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Geoff Russell and David Way to give evidence for apprenticeships inquiry
David Way, interim chief executive of the National Apprenticeship Service (NAS) and Geoff Russell, chief executive of the Skills Funding Agency (SFA), will give evidence at the next session of an inquiry into apprenticeships.
The pair have been called on by as witnesses by the Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) Select Committee for the sixth evidence session, which will take place on Thursday (April 26).
The session will be held in The Grimond Room of Portcullis House from 10:30am and is open to the public on a first come, first served basis.
It will also be available online at www.parliamentlive.tv.
MP calls for investigation into Subway apprenticeship
Questions have been raised over apprenticeships offered by a fast-food chain.
Dudley MP Ian Austin is demanding answers after it emerged that Subway are offering £2.60 per hour for a role as a ‘sandwich artist’ in the Black Country.
Mr Austin said the job was advertised by Job Centre Plus and an identical job in Dudley was advertised earlier this month. He has asked the National Apprenticeship Service to investigate.
Although the MP has this week put questions to government over the issue, it was first picked up by FE Week reporter Nick Summers, who wrote about Subway apprenticeships in Tyne and Wear, Devon and Dorset last month.
Mr Austin said: “I want to see every youngster in full-time education or proper training and I want to see more apprenticeships. I learnt loads as a teenager working at McDonald’s in Dudley High Street, but this looks really dodgy to me.
“Schemes must give apprentices the skills and experience they need to advance their careers and they have to have proper training. They call it an apprenticeship but there doesn’t seem to be much training and it says it’s permanent.
“I’ve asked the National Apprenticeship Service to look into the apprenticeships Subway are offering to see if they are genuine apprenticeships or simply a means to pay young staff below the minimum wage.”
New College Nottingham students receive standing ovation for musical performance
Musical Theatre students at New College Nottingham (ncn) received a standing ovation for their final performance of On Broadway.
We Will Rock You, West Side Story, Fiddler on the Roof, Gypsy, Cabaret and Jekyll and Hyde were just some of the famous Broadway shows included in the performance
Lecturer Louisa Homes, said: “Preparing for the production enabled students to build on their skills in singing, acting, dancing and technical theatre.
“The shows received an excellent turnout and the standing ovation was testament to the students’ hard work and commitment.”
Myerscough College Golf Academy wins British Colleges Sport Open Championship
Myerscough College’s Golf Academy has won the British Colleges Sport Open Golf Championship for the second year running.
They recorded victories in the team and individual competitions at the BCS Open Golf Championship at The National Golf Centre, in Woodhall Spa. Head PGA Golf Professional at the college Craig Lea praised his young students for producing one of the Academy’s finest performances to date.
He said: “The student’s hard work and consistent effort in embracing both the practice and skill development elements of our coaching structure has led to excellent progression in their golf game this year.
“The success they are achieving at both team and individual level is well deserved and is testament to their dedication.”
Eggs-perts at Stratford-upon-Avon College
Catering students at Stratford-upon-Avon College were treated to a visit from expert chocolatiers Barry Callebaut.
One of the world’s leading manufacturers of cocoa and chocolate products, Barry Callebaut sent an expert to help students make some spectacular Easter eggs.
Each student produced the same template egg but were then given free range to decorate the chocolate oval with any design they liked.
There were a mixture of milk and white chocolate eggs and they were placed on a base made up of coloured chocolate chips.
Tameside College student’s flash of brilliance
Tameside College photography student Catherine Burgess has won first place in an Olympic themed competition.
Catherine, who is currently studying for a BTEC National Extended Diploma in Photography, spotted the competition on a poster and thought she’d give it a go.
The competition, known as ‘Image 12’, is an annual photography competition open to high school and college students within Tameside.
Catherine enlisted the help of a fellow art and design student, Hannah Doherty, to model for the photograph.
Catherine’s photograph is currently being displayed at the Portland Basin Museum Art Gallery, in Ashton-under-Lyne, and forming the borough’s version of the national touring exhibition Our Sporting Life.
She said: “I was extremely happy to have won the competition and to see my own work exhibited in a gallery. Studying at Tameside College has equipped me with the skills and confidence to take photography further.”
There’s Gecko-mania at Sparsholt College
There are three new additions to Sparsholt College’s animal management collection following the successful breeding of their Crested Geckos. Three eggs were incubated and hatched to produce the tiny lizards which have proved an instant hit with staff and learners alike.
The Animal Management Centre at the College houses three adult Crested Gecko’s which consist of the breeding pair and one lone male. The hope is that the newly arrived baby Geckos will turn out to be female (currently too young to sex) so they can be introduced to the lone male to hopefully produce more eggs.
Native to New Caledonia, the Crested Gecko (Rhacodactylus ciliatus) was thought to be extinct until it was re-discovered in 1994. Despite this relatively recent discovery, the Crested Gecko has been extensively bred by breeders and as a result is now one of the most commonly kept pet species of lizard.
The baby Geckos will join the 600+ animals from over 100 species the College has on site to provide practical training for their Animal Management and Veterinary Nursing students.
City of Bath College stonemasons help restore local mansion
Trainee stonemasons from City of Bath College are continuing to play a key role in the restoration of Woodchester Mansion.
The most recent contributions to the long-term restoration project at the 19th century Victorian Gothic property are two Medieval-style grotesques.
One was carved for display inside the visitors’ area of the mansion so the public can view the old and the new side by side, while the other has been installed on the apex of the mansion.
The new carvings are ‘hunky punks’ – a term given to grotesque stone figures carved to ornament corners and break up straight sections of stonemasonry.
They were carved by stonemasonry students Sam Flintham and Phil Windley.
Sam said: “I was inspired to create the carving by a badly weathered monkey grotesque which was removed from the top of the west gable at Woodchester Mansion.”