so friendly and there was a great working atmosphere.”

Fare effort by construction students

It was all aboard for primary school children in Somerset as they hopped on to a double-decker bus converted by construction students into a study area.

The £5,000 project was dreamed up by year 5 and 6 pupils at Aschcombe Primary School. It won a grant from North Somerset Council to pay for materials for the bus, which was carried out free by students at Weston College.

The bus, which was bought in Essex from the internet, has a chill-out zone with bean bags. It is used for lessons as well as at playtime, and has its own bus stop.

Shaun Canniford, construction lecturer, said: “We were delighted to help with such a novel project. The children love what we’ve created and we hope to get involved with renovating the upper deck.”

Tina Langston, teaching assistant, said: “They thought of Astroturf, an old train carriage and even a yurt. We are quite a big school with 420 pupils, so they decided on a double-decker bus as the train carriage was too expensive.

“The children go on ten-at-a-time with little bus tickets and they just love their unique learning bus.”

WorldSkills UK announces team for EuroSkills competition

The elite squad of UK talent heading to Belgium for next week’s EuroSkills competition has been announced.

A window displayer from Liverpool, a Somerset stonemason and a painter from Leicester are among 22 competitors bound for Spa.

A Gloucester hairdresser is also in the team for the biennial competition, which takes place October 4-6, along with a Scottish welder and carpenters from Northern Ireland and Wales.

Most of the Euroskills team also figures in the UK squad already announced for next year’s WorldSkills competition in Leipzig, Germany.

Euroskills is an important part of our competitors’ training ahead of the selection for Team UK”

Jaine Bolton, from the National Apprenticeship Service (NAS) and UK delegate at EuroSkills, said: “This will be the first experience for Squad UK members of competing against competitors from different countries. I wish them the best of luck.”

And the Spa tournament will give UK selectors an early chance to see their competitors in action, before whittling their WorldSkills squad, managed by NAS, down from around 90.

“Euroskills is an important part of our competitors’ training ahead of the selection for Team UK as it will enable them to benchmark their skill levels against those from all over Europe and gain confidence in competing in front of audiences,” added Mrs Bolton.

Nick Linford, editor of WorldSkills UK media partner FE Week, said: “EuroSkills will give us a good idea of the kind of standards we’ll need to meet — and beat — if we are going to come away from Leipzig next year with gold medals.”

He added: “I’ll actually be at Euroskills too, with FE Week colleague Shane Mann, to wave the flag and report on how well we do.”

Members of the UK’s Worldskills squad not competing at EuroSkills will take part in other competitions and industry events as part of their training regimes, including next month’s Skills Show at Birmingham’s NEC.

Picture: Hannah Clague, 21, from Gloucester, attends Red Edge Training Company

The EuroSkills UK competitors are as follows:

Sarah Smithers, 20 and from Woking, in Surrey, goes to East Berkshire College and will be competing in window display with Liverpool Community College’s Jenna Stephenson, 18.

Gloucester 21-year-old Hannah Clague, who attends Red Edge Training Company, will be doing hairdressing, while Weymouth College’s Robert Broomsgrove, 20, will compete at stonemasonry.

Apprentice Alastair Wilson, 21, who works at Doosan Babcock, in Scotland, will be welding.

James Overend, 22, studies at the Engineering Council for Northern Ireland and will be competing at mechatronics with fellow Irishman David Cargill, 18, who studies at Northern Regional College.

Electronics will see Wigan duo Gareth Humphries, 19, and Heather Peach, 18, who both work at MBDA UK, battle it out.

Landscape gardening and design will have three UK entrants in 25-year-old Jack Jameson, from Ipswich and Ottley College, Aaron Jamison, 18, who goes to Northern Ireland’s College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise, and Writtle College’s Jack Conway, 19 and from Essex.

Philip Glasgow, 21 and from Northern Ireland, goes to South West College and will be showing off his carpentry skills with Welsh 19-year-old Gareth Jones, who goes to Coleg Sir Gar.

Middlesbrough’s Robert Johnson, who goes to Redcar and Cleveland College, will be competing at plastering and dry wall systems with fellow 19-year-old Ken Wilson, who goes to Belfast Metropolitan University.

Leicester College 20-year-old Reece Johnston will be painting while 21-year-old Mark Woods, who goes to Northern Ireland’s South West College, will be tiling walls and floors.

Amy Leigh Wilson, 17, goes to Blackpool and The Flyde College, will be displaying her skills as a carer with 18-year-old Georgina Briscoe, from Derby University.

Cooking and serving skills will be on the menu with Middlesex 19-year-old Andre Rhone, from the Royal Garden Hotel, and 22-year-old Wojciech Pastor, who works at The Gleneagles Hotel, in Scotland.