Adult apprenticeship starts continue to increase rapidly

Provisional figures show apprenticeship starts for those aged 25 over increased by 48 per cent in the first half of this year.

The increases were revealed in the Data Service Statistical First Release published today.

For the first two quarters of 2011/12 (Aug 2011 to the end of January 2012) in total 256,500 apprentices started, a 20 per cent increase on the same period last year.

Comparing these provisional figures with the final figures for the same six month period in 2010/11, 16-18 year-old starts have increased one per cent, 19-24 year-old starts have increased 13 per cent and 25+ starts have increased 48 per cent to just over 100,000.

The continued growth of adult apprenticeships this year follows significant increases last year, as in 2010/11 there were 182,100 apprenticeship starts for those aged 25 and over, a rise of 270 per cent compared to 2009/10.

Gordon Marsden, shadow minister for FE contacted FE Week following the release of the figures.

He said: “The latest apprenticeships figures indicate the government is still failing make any real progress in increasing 16-18 apprenticeships and limited progress in the key 19-24 age range.

“The majority of this increase is fuelled by the continued growth in  25+ apprenticeships – most of which would have been previously been categorised as train to gain –  and even these will be at risk when the government introduces its controversial FE loans proposals for apprenticeships at Level 3 and above.”

Panorama takes a look at The Great Apprentice Scandal

The reporter behind the investigative look at apprenticeships has lifted the lid on what viewers can expect when tuning into the show next week.

Apprenticeships will be thrown into the spotlight when BBC’s flagship TV show Panorama presents The Great Apprentice Scandal at 8.30pm on BBC One.

The billing pledges to look at the “story of poor quality training, of disappointed young people, and highlight the example of some training companies, who are making a killing out of public funds” in the half-hour long show.

Reporter Shelley Jofre will also speak to “insiders who are blowing the whistle and hears claims of forged and doctored paperwork and of apprentices who are entering the world of work without proper training, work experience or qualifications.”

Today, Ms Jofre gives FE Week an exclusive insight into the programme.

She said: “We’re looking at a variety of private training providers from relatively new, small companies to big household names; some that employ a few hundred apprentices at a time, to those who employ tens of thousands.”

I was surprised to find out how little scrutiny there appears to be of some of the subcontractors.”

Ms Jofre admits that prior to investigating apprenticeships for the show, which began back in October, that she “didn’t know much about apprenticeships” but quickly became fascinated by the subject as she started to dig deeper.

She said: “I didn’t know much about apprenticeships before I began to do the research for the show; probably like any person on the street.

“I thought I knew what an apprenticeship was, involving a school leaver doing three or four years learning a craft and doing block release from college.”

She added: “I was fascinated; the further you look at the story behind the numbers, the more interesting I thought it was.”

Key areas covered in the show, she says, include a lack of jobs for learners while undertaking their apprenticeship and issues with subcontracting.

Ms Jofre said: “General themes covered include taking a look at the quality of some apprenticeships.

“I was astonished to find that in England and Northern Ireland that there have been apprenticeships where there’s no employer involved.

“I know the government has taken action about that to say that everybody must have an employer, but it seems remarkable that that was even called an apprenticeship.

“We spoke to some students involved in this and the one thing they thought was lacking was work experience, which is what you think an apprenticeship is all about.”

She added: “And then we are taking a closer look at the issue of subcontracting.

“I was surprised to find out how little scrutiny there appears to be of some of the subcontractors.

“What also surprised me was there’s a large amount of public money involved and the big number of learners who get on subcontracted apprenticeships and they leave feeling disillusioned.”

It also looks at learner views, with Ms Jofre adding: “Young people are saying ‘I want to learn on the job from somebody that knows what they are doing and have career progression and have a secure future’.”

Ms Jofre hopes the show will add to the debate on apprenticeships.

“I realise there’s already a lot of scrutiny of the apprenticeship ‘brand’ going on and I would hope our film would add constructively to that debate, particularly in terms of hearing from young learners themselves.

“There are a lot of high-quality apprenticeships out there, but it’s easy to forget that for each apprenticeship that doesn’t deliver – and we’ve found quite a few – there’s a real person behind that story who embarked on the training with high hopes,” she said.

 

College blames government cuts for redundancies

Sunderland College has today announced that it intends to make 36 people redundant as part of a bid to save  £2.26 million in 2012/13.

The cuts have also led the college to review job descriptions for all teaching staff with a proposal to put in place a number of pay bands.

New descriptions, say the college, will be important to help secure long term future by delivering a more efficient curriculum model and bringing payscales in line with other colleges.

Angela O’Donoghue, principal of Sunderland College, said: “Due to government funding cuts, we have been required to undertake a review of our staff job descriptions and department structures to ensure that we can continue to deliver excellent education for our students.

“This extensive work has concluded the need to change both.

“Regrettably the impact of these cuts has meant that the changes we need to implement will lead to 36 redundancies.”

She added: “Following a meeting with unions and staff this morning to explain the situation we have released a Section 188 notice which will launch the 90-day formal consultation process while we work extensively with unions.

“This is a difficult decision and one that is not taken lightly as we know every member of staff works hard to make our college an inspirational and dynamic place for our learners.”

To reduce the number of compulsory redundancies, the college has announced a programme of voluntary redundancies.

However, they insist that the level of service to students and customers will not change.

The principal added: “The college’s vision has always remained the same despite the tough times in which we operate.

“We are a forward thinking education and training provider, dedicated to offering the very best for our learners to ensure they achieve outstanding results.

“I would like to reassure our students and customers that our service will not change; nor will they be affected in any way as a result of this, thanks wholly to the dedication and commitment of our professional staff, and the strategic plans we have in place to continually improve the college in the future.”

The college’s senior management team will now enter a 90 day consultation period with the Unions.

They have also met with every member of staff at risk, to ensure they are fully aware of their position during this course of action.

Race on to crown top apprentices and trainers

The search is now on to find the country’s top apprenticeship and training champions.

For the first time, the National Training Awards and National Apprenticeship Awards have joined forces and entries are now open to compete to be named ‘the best of the best’ on a regional and national level.

Both awards are run by the National Apprenticeship Service (NAS).

John Hayes, further education, skills and lifelong learning minister, said: “Skills are vital because they encourage ambition and enterprise and help drive economic growth and social renewal.

“These joint Awards offer a great platform for young people and employers to gain recognition not just for excelling in their chosen field, but for playing a leading part in that vital process.”

The National Training Awards is seeking entries from organisations that have delivered outstanding training programmes.

At the same time, the National Apprenticeship Awards is looking for the country’s most outstanding apprenticeship employers and apprentices.

For the second year running the very best employer category entries will also have the additional bonus of featuring in the prestigious annual Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers list.

Joe Price (20, pictured above competing at WorldSkills London), who works for Shropshire based construction firm J R Slee Building & Joinery Contractors Ltd, was delighted to be crowned Advanced Apprentice of the Year at last year’s Awards.

He said: “My Apprenticeship has been one of the best things I have ever done.  It has given me the opportunity to pursue a worthwhile career in a field I love and I have achieved so much is such a short space of time.

“Winning the award was a real honour and is a reflection of the high quality training and support I received from my college, work mates and employer.”

This year the Award winners will have the honour of celebrating their success together at Europe’s largest skills and careers event; The Skills Show – at the NEC Birmingham on November 14.

The show, which is set to become an annual event, is designed to shine the spotlight on education and skills.  It is part of a new era for skills which includes improved quality Apprenticeships and recognition of the vital importance of skills in this country.

David Way, chief executive of NAS, said: “The National Apprenticeship Awards and National Training Awards recognise the crucial role skills play in helping individuals develop fulfilling careers, driving competitiveness and fuelling economic growth.

“Entering is a real opportunity for employers and individuals to gain the recognition they richly deserve for building the national skills base, and sharing centre stage at such a prestigious event will be a fitting tribute.”

To find out more about how to enter both the National Apprenticeship Awards and/or the National Training Awards visit apprenticeships.org.uk/awards.

Entries close on Friday May 25.

Government could remove obligation for teachers to register with IfL

Teachers will no longer have the statutory obligation to register with the Institute for Learning (IfL) under plans revealed today by the government.

The news follows the release of recommendations in the interim report of the independent review of professionalism in the further education and skills sector, which was chaired by Lord Lingfield.

As a result of the recommendations, the government will “set in motion a formal process of consultation” with the “view” to taking away the obligation for teachers to sign up to the membership body, which has been a regulation since 2007 and is in place until September 2012.

The government will work with sector bodies, the IfL and other organisations directly affected by the review’s recommendations, before making a more detailed statement on its response and plans for implementation.

Minister for further education, skills and lifelong learning John Hayes said: “Moving away from an approach that enforces professionalism through regulation, to one that gives colleges and providers the freedom to decide how best to achieve high standards of teaching and learning is consistent with our policy of giving colleges freedom and power.

“It is also important that we empower staff to take responsibility for their own professional development – supported where they choose by voluntary professional body membership.”

A final report, which will consider professionalism more widely, will report in the summer.

The main recommendations from the interim report are:

  • Continued phasing out of state grant funding to the IfL, with support for professionalism among FE staff to be provided by the Learning and Skills Improvement Service (LSIS) from September 2012
  • The last increment of transitional funding for the IfL should be used to refund part of the second year of fees paid by FE staff
  • Revocation of The Further Education Teachers’ Continuing Professional Development and Registration, England Regulations and The Further Education Teachers’ Qualifications, England, Regulations, replaced with largely discretionary advice to employers on appropriate qualifications for staff and continuous professional development
  • Simplification of and re-naming the in-service teaching qualifications
  • An appropriate government body should take on responsibility for keeping a register of staff who have been found guilty of gross misconduct by the authorities, so that they may be excluded from future employment in the FE sector.

Mr Hayes said: “With the benefit of this interim report, we can take the necessary steps to ensuring further education professionals are at the forefront of teaching excellence.”

The IfL, meanwhile, has confirmed it will again operate as a voluntary, professional membership organisation.

Toni Fazaeli, IfL’s chief executive, said: “IfL has done everything asked of it in terms of the regulations, and more: registering teachers and trainers; supporting teachers’ continuing professional development (CPD); conferring the professional licensed practitioner status of Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills (QTLS); and undertaking additional research and development to support professionalism in the sector.

“The review’s report makes the mistake of conflating IfL with the regulations and in condemning the latter criticises IfL as if it were responsible for them. This is not the case. Governments make regulations and are responsible for ensuring that they are enforced.”

Sue Crowley, IfL’s elected chair, added: “Despite my grave concerns about the recommendation that initial teacher training should be optional, I am optimistic about the future of the teaching and training profession in further education and skills.

“This optimism is born of witnessing the expertise, deep professional commitment and resilience that teachers and trainers demonstrate in their practice, week-in, week-out, for the benefit of millions of young and adult learners.”

The University and College Union (UCU), which has campaigned against fees for membership to the IfL, has welcomed the news.

UCU general secretary, Sally Hunt, said: “We are pleased that the panel has recognised compulsory membership of the IfL is a bad move. We are also delighted that the relatively small number of people who did pay the fee will now be reimbursed.

“Boycotting the IfL was not a decision UCU members took lightly, but to be effective as a professional body it must enjoy the confidence of the majority of practitioners.

“Today’s recommendations are a vindication of the members’ boycott and we look forward to playing a full part in the review of professionalism in further education.”

MP accuses Elmfield Training of ‘rip off’

The boss of Elmfield Training Ltd has been accused by an MP of a “rip off” over his firm’s high profit margins which have been generated by the public purse.

Ged Syddall, founder and chief executive officer of Elmfield Training Ltd, was joined by Norman Pickavance, HR Directer at Morrisons, to give evidence to the MPs on Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) Select Committee at the Houses of Parliament this morning, and confirmed he received 95 per cent of a £3 million dividend for their 2009/10 financial year.

The news came during the fourth evidence session of the committee, which is leading an inquiry into apprenticeships.

When asked about how much of the £12.3 million pre-tax profits made by Elmfield Training Ltd was government money, Mr Syddall said: “It was all government money.”

Committee chair Adrian Bailey MP said that the profit figure amounted to a 36 per cent margin for the academic year.

The reasons behind the margin, Mr Syddall said, were due to “natural efficiencies” of dealing with large employers.

Quite frankly that much money made out of the business of your kind is a rip-off.”

Mr Syddall, although unable to provide a profit figure for Elmfield Training in 2010/11, said that this year’s margin would be “13.8 per cent” and explained that the decreasing margin was down to a reduction in rates.

He said: “We get paid 25 per cent less now than we did in 2009/10,” before Mr Bailey added: “But you’re still making 13.8 per cent (margin).”

The head of the provider, which claims to be the “fastest growing vocational training provider in the UK”, was also questioned about his pay and dividends.

He said: “Over last four years we’ve declared one dividend which was £3 million, which equated to about 15 per cent of distributable profits.”

Mr Syddall added: “I set this business up from nothing and now we have 750 people. The other thing we have done over the last three years, 40 per cent of post-tax profits have gone into social impact programmes, which helped thousands of young people back into employment.

“From every £1 I’ve taken out in the last three or four years, I’ve put £2 back to helping other people who have not been as lucky as me.”

He then confirmed that £75,000 is his basic salary.

Select committee member Brian Binley MP, who has set up two companies, said: “We have never got anywhere near the profit levels you are talking about.

“Quite frankly that much money made out of the business of your kind is a rip-off.”

He also added: “I do not see when you’re a large employer of people that you can make that sort of money.”

Mr Syddall said: “The year we are talking about that profit level was made was 2009/10. We didn’t set the rates.”

However, Mr Binley jumped in to ask: “So you overcharged?” before Mr Syddall said: “No we didn’t set the rates, so the rates were standardised.”

Again, Mr Binley asked: “You were overpaid?”

I set SkillsFirst up because I thought there was a gap in the market.”

This time, Mr Syddall said: “Or the state paid too much money, because it didn’t recognise that there are efficiencies in this kind of delivery model.

“Again, I don’t think there are many businesses out there who have put £6.5 million of its own money over the last three years supporting programmes that have helped thousands of people.”

Mr Binley said: “That’s great, but there aren’t many apprenticeships out there making the sort of bottom line that you’re making.

“You can understand why people are suspicious though, can’t you?”

The focus of the session shifted to Skillsfirst Awards, an awarding body set up by Mr Syddall, and if it represented a conflict of interests.

He said: “It is no different for instance than City & Guilds and City & Guilds for Business, who deliver Asda. It is no different than EdExcel and Pearson in Practice.”

Mr Syddall said that he was “encouraged to broaden the awarding body market by the government” before adding: “I set SkillsFirst up because I thought there was a gap in the market.

“That is now a very successful awarding body. It deals with 30 organisations, including ourselves.

“There are no rules from Ofqual to say we can’t do it. There is very robust and rigorous conflicts of interest policies that we adhere to.”

Mr Syddall also confirmed that the Skills Funding Agency doubled its contract with Elmfield Training to £40m half way through 2010/11 due to the volume they were delivering, rather than the time period they were operating to.

The topic moved to Elmfield Training’s satisfactory Ofsted grade, which Mr Syddall defended, but it was not long until the conversation moved back to the subject of the provider’s dividends.

Mr Binley said: “I really do want to make sure that the taxpayer is getting real value for money.”

The MP told the session that as well as the profit and the profit margin, a total of £6.5 million went into taxation and dividend, before asking where it went.

Mr Syddall confirmed the dividend was £3 million after tax, and that there are four shareholders in Elmfield Training Ltd, but that he holds 95 per cent of shares.

Mr Binley: “I think it’s right and proper to get that as evidence because it does give us an idea of whether the taxpayer is getting value for money.

“I understand your side of it, but I think there’s a doubt in terms of the amount of money that you made in that year.”

Mr Bailey, towards the end of the session, asked about the financial situation of Skillsfirst Awards.

Mr Syddall confirmed that, as shown in their last published accounts, the firm made a loss.

However, for the following year, he said: “About a couple of million turnover but I’m not sure on profits. About £1 million.”

He then confirmed that he was the only shareholder of the firm.

A4e must be exluded from prison education contracts, say UCU

The University and College Union (UCU) say allowing A4e to deliver new prison education contracts will bring offender learning into ‘disrepute’.

The union will be writing to John Hayes MP, minister of state for further education, skills and lifelong learning, to recomend that the welfare-to-work provider be removed as the government’s preferred bidder.

The response follows fresh revelations, as reported today in The Independent, that A4e was aware of potential fraud and malpractice.

Sally Hunt, general secretary of the UCU, said: ‘It seems farcical, especially in light of these new damaging revelations, that A4e is still the government’s preferred bidder to run £30m prison education services in London and the east of England.

“A4e must be excluded immediately or offender learning risks being brought into disrepute.”

“For the sake of learners and staff, ministers simply cannot afford to delay any further,” Sally Hunt added.

“They must intervene immediately to ensure the contracts are re-tendered.”

Union members who work in prison education will meet today to discuss the investigation into A4e.

UCU say they expect members to back the call for A4e to be excluded from delivering any new contracts.

Related articles:

SFA auditors assigned to A4e
A4e included in preferred prison education bidder list
Families tsar to step down amid fraud allegations

FE Week mini-mascot (Edition 24)

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

Mostly this week I have been pointing out the typos in FE Week!”

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

AoC survey finds schools providing ‘poor, limited or no access’ to vocational options

Schools with sixth forms are restricting pupils’ access to information about alternative education options, according to a new study.

The survey, conducted by the Association of Colleges (AoC), shows half of schools which have their own sixth forms are providing GCSE pupils with “poor, limited or no access” to information about courses available in their local FE or sixth form colleges.

However, Brian Lightman, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), said the report only shows one side of the story and believes schools and colleges should be working with each other.

Nevertheless, the AoC study is being presented to the Department for Education as a benchmarking analysis of advice and guidance in schools.

It comes after the AoC and the Association of Employment and Learning Providers (AELP) last week called on Ofsted to grade careers guidance as part of their inspections.

The study also found:

  • Schools without sixth forms were much more open to providing pupils with access to information than those with sixth forms.
  • Where schools were providing pupils with limited access to information, the most regular problems were: restricting pupils’ access to college liaison officers, refusing to distribute prospectuses and barring pupils from attending college ‘taster’ events.

The study will be repeated later this year, say the AoC, to assess whether the new duty on schools to secure independent advice and guidance, as set out in the 2011 Education Act, improves the range of information given to pupils.

Joy Mercer, director of education policy at the AoC, said: “We can see from this initial study that there is a long way to go to ensure all pupils have access to information about the post-GCSE options available to them, including apprenticeships and other vocational options.

“In giving young people access to the widest possible range of information about their post-16 choices we make sure the right students are on the right courses, improve success rates, help tackle youth unemployment, minimise the number of sixth form drop-outs and save the taxpayer money.

There’s never been a more important time for young people to have access to high quality, impartial guidance.”

“So we welcome the new duty on schools to provide impartial and informed careers advice, but we’re putting a marker in the sand now.

“We will see whether the situation improves later in the year after the guidance which accompanies the new Education Act comes into force.”

However, Mr Lightman was disappointed to find that schools had not been consulted when the survey was conducted.

He said: “It only shows one side.

“Schools will have a perspective and many schools are trying very hard to find the right level of impartiality and work well with their local colleges.”

Mr Lightman also revealed the ASCL is currently working with the AoC on a “guidance document” for school and college leaders which will “highlight the best practice” for both parties. The document is due to be published in mid-April.

He said: “There’s never been a more important time for young people to have access to high quality, impartial guidance.

“It’s very important that both schools and colleges work together in the interests of young people. Where things aren’t working well, we think the solution is for the schools and the colleges to work together to find the best way to work with this.”

He added: “The new requirement will not make it easy for schools. There are still many uncertainties about what will be available.”

New College Swindon principal Graham Taylor said his college is “generally barred from presenting to and interviewing pupils” at some schools and academies with their own sixth forms because they are seen as “a major threat” in their area.

He said: “This is unfair on students, who should have the freedom of choice to move on at 16.

“Making an informed choice implies freedom of access and information. This is simply not the case in many parts of the country.

“We would welcome any government intervention which would help the learner obtain the information, advice and guidance they need about all available options.

“If Ministers are keen on competition they should encourage a level-playing field.”

Gordon Marsden MP, the shadow minister for FE, described the survey as “a wake-up call to government, emphasising how much more the  Department for Education has to do to make IAG a reality for all students post-11” in any setting.

He said: “It’s crucial for personal fulfilment, economic growth and successful access to apprenticeships that more young people have proper vocational pathways available to them.

“The failure of ministers to put dedicated funding into support will inevitably blight the impact of the new All-Age Careers Service about to be introduced.

“The government needs to listen urgently to the warnings of career professionals and those who teach secondary students in all settings and give both encouragement and proper funding to them in the new careers set-up.”