Advertorial: The REED NCFE Partnership: Delivering employment outcomes in FE

It’s impossible to ignore the challenges faced by unemployed people in the UK. We seem to be confronted with an almost daily stream of bad news related to the issue.

Only this week Ofsted published its report Skills for Employment. The report was a direct response to the government’s plans for FE providers to offer work-based training to help the unemployed into work and was critical of FE providers. It said that too many courses focussed on the achievement of qualifications, rather than concentrating on training that led to job specific skills.

One way that the sector is challenging these issues is through the REED NCFE job brokerage service. The aim of this service is to place colleges at the heart of the community, positioning them not just as places of learning but as very focussed and effective recruitment centres for local businesses.

The service is helping learners to access potential employment in the hidden jobs market. It is frustrating for job seekers that only around 1 out of 4 vacancies are ever advertised. The REED NCFE Partnership counters this frustration by setting up an on-site employment ‘shop’ at a college, targeting the 75% of vacancies which are never advertised and matching them to students at that college through tailored intervention.

The initiative responds to robust research supported by Harvard University and carried out with over 2000 employers. This research showed that 97% of employers would choose mindset over skillset as the key element in those they seek to employ and retain. This means that those who display the right mindset are 3 times more likely to find work.

I firmly believe that a partnership such as the REED NCFE initiative is the right response to the challenges they face”

The REED NCFE Job Search and Interview Skills qualifications are an active response to this research. The qualifications equip learners to identify vacancies, promote themselves, prepare for a job interview and maximise their chances of success at interview.

Lawrence Vincent, Principal of Bournemouth and Poole College told me: “The Wolf Report sent a very clear message that employment outcomes were set to become a major challenge for colleges; the latest report from Ofsted only strengthens that position. Here at Bournemouth and Poole College, we have embraced this challenge. We are very pleased to be able to offer our students a successful jobs brokerage service that is creating real opportunities.

“Since its launch in January of this year at Bournemouth and Poole, the service has had an average of 160 vacancies ring-fenced for students each month, placing a large number of them in employment at the end of their college courses.”

Whilst the report highlights many of the issues faced by colleges and their learners, I firmly believe that a partnership such as the REED NCFE initiative is the right response to the challenges they face. We are continuing to roll out this distinctive service and a number of colleges will ‘go live’ in the new academic year.

For more information on the REED NCFE initiative, please visit www.reed-ncfe.org.uk

David Grailey is Chief Executive of NCFE

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Vocational students praised at City of Bath College

A star stonemason and a top female refrigeration engineer were among the students praised at City of Bath College’s annual Celebrating Success Awards.

Students studying a range of different courses attended the ceremony, held at Bath Guildhall, before being presented with awards and certificates in recognition of their hard work and achievements.

Stonemasonry student Sam Flintham (pictured right) was among the award winners after impressing lecturers ar the College’s Construction Skills Centre.

Mr Flintham has studied Stonemasonry, Stone Carving and Architectural Stone Conservation, working on the award-winning conservation scheme at Tyntesfield and the restoration project at Woodchester Mansion.

“I was very grateful to receive the award for Stonemasonry Student of the Year and for all of the opportunities presented to me by my tutors and the College,” he said.

“It’s great for students to have their work recognised in this way.”

Meanwhile Emma Oatley scooped the Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Student of the Year award.

Emma was praised by her tutors for consistently being one of the course’s top learners and for holding her own in a predominantly male environment.

“I was ecstatic to receive the Celebrating Success award and it was great to get that recognition,” she said.

“Refrigeration and Air Conditioning is a predominantly male environment but I’ve always been made to feel very welcome and part of the group.

“My message to any women looking to start in the industry would be to go for it and not be afraid.  You may feel you have to work a bit harder to really make your mark, but it’s so worthwhile.”

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LSIS launches new support scheme for trainee teachers

The Learning and Skills Improvement Service (LSIS) has unveiled a new scheme to support people training to be a teacher in the FE sector.

The Initial Teacher Training (ITT) Fee Awards will pay institutions £1,500 towards the fees of a learner training to teach basic maths or english.

It will also offer £1,000 for students wishing to teach any other subject.

Rob Wye, chief executive of LSIS, said skilled and qualified teachers were the “lifeblood” of the sector.

“Teachers in further education are shaping the future workforce of every sector in the English economy,” Mr Wye said.

“The teaching of English and Maths are fundamental skills for all employees and I am delighted that we are now able to support the training of teaching these vital skills.”

The scheme has a budget of £11.5 million, and could support up to 11,000 learners starting teacher training in the 2012/13 academic year.

“The ITT Fee Awards are one way of ensuring that professionals with the right skills and expertise are able to improve the quality of teaching and learning in the further education and skills sector,” Mr Wye added.

The scheme is being delivered by LSIS on behalf of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS).

Meanwhile students who are starting their second year of teacher training are eligible for a £400 grant, administered by the Institute for Learning on behalf of BIS.

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