York College
‘apprenticeships’
The sector cheered when the IfA said it would allow qualifications in standards once again, but not all is as it seems, according to Anthony Elgey, who has been involved in several trailblazers in the mineral products industry It seems the sector’s celebrations over this week’s Institute for Apprenticeships announcement, that qualifications would be permitted […]
Opinion
Your weekly guide to who’s new and who’s leaving Steve Wallis, Director of quality, NCG Start date: April 2018 Previous job: Assistant principal, Hartlepool College of FE Interesting fact: Steve coaches a mini rugby team on a Sunday. He appeared briefly in the first division (now called the Rugby Premiership) as a player himself. ____________________________________________ […]
Movers and Shakers
Ten colleges which once held contracts to deliver apprenticeships with small employers were not awarded funding in the recent non-levy tender. The figure, revealed by academies minister Lord Agnew in an answer to a parliamentary question yesterday, comes amid political campaigns to overturn the decision from high-profile unsuccessful colleges such as Exeter. Lord Agnew explained […]
News
Off-the-job technical qualifications can now be included in apprenticeships, the Institute for Apprenticeships has officially announced, confirming a significant U-turn which FE Week revealed last week. It is one of a number of reforms from the IfA to make the approval of new apprenticeship standards “faster and better”, after skills minister Anne Milton admitted that […]
Ofsted will increase its focus on management and quality in subcontracting, according to its most senior director for FE and skills. The letter is being sent out today by Paul Joyce, with new “sample based” monitoring visits on the horizon. “This letter is to inform you that Ofsted will be increasing its focus on the […]
A college rated ‘inadequate’ for its apprenticeship provision more than seven months ago was given special dispensation to remain on the register of apprenticeship training providers. St Helens College (pictured) was given the lowest possible grade for apprenticeships in a report published last June, but has never been removed from the register – even though […]
Two former professional footballers and two other men have been found guilty of scamming colleges out of £5 million in apprenticeship funding, through a con which involved “ghost” learners. Mark Aizlewood (above right), who played for Wales 39 times in the 1980s and 1990s, and Paul Sugrue (above left), who played for clubs including Manchester […]
A company approved to provide external quality assurance for digital apprenticeships will fold in September, in a situation described as an “unworkable short-term solution”. The Institute for Apprenticeships approved the Tech Partnership for the role in December, two months after it announced plans to shut up shop. The IfA also confirmed that if no suitable […]
Robert Halfon is set to give the keynote address on the theme of social justice and skills at an event run by the Centre of Social Justice, the Learning and Work Institute, and the Open University on Monday morning. The chair of the Commons education select committee will set out his vision for how FE […]
