Peter Jones enterprise academy to launch in the West Midlands

BBC Dragon Peter Jones has increased his interest in further education by launching his first academy in the West Midlands.

From September, Solihull College will be home to the Diploma in Enterprise and Entrepreneurship for youngsters aged 16 to 19 after becoming the Peter Jones Enterprise Academy (PJEA) West Midlands Hub.

The aim of the course is to “shift the boardroom into the classroom” equipping the future generation of businessmen with the skills and ambition to aim higher by giving experience of business life.

Kate Angel, Business Enterprise Manager for PJEA, said: “This is a really exciting time for the College.

“We will be giving young people the chance to study a new enterprise qualification, designed to hep them realise and achieve their business dreams.

“As part of the course, students will work on real-life business challenges and interact with employers to prepare them for their entrepreneurial careers.”

The diploma is delivered at two levels dependent on experience.

The Level Two involves developing a viable business idea, creating a full business plan, and pitching to investors.

However, Level Three supports students in setting up and running a micro-business for at least four months, during which time they will learn about planning and finance, communicating with customers, and planning for future expansion.

The National Enterprise Academy is the brainchild of Peter Jones and was set up in September 2009 as a non-profit educational institution dedicated to teaching enterprise and entrepreneurship.

– The college is hosting a PJEA Awareness Session at its Blossomfield Campus on August 17 at 4pm.

Alternatively, for more, visit www.solihull.ac.uk/pjea or call 0121 678 7000.

Foundation Degree awarding powers granted to FE colleges for the first time

Newcastle College Group and New College Durham are the first FE colleges to be granted Foundation Degree awarding powers in England.

The announcement last week follows an intensive scrutiny process by the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education.

Stephen Jackson, Director of Reviews at the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) told FE Week: “After working with Newcastle College and New College Durham and carefully considering the evidence, we were assured about the quality of student experience that each college provides, and their systems and procedures for establishing and maintaining academic standards.”

The development is a significant breakthrough for the Further Education sector and allows both New College Durham and Newcastle College Group to validate the foundation degrees which they currently offer.

Dame Jackie Fisher, Chief Executive of Newcastle College Group, told FE Week: “We are delighted to be able to award our own Foundation Degrees.

“Foundation Degree awarding powers creates a platform for us to forge ahead with our plans for Taught Degree awarding powers and gives us the opportunity to provide students with degrees that will give them the skills to get jobs and progress in their careers.”

Newcastle College Group plans to develop new degrees which satisfy national industry demands, such as jobs in the renewable energy sector.

The college is the country’s largest provider of Higher Education in an FE environment and offers more than 85 Foundation and Honours Degrees.

Newcastle College Group recently announced that it would charge a maximum of £5,800 for HE tuition fees, a figure significantly lower than that of many rival HE institutions.

Update:

FE Week has since spoken to Business Secretary Dr Vince Cable, who said: “Foundation degrees have grown in popularity in recent years, with around 100,000 students enrolled in them last year. We want to increase the study choices for students by enabling FE colleges to offer higher education qualifications; they can often do so in a more flexible way.”

Universities and Science Minister David Willetts said: “I am delighted that the first two further education colleges have now been awarded foundation degree awarding powers. We want to ensure that institutions offering high quality work-focussed degrees can compete on a level playing field for prospective students.”

College principal to ride 1000 miles in 10 days with ‘Blind Dave’

The principal of South Birmingham College is helping a local blind man ride a tandem bicycle the length of the UK for the charity Macmillan Cancer Support.

The Top2Toe event will challenge local blind man Dave Heeley to run a 26.2 mile marathon and cycle 100 miles over 10 consecutive days.

Mike Hopkins, Prinicpal of South Birmingham College will be the front-rider of the tandem bicycle and guide ‘Blind Dave’ from John O’Groats to Land’s End.

Dave Heeley said: “To have the support of a principal of a college really does add fantastic profile for Top2Toe. It also encourages many young people to follow what we are doing to help make a difference to the lives of people living with cancer – thank you so much.”

Mike Hopkins will be riding alongside Dave as he completes his daily marathon run, completing around 1,000 miles in total.

Mike Hopkins told FE Week: “I’m a keen racing cyclist and compete in road races, time trials and cyclocross, and the college and I have supported Macmillan Cancer for many years, so this was the perfect challenge for me to take part in.”

Six members of the college staff will be running the Birmingham marathon-leg and have been individually raising money to help Dave reach his goal of raising £100,000 for Macmillan.

Media students from South Birmingham College are also planning to film the pair’s journey for a special video.

They will update their daily progress through the Prinicpal’s blog and use a Top2Toe app to show the location of Dave and his team.

The college’s staff and pupils have raised over £1,300 so far through sponsored walks and raffles.

Mike added: “I’m very pleased that the college is able to provide help and support to Dave on this challenge. Our media students will be able to put into practice what they have learnt in their classes and I know the staff running the Birmingham marathon leg have been training hard over the summer and fundraising as much as they can.”

The Challenge will take place between 10-19 August and coincides with the birthday
of the Charity’s founder, Douglas Macmillan.

Follow Mike and Dave’s progress via these links:

www.blinddaveheeley.co.uk/top2toe
http://www.principalmiketop2toe.blogspot.com/
www.flickr.com/photos/blind_dave_100
www.youtube.com/user/blinddave100

Make a donation here: http://www.justgiving.com/blinddavestop2toe

Skills Funding Agency announce late and unexpected changes to learner fees

The Skills Funding Agency has announced for the first time that non-tuition fee income (such as for registrations and exams) will not be permitted for fully-funded learners starting courses from this week.

The Agency published their Adult Skills Budget Funding Requirements 2011/12 last Friday, for courses starting just three days later. Given the lateness of the Funding Requirements publication, few expected any surprises. In fact, the Agency had already published three seperate smaller 2011/12 Guidance Notes in December 2010, April 2011 and July 2011.

Yet, paragraph 36 of the Funding Requirements states for the first time: “It is the Agency’s policy that all learners following learning aims that are fully-funded classroom learning cannot be charged any fees or charges, including registration, assessment or examination charges in connection with those learning aims”

Most colleges charge registration and exam fees to learners on fully-funded courses, and had signed off their 2011/12 fee policies with their governing body many months ago. Since then colleges have been advertising their fees in line with the Agency’s 2011/12 Learner Eligibility and Contribution Rules .

Paragrpah 91 states:”Providers must also ensure that all learners are aware of their Fees and Charging Policy” and many learners have already paid their registration fee in advance of starting their course.

Julian Gravatt, Assistant Chief Executive of the Association of Colleges told FE Week: “This rule change was announced on 29th July for implementation on 1st August. Clearly there are arguments for and against the charges that are made to their students but the Skills Funding Agency needs to consult, to evaluate the impact of its plans and to give enough notice. AoC has taken this up with SFA staff and we’re hopeful of a resolution.”

In defiance of the change in government policy FE Week has been unable to find a college that is intending to change their fees policy at this late stage.

UPDATE 3rd August. Statement from the Skills Funding Agency:

“We are aware of sector concerns around learner fees, raised in the Funding Guidance published on our website last week. We are working with sector representatives and will provide clarity in relation to the fee charging policy in the next few days.

The Agency also recognises concerns over the delay in the funding guidance being published. We apologise for this. The delay was due to ensuring the funding requirements reflected all of the latest policy changes. However, the Agency tried to ensure that any substantial changes were previously trailed through the series of guidance notes published throughout the year.”

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