Government announce independent review into the future of apprenticeships

The Department for Business Innovation and Skills (BIS) have announced that Doug Richard, described as an entrepreneur and founder of School for Startups,  is to lead an independent review into the future of apprenticeships.

The BIS statement say “the review will examine how apprenticeships can continue to best meet the needs of employers, individuals, and the wider economy; which learners and employers can and should benefit most from apprenticeships; and what the core components of a high quality apprenticeship should be.

“there are still serious issues – there is still too much bureaucracy getting in the way of small firms taking people on, too much money appears to be going to middle men and the quality of some vocational qualifications taken by apprentices is still not good enough”

Mr Richard was selected by BIS for “his strong reputation in the spheres of both business and business education, enabling him to provide an independent analysis of the future priorities of the Government’s scheme. A senior figure in the UK and global business communities, with over 20 years’ experience in the development and leadership of start-ups and established businesses, Mr. Richard will bring unrivalled commercial insight to the study. His commercial expertise is matched by hands-on experience in the teaching of business skills. Through his social enterprise, School for Startups, Mr. Richard has delivered practical and theoretical instruction to more than 10,000 business owners and in 2009 he received the Enterprise Educator of the Year award for the excellence of his teaching.”

Vince Cable, Secretary of State for BIS said: “To build a prosperous economy we need a skilled workforce. The apprenticeship programme has been a real success, not only boosting chances for young people, but also helping businesses to address their skills gaps. However in the past vocational youngsters have been let down by weak courses and our competitors have stolen a march. I have just come back from a fact finding mission to Germany where two-thirds of young people take some form of apprenticeship by the time they are 25.”

Michael Gove, Secretary of State for Education said: “Doug Richard is a proper entrepreneur not a corporate bureaucrat. That’s why he’s the right man to get apprenticeships right. It’s great that the numbers taking up apprenticeships has grown. But there are still serious issues – there is still too much bureaucracy getting in the way of small firms taking people on, too much money appears to be going to middle men and the quality of some vocational qualifications taken by apprentices is still not good enough. Doug will help us get that right.”

Commenting on his appointment Mr Richard said: “I am delighted to have been given this commission to lead the review into the future of apprenticeships. In today’s challenging climate, apprenticeships will and must play a vital role in equipping our young people with the skills they need to succeed. As an entrepreneur, but also as an educator, I am convinced of the importance of business education in helping not only individuals but society at large. For our economy to recover and flourish, we need a workforce that possesses the requisite skills of twenty-first century commerce and industry. A strong apprenticeship programme is essential in delivering that.”

The review is expected to report in Autumn 2012.

Key questions to be considered in the review include:

· What should the core components of an apprenticeship be – to meet the needs of employers (large and small), individuals, and the wider economy?

· Who should apprenticeships be for – which types of learners and employers can benefit most from apprenticeships?

· Are there elements of apprenticeships which should be simplified or stripped back?

· Are the qualifications which are undertaken as part of an apprenticeship sufficiently rigorous, and recognised and valued by employers?

· How should delivery arrangements adequately ensure all that apprenticeships provide significant new learning and acquisition of new skills, rather than the accreditation of existing ones?

· Are there opportunities to improve the impact and value for money of public investment in apprenticeships?

AoC says government is not doing enough to address no free lunches

Labour MP David Blunkett said it was “unjustifiable” that more than 100,000 students miss out on a free school meal because of where they study in a Westminster Hall debate this morning.

Currently, a 16 to 18 year-old from a disadvantaged background studying in a school sixth form, free school, University Technical College or an academy, is provided with a free school meal, but if the same student chooses to study at a college they lose that entitlement.

A ‘No Free Lunch?’ campaign has been launched by the Association of Colleges (AoC) to address the problem.

In response to the former education secretary and MPs from across the country the schools minister Nick Gibb said: “We do recognise the anomaly, but it is not a new anomaly.”

He said that in the current fiscal climate it would be difficult to increase the budget by £35-70 million, but that he would keep the issue “under review”.

Martin Doel, chief executive of the AoC, said: “The fact that this is not a new funding anomaly does not mean that it’s not something that should be addressed by the government at the earliest opportunity; it is not enough to keep it under review.

“These students and their families are among the most vulnerable in our society – not helping them just because they have chosen to continue their education in a college flies in the face of the government’s oft-professed commitment to social mobility and is unjustifiable.

“AoC estimates that removing this inequality and extending the provision of free lunches to eligible college students will cost the Department for Education £38million out of their £56billion budget – this is equivalent to 1p in every £14 spent – and we consider this a reasonable price to pay for equality for these students. We will continue to make the case for parity of funding in order to get these young people the support they need to stay in education.”

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CBI survey shows college leavers lack literacy and numeracy skills

Too many people leaving school and college do not have the literacy and numeracy skills to thrive in the workplace, according to a survey by the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) and Pearson.

The research shows 35 per cent of employers are unhappy with the literacy skills of college leavers, with a further third dissatisfied with their numeracy skills.

The figures, according to the CBI, are “broadly unchanged” from the last time the survey was conducted in 2003.

John Cridland, director-general of CBI, said the development of high-level skills must start at school before continuing in FE.

“With the right start at school our young people can go on to have successful and fulfilling careers and have a strong base from which to learn more at college, university, or in the workplace,” he said.

“But levels of educational attainment are rising fast in many leading and emerging economies, so in the UK we must ensure that our education and skills system can continue to compete at the cutting edge.”

The CBI / Pearson Education & Skills survey, which questioned 542 organisations in the UK, found that 42 per cent of employers had provided remedial training for school and college leavers.

More than half of businesses which responded to the survey also said too many college leavers had not developed the “self-management skills” needed for the workplace.

“It’s not just about literacy and numeracy,” Rod Bristow, UK President of Pearson said.

“Employers still find that some young people lack the initiative, problem-solving and communication skills to succeed at work.”

The survey also covered the links FE colleges have with businesses, the reasons why some employers do not recruit apprentices, as well as the importance of strong science, technology engineering and maths (STEM) skills.

Olympic opening at West Cheshire College

More than 400 guests attended the spectacular opening ceremony of West Cheshire College’s Ellesmere Port Campus with Olympic hero Sir Steve Redgrave.

The Olympic-inspired event featured a parade and show-stopping performance from performing art and dance students, with fire eaters and stilt walkers.

The Wired Aerial Theatre were also part of the celebration, with a specially choreographed performance involving the five Olympic rings and aerial wired artists dropping down from a 88 foot high rotunda.

Guests made their entrance on a red carpet and were greeted by students holding Olympic torches before being served canapés created by hospitality and catering students.

Sir Steve Redgrave, Five-time Olympic Gold medallist said: “The Opening Ceremony put on by the College to officially open the Campus was spectacular.”

Sara Mogel, Principal of West Cheshire College said: “It was an evening that our guests and the College will remember for a long time.”

FE Week mini-mascot (Edition 32)

Follow the adventures of FE Week’s biggest and smallest fan!

Mostly this week I have been driving daddy’s new family car”

And also you can follow our FE Week mini-mascot on Twitter @daniellinford

Road safety campaign at Writtle College

Writtle College has hosted its second annual Roadster road safety awareness.

With the help of Essex police, fire and rescue, county council and local driving schools, 250 students were taught about the importance of road safety.

The aim of the Roadster event was to place students in challenging scenarios, to aid them in understanding and rectifying situations they could encounter as drivers.

There were given driving lessons in the College car park and off road tuition in a Subaru Simulator.

PC Deborah Gray Farrer, Partnership and Community Engagement Officer from the Central Roads Policing Unit said: “Four of the most common factors that can have a big impact in RTCs are drink/drug driving, excessive speeding, using a mobile phone whilst driving, or failing to wear a seat belt.

“Police Officers will continue to tackle this offending behaviour through education, engagement, enforcement and engineering in an effort to save people’s lives.”

Green building at Norton Radstock College

Visitors to the Royal Bath and West Show were able to step inside a sustainable house created by carpentry students from Norton Radstock College.

The timber framed house showcased simple initiatives that households can introduce to help save the planet, from insulation to draught proofing. Lorna Crouch, marketing manager at Norton Radstock College, said: “By 2020 EU directives require a 20 per cent reduction in carbon use and by 2050 an 80 per cent reduction.

“As a result of the Government’s Green Deal we have come up with a range of courses and qualifications which are suitable for those working in the industry and looking to increase their knowledge and upskill in order to work in this area.

“The sustainable house at the show will be surrounded by a water-free garden. Created by horticulture students, the garden will demonstrate how water can be used effectively and sustainably and in certain cases, with the right planting, not at all.”