BBC Radio 4 Apprentice programme sparks debate

A BBC Radio 4 programme has sparked concerns about the delivery of retail apprenticeships for learners already employed.

The show,  headlined ‘The apprentices’ and broadcast as part of the ‘In Business’  programme last Thursday (repeated on Sunday), spoke to a number of figures in the further education (FE) sector about the issues surrounding retail apprenticeships.

funding is being shamelessly used to fund the basic workplace training that the employers should be paying for anyway”

Prominent figures such as Professor Alison Wolf from King’s College London and Nick Linford, Managing Editor of FE Week spoke to Peter Day about the value of retail qualifications and their impact on the reputation of apprenticeships.

Christopher Winch, Professor of Educational Philosophy and Policy at King’s West College said that he found it hard to disagree with the comments made by Alison Wolf.

“There is a potential for damaging the brand,” he said.

“If you don’t think the qualification is a good one, then it’s not a good use of public money – full stop.”

Michael Woodgate, a consultant in the learning and skills sector said: “They (providers) must stop selling cheap and far from cheerful apprenticeships that achieve little apart from devaluing the whole concept.

“Outside a few key sectors, such as retail, where apprenticeship funding is being shamelessly used to fund the basic workplace training that the employers should be paying for anyway, apprenticeships are still disappointingly rare.”

Mr Winch added that large business, such as those found in the retail sector, were not being encouraged to contribute cash to the training schemes.

He said: “You need to be very careful, for example, that if a large supermarket is accepting public money to do 12 week apprenticeships that they’re not actually saving money by closing down expenditures that they would have otherwise included anyway to get these employees properly trained.”

Mick Fletcher, Visiting Research Fellow at the Institute of Education argues that the Skills Funding Agency (SFA) should be reminding providers that employers need to make a cash contribution to costs which are charged.

He said: “The SFA should introduce a new condition in its contracts reminding providers of the spirit of the guidance, which indicates that they should not claim for costs not actually incurred; and the assumption is that employers make a 50% contribution which should be the first place to which costs are charged.”

You can listen to ‘The Apprentices’ programme again here: www.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/series/worldbiz  and contribute your thoughts below

Forecasts suggest there are simply fewer 16-18 year-olds

Declining teenage population numbers could be playing a significant role in student shortfalls.

Figures compiled by the Office for National Statistics in a UK National Population Projection show the number of 16 to 18-year-olds could fall by more than 90,000 from 2011 to 2015 – from 2,279,948 to 2,186,192.

Experts believe this could have an impact on recruitment figures for further education (FE) and sixth form colleges.

Last week, FE Week revealed colleges are facing a significant shortfall following a report by the funding consultancy, and publisher of FE Week, Lsect.

The survey, completed by more than 100 FE and sixth form colleges, reported a shortfall – at the time – of 20,319 students.

Initially, the blame was partly placed on the government decision to axe the education maintenance allowance (EMA), which paid up to £30 a week to poorer students, with other issues such as schools marketing themselves better to their pre-16 students.

we are expecting quite a big decline in the demographics, and then it will go back up again.”

However, Rob Elliott, product manager for Capita Further and Higher Education, which works hand-in-hand with colleges to help improve business decisions, said demographics could have an impact on college recruitment.

He said: “Every year we look at the issues in the market. It was highlighted a couple of years ago that there is this decline (in 16 to 18 year-olds) coming along. This must be having an influence on recruitment.”

The theory is backed by David Igoe, chief executive of the Sixth Form Colleges’ Forum, who is leading a comprehensive survey into recruitment figures.

He said: “I feel it is having an impact. But it’s not just from our survey, but also data from the YPLA and the national statistics. This has been well-known and we are expecting quite a big decline in the demographics, and then it will go back up again.”

However, the pair also blames a number of other issues. Mr Igoe said: “Although early in our survey stage, colleges seem to be reporting two issues. One is the EMA and the other is higher education tuition fees.”

Meanwhile, Mr Elliott said: “There are the other points in there as well. The (cut of the) EMA I’m sure is having an impact. It’s also not necessarily schools marketing themselves better, but it’s the Department of Education promoting that side too, such as the work on free schools.”

A follow-up survey this week, again conducted by Lsect, shows a slight improvement on last week’s figures (click here to download responses).

In all, more than half – 58 per cent – of the 102 colleges who responded say their recruitment figures have “improved a little”, while only two per cent say they have “improved a lot” on last week’s statistics.

Meanwhile, 11 per cent say their figures are “a little worse because of withdrawals” with one “a lot worse”. The remainder say they have either not improved, or were on or above their target last week.

Plymouth College’s Chinese students meet sailors before capsize!

City College Plymouth’s Chinese foundation students were given the opportunity to meet the competing Chinese team at the America’s Cup World Series – a week-long international sailing regatta televised to millions of people around the world.

The students were given an insight into the planning and training involved in sailing the 45-foot wing-sailed catamaran. It is a good job that the students didn’t go for a sail in the vessel. Later, the China Team suffered damage to their wing from a spectacular capsize.

“Unfortunately the way the boat landed, the wind got under the wing and caused more damage. The boat then flipped over and over going downwind, from stern to bow, which was pretty exciting,” said Will Howden, a crew member on China Team. “A pretty nasty one but everyone is OK and that’s the main thing.”

West Cheshire College break world record for most Mohican haircuts in a room

West Cheshire College has broken the world record for holding the most Mohican haircuts in a single room.

Hairdressing students were at the new Ellesmere Port campus to help create the iconic cuts and set a new world record of 109 people.

Staff and students recorded the achievement in front of an official adjudicator from the Guinness Book of World Records.

Jack Brockband, an official Guinness World Record adjudicator who presented the College Principal Sara Mogel with the world record, said: “I think it was a fantastic way of getting all the students involved in a Guinness World Record attempt.

“The attempt is up there with one of the most unusual that I have adjudicated, everybody has been a really good sport today, there has been a constant queue for Mohicans as people have been happy to get involved.”

Other record breaking attempts held at the college include the highest number people dressed as a sunflower in one place and the largest group of participants playing Zumba Fitness on an Xbox 360.

From Bournemouth & Poole College to C4’s Hollyoaks Community College!

Watch out this week for Bournemouth & Poole College’s (BPC) performing Arts student Tammy Payne who’s landed a front line role in the Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks.

Tammy, who left BPC to go to drama school in London and was always regarded as an exceptionally talented student.  It came as no surprise to college performing arts lecturer Victoria Clark that she had the star quality to impress casting experts in the entertainment industry.

Victoria said: “The Performing Arts staff team are incredibly proud of Tammy and her achievements, she is a hugely talented all round performer and was a straight distinction student who worked incredibly hard during her time here.

“It is no surprise to us that she is doing so well – she was always one to watch! We wish her every success in her future career.’

Tammy takes on the role of a new character Annalise, but as usual with soaps the plot is a closely guarded secret. It isn’t a secret that her appearance comes in the week of her 22 birthday!

Oooh la la at South Cheshire College

A trio of college French students who are university bound boosted their language skills by working in a French hotel over the summer.

Jasmine McNulty, Aine McTiernan and Katie Bliss teamed up with staff at the Cevenol Hotel in the town of Millau near Montpellier in the South of France.

The group spent several weeks at the hotel and were tasked with a range of duties and also bolstered their speaking and communication skills by talking daily to staff and customers in French.

Jasmine (pictured), 18, of Crewe, who is off to study French at Sheffield University, said: “I had an absolutely fantastic time in France and it has improved my French massively.”

She added: “The work itself wasn’t difficult but the whole purpose of the trip was about using French every day in a completely new environment.”

Warwickshire College Blacksmith Champion

Michelle J Parker, an artist blacksmith and lecturer at Warwickshire College has won the title of ‘World Women’s Blacksmithing Champion’ at the ‘European Biennial of the Blacksmiths’ in Tuscany, Italy.

The competition attracted blacksmiths worldwide who came together to exchange ideas and innovations, but most importantly, to compete for the coveted championship titles.

Michelle is the first woman in 600 years to be made a Fellow of the Worshipful Company of Blacksmiths and it was they who sponsored her to enter the competition.

Michelle said: “I am delighted to have won my category of the competition. The competitive pressure was intense and it was magnified by only having three hours in which to work.”

Prime Minister enjoys a ‘builder’s brew’ at Abingdon & Witney College

Prime Minister David Cameron, MP for Witney in Oxfordshire, officially opened Abingdon and Witney’s Construction Skills Centre ‘Avenue One’.

The Centre was established as a collaborative project by The West Oxfordshire Learning Partnership – a partnership between the college and local schools.

Mr Cameron said that ‘Avenue One’ was “an excellent example of a partnership project” and praised the efforts of the staff involved in getting the centre up and running.

Once the formalities were over with, the Prime Minister enjoyed a bacon roll and a mug of coffee while he chatted to staff and students.

Walford & North Shropshire plough-a-thon

Walford and North Shropshire College agriculture students had marathon expectations  when they set out to plough over 80 hectares in their 24 hour ploughing marathon.

The students enjoyed the event and took great delight in judging the quality of each other’s ploughing.  Student Ollie Owen said: “It was a good day, we had some fun and covered a lot of ground.” The students performed so well that extra ground had to be opened up to ensure they kept going for 24 hours.

Jon Parry, Director of Walford, said: “This is a great example of students taking responsibility and utilising their own time and effort to help improve the college environment.  We are very grateful to everyone who helped out with this event.

The money raised will go towards supporting the RD Park Trust. A charity, set up in memory of Don Park the first principal of Walford College which offers financial support for study trips and educational tours.