Ofqual survey into perceptions of vocational qualifications: 7 key findings

New research by Ofqual has revealed worryingly low levels of understanding among employers of key elements the government’s apprenticeship reforms .

Its survey looked at perceptions of vocational and technical qualifications among 3,000 employers, learners and training providers.

It will allow the exams regulator to “measure changes in levels of understanding and perceived value over time” amid ongoing reforms, according to Phil Beach, Ofqual’s executive director for vocational and technical qualifications.

One of the topics under scrutiny was end-point assessment of apprenticeships. So what did training providers, employers and learners think of them? Here are seven points we learned.

 

  1. Just 20 per cent of employers know the difference between standards and frameworks

Replacing old-style apprenticeship frameworks with higher-quality, employer designed standards is central to the government’s reforms. Unfortunately, most employers didn’t know the difference.

Just 20 per cent of the 1,253 employers surveyed said they understood the difference between the two. This rose to 45 per cent of large employers, but fell to just 11 per cent among micro-businesses.

In comparison, nearly 70 per cent of the 526 training providers surveyed said they understood the difference.

 

  1. Less than 20 per cent of employers fully understand EPA

Just 18 per cent of employers said they had a “very or quite good” understanding of end point assessments.

Again, this rose with organisation size – 40 per cent of large employers reported high levels of understanding, compared with 13 per cent of micro-businesses.

Being part of one of the employer groups that developed an apprenticeship standard also increased understanding, with almost two-thirds of employers that had been part of a Trailblazer group reporting a higher understanding of the apprenticeship final exams.

But, the survey noted, “as very few EPAs had taken place at the time of the fieldwork, it is unlikely that many respondents would have had exposure to them prior to completing it”.

 

  1. Training providers value EPA less than employers and learners do

Fourteen per cent of training providers surveyed disagreed with the statement “we value end-point assessments”, while just a third agreed with it.

In comparison, just five per cent of employers and three per cent of learners said the same.

Nearly 70 per cent of learners agreed with the statement, as did just over 50 per cent of employers.

 

  1. Two-thirds of employers believe people who’ve passed EPA have the skills they need

Around two-thirds of employers agreed with the statement that “people passing end-point assessments have the vocational and technical skills needed by my organisation”.

Among large organisations this rose to 70 per cent, while just 59 per cent of micro-businesses agreed.

A small proportion, around five per cent, disagreed with the statement.

These findings should give the government cause for concern, given that apprenticeship standards were designed to meet employers’ needs.

 

  1. Training providers are less confident than employers that EPA measures the skill employers need

Almost a fifth of training providers disagreed with the statement “I am confident that end-point assessments measure the skills and knowledge that employers want them to”.

This rose to 27 per cent among providers with fewer than 100 learners.

In contrast, just two per cent of employers disagreed with the statement.

 

  1. Employers don’t know how to change assessments that don’t meet their needs

All employers who said they weren’t confident that end-point assessments measured the skills and knowledge they needed were asked if they knew how they could get the assessment changed.

Just three people said yes, but were “unable to articulate how they would go about this”.

 

  1. Learners understand EPA more than training providers think they do

Almost a fifth of training providers disagreed with the statement “learners understand the purpose of end-point assessments”, while just 25 per cent agreed.

But in reality just five per cent of learners disagreed with the statement, while 70 per cent agreed.

This rose to 77 per cent among learners with experience of the workplace.

 

EuroSkills 2018: Team UK’s flag-bearer Elizabeth ‘confident’ after day one

Last night she was specially selected to be the flag-bearer for Team UK, today Elizabeth Newcombe was focused on a different task – intricately designing a wreath and plant arrangement.

The 21-year-old (pictured) from Guildford College, which is in skills minister Anne Milton’s constituency, was “incredibly proud” to lead Team UK out at the opening ceremony yesterday.

“It [the flag] was a bit heavy but a brilliant experience,” she told FE Week. “It was a really proud moment especially because my parents were watching it live.”

A day later she was on the competition floor at EuroSkills Budapest doing what she does best – floristry.

She had to create two arrangements, one hanging wreath inspired by a museum and then a standing piece for a large foyer.

“Today was really good, I’m really happy with the items I completed and I’m looking forward to the next test,” she said.

“I’m feeling pretty confident at this point but I’m going to take it day by day. I’m aiming for the top.”

Over the next two days she’ll be given four tasks. Tomorrow it will be a hand tie bouquet followed by a “surprise” task in the afternoon. Friday she’ll create a bridal bouquet and a top-table arrangement.

Another Team UK competitor feeling positive about their first day was Shane Carpenter, who learns at Nescot College and is employed by BAE Systems.

He’s competing in Information and Communication Technology, a duo skill, with Cameron Barr, also of Nescot College.

Shane is no stranger to international competitions and competed in WorldSkills Abu Dhabi last year where he achieved a medallion of excellence.

He’s feeling mighty confident about today’s work.

“We completely smashed it today,” he told FE Week.

“Couldn’t have asked for a better start. We followed our plan that we talked about in training, we’ve prepped well and followed the process so today has gone absolutely amazing.

“Today we had to upload infrastructure servers so that they can talk to each other and provide email services and have a lot of firewall to restrict certain access to other places.

“Tomorrow we will convert that infrastructure we made into a Windows environment and simulate near enough what we configured today. The third day will be doing the same in Cisco systems.”

He says he “mainly” returned to Team UK to “transfer my knowledge to the next candidate for Kazan” but also because he “loves competing”.

“Coming back has confirmed my love for competitions. It is definitely different but I’m absolutely loving the experience e and Cameron is doing brilliantly well.

“I’m hoping we follow the procedure and hoping to get a medal at the end.”

 

EuroSkills 2018: Breathtaking ceremony opens competition in Budapest

EuroSkills Budapest got off to a breathtaking start tonight as a Hungarian theatre group that will be familiar to the British public mesmerised spectators to officially open the competition.

Thousands packed inside the Papp László Budapest Sport arena for this year’s opener, which was live streamed around the world and featured a speech from the Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orbán.

Kicking off the night was Attraction Shadow Theatre, a group who rose to fame during a performance at the Hungary Olympic oath ceremony for the London 2012 Olympics before winning Britain’s Got Talent in 2013.

Attraction Shadow Theatre performing as a welder

The did a rendition of many of the skills that will be on show over the next three days (click here to watch the performance).

Following the performances were three heartfelt speeches from László Parragh, President of the Hungarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Dita Traidas, President of WorldSkills Europe, and Mr Orbán.

The Hungarian prime minister told the EuroSkills competitors they were “part of a greater challenge”.

“Europe faces a serious competitive disadvantage and the only way to overcome it is by training the best skills workers of the world,” he said.

“Start working and kickstart your country – fight for it and lift it high.”

Following the speeches was the parade of nations where each of the 28 competing countries took to the stage in their team waving their flag (see image above). Team UK’s flag-bearer was floristry competitor Elizabeth Newcombe.

The competitor and expert oaths were then read to officially declare the EuroSkills 2018 competition open.

Finishing the night was a performance from Hungarian pop band Irie Maffia.

FE Week spoke with WorldSkills UK chief executive Dr Neil Bentley after the show to hear his thoughts on the spectacle and what is in store for the competitors over the next few days.

“It was an amazing platform to see young people from across the whole of Europe getting ready to compete for something that is going to change their lives,” he said.

“Favourite part of the night was seeing Team UK take to the stage, absolutely amazing. They waited a long time to get up there but seeing the union jack up there in its finest was just brilliant.

“It is game on now. Best of luck to Team UK and everyone else but especially our team. It is going to be an intense competition. We’ve seen the competition space today and it is really brilliant and I know that Team UK is going to do us proud.”

 

 

The competitions at EuroSkills Budapest will open to the public in the Hungexpo at 10Aam tomorrow (September 26) and conclude on Friday, where 80,000 people are expected to attend.

Send your message of good luck to the team using the #TeamUK hashtag on Twitter.

FE Week is proud to be the official media partners for Team UK and WorldSkills UK.

 

3aaa co-founders still own the company despite resignations

The co-founders of crisis-hit Aspire Achieve Advance have remained as the apprenticeship giant’s majority owners despite resigning as directors, FE Week can reveal.

Peter Marples and Di McEvoy-Robinson, who were the company’s chief executive and main director respectively until last week, had their terminations of directorships confirmed on Companies House this morning.

Since their resignations were announced questions have been asked as to who now actually owns and runs the business, better known as 3aaa.

Despite attempts to distance themselves from the troubled company, which is subject to an ongoing Education and Skills Funding Agency investigation, FE Week can reveal that Mr Marples and Ms McEvoy-Robinson remain major shareholders.

Combined they now own 85 per cent of 3aaa – split evenly between the pair.

The provider’s chair, Derek Mapp, owns 10 per cent and new managing director Richard Irons has 5 per cent. Given their majority control, Mr Marples and Ms McEvoy-Robinson can at any time choose to sell assets or controlling ownership.

A spokesperson for the provider confirmed the ownership details to FE Week today.

The ESFA’s investigation into 3aaa was sparked earlier this year when a whistleblower approached the agency with information about its business.

Owing to this, Ofsted declared its latest inspection of the provider, which was expected to result in another ‘outstanding’ rating, as incomplete in June.

A month later it was revealed that an independent auditor, Alyson Gerner, had been called in by the Department for Education to investigate its own funding agency over their contract management of 3aaa.

The provider was last week suspended from recruiting apprentices but FE Week later revealed that senior employees had been “instructed” to tell its staff to not date any paperwork for “planned enrolments”.

They were also been told not to tell current and prospective employers that the ban has been placed upon it. 3aaa had the largest allocation for non-levy apprenticeships last year at nearly £22 million.

Its overall ESFA allocations totalled more than £31 million. Mr Marples’ wife, Sarah, and Ms McEvoy-Robinson’s husband, Patrick, also resigned as directors at 3aaa today, according to Companies House.

College pension contributions likely to rise by over 40% from 2019

Colleges look set to be hit by an increase of more than 40 per cent in the pension contributions they pay for teaching staff.

The Association of Colleges confirmed that provisional figures suggest employer pension contributions will rise from 16.48 per cent to 23.6 per cent next September.

The increase affects all members of the Teacher Pension Scheme. This includes all FE and sixth form colleges, which are required by law to offer membership of the pension scheme to their teaching staff.

The Department for Education has insisted it is still consulting on the final figure. The Treasury previously said the DfE would provide additional funding “in 2019-20 in view of the unforeseen costs”, but a spokesperson said the government will “cover the extra costs” for colleges and schools for the “rest of the spending review”. 

The spending review runs until the end of the 2019-20 financial year, meaning the funding will run out at the end of March 2020. 

Julian Gravatt, deputy chief executive of the AoC, said the association estimates that the cost increase amounts to about £140 million, or two per cent of college income in 2019-20. As colleges already spend an average of 5 per cent of their income (£350 million) on contributions to the Teacher Pension Scheme, this will take costs up to approximately £500 million, or seven per cent of total income.

“If they did nothing, the increase will completely wipe out any surplus that colleges expected to make in 2019-20,” said Mr Gravatt.

“Colleges will need to find other savings because they’ll want to avoid issues their banks. This will hit colleges very hard at just the point where the government needs the sector to invest more.

“The DfE’s top two priorities are retaining teachers and reforming technical education. These extra costs will make this much harder.

“The offer of extra funding from the DfE is welcome, but the DfE needs to confirm that it will cover all colleges and all lines of funding.”

Bill Watkin, chief executive of the Sixth Form Colleges Association, said the association had “made a strong case” to the DfE that any increase to employer pension contributions next year should be fully funded by the government “throughout the next spending review period”.

“This funding, and much needed funding for an increase in teacher pay, must be in addition to the significant increase in the national funding rate we are seeking in the spending review,” he added.

Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said: ““The DfE has indicated that there will be additional funding for colleges as well as schools for 2019-20 in respect of the increase in employer contributions to the teachers’ pension scheme. But we don’t know how much this funding allocation will be at present, and we don’t know what will happen after 2019-20 because this matter will become part of next year’s comprehensive spending review.

“We will be making the case very strongly that this increased cost must be met in full by the government in 2019-20 and beyond, and that the budgets of colleges and schools simply cannot sustain yet another unfunded cost.”

Earlier this month, FE Week reported that the outcome of a valuation of teachers’ pensions, which the Treasury undertakes every four years, suggested the public sector workers will get improved benefits from April 2019. This now looks like it will be delayed until September 2019.

A spokesperson for the DfE said: “These public sector pension changes announced by the Treasury will mean better benefits for teachers and staff working throughout our education system – on top of what is already one of the best pension schemes available in the country.

 “We will be consulting with the education sector on these proposals on the basis that the government will cover the extra costs involved for state-funded schools and colleges for the rest of the spending review.”

 

EuroSkills 2018 Budapest: watch the opening ceremony live

Representatives from 28 European countries will this evening attend the opening ceremony of the 10th EuroSkills finals (live stream here).

Over 500 competitors will join Hungary’s prime minister, technical experts, delegates, and supporters to observe the spectacle.

It will take place from 18:30 (BST) and 19:30 (local time) at the biggest sporting complex in Hungary, Papp László Budapest Sportaréna, where organisers have spent several days converting the space ahead of this evening’s event.

The opening ceremony marks the start of a three-day intensive competition in 35 different skills, ranging from mechanical engineering to floristry, which will see competitors undertake their toughest challenges to date.

A group called “Attraction Shadow Theatre” will kick off the night before speeches by László Parragh, President of the Hungarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Dita Traidas, President of WorldSkills Europe, and Viktor Orbán, prime minister of Hungary.

A parade of nations will then take place followed by competitor and expert oaths.

Spectators are then in for a treat as EuroSkills Budapest has booked in a “surprise guest” to finish the show.

The ceremony will last for around an hour and a half.

Competitions will officially commence tomorrow morning at the Hungexpo and finish on Friday evening.

The team bringing the most competitors is next year’s hosts of WorldSkills, Russia. They have 48 competitors followed by Austria with 41 and Sweden with 32.

The closing ceremony will take place on Saturday night where results will be announced and medals presented to the winning competitors.

Follow the FE Week twitter feed (@FEWeek) for live coverage of the ceremony and competition.

Send your message of good luck to the team using the #TeamUK. Also include the event hashtag #euroskillsbudapest .

FE Week is proud to be the official media partners for Team UK and WorldSkills UK.

IfA close to losing external quality assurer as contract expires at end of the week

The organisation that delivers external quality assurance on behalf of the Institute for Apprenticeships has yet to sign a new contract, FE Week understands – just days before its existing contract runs out.

Open Awards, a small awarding organisation with a turnover of just £1.5 million and around 30 members of staff, was first awarded the contract following an open tender process in 2017.

Its initial contract ran from August 1 until March 31 2018, but this was subsequently extended to September 30.

With that deadline fast approaching, FE Week understands the two parties have yet to reach agreement, with the negotiations said to be tense.

A spokesperson for the IfA told FE Week that it will be “in a position to say something later this week”.

This follows repeated requests for more information over a number of months.

In July an IfA spokesperson told us it expected to set out its plans for its EQA provision “in the coming weeks”, after we asked if it had decided on its EQA provider for 2018/19.

When we asked again in early September, we were told the institute was “not in a position to say anything externally on this as yet”.

A sticking point in the negotiations is likely to be the size of the contract.

Open Awards’ initial contract was valued at £160,000 for eight months.

At the time, the IfA’s share of the EQA market stood at just 19 per cent, but since then it has more than doubled.

According to the latest Education and Skills Funding Agency figures, the IfA is named as the EQA provider on 44 per cent fully-approved standards, or 150 out of 342.

These include the popular level three team leader/ supervisor standard, responsible for more than 12,000 starts in the first nine months of 2017/18, which currently has 22 different organisation listed as being able to deliver to the end point assessment.

EQA is the process that ensures apprenticeship assessments are consistent and reliable, and that they deliver the right outcomes.

The IfA is one of four options from which employer groups can choose to provide this service.

According to the Department for Education’s strategic guidance, published in April 2017, the IfA was originally intended to be chosen “only in instances where alternatives are not viable”.

Principal at mega college in debt to the DfE steps down

One of the most highly paid FE college principals in the country has stepped down with immediate effect.

Andrew Cleaves’ departure from Birmingham Metropolitan College, which he has led since 2014, was confirmed by the college today following local news reports.

Cliff Hall has been appointed interim principal until a permanent replacement is found, a college spokesperson said.

Steve Hollis, chair of governors at BMet, said: “In accepting Andrew’s resignation, the corporation respects his decision and acknowledges that he feels the time is right to step down”.

Mr Cleaves, who was a senior executive at National Express before taking up his role at BMet, was the second most highly-paid principal in 2016/17.

According to the Education and Skills Funding Agency accounts, he earned a massive £266,000 in 2016/17, despite the college owing almost £14 million in exceptional financial support cash – more than any other college.

BMet was rated ‘requires improvement’ for the second time in a row at its most recent Ofsted inspection in March last year. It’s understood that Ofsted are due to revisit the college in the coming months.

It’s one of the largest colleges in the country, with an income of £61.3 million and 16,000 learners in 2016/17.

Its total debt for the year was £23.4 million, and it has held a notice of concern for financial health since July 2015, when it also received a visit from the FE commissioner.

According to its own published accounts, the money owing to the ESFA stemmed from a £16 million bailout loan provided by the ESFA to the college in August 2015 as part of a recovery plan.

The funding agency “reinforced its support” to the college by “providing an interest-free £16 million loan to the college in 2015/16”.

“£1.5 million was repaid during 2015/16 and a further £0.7 million in 2016/17, leaving an outstanding amount of £13.8 million to be paid over the next two years,” the accounts said.

Mr Hall, who will take up his post on Monday (October 1), previously stepped in as interim principal at Nescot following the departure of Sunaina Mann in mid-2016, and led the college until early 2017.

EuroSkills 2018: Team UK arrive in Budapest

Team UK are “super excited” to have today landed in Hungary ahead EuroSkills 2018.

The 22 competitors flew nearly 1,000 miles to Budapest from Luton airport at roughly 9am this morning and spent the rest of the day touring the city centre before heading to the capital’s stunning houses of parliament.

FE Week caught up with a couple of Team UK’s competitors a few hours after landing to find out how the camp is feeling.

“The team feeling is great, it really makes you want to go for the competition,” said heavy truck maintenance contender Kieran Leyland.

“We’ve got familiarisation tomorrow to see what equipment we’re going to be using and the specifics on the tasks we’ll be doing before competing Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.”

Asked if he will be going for gold, Kieran added: “Yeah definitely. You’ve got to do your best and see how it comes out in the end.”

Floristry competitor Elizabeth Newcombe said she and her teammates are “super excited” and “can’t wait to get into the competition”.

“I’m ready to go for it and give it everything I’ve got,” she added.

“[In the build to the competiton] I will be going over my notes, sketches, get everything ready to go and get into the right mindset.

“I’m hoping to get gold. Let’s see what happens.”

The team will look to get in an early night tonight ahead of their familiarisation day tomorrow, where they can scout out the competition floor at the HUNGEXPO Budapest exhibition centre.

Later that evening EuroSkills Budapest will host the opening ceremony before competitions start on Wednesday (September 26).

The tournament will conclude on Friday with the closing ceremony held the day after where results will be revealed.

FE Week is media partner and will be covering the competition every step of the way. Follow us on Twitter @feweek using the hashtags #TeamUK and #euroskillsbudapest2018.

Team UK prepare to fly to Budapest at Luton airport