AELP names Ben Rowland as new CEO

A training provider founder and apprenticeships author has been appointed as the next chief executive of the Association of Employment and Learning Providers (AELP).

Rowland founded Arch Apprenticeships a decade ago before leaving in 2020 after it was taken over by Avado. In recent years he has run his own consultancy, Studio 3 Advisory, and been a freelance apprenticeships adviser.

Ben Rowland will take over as boss of the membership body in December. He replaces Jane Hickie who left in June.

Last month he published a book, ‘Understanding apprenticeships: a student’s guide,’ aimed at young people leaving full time education and is currently working on a new transatlantic apprenticeship exchange programme with international qualifications body ECCTIS. He also runs a personal training service for the over 50s.

He said he was “so happy and excited” to be taking up the role of AELP chief.

“There are huge challenges for the sector right now – and also some important opportunities,” he added.

“I believe AELP is going to make a big difference in helping our members to overcome these challenges and take these opportunities. I am excited and feel privileged to have the opportunity to lead the organisation in this crucial period.”

Rowland founded Arch Apprenticeship in 2012 with the backing of Blenheim Chalcot – where he was operating partner for education and later a managing director – to create “a white collar apprenticeship programme that breaks the mould”.

Arch Apprenticeships scored an ‘outstanding’ Ofsted result at its first inspection in 2016.

When Arch Apprenticeships merged with Avado two years later, Rowland stayed on client solution director and then government and public services director before leaving the business in January 2020.

It grew to be one of the largest providers of apprenticeships in England with 1,350 starts in 2021/22, but Avado exited the market in the summer to pursue “more attractive” options. The provider was however reinspected by Ofsted around the same time which resulted in a downgrade to ‘requires improvement’ in a report published in September.

Rowland previously sat on the Department for Education’s apprenticeship stakeholder board.

Earlier this year, he launched a personal training service for the over 50s, which his LinkedIn profile describes as an “engaging and lively offering to enable people who are 50+ to reconnect with their bodies in a way that energises them … and brings life back to their lives”.

Before setting up Arch, Rowland had a career in public sector consulting, in which he co-founded, led and sold RSe Consulting to Tribal Group plc, and was involved as a volunteer in various capacities for 25 years at Toynbee Hall, the social change charity in East London, including six years as chair of the Board.

He is a graduate of the University of Oxford and holds a masters in social policy from the London School of Economics.

AELP chair Nichola Hay said: “Ben’s previous experience and skills are going to be of great benefit to AELP and our members. We look forward to Ben leading and delivering AELP’s vision, Skills Means Growth, as well as growing the organisation and services for our members.

“We are also looking forward to Ben ensuring the voice of independent training providers is heard and recognised in the FE sector and beyond during these challenging times.”

AELP has a mix of around 800 members from independent, not-for-profit and voluntary sector training and employment services organisations.

[UPDATE – A reference to a pending investigation into Jane Hickie has been removed. FE Week has learned the AELP investigation was dropped following Hickie’s departure from the organisation.]

16-19 tuition fund: Ofsted warns of ‘weak’ and ‘generic’ tutoring by external agencies

Ofsted has criticised the use of external tutoring agencies and unqualified teachers in its latest review of the 16 to 19 tuition fund.

The £500 million scheme was launched in 2020/21 as part of the government’s education recovery programme following the pandemic up to the end of 2023/24.

Ofsted’s latest review follows visits to 34 providers in 2022/23, including three that took part in last year’s phase one review; 18 FE colleges, 16 sixth-form colleges, two independent training providers and one specialist college.

FE Week understands this will be Ofsted’s final study into the use of the tuition fund, which is now in its final year.

Findings from the first stage of the review were published last October. Here are the key findings from the second stage.

External agency tutoring ‘weak’ and ‘generic’

In a third of providers visited, Ofsted found “limited” evidence that tutors had enough information about learners to assess progress. This was particularly the case in providers using external tutoring agencies. The review found that poor communication between curriculum staff and tutors meant that external agencies often carried out their own initial assessments, “as providers rarely gave them this information”.

Conversely, providers found to have “strong” tutoring provision nearly always used their staff rather than an external agency. Effective providers involved tutors in curriculum team meetings and regularly shared updates with teachers and learners.

Tutors hired through external agencies also lacked the “in-depth training needed to deliver high-quality sessions”.

All of this led to, in Ofsted’s words, “weaker” quality tutoring and more “generic” sessions for learners.

Agencies were used in a small number of providers where they had difficulties recruiting tutors, or had a high number of eligible learners.

But those tutors were “less suitable” than in-house staff, according to Ofsted. External tutors were mostly not qualified teachers, and some were found to be recent school leavers. Where they had some teacher training provided by their agency, it was deemed “rudimentary” by Ofsted and “not appropriate for the importance of the [tutoring] role.”

However the majority of providers in Ofsted’s sample used their own staff for tutoring, either qualified English and maths teachers or non-teaching tutors for study skills or careers support.

Where they were cases of unqualified teachers tutoring, inspectors found a “notable difference” in the quality of their sessions compared to those delivered by qualified teachers. Sessions led by unqualified teachers were often “poorly planned,” “less effective,” and “lacked the subject-specific knowledge and pedagogical skills needed to give relevant feedback or correct learners’ misconceptions in real time.”

Lacking subject expertise

Inspectors criticised ten providers using tutors for “generic exam preparation” rather than filling specific gaps in learning or using research to inform their activities.

“In several [weak] providers, teachers or course instructors have tutors past exam papers for learners to complete and mark together. This was not carefully linked to knowledge gaps and did not have clear curricular goals,” the report said.

Preparation for exams is allowed under tuition fund rules, but Ofsted found providers commissioning tutoring which was providing “generic exam skills” in place of subject content, delivered by non-subject specialists.

Six of the sampled providers hired recent graduates as mentors and coaches to work on study skills and life skills, like time management and essay planning. Inspectors praised providers that did this successfully, highlighting how it improved learners’ confidence and their academic targets.

Tutoring was most effective when it aligned with the subject curriculum, Ofsted said. The “strongest” providers assessed the gaps in learners’ knowledge and skills before and during tutoring. This meant they could “adapt their teaching to ensure that learners developed their knowledge and skills securely and quickly”.

Misuse of funding in some providers

Ofsted found “many providers” were not using tutoring for its intended catch-up purposes.

Department for Education guidance said that providers should use their funding for one-to-one or small-group tuition, focusing on learners with significant knowledge gaps. The department later made changes to make the eligibility criteria more flexible and accessible by allowing leaders to target funds towards academic and vocational courses as well as other areas, such as exam preparation and study skills.

In most cases, leaders chose to use it for exam preparation and study skills, rather than using research literature to set up effective tutoring provision that focused “unerringly” on specific gaps in learners’ knowledge.

Two providers used the funding to target attendance and behaviour by employing mentors specifically for this issue, despite this not being in line with the published guidance, according to Ofsted.

Inspectors said there was little evidence to suggest that once learners were attending, providers were giving them extra lessons or catch-up opportunities. This meant that any learning gaps were not being filled.

When exam preparation was the focus of the funding, most providers chose to select, as a priority, all learners who were re-sitting mathematics and/or English GCSEs. 

Groups ‘too large’ for quality tutoring

The point of tutoring is for smaller group sizes so learning can be more personalised. Tuition fund guidance says groups should be up to five learners, or seven in exceptional circumstances.

But Ofsted found group sizes of six or more in a quarter of its sample, with two providers having “as many as 10 learners” in tutoring groups.

“Tutoring groups of more than five learners veered away from quality tutoring,” the report said.

Inspectors said that learners in smaller class sizes reported “fewer distractions” and “improved focus.”

According to the report, “only a few” providers kept track of learner attendance in tutoring sessions, so it “was not clear” that leaders were targeting learners most in need of support.

Inspectors saw evidence of systems to check the quality of tutoring provision in only a “few” of the providers sampled.

Future tutoring ‘untenable’ without more funding

Tuition fund funding ends at the end of this academic year. Ofsted’s review said leaders told its inspectors that tutoring had a positive impact on learners, but only one provider planned to continue with it once the funding ends.

One principal is quoted in the report describing the tuition fund as “like a lifeline since the pandemic” with others telling inspectors they would like to see the funding continue for future year groups that were also affected by the pandemic.

Financial limitations mean that if there the tuition fund is switched off, providing ongoing tuition will be “unrealistic”.

Apprenticeships should last for minimum of two years, CIPD says

Apprenticeships in the UK should last for a minimum of two years to align them to “international standards”, a new report has suggested.

The Chartered Institute for Personnel and Development has also called for apprentices to attract lower levels of public funding from the age of 30 onwards to stop younger people from being “crowded out” of the system amid a surge in apprenticeships for older people who are simply looking to upskill.

The HR body published research today that highlighted falling employer investment in skills training despite the number of skills shortage vacancies rising across all four nations of the UK, with a particular focus on how apprenticeships have diverged training opportunities following the introduction of the levy in 2017.

Investment in training per employee in the UK has declined by 19 per cent since 2011, from £2,191 to £1,778, with UK investment per employee at around half that of the EU average, according to the report.

There has also been a 31 per cent decrease in the number of apprenticeship starts between 2015/16 and 2021/22 – a drop of over 160,000 – in England.

It found that apprenticeships are often “too short to be a meaningful introduction to a career for young people” and that the off-the-job (OTJ) component is towards the “lower end of the spectrum” compared to international competitors.

Currently, apprenticeships in England must be a minimum of 12 months long and last on average for 15 months, which the report warned is “substantially shorter” than other countries in Europe. Apprenticeships in Scotland often run for less than 12 months while programmes in Wales can also last for just a year. Apprenticeships in Northern Ireland, however, usually take at least two years.

Meanwhile, apprenticeships in Switzerland, Germany, Norway, Sweden, Austria and Denmark run for between three and four years.

Apprentices in most of those countries also spend between a third and half of their time doing OTJ training, compared to 20 per cent – recently changed to at least six hours a week – in England. OTJ in Northern Ireland is similar to what is required in England, while Scotland has no general rule and Wales has varying OTJ requirements depending on the programme.

The CIPD said all four nations should specify programmes to be at least two years long, with set minimum off-the-job training days as a percentage of the programme.

However, there should be “some exceptions” to the minimum duration rule if, for example, a person already had substantial existing experience in the occupation or previous relevant prior learning. These would be called “fast-track” apprenticeships.

The chartered institute also echoed concerns that the growing number of older apprentices in the UK – with the exception of Northern Ireland – is “crowding out younger apprentices from the system” and using apprenticeship funding for “upskilling” existing employees.

In England, Scotland and Wales, apprentices aged 25 years and over made up the biggest proportion of the apprenticeships started in 2021/22, making up 47 per cent, 42 per cent, and 51 per cent respectively of all starts. Starts for young people have either flatlined or fallen since the levy.

CIPD called for a new funding distinction so that one level of public subsidy is on offer to fund apprentices up to the age of 29, with another, lower level for those aged 30 and above.

It recognised that apprenticeships can play a useful role in reskilling in cases where older workers change careers across sectors or industries, adding that there are several ways to ensure the system works in this way, but warning they all come with drawbacks.

Funding contributions from government, agencies or levy funds could simply be limited to younger apprentices, for example.

Alternatively, additional direct financial incentives could be provided for younger apprenticeship starts, which would have “considerable” budget implications. Or “comprehensive assessments” of all older apprenticeship applications could be required to deal with them on a case-by-case basis, but would be “administratively challenging”.

CIPD said the government should also consider direct financial incentives to drive apprenticeship uptake in small and medium-sized enterprises. Apprenticeship starts for smaller employers fell by nearly half (45 per cent), from 166,170 to 91,230 between 2016/17 and 2020/21 in England. In medium-sized employers, apprenticeship starts collapsed by more than half (56 per cent) from 74,800 to 32,550 over that period.

This is a “perennial” problem across all four nations. The HR body said as well as hiring incentives, all UK nations should also look at fully funding off-the-job training costs which is often a big barrier to SMEs taking on apprentices.

The report, too, backed calls for the apprenticeship levy to be reformed into a flexible skills levy so that it funds other forms of training. This is a policy idea that Labour has promised to adopt if it wins the next general election.

A spokesperson for the Department for Education said it had “transformed apprenticeships” by working with thousands of employers of all sizes, to deliver more apprenticeship opportunities.

“We’ve made it easier for SMEs to take on apprentices by removing the cap on the number they can recruit,” they added. “As a government we also pay 100 per cent of training costs for the smallest employers hiring apprentices under 19.”

College pension contributions to rise – but government will fund (for now)

Contributions that schools and colleges pay towards teachers’ pensions will rise by more than 20 per cent from April.

Government has committed to funding the rise for state schools and colleges for one year, with any further commitments to be decided at future spending reviews.

But private schools and universities have been left out – meaning they will have to soak up the extra costs.

Employer contributions will rise from 23.6 per cent to 28.6 per cent after a valuation to “ensure the scheme continues to meet present and future obligations”.

A statement announcing the changes read: “The department will provide additional funding to cover the increase in the employer contribution rate for directly funded scheme employers for the financial year 2024/25. This includes mainstream 5 to 16 schools; high needs settings; post 16 and further education settings; and eligible early years providers.

“HE providers are autonomous bodies and the government does not fund the costs of changes to the scheme for them in the same way as for schools and colleges.

“The Department for Education appreciates that the result means independent schools that participate in the scheme will be faced with additional costs that aren’t funded. 

“It’s hoped that the information shared previously, on the likely final result, will have helped them in planning for the change.”

It comes alongside the commitment from the Labour Party to impose VAT on private schools should it form a government.

More than 300 private schools have already pulled out of the Teachers’ Pension Scheme since 2018, according to analysis released this month.

The National Education Union said it anticipates more will now follow suit. 

Daniel Kebede, general secretary of the NEU, said private school teachers to “face the threat of losing a decent pension is unacceptable. It should set alarm bells ringing across society.

“The NEU is not prepared to sit back while our members see their contracts of employment ripped up and their pensions snatched away. The NEU will robustly support our members to take all necessary action to defend their terms and conditions.”

The NEU said the rise was down to a technical change imposed by government. 

Correction: We originally stated this was a five per cent rise, rather than five percentage points.

How to engineer a qualification

Pearson is joining forces with employers like Schneider Electric and a wide range of other provider stakeholders to integrate innovation and industry-relevant skills into their upcoming Engineering Higher Technical Qualifications (HTQs).

These HTQs, ranging from Level 4 to Level 5, are poised to become alternatives to traditional apprenticeships and degrees. With rigorous standards set by the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IfATE), these qualifications ensure practicality and relevance to the ever-evolving job landscape.

HTQs have garnered enthusiastic support from all sides. Despite policy shifts, demand remains strong, and employers and colleges alike recognise their intrinsic value and have been investing time and finances to assure their success.

For providers, HTQs can be particularly useful in addressing skills gaps within specific sectors. From an employer perspective, according to Pearson’s recent Skills Outlook report, two-thirds (62 per cent) of business leaders are worried about finding recruits with the right skills for their vacancies. A third (36 per cent) revealed they have not expanded due to the skills gap.

David Abrahams, a Key Client Manager for Schneider Electric’s IT’s Global Operations division, has worked with Pearson to develop the new Engineering HTQs.

“We are committed to shaping the future of buildings, infrastructure and industries through innovation,” says David. “To do this, we need a steady influx of recruits who possess not only the core skills needed in this highly technical field but also the softer skills that allow them to work effectively within a team, network and flourish into leadership roles.”

Dr Sahithi Siva, Pearson’s Subject Lead for Engineering for Higher Education, currently working on Higher National product development, echoes this sentiment: “We greatly value employer participation and appreciate the commitment they make, and David has been fantastic. The process is rigorous, but the outcomes benefit everyone involved.”

Getting HTQs approved by IfATE involves mapping knowledge, skills, and behaviours, and ensuring the qualification aligns with industry standards. This process is iterative, requiring frequent feedback and amendments, followed by approval from OFQUAL and a separate submission process with IfATE. “It is a complex, lengthy process but is essential to ensure the quality and relevance of our qualifications,” states Sathithi.

Pearson is actively working to future-proof its qualification units, ensuring they remain relevant for at least the next five years. The company also developed a new space technologies Higher National qualification to deliver the space engineering technician standard, with organisations like Airbus Defence and Space and National Space Agency providing crucial feedback.

As technology progresses at a breakneck pace, Pearson believes partnership with employers and providers is vital for ensuring innovation is built into qualifications and learners acquire the hard and soft skills needed for the future and thrive in tomorrow’s industries. Pearson has recently received accreditation for HTQs in the Digital, Construction, Healthcare, Sport, Business, and Engineering sectors, and is planning to develop more HTQs in some of these key sectors. Find out more about developing and delivering HTQs with Pearson

Teach Inspire Create: A conference to explore the future of creative education!

UAL Awarding Body calls all creative educators!

Join us on 24 November at The Mermaid, London, for the Teach Inspire Create Conference 2023. This is an exciting day of keynote speeches from inspiring voices in creative education and the creative industries, a series of workshops led by UAL Awarding Body Chief Examiners, and a trade fair featuring exhibitors from across the industry. 

We’re delighted to be welcoming three keynote speakers at the conference: Andria Zafirakou, winner of the 2018 Global Teacher Prize and founder of the charity Artists in Residence; Kay Adekunle Rufai, a British-born Nigerian photographer, poet, filmmaker, author, mental health researcher, and founder of the internationally acclaimed S.M.I.L.E-ing Boys projects; and Tina Ramdeen, the Associate Director of Young People at Roundhouse Trust.

Come along to hear our engaging panel discussion titled “Looking to the future: Exploring key skills needed to thrive in the creative industries of tomorrow”, offering a thought-provoking exploration into the minds of those who influence and define the cultural and artistic landscapes in creative education and industry! This session, chaired by Aimee McLaughlin, an associate editor at Creative Review, will shine a spotlight on the important skills needed to thrive in creative industries in the future. Joining Aimée are our esteemed panellists: Jazmin Morris, lecturer at UAL Creative Computing Institute and the Lead Computational Tutor; Dominic Traynor, Education Evangelist for EMEA at Adobe; Michele Gregson, General Secretary and CEO of the National Society for Education in Art and Design; and Oliver Morris, Director of Education & Skills at UK Music.

Guests will also have the exciting opportunity to immerse themselves in an inspiring breakout session with the UAL Awarding Body Chief Examiners, who are keen to share their knowledge, challenge guests, and push you to explore new ideas and to another level of creativity!

  • ‘Engaging community with creative arts education’ with Andy Sankey, Chief Examiner for Music and Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) – a thought-provoking workshop on how to enhance the creative arts educational experience by working with local community 
  •  ‘Using AI to create content’ with Julian Watkiss, Chief Examiner for Creative Media Production and Technology –A thought provoking session which delves into the impact of AI-driven content generation 
  •  ‘The Express Yourself Challenge: unleash your imagination in 21 Minutes’ with Justine Head, Chief Examiner for Fashion Business and Retail, and Marc Mollica, Chief Examiner for Performing and Production Arts and Level 4 Diplomas – a fast-paced workshop to create a mini-masterpiece, designed to ignite your imagination and artistic exploration 
  • ‘Artful Mindfulness: Cultivating Creativity and Presence Through Art’ with Matt Moseley, Chief Examiner for Art and Design – a transformative workshop exploring the practice of mindfulness and how it can enhance creative processes 
  • ‘Project briefs: innovation, creativity, experimentation et al.’ with Vicky Cull, Chief Examiner for Art and Design – an inspiring workshop designed to enable creativity and avant-garde thinking in the area of project brief writing and development

The fun doesn’t stop there! Explore our trade fair to network with a diverse range of exhibitors from across the creative and the education industries. This is an amazing opportunity to find out more about these organisations and see just how they can enhance your creative practice.

With not long left to go before our Teach Inspire Create Conference 2023 and with tickets going fast, make sure to book your free ticket now to reserve your spot if you haven’t already! You don’t want to miss out on an unforgettable day of inspiration, connections, and limitless possibilities.

This event is free to attend for those currently delivering UAL Awarding Body qualifications and our invited guests. Lunch and refreshments will be provided, and the conference will be followed by a drinks reception and networking.

Book Now

Three-day strike planned at 30 colleges in November

Staff at 30 colleges in England are set to strike for three consecutive days next month in a row over pay.

The University and College Union (UCU) today confirmed strikes will go ahead at the colleges (see list full below) unless their employers offer a significant pay rise.

The strike will run from Tuesday November 14 to Thursday November 16 – which is just after the GCSE resits series but during the Association of Colleges annual conference.

UCU said it has settled disputes at 15 other colleges after staff got offered pay rises of up to 8.5 per cent.

Jo Grady, general secretary of the UCU, called on all other colleges to also “make staff a meaningful offer”.

“Any that refuse will be hit with strike action,” she said.

UCU balloted 89 colleges for strike action this term. The union announced earlier this month that 43 colleges failed to hit the 50 per cent turnout threshold required by law, while 14 other colleges voted to settle their disputes.

The remaining 32 colleges voted to strike. Two of those colleges – Cambridge Regional College and Furness College – settled their pay disputes and dropped their strike action, as they are not included in today’s list of 30.

After months of refusing to recommend a salary increase, last month the AoC advised its members to give staff a 6.5 per cent pay rise this year to match what is being offered to school teachers.

But colleges do not have to follow that recommendation, and some have warned this will be unmanageable.

AoC: ‘We urge the unions to call off the strike action’

There is an average salary gap of around £7,000 between school and FE college teachers.

A survey by the UCU of over 2,000 college workers, released in September, found that 95 per cent of college staff are struggling financially due to their low wages. Four in five workers said their financial situation is affecting their mental health.

The survey also showed many staff are using foodbanks, and rationing hot water and heating because of their low pay.

The UCU claimed that colleges should be able to afford a meaningful pay award because they will get £700 million more of funding this year than they did in 2019/20.

Grady said: “Our members refuse to allow pay to be held down to such an extent that their colleagues are forced to use food banks. The money has now arrived to pay staff fairly and college bosses must do so.”

But David Hughes, chief executive of the AoC, said his membership body has been “very clear” with unions leaders that the way in which the extra funding is allocated this year – through the 16 to 18 budget and linked to high-cost subjects – means that the additional funding available for pay rises varies “enormously” between colleges.

“Because of that, the AoC employment committee recommended that colleges should use all of their share of the £200 million pounds of additional government funding to address staff recruitment and retention challenges, to be open and transparent about the total additional funding their individual institution has received and show how it is being used to address the pay issues they face. I would urge union branches in the 30 colleges to sit down and discuss this with the college and reach agreement,” he added.

“Strike action only disrupts learners, and we have agreed to work with the unions to explore the potential for new national pay bargaining arrangements and how much it would cost to harmonise pay upwards to match schools and industry.

“We urge the unions to call off the strike action, and instead both explore national pay arrangements and work collectively with us to campaign for further investment ahead of the general election to put college pay back on track.”

The 30 colleges facing strike action:

  1. Abingdon & Witney College,
  2. Bath College,
  3. Bolton College,
  4. Bournemouth & Poole College,
  5. Brockenhurst College,
  6. Burton and South Derbyshire College,
  7. Calderdale College,
  8. Capital City College Group,
  9. City of Bristol College,
  10. City of Wolverhampton College,
  11. Colchester Institute,
  12. Craven College,
  13. Croydon College,
  14. Farnborough College of Technology,
  15. Gloucestershire College,
  16. Hugh Baird College,
  17. Isle of Wight College,
  18. Loughborough College,
  19. Myerscough College,
  20. Newcastle and Stafford Colleges Group,
  21. New College Swindon,
  22. Nottingham College,
  23. Petroc,
  24. Runshaw College,
  25. South Thames College,
  26. The City of Liverpool College,
  27. The Heart of Yorkshire Education Group,
  28. Warrington & Vale Royal College,
  29. Weymouth College,
  30. Windsor Forest Colleges Group

Two-thirds of parents ‘interested’ in FE teaching career – but not told about stunted salaries

Parents quizzed on the appeal of a career in further education teaching were kept in the dark about the sector’s typically low salaries by government researchers.

A survey by the Department for Education for its Teach in FE campaign revealed two thirds of working parents said teaching in the sector would “appeal to them”.

But the seven-question survey did not mention the sector’s typically low salaries, which colleges often cite as a key reason why they struggle to recruit and retain staff.

Teachers in FE are paid much less than teachers in schools, with an average salary gap of nearly around £7,000 between school and FE college teachers.

Government data shows that in 2021/22 year, the median average salary for FE college teaching staff was £33,400, in comparison to £40,251 in schools. And in private training providers, teachers are paid £28,100 a year on average.

Strikes over low pay have meanwhile broken out in colleges throughout England in recent years, with staff at 32 colleges voting to walk out in a union vote just earlier this month.

The DfE’s survey, which was answered by 1,002 working parents in England, showed that seven in ten see work life balance as the most important factor when choosing a job, while 43 per cent said they look for flexible working hours.

Around a quarter of the parents said they are most interested in a job where they could use their existing skills. The survey found 95 per cent already have the industry experience colleges require.

That makes FE teaching “the perfect career pivot for working parents interested in exploring roles connected to their field that offer the potential for part-time and flexible opportunities”, the survey said.

Asked why the DfE’s researchers didn’t include information about pay in their survey, a DfE spokesperson said: “We were exploring the perspectives and motivations of prospective FE teachers, with a specific focus on how teaching in FE could be an opportunity for those seeking more flexibility within their current industries.”

The DfE launched the multi-million pound Teach in FE campaign in January 2022 to get skilled workers to take up part-time teaching roles in FE, in a bid to tackle the widespread skills shortages in the sector. The department launched a new website as part of the campaign and said TV, radio and social media would also be used to tackle the staff shortages.

College hit with financial notice after DfE finds dodgy subcontracting in traineeships

A college has been plunged into financial difficulty after an investigation found “historic” non-compliant subcontracted delivery in traineeships.

Strode College was today handed a financial notice to improve by the Department for Education due to an undisclosed clawback risk that threatens to drop the college’s financial health from ‘outstanding’ to ‘inadequate’.

The department dished out the warning notice because through the three academic years 2019/20 to 2021/22, Strode College “failed to ensure sufficient oversight of subcontracted delivery of traineeship provision”.

“This has led to funding being ‘at risk of recovery’ due to non-compliance which is likely to result in inadequate financial health”, the notice said, adding that the college is now “in intervention”.

The notice may explain why Strode College is one of a handful of colleges that still hasn’t published its accounts for 2021/22.

Strode College recorded 1,264 students undertaking traineeships in 2020/21, a big increase from 467 the year prior.

According to its most recent accounts, dated for the end of July 2021, the college had ‘outstanding’ financial health after it returned a cash operating surplus of £1.58 million.

Strode College was one of the largest providers of traineeships, having secured a £3 million contract that it subcontracted out to “specialist partners” until July 31, 2023.

The government scrapped traineeships as a stand-alone skills training programme earlier this year amid years of low starts, despite pumping hundreds of millions of pounds into the scheme during the pandemic. Traineeships can still be offered, but they’ve been integrated into adult education budget delivery.

It is not yet clear what specific subcontracting oversight issues have been identified at Strode College by the DfE.

The financial notice means that Strode College can be referred to the FE commissioner for an independent assessment.

It has also placed a requirement on the college to request permission from the DfE before entering into any new subcontracting arrangements.

Strode College principal John Revill, who joined the college in June 2022, told FE Week: “The financial notice to improve relates to historical oversight of the college’s traineeship provision for the three years 2019/20 to 2021/22. It in no way reflects on the current leadership of the college.

“The college is working closely with all agencies involved to resolve the financial notice to improve as quickly as possible.”