The apprentice minimum wage remains “shockingly low” despite an increase that kicks in on Monday, the National Union of Students said.
The figure is going up 5p to £2.65 an-hour for apprentices under 19, and for those aged 19 and over in the first year of their apprenticeship.
That’s £1.03 less than the rate for 16 and 17-year-old workers, and £2.33 less than what 18 to 20-year-olds get.
Meanwhile, the main rate — for workers aged 21 and over — has gone up 11p to £6.19.
Toni Pearce, NUS vice president with responsibility for FE, said “The disparity in the existing minimum wage on the basis of the employee’s age bracket is discriminatory and based on the questionable claim that younger workers are less productive than older ones,” she said.
Nearly half of the hairdressing group earned less than the minimum wage they should have received”
“This is particularly odd when the evidence of the Low Pay Commission suggests the national minimum wage can be viewed as an efficiency wage, motivating workers, and provides a yet another argument in favour of equalisation.
“The £2.65 minimum is shockingly low, particularly given that many apprentices work full-time without taking days off for college.
“If the government is serious about apprenticeships, it should recognise that forcing young people to choose between this paltry wage and the prospect of full-time employment at the minimum wage is bound to put people off.
“Ministers should be promoting the good practice of the many employers who pay well above this rate.”
She added: “Enforcement of the minimum wage for apprentices is also a serious problem. Five per cent of respondents to BIS’s own 2011 pay survey said they didn’t receive any pay at all, and nearly half of the hairdressing group earned less than the minimum wage they should have received.”
However, John Longworth, director general of the British Chambers of Commerce, had attacked the rise in March.
“While the pressures of inflation are hurting many people, especially the lowest-paid, this decision adds significantly to the cost of doing business, and feeds wage inflation at higher levels,” he said.
Fred Grindrod, apprenticeships policy and campaigns officer at the TUC’s learning and skills, unionlearn, said: “The apprentice rate has now been established without generating any detrimental side-effects.
“The number of apprentices has continued to increase. Given the strong growth in this sector and the value that apprentices generate for employers, we believe that there is room for more significant increases in this rate.”
Unrealistic self-assessments with little or no critical insight, plus unexpected job cuts, show up time and again among poorly performing colleges, according to a new Ofsted report.
How Colleges Improve also warned colleges about the dangers of paying too much attention to building projects and mergers.
The report, which was released last week, also highlighted inconsistent tracking of learner progress, financial instability and defensive, inward-looking colleges being slow to accept change or to act when data showed decline.
Weaker colleges, the report added, often had a high proportion of temporary staff who were not properly managed.
In outstanding and improving colleges, staff were more willing to accept change and could easily describe what their college stood for”
And, mirroring the “Deptford not Delhi” fears of chief inspector Sir Michael Wilshaw that featured in FE Week a fortnight ago, there were also question marks over colleges’ “quest for new and fresh business, especially, abroad…to the detriment of current learners”.
But the report, commissioned by the Learning and Skills Improvement Service (LSIS) and Ofsted, also listed where colleges had got it right.
Successful colleges, it said, had strong governance and management as well as a clear vision and direction. And good and outstanding colleges were not afraid of the self-assessment process — even if it was self-critical.
Ofsted’s national director for learning and skills, Matthew Coffey, said: “Successful colleges always had strong leadership and management and the importance of this cannot be underestimated.
“All the elements of this report are inextricably linked to the actions and behaviours of leaders and managers and the example they set.
“In outstanding and improving colleges, staff were more willing to accept change and could easily describe what their college stood for. As a result, leadership teams were better placed to act decisively to tackle underperformance and secure improvement.”
Rob Wye, LSIS chief executive, said: “This report confirms that the importance of outstanding leadership and management, underpinned by informed governance, cannot be underestimated.
“It is also clear that robust and honest self-review and reflection is a vital ingredient of any provider’s improvement journey. The evidence in this report confirms what many will have thought for a long time — that the best colleges are those where the teaching, learning and assessment delivers excellent results that match the needs of learners, employers and the local community.”
The report was welcomed by the Association of School and College Leaders. Its colleges spokesperson, Stephan Jungnitz, said: “I’m pleased the report recognises the pivotal role of college leaders in driving forward institutional success, as well as the complex and demanding range of areas they have to deal with, from buildings and finance to teaching and learning.
“As we well know, each college is unique and the road to success will be different for each — there is no magic formula. Having said that, the insights in the report will be useful to college leaders.
“For many, it will reinforce what they instinctively already know about improving their institutions.”
More than 500 jobs have been saved by a college and a training provider after another training provider behind around 10,000 apprenticeships across the country went into administration.
Liverpool Community College teamed up with Derbyshire-based provider 3AAA to buy the “majority” of business from First4Skills.
The Ellesmere Port firm had been allocated £19.8m by the Skills Funding Agency this academic year to run apprenticeships.
But the college and 3AAA stepped in today saving more than 500 jobs. However, it is understood around 40 First4Skills jobs will still be lost in Belfast, plus a number of posts in Wales.
The deal was struck after First4Skills went into administration on September 21, but had been on the cards for a week said a 3AAA spokesperson. The figure behind the deal was not disclosed to FE Week.
It was announced by the college and 3AAA on Monday, September 24, when Elaine Bowker, principal at the 17,000-student college said: “We worked closely with the Skills Funding Agency to achieve this result, which safeguards a large number of jobs and brings together the best practice of the public sector and the resources of the private sector to create an organisation that will be a market leader in apprenticeship training.”
A joint statement from 3AAA directors Peter Marples and Di McEvoy Robinson said: “We first became aware of this opportunity seven days ago and we have been working flat-out to achieve a successful outcome for the business, working with our colleagues at the college.
Our joint venture, which will see 3AAA taking a leading role in the strategic direction of the business, is unique in the sector.”
“There was only one other option for the business, and that was to go into administration with the loss of more than 500 jobs.”
First4Skills, which got a good Ofsted inspection grading for its work-based learning provision in August 2010, had a national client base, including a number of major high street retailers.
The joint venture agreement with 3AAA means the college will be responsible for the training of around 10,000 apprentices – becoming one of the country’s biggest providers of apprentice training.
It will also rank as the fifth largest apprentice trainer of any kind in the country, while continuing to use the First4Skills name.
“This will mean we will be able to penetrate a much bigger market more effectively and quickly, which will benefit the college as a whole,” added Ms Bowker.
The joint statement from the 3AAA directors continued: “Liverpool College has been courageous in responding so quickly, and both their governors and senior management have fully committed to this opportunity.
“Our joint venture, which will see 3AAA taking a leading role in the strategic direction of the business, is unique in the sector. This further underlines our philosophy that there is real power in harnessing the best of the public sector and private sector.
“The hard work now starts, with strong plans for growth across the business. We are really excited to be working with Liverpool Community College as part of their commitment to become a leading provider in apprenticeship delivery across the country.’
For more reaction to the deal see FE Week’s next scheduled edition.
Picture from left: Kyle Humphreys, apprentice and Elaine Bowker, Principal of Liverpool Community College
Caption: Sunderland College students are getting the benefits of joined up administration among members of the North East Shared Services Project.
Organisations coming together to develop services that can be shared, including teaching and learning as well as office systems, are a year into their projects.
The 157 Group and Association of Colleges (AoC) were each given a Shared Services Grant of £2.3m by the Skills Funding Agency (SFA) to set up ten projects.
Christine Doubleday, deputy executive director of the 157 Group, said: “Real and worthwhile savings can be made by sharing and collaboration. The college projects report a cumulative saving to date of £1.5million.”
One of the AoC projects set up with the Shared Services Grant has designed a national skills qualification framework for adults who want to be entrepreneurs.
Nine partners came together to develop the curriculum, including Richmond Adult Community College, Tower Hamlets College, City of Bath College and Morley College.
Christina Conroy, project director, said The Enterprise Agenda for Adults – its official title – has been so successful partly because it focuses on teaching and learning, one of the most expensive costs for the sector.
Since the qualification framework became available in September, 25 colleges and adult learning services have signed up to share the curriculum, giving them access to teaching materials and the online activities for students, which accounts for half of the course.
Ms Conroy, former principal of Richmond Adult Community College, said the project has saved the sector more than £1.5m in the past year.
Ms Doubleday said 157 Group’s projects had been deliberately kept relatively small “to achieve deep implementation and learning”.
At the beginning of next year the organisation will publish a technical guide on shared services and evaluative research from the University of Warwick on the projects that it carried out.
The SFA said the programmes have developed approaches that deliver “greater value for money”.
The grant given was additional to the agency’s core budget and there are currently no plans for further grants, but the SFA said that it is is continuing to support the AoC and 157 Group to pass on the lessons learned and is encouraging the uptake of ideas that have been developed.
A 157 Group project, now given the go ahead, is to develop a toolkit to explain how to overcome the major barriers to shared services, such as VAT and competition law. It will be available from early next year.
In November last year the Chancellor announced changes to VAT, stating that it would introduce a VAT exemption for services shared between VAT-exempt bodies.
Savings of more than £700,000 have been made on the North East Shared Services Pathfinder project, says project manager Kathy Bland.
Ms Bland, who has been seconded from her senior manager role at Sunderland College to work on the programme full-time, said the funding has made a massive difference: “We would never have got this far if we hadn’t got the grant…releasing me from my senior management role in the college has been a big factor,” she said.
“I’ve been able to fully concentrate on the issues and go up and down the country where the need has arisen to talk to different people and remove the barriers…It would have taken me 10 years otherwise.”
Efficiency and Innovation Fund
Two years ago the Association of Colleges (AoC) was given a £4.6m Efficiency and Innovation Fund (EIF) by the Skills Funding Agency (SFA) to look at the feasibility of shared services. This is separate to the Shared Services Grant, which was given to the AoC a year ago.
Background research on shared services and 41 projects were set up using the funds. A report evaluating the work, which involved 230 organisations, has been published by the AoC. The key findings of The Many Faces of Collaboration report were:
1.“Of the EIF project’s unique selling points, its ability to overcome previously entrenched isolationist views was perhaps its greatest: providers seeing the distinct benefits of sharing practice, ideas and issues rather than going it alone. Solutions were most often born out of a search for a third way, rather than simply taking on the perceived or accepted good practice of one particular partner – innovation in action.”
2. “Of those projects that found shared services overly challenging, there was perhaps too much reliance on the creative thinking of external consultants rather than themselves, and a lack of clarity on what was to be achieved – being overwhelmed by keeping all options open for too long. Having too many partners was also a common issue, as was failing to realise that trust and friendship need to be built on low-consequence projects before embarking on inter-organisational change.”
3. “What binds the most successful projects together was the clarity of their vision and their determination to overcome the challenges and barriers to success. They had a keen focus on the impact they intended to have, rather than on the list of jobs they had to do.
They engaged key stakeholders, such as front-line staff, in the change process, and in so doing developed not just trust, but new friendships between peers in the partner organisations.”
AOC projects funded using the shared services grant
The Enterprise Agenda for Adults
Aims to create an Adult Enterprise curriculum, supported by an efficient delivery approach, which can be rolled-out nationwide.
Wessex Federation
Will examine the creation of a central shared service centre and implementation of a series of cost, efficiency and improvement initiatives across the five colleges.
Federation Development and Shared Services Programme
Will focus on developing an innovative organisational infrastructure for delivering technical/vocational further education, A-levels and higher education in Further Education Colleges
Federation of Strategic Services Project (FeSSP)
Will look at the development and implementation of a federation model for colleges in the delivery of non-core strategic services.
West Midlands SFC Exam Efficiency Consortium
Will establish a scalable group purchasing consortium to leverage discounted fees from major awarding body suppliers.
Project Daedalus
Seeks to establish an outsourced shared services platform available to all colleges operating in the UK.
157 Group projects funded using the shared services grant
North East Shared Services Project Limited (NESSP)
Wide ranging back office sharing with legally constituted delivery vehicle.
Services in Sussex and Surrey Colleges
Wide ranging back office sharing by consortium delivery.
Collaborative curriculum development and delivery
Developing and delivering shared curriculum using new technology.
One-Stop-Shop
Collaborative delivery of staff recruitment and student job placement.
Poor inspection grades at colleges already suspected of performing badly are hiding a general downward trend in results, chief college inspector Mike Davis has told FE Week.
The principal officer for FE colleges at Her Majesty’s Inspectorate said that a range of issues that kept cropping up were affecting results.
He conceded colleges considered at risk of lower grades were being targeted which skewed overall results.
But Mr Davis said their lower grades were also being reflected across the board.
“There are issues — I understand and accept that — about it not being a proportionate sample because of risk assessment meaning that we look at a higher proportion of those of concern,” he said at an LSIS conference on college performance.
“But the general sense is that of those that we’re inspecting, the movement is not in the right direction.”
Mr Davis also revealed how the Skills Funding Agency’s £30m student satisfaction website, FE Choices, was seen as carrying irrelevant information in light of Ofsted’s new competitor website, Learner View.
“The data that is in FE Choices is often many years out-of-date by the time of publication, so it is not necessarily relevant for that cohort of learners,” said Mr Davis.
The general sense is that of those that we’re inspecting, the movement is not in the right direction”
“It doesn’t cover all of the providers. Sixth-form colleges, for instance, are excluded.”
He was addressing the Birmingham conference on September 19, giving a taster of the findings in Ofsted’s How Colleges Improve report, due out shortly.
“The overriding message for organisations — whether they maintained high standards, moved forwards, or wobbled around in terms of quality and standards — was that the importance and impact of outstanding leadership and management cannot be underestimated in how colleges improve,” said Mr Davis.
“All the elements in the report are inextricably linked to the actions and behaviours of leaders and managers.”
He added: “Themes that come through are complacency, a lack of ambition, direction and vision from the top.
“Governors who did not set clear institutional targets or monitor performance well enough, they were quite restrained in terms of their understanding of their role and what their expectation of the college.
“Therefore they monitored too narrowly and in some instances they allowed the senior management or leaders to effectively tell them what their targets should be.
“Again on inspection in many of these organisations there’s a defensive and inward-looking approach to management. They are organisations which look inward rather than outward.”
Mr Davis said he wanted to see good teaching take precedence over issues such as finance and buildings.
“Leaders and managers are too focused on finance and, or buildings to the detriment of the promotion of good teaching and learning, or the development of the curriculum,” he said.
“Now we go to organisations sometimes where say that it’s been really difficult. I know it’s been difficult in the sector — I worked in the sector for a long time and it has been very difficult over the last number of years.
“But at the end of the day, the learners that are in classes or on programmes this year will not benefit from that new build, which is a year, two years down the line, and if senior managers spend a lot of time and energy looking at that to the detriment of the curriculum and the quality of the teaching they will be held accountable.”
Mr Davis added: “Management teams that were unsettled by frequent changes in personnel or too reliant on external consultants working in key roles on an extended basis.
“So you’ve got this flux going on inside the organisation, people arriving or going who don’t have particular allegiance to the college, lots of stop gaps all over the place, so everybody starts getting demotivated in terms of their role and how the whole thing fits together.
“Poorly-managed staff changes led to a loss of expertise and often were accompanied by a plethora of management initiatives that were simply not explained properly to staff.
“There is an issue where inadequate quality assurance systems extended to poor monitoring of sub-contracted work — if you’ve got an organisation that hasn’t got its own house in order in terms of quality assurance, assessment, a real clear focus on learners and driving up improvement, some of these organisations have taken the opportunity to take on numerous large subcontracted provision.”
He took on the challenge of laid down by chief inspector Sir Michael Wilshaw, who questioned whether colleges should look for opportunities abroad when they should be concentrating on local learners.
“Sir Michael is asking the question about other types of provision — surely there should be some link here between the organisation’s ability to manage its own provision well and the opportunity to expand and develop its own empire?”
Kate Green, director of business development at the 157 Group, responds to Sir Michael Wilshaw on behalf of the 157 Group International Network
It would be interesting to understand the basis for Sir Michael’s warning in the last edition of FE Week. Is he concerned our FE colleges are being overrun with foreign students, or is he worried that a college’s focus on quality could be undermined by diversifying its student body too much?
In either case, it is worth looking at the facts.
It seems odd that Sir Michael at this stage should choose to question what appears to be a central tenet of government policy”
The UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) figures for 2008-9 show the vast majority of FE institutions with overseas students have fewer than 200 such students on roll, spread over a wide range of curriculum areas.
What we can say is that the benefits of international work have been made clear over successive years – demonstrated by government ministers advocating a Global FE strategy. It seems odd that Sir Michael at this stage should choose to question what appears to be a central tenet of government policy in this area.
The important role of FE colleges offering qualifications to international students who may then progress to British universities, or, even more importantly, return home with skills they may not have been able to gain, is surely an aspect of global social contribution that should not be underestimated.
What do institutions have to gain from a vibrant international population?
Well, the financial benefits are one aspect – would anyone question the ability of leading universities or private schools to include large numbers of international students in their overall cohort?
It is worth remembering that the fees paid by international students contribute towards enhancing the provision of the college as a whole – and the use of local services by these students also has a direct impact on the local economy.
Should a group of students who undoubtedly bring diversity and a breadth of knowledge from which the whole college community can benefit not be encouraged to be here and study?
I am constantly impressed at the stories I hear from my colleagues in the 157 Group International Network about international students playing active roles in everything a college does.
It is often said that international students act as role models to others – either through an enhanced work ethic or simply because they appreciate the value of being able to access our skills system – which has obvious benefits to all. The global perspective is something we ask our students to develop – surely the best way for them to do this is to be exposed to those from other cultures and countries?
In an age where communities of learning are encouraged to flourish, many colleagues report that the opportunities opened up by international provision for the exchange of practice, for staff and students alike, have led directly to improved teaching and learning in the classroom or workshop.
And we must not forget the external face of our own skills system – why would we not want our skills sector to be a source of pride, and something that people from other countries might aspire to be a part of? Surely this is all about the reputation of UK plc as much as anything else?
All colleges have a local mission – they serve their communities well – the point is that they do not look to international markets to undermine this but rather to complement it.
Professor Daniel Khan OBE, chief executive of OCN London, offers a response to Sir Michael Wilshaw’s ‘Deptford not Delhi’ speech
ir Michael Wilshaw has a reputation for making controversial statements, and his speech at AoC’s conference this month has once again thrown him into the media spotlight.
The Ofsted chief inspector warned of the dangers of concentrating on attracting international students to FE colleges. He spoke of focusing on Deptford rather than Delhi, in a speech aimed to promote the recruitment of domestic learners.
However Sir Michael’s speech reveals a rather short-sighted and narrow-minded approach to FE. FE exports are valued at £1bn a year and international learners are important both culturally and economically to colleges and communities.
Are Sir Michael’s misguided comments based on arrogance or, perhaps, ignorance of the FE sector?
Sir Michael appears extremely close-minded in ignoring the advantages of a multicultural student body”
In May John Hayes announced an FE ‘Global Strategy’. The AoC conference in which it was launched encouraged colleges to open themselves up to international students and stakeholders. Hayes advocated an international strategy in order to create a mobile and culturally diverse student body, which will be well-placed in the global marketplace. By doing so, colleges and students will have the skills and knowledge required to compete against the most competitive emerging markets.
Furthermore, the government’s 2011 New Challenges, New Chances paper spoke of the increasing demand for technical and vocational skills and their importance to sustained economic growth. Hence, the government has demonstrated its commitment to ensuring colleges remain focused on international recruitment.
In the light of such commitment, Sir Michael’s words seem somewhat ill-informed.
He also woefully ignores that students from across the globe do not just benefit the college in which they study, but the community as a whole. International students bring their own traditions, enriching the local area culturally. They can help in widening the horizons and experiences of local students, exposing them to new values, beliefs and opportunities.
He appears extremely close-minded in ignoring the advantages of a multicultural student body. An influx of international learners can offer a wealth of experience to our students, colleges and communities.
Aside from cultural concerns, foreign students are also of enormous benefit economically, to both the communities in which they live and the country as a whole. Such economic value extends well beyond their fee payments. International students, especially those arriving with expertise, can fill skill gaps and generate new economic growth during study and after graduation. This is particularly the case in students from emerging markets, primarily China and India, who bring with them cutting edge technical expertise. At the same time, the local economy also benefits from ‘subsistence’ spending, the money that students spend on goods and services outside their studies. Inevitably local businesses profit from such expenditure.
A good example of a college’s success in tapping into the international market is the Grimsby Institute of Further and Higher Education. In conjunction with major local employers, the college helped create an Institute of Food and Fisheries. It did so to meet the needs of the industries based in the town, the largest concentration of food industries in Europe. The Grimsby institute recognised an excellent opportunity to provide expert training and consultancy in this area.
Since its creation it has been recognised internationally and attracted students from across the globe to its programmes. This has enabled local students to integrate with people of diverse backgrounds, which they would need to do when working in a global economy.
In the light of these considerations, Sir Michael’s words seem ill-judged and short-sighted. He fails to see the wider perspective and the importance of an international outlook for colleges.
The creation of an international student body extends beyond bringing in money for the College; it diversifies the local community and boosts the economy with new skills and innovation.
If colleges follow Sir Michael’s advice they are in danger of sacrificing their share in the country’s best export and compromising the strength of the FE sector as a whole.
Some of the UK’s most talented young apprentices, employees and students have once again been put through their paces for a place in Squad UK for WorldSkills Leipzig 2013. Last week’s second round, held in the Midlands, follow the initial contests in June and focused on 12 skill areas, including Mechatronics, CNC Milling and turning, Jewellery, Auto body Repair and refrigeration.
The host colleges, Northern Regional College, North Warwickshire and Hinckley College, and City College Coventry were transformed into hives of activity with 40 competitors undertaking various pressured practical examinations.
The support from colleges and employers is pivotal to the success of Squad UK; competitors need time away from the classroom or office, while college staff need time away for their support and training roles, which can include performance coaching and acting as training managers.
Our involvement has had numerous positive impacts – on our success rates firstly”
North Warwickshire and Hinckley College has invested heavily in WorldSkills, not only by putting forward their students for competition, but also by embedding elements of the competition within its teaching and learning strategy.
Marion Plant, the college’s principal and WorldSkills champion (official supporter), is one of the most vocal supporters of WorldSkills and how it can transform lives. She is clear that while her college’s commitment uses a lot of resources, the benefits to her staff, students and employers make the investment worthwhile.
“The increase in students and subject areas signing up to WorldSkills has risen once again, and more and more of our staff are now getting involved through formal channels. I was overwhelmed by the level of response that we had to the National Apprenticeship Service (NAS) request for performance coaches.
“Our involvement has had numerous positive impacts – on our success rates firstly. Plus three staff have roles as performance coaches for skills categories that are alien to them. They are now coming back to the college with a plethora of new ideas, best practice and bags full of enthusiasm – which is also a motivator for other staff. Last, and most important from my perspective, is the transformational impact it has had on the culture of our college.
“It is also rewarding to have so many of our students reaching the Squad and the Skills Show finals next month.”
Ultimately just one competitor from each of 41 skills will represent the UK at the 2013 WorldSkills Championship next July. Successful competitors for Squad UK will undergo a specialised training programme supported by a dedicated training manager for each skill, as well as by a team of other trainers, experts and performance coaches. Team UK will be selected after a series of events next March.
Places are limited for Squad and Team UK Leipzig 2013, but Matthew Bell, Training Manager for Mechanical Engineering and Design, said the selection would not only nurture a team for 2013 but upcoming competitions in 2015 and 2017. “In previous years we found that we would lose some of the great talent that did not make it to the latter stages, such as squad or team. This year we are trialling a new method whereby we aim to retain all those that are taking part in today’s selection. While not all of these young people will make it through to the next round, they are young and will continue to meet the age criteria for several competitions. So their journeys will continue alongside this year’s squad and team members as an additional training exercise.”
Meanwhile, a new event to inspire people about FE, skills and apprenticeships launches in November.
The Skills Show at the NEC Birmingham from November 15 to 17 is the culmination of many WorldSkills competitions and other awards, including the National Apprenticeship Awards and National Training Awards and activities.
It will provide a platform for the best of the nation’s young talent to perform, as well as providing opportunities for visitors to have a go at new skills, get careers advice, access apprenticeships or job opportunities.
Jaine Bolton, chief operating officer for the NAS and official UK delegate to WorldSkills International, said: “I offer my support and congratulations to every young person that has been invited to compete for a place in Squad UK.
“By competing in international competitions, the UK is able to showcase the high levels of performance that can be achieved by individuals and organisations through high quality further education, skills training and apprenticeships.
This provides the inspiration for young people and adults to be ambitious in their pursuit of skills to the highest level.”
FE Week will be following the journey of the UK competitors from selection to the grand finale at the Leipzig WorldSkills Show in 2013.
Picture above of Martin McGarry during an autorepair squad selection at City College Coventry, taken by Nick Linford
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FE Week Q&A: Bill Jones is a cluster lead for WorldSkills which is a mentoring role for seven training managers. Has worked with WorldSkills for 17 years and has attended eight international competitions
From left: Bill Jones being interviewed by Shane Mann for FE Week. Picture by Nick Linford
How has WorldSkills changed during your time on board?
Massively. We now have a really professional organisation and it’s grown hugely. My first competition was in 1997 in St Galan, Switzerland. I went not knowing or really understanding what I was expected to do or what we were going into. We weren’t given much training in those days by our organisation, other than general logistics of what we were likely to face. We came second to last, and quite rightly.
WorldSkills London in 2011 was the best, without a doubt. It very much rivalled the Olympics, except it was very cosseted to us. I wish more people had been able to experience it.
Clearly there is a buy-in from the FE sector, but what about employers?
There is a more of a buy-in now from bigger companies. They have seen the benefits, not just to themselves, but also to the industry when there is a real hard core of good quality ex-WorldSkills competitors. Without a doubt I’ve seen that happen so many times. Mentally these kids have to be tough. There is no doubt in my mind that to win any kind of a medal, it’s 70 per cent mental, what your head is telling your hands to do. These are all gifted kids, they really are talented in their own ways and they’re very competitive.
How do you choose when there are so many talented young people applying to compete?
A number of factors are common to every selection. You are obviously looking for good skills, methodology, organisational ability, problem-solving, mental toughness, character, reactions when things go wrong, to be able to pull yourself up by the boot strap. There is massive pressure when they get on to a world stage!
What makes a good training manager?
Most of our training managers come from FE. We are not looking for teachers, we’re looking for coaches and mentors. They may well demonstrate something during training, but we never really teach anybody anything; the competitor teaches themselves. The penny needs to drop in their own mind.
We try to persuade our training managers to go through this coaching approach, so they ask very pertinent questions and listen very carefully.
For me, this is a competitor’s journey, it’s not a training manager’s journey. We are part of that journey. Nobody taught Jessica Ennis to run, but her coach made her better, and that’s what these guys are doing.
They’re looking for raw talent and they’re saying right, I want to make you better.
Christina Conroy, project director, said The Enterprise Agenda for Adults – its official title – has been so successful partly because it focuses on teaching and learning, one of the most expensive costs for the sector.
1.“Of the EIF project’s unique selling points, its ability to overcome previously entrenched isolationist views was perhaps its greatest: providers seeing the distinct benefits of sharing practice, ideas and issues rather than going it alone. Solutions were most often born out of a search for a third way, rather than simply taking on the perceived or accepted good practice of one particular partner – innovation in action.”