Toni Pearce: Challenges and chances for learners in 2012

In honour of the new strapline for the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, FE Week asked two further education (FE) experts, David Hughes, chief executive of NIACE, and Toni Pearce, NUS vice-president for FE, what they thought the “New Challenges, New Chances” would be for learners this year.

These are my challenges and chances for learners in 2012

Challenges

1. The introduction of a new fees and loan system in further education (FE) for adults studying at level 3 or 4 has the potential to decimate the way we see adult education being delivered in this country at the moment.

The idea that any government would find it appropriate for the most disadvantaged in society, who will have felt the bite of the recession the hardest, to have to pay for basic levels of education is entirely unpalatable. The government’s own consultation predicts that we will need to see a 20 per cent drop in participation to ensure that the scheme stays within budget and the idea of imposing an already unproven higher education market system in the FE adult sector is an absolute disgrace.

2. The proposed changes to eligibility criteria for Care to Learn funding has the potential to pull the funding rug away from many young parents who are trying to do the best for themselves and their children. The maintenance grants are specifically targeted at those in the most need, paying for childcare to allow young people to remain in, or return to education. Consecutive studies have shown the huge impact that this can have not only on the individual, but indirectly on their children too.

We will need to see a 20 per cent drop in participation to ensure that the scheme stays within budget”

3. Reform to the sector. The FE sector is one that has always seen more than its fair share of reform under consecutive governments, but the last 12 months has been particularly tumultuous. The introduction of new models of delivery in the sector have the capacity to fundamentally change the landscape of FE forever, with the risk of getting ever closer to private sector involvement in the curriculum and delivery.

Chances

1. The National Union of Students is launching a campaign alongside FE sector bodies this year to promote the incredible pedagogy that exists in the sector and to ensure that students are fully aware of what they should expect to deserve from their education.

Charters on quality teaching and learning and the use of technology in the curriculum will support students and students’ unions alike in the quest for outstanding provision

There is an amazing opportunity for the government to really reach out to the most disadvantaged people in our society”

2. With 2012 seeing the launch of the new all age careers service for FE, there is an amazing opportunity for the government to really reach out to the most disadvantaged people in our society, giving them the chance to become educated, play an active role and contribute to the regeneration of our economy. This is a chance the government should take with both hands.

3. Reform to the sector. The flipside of the unprecedented levels of reform in FE is that there have never before been so many opportunities for students to be really involved in the design and delivery of not just their curriculum, but their examination models, teaching styles and even institutional models.

It’s a really exciting time for the student voice to be heard.

FE Week visits parliament to meet the apprentices working in MP’s offices

The number of apprentices working in MP’s offices are on the rise, just as young people undertaking an unpaid internship in Parliament has become a hotly contested issue.

Voluntary help is a tradition in politics that goes back several decades and at a time when job prospects are increasingly bleak, political graduates both from further education (FE) and higher education (HE) are looking for any advantage which might land them a job.

The desperate need both for experience and contacts pressurises many young people into paying for an internship in Parliament out of their own pocket.

Marcus Mason, Programme Manager at New Deal of the Mind, says the tradition is stopping young people who simply can’t afford to work in London.

“Unpaid internships, rife in the political and creative sectors, are a barrier to social moblity – people from lower incomes simply cannot afford to work for free,” Mr Mason said.

“We have to ask ourselves whether we want a system which systematically enforces a bias towards the recruitment of people from higher income backgrounds.”

The alternative, and perhaps the solution, is for MPs to take on an apprentice, as the employee receives both a wage and training.

Robert Halfon, MP for Harlow, is thought to be the first politician In England to ever hire an apprentice.

“I must admit that when I first got in, in the first two or three weeks I put an advert in for interns,” Mr Halfon said.

“I suddenly came downstairs in the morning and said, what am I doing?! Take it off, take the adverts off! If I go on about apprenticeships all the time then forget about that, I’ve got to have an apprentice.”

Harlow College interviewed a number of candidates for the new apprenticeship, shortlisting four for Mr Halfon’s final decision. The minister chose Andy Huckley shortly afterwards, now studying International Affairs at University, as the first political apprentice in 2010.

The huge success has inspired a movement known as the Parliamentary Academy. Developed in partnership by New Deal of the Mind, Mr Halfon and North Hertfordshire College, the ‘school’ hopes to encourage as many MPs as possible to take on an apprentice.

The first four apprentices, which started in October last year, are Alice Hannam, Matthew Redmore, Rachel Shackleton and Breon Finch.

Almost all of the apprentices in the Parliamentary Academy say they would have struggled to take up the opportunity without some kind of wage.

Alice Hannam, who works under Mike Crockart MP, said: “I wouldn’t have been able to take it if it hadn’t been paid.

“I don’t know how a lot of interns do do it – how do you afford your rent, travel, and food if you’re living alone? It’s impossible.”

Louis Luck, the second apprentice to be taken on by Robert Halfon MP, added: “I applied for this thinking it was unpaid.

“So I’m quite lucky, I have quite a large family, and they were all ready to support me.

“My parents and grand parents were preparing to raid my savings to help me get through, and I was very lucky I had that.”

Don’t be fooled into thinking an MP’s apprentice is just an intern with a wage.

“It’s completely different to what i expected,” Alice Hannam said.

“I thought I would be just doing photocopying, faxing and general office work, but they just throw you straight in the deep end.

She added: “I was writing press releases, speeches, replying to constituents, and I also update the diary.”

Mr Halfon says an apprenticeship is hard work when compared to his own experiences at University.

“You can’t just not turn up to your lecture or whatever, it’s totally different.

“When you do an apprenticeship, it’s bloody hard.”

The apprentices are not guaranteed a job once they complete their qualification however.

This is due mainly to their age, according to Mr Halfon.

“Some of them are very young, so I expect they will go off and do other things,” Mr Halfon said.

“It’s very hard because there has to be an opening. But having said that, if you’ve done the apprenticeship you’ve got a very good chance because someone might leave – and you’ve got the experience which the MP needs.”

The apprenticeships run by the Parliamentary Academy and individual MPs such as Robert Halfon might not guarantee a political career, but they’re a step in the right direction from unpaid internships.

“It should be one of the stigmas that come with MPs – they have what they claim on their expenses, and then it should be do they have an apprentice,” Louis Luck said.

“I think there’s no reason for them not to have an apprentice.”

BETT: World’s largest learning technology trade show comes to London town

BETT Show 2012 replaces traditional seminars with a number of interactive sessions known collectively as LearnLive.

The format hopes to discourage static presentations and open up more opportunities both for networking and intelligent discussion between participants.

Visitors can influence each session by contacting a programme ‘leader’ through Twitter or youbett, an online social community designed specifically for the event.

It’s been suggested that these platforms could be used to change the content and format of a session, ask speakers a question or debate with other members.

Debbie French, BETT Event Director said: “Teachers belong to one of the few professions that does not provide mandatory training and development after initial qualification.

“The BETT team works closely with the sector’s key stakeholders each year to design a seminar programme that is sure to see educators leave the show with improved knowledge, understanding and skills that will be practical, relevant and applicable to their current role or career aspiration.”

The seminars kicks off on the morning of January 11 with “Creating a self organized learning environment”, led by Shaz Lawrence, Professional Development Trainer at Catholic Telemedia Network (USA).

The method of self organized learning, originally highlighted by Sugata Mitra’s ‘hole in the wall’ experiments in India, has shown that children can learn to do almost anything on their own provided they’re given shared digital resources.

The event will focus on how to encourage students to take responsibility for their own learning, and how teachers can act as facilitators in the process.

Andy Palmer, BT’s head of learning and skills and Executive Board Member for Ofsted, will later discuss the best ways to use technology and argue that at present, the technology-based skills emerging from the education system are not good enough.

Leadership is just as important as teaching, which is why Brian Lightman, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), will be speaking about “the importance of the new technologies in the strategic leadership of schools and colleges.”

Mr Lightman will share his experiences alongside successful head teachers, Governors and Technology Industry specialists, as well as pose several questions about the future of digital technology in the sector.

The third day will be the last chance for delegates to knuckle down and learn before the weekend kicks in.

One of the more unique seminars will be held by Morten Søby, the Director General of The Norwegian Centre for ICT in Education, which is an executive agency of Norway’s Ministry of Education and Research.

Mr Søby will share the latest research and examples from Norway, as well as discussing how technology is influencing digital competence.

Other sessions of note include the use of web 2.0 tools to engage reluctant writers and increase parental engagement, how to control Wi-Fi access on campus, and making best use of ICT to support dyslexic learners.

Students are consistently asked to switch their mobile phones off when entering a lecture or classroom.

On the final day Kevin Brunton, Disability Needs Assessor and Disability IT Co-ordinator at London Metropolitan University will be arguing why mobile phones should be kept on, by highlighting a number of apps which increase engagement and learning potential.

Four days and more than eighty seminars means that LiveLearn should cater for everyone. The sheer scope and diversity of the programme highlights just how important technology is, and will no doubt continue to be for further education.

Read an interview with Debbie French, the event Director at BETT.

 

Education Leaders Conference at BETT

The BETT Education Leaders Conference is a specific two day exhibition for head teachers, principals and leading representatives of the sector.

The event takes place alongside the trade show and LearnLive seminars, offering delegates a number of presentations, discussions and master class sessions with leading figures from further education.

Michael Gove MP, Secretary of State for Education, will give an opening address tailored to the education workforce and the organisations which supply educators with products and services.

Martin Doel, Chief Executive of the Association of Colleges (AoC), will then be running a master class on how to ensure students have all the skills that employers want. The session, titled ‘Enhancing the Employability of your Students: Working with Partners in Industry and Commerce’ will look at the experiences Mr Doel has gained from working closely with FE colleges and local businesses, and how this can be used to improve qualifications.

This will lead into a round table discussion addressing the many challenges and changes facing colleges in the future. Delegates will be able to engage and debate with a panel of high-profile speakers including Mary Bousted, General Secretary of the Association of Teachers and Learners (ATL), Rachel Wolf, Director of the New Schools Network and Mr Doel.

Debbie French, BETT Event Director said: “With such a large number of recent changes to education policy, it is important that education professionals have the opportunity to collaborate and discuss the issues that will affect them.

“Education Leaders at BETT is the perfect place to do this.”

The second day will open with a discussion about the effective deployment of ICT in flexible learning spaces. Hosted by John Sibbald, Head of Specialism and Post-16 Learning at Manchester Communication Academy and Sian Bristow, Lead Professional for Mathematics, Manchester Communication Academy, the morning master class will look at how technology can be used to maximise the investment in a particular college space.

More than 500 school leaders attended the Education Leaders Conference last year, and event organisers hope they’ll beat that next week.

The conference is free of charge and open to all school and college leaders, senior DfE officials, leading representatives from teaching, parent and governor associations and leading researchers from policy institutes/think tanks.

Gove could do BETTer for FE

The shadow minister has hit out at the disregarding of further education in the overhaul of the ICT curriculum.

Education secretary Michael Gove announced a consultation on withdrawing the existing National Curriculum Programme of Study for ICT at the BETT Show last week.

However, Gordon Marsden MP, shadow minister for FE, skills and regional growth, said: “It’s disappointing that when major curriculum changes such as those on ICT are announced there appears to be little or no reference to the vital role the FE sector and colleges play in delivering ICT skills.”

Mr Marsden added: “Both for young people looking to have them as a vital step on a ladder to apprenticeships or job skills for older learners – especially women – wanting to return to work, the role colleges play in this area is crucial.

“It’s slightly symptomatic of the slight Jekyll and Hyde approach to vocational skills that the Secretary of State sometimes shows – and not helpful to the sector as a result.”

Mr Gove, in his speech at BETT, said: “The traditional approach would have been to keep the Programme of Study in place for the next four years while we assembled a panel of experts, wrote a new ICT curriculum, spent a fortune on new teacher training, and engaged with exam boards for new ICT GCSES that would become obsolete almost immediately.

“We will not be doing that.”

Mr Gove said the government would stop micromanaging technology in schools and ask universities to help draw up new courses.

He said: “In particular, we want to see universities and businesses create new high quality Computer Science GCSEs, and develop curricula encouraging schools to make use of the brilliant Computer Science content available on the web.”

One principal, two colleges

Two further education colleges have joined in a unique federation to cut costs under the leadership of one principal.

Surrey-based institutes Kingston College and Carshalton College last year scrapped the original plan to merge, in favour of the new type of partnership, which means both colleges will retain their own governing bodies.

The decision was signed off on December 1 by John Hayes, minister for FE, before the final decision was ratified by governors.

It means Peter Mayhew-Smith, principal of Kingston College since April 2010, is now also leader at Carshalton College.

Mr Mayhew-Smith, speaking exclusively to FE Week, said: “It’s a fantastic opportunity. I’m much more excited than daunted.”

It is not believed any students will be affected – in fact, Mr Mayhew-Smith believes each college will be able to increase their curriculum.

He said: “We looked at a merger but we preferred a federation, because it protects the identity of both colleges.

“It also allows them to do different things in the future – it’s more easily reversible, if that’s what they wanted to do. It opens up a wealth of opportunity for us.”

BIS: “This is the first time the Minister has agreed such a modification”

Mr Mayhew-Smith believes the colleges could save £800,000 between them from the partnership in three main ways.

Mr Mayhew-Smith said: “We can develop shared services, like human resources, and, secondly, procurement which was purchased by two colleges, but now we can work together for a single license through our joint company.

“Thirdly, in leadership, for example, we have one principal instead of two.”

Mr Mayhew-Smith also said it could mean job losses at the colleges. They have “met the unions” but he was unable to say how many – or what types of jobs – are at risk.

The principal also denied that the federation was set up by the government not allowing the colleges to merge.

He also said: “Merging can be more protracted and disruptive. Mergers can slow down the development of colleges.”

A spokesman for the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills, confirmed the arrangement was a first of its kind.

Mr Hayes agreed to a modification of Carshalton Colleges’ Articles of Government, under the Further and Higher Education Act 1992 on December 1.

The spokesman added: “The modification will enable Carshalton College to appoint the current principal of Kingston College as its principal to facilitate the development of a federation model between the two colleges.
“Such developments are in line with the freedom and flexibilities being given to colleges to develop innovative new partnerships as set out in New Challenges, New Chances. This is the first time the Minister has agreed such a modification.”

Hundreds of Zenos apprenticeships ‘delayed’

Hundreds of people have been affected by the postponement of an apprenticeship programme led by a major provider.

Zenos, a provider of ICT apprenticeships, has told around 300 of its 19+ candidates that there will be a “short delay” to their programmes, which were due to start today (January 9).

The training provider, which is owned by Pearson and has an apprenticeship allocation from the Skills Funding Agency (SFA) in excess of £45 million, is blaming “recent recent changes in the Government policy” on the delay.

Jason Moss, managing director of Zenos, added: “We are now working hard to ensure that the Zenos provision is fully aligned to the latest policy and that our learners continue to receive the best programme.

“All of the existing affected candidates will be starting a relevant programme imminently that will support their aspirations to gain an apprenticeship within the original time frame

“We have consistently adapted our programme over the last 18 months to reflect the government guidelines and we have a flexible and dynamic operation that can respond to these changes.”

Although the exact details of which policy have not been revealed by Mr Moss, the provider’s Facebook page sheds more light on the situation – as well as a number of comments from disgruntled learners.

The statement said: “Within the past 24 hours The Funding Agencies have told us that anyone starting an Apprenticeship now needs an employer and a specific job identified, prior to starting on the programme.

“This is out of our control and we can understand that this may cause you uncertainty, which we can only apologise for.

“We are working very hard on your behalf to ensure that you have a successful career in the IT sector and at present we anticipate that although the start of the training may differ slightly that overall you are on the programme for the same amount of time.”

For more on this story, see the next edition of FE Week.

Millionaire becomes ambassador for Newham College

A former Newham student who became a millionaire at 24 has pledged to be an advocate for Newham College’s business initiatives.

Chairman of Bance Group, Dave Bance has become an Enterprise Ambassador for his old college after meeting principal Denise Brown-Sackey and other top managers. He studied at what is now the college’s Stratford Campus and then West Ham College.

After a tour of the East Ham Campus, he told students that he runs offices in Piccadilly, Los Angeles, Dubai, India and Thailand and is boss of 24 businesses.

He said: “The college has a complete infrastructure and in terms of recognition and revenue, it can capitalise on it ten times over on an international level.”

Mrs Brown-Sackey said: “We’re committed to developing UK enterprise in many sectors of industry. Dave’s experience will not just improve that locally but also internationally.

“It’s great to have someone who has achieved so much and who studied somewhere that is now an important part of our college.”

BETT: Q&A with Debbie French, BETT Event Director

Q) How would you describe BETT for someone who hasn’t heard of it before?

I would describe BETT as a celebration and a meeting place for everyone who is involved in learning globally. It’s somewhere where anyone involved in learning can have the opporitunity to network with their peers. They can try, test, evaluate and buy solutions that are ICT focused. So it’s more than your average trade exhibition, it’s got a real sense of community behind it.

Q) BETT is much larger than your average trade show or conference – how does it compare with other events?

We have just over 600 exhibitors. In regards to visitors, we have about 30,000, of which I think either 10 or 20 per cent is international. We even have minsters for education from around the world who will attend BETT on the Wednesday.

The event’s been running now for 29 years and it’s just grown massively. It was created 29 years ago when the government was ring fencing ICT in regards to education budgets, and then it was created as an opportunity for people to train, and they could try these solutions and actually understand how technology helps the learning process.

You can imagine at the time, 29 years ago, that there wasn’t quite so many elements of technology that we do now. So now it’s a lot more embedded. It’s a part of everyone’s life now, I’m sure you and your readers do their banking via the Internet, their shopping online, and their further education establishment uses the technology – the works. So it’s very much embedded in regards to what we do day to day and in education, because in particular this is their language now!

And in order for us to really communicate in regards to the learning process, full stop, we have to use those technologies.

Q) Can you explain the structure of the event? Does the trade show and Educaton Leaders Conference run side by side?

Our Education Leaders Conference is new to BETT, the reason why we’ve done this is because as a result of education policy, etc, leaders now are very much in a different role than they were for many years.

They’re almost like a CEO of a business, there’s many matters which they now need to debate, and as a result of the quangos, etc, which have now gone. There’s been a lot of change from the government, but there hasn’t been as much guidance as there has been before in the past at the moment.

So as a result the UK education leaders conference has been put together as an opportunity to hear panelled discussions, big debates which look at the bigger picture and discuss issues which are at the very heart of what leaders are doing ta the moment, what they’re worried about they can share with each other, etc.

That’s the conference element in regards to the education leaders.

Then LearnLive, these all take place on the show floor themselves and there are a mixture of demonstrations, discussion panels, seminars, all leaning more to do with best practice.

Q) A lot of the focus seems to be on school – is there going to be plenty for FE professionals to see too?

Absolutely, BETT is very much directed at the early years right through to further education and higher education, and that is very much where we’re growing into from this year onwards. So absolutely, there’s a lot there for further education in regards to the content, but also the solutions, there’s a lot in terms of system management, in terms of how the core communicates with each other, and also the pure technology in the show.

Q) What are some of the highlights this year? Isn’t Michael Gove making the opening address?

It’s amazing that Michael Gove is coming to the show on the Wednesday, so without a doubt I wouldn’t miss that. I would also make sure you definitely go to the conference, and also see a mixture of some of the LearnLive opportunities that are around the show – there’s a while mixture of demonstrations and interactive opportunities, as well as being able to mix with peers.

I would also go to our central feature, which is New Worlds of Learning, there we have a class of learners each day using technology, doing certain projects, and they’re actually connecting with other learning establishments around the world who are doing similar projects live on the stands.

Q) Technology is always changing – what’s new at BETT this year?

There’s lots of ‘new’. Cloud learning is very big at the moment, portable mobile learning is very big at the moment, and one of the big things that people need to realise, is that at this moment, everyone wants to find somewhere where they can do things in a more cost effective way. Of course technology enables you to do that, so there’s also that reason for attending the show, and that’s very new to what’s going at the moment.

Q) Any tips for first time visitors attending BETT?

Without a doubt, I would pre-plan. Use the BETT website to have a look and see what’s there in regards to the solutions, the exhibitions, and also all the content. Planning is without a doubt really important.

Read more about the BETT Event here.

New apprentices for Northumberland College

Northumberland College has taken on two new apprentices at their Kirkley Hall campus.

Kimberley Brown (20), from Whitley Bay, beat competition of more than 80 applicants to be offered the position of Apprentice Animal Keeper at the college’s tourist attraction, Kirkley Hall Zoological Gardens.

Kimberley is involved in the day-to-day care of more than 100 animals and she is able to gain valuable knowledge and experience handling them in their enclosures which are designed to replicate their natural habitats.

Horticulture Apprentice Nick McEvoy (20), from Wallsend, works alongside the team of gardening staff at Kirkley Hall to maintain the historical grounds of the estate.

Nick’s daily duties include weeding the ornamental beds and pruning and cutting back the perennial borders of the four hectare estate.