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‘apprenticeships’

Massive £1bn FE loans underspend revealed

A massive 58 per cent of FE loans funding – amounting to almost £1 billion – has not been spent since 2013, FE Week can reveal. This shocking figure, revealed by a Freedom of Information request, has been branded a “systemic failure” that could unravel the government’s plans to upskill the nation in a post-Brexit […]

News

Top civil servant announced as new apprenticeships boss

A civil servant who led the Department for Education’s response to the Grenfell Tower blaze has been appointed as its new director for apprenticeships. Rory Kennedy has taken the reins from David Hill, and is now responsible for the whole apprenticeships programme, as well as a number of other important policy areas including the levy, […]

News

New RoATP window opens on Monday

The register of apprenticeship training providers will open for a third time starting on Monday, FE Week can reveal, and the window will last for one month. An email from the Department for Education said applications would “reopen for applications on Monday, 25 September”. “This reopening will close on Friday, 27 October,” it continued. “This opening […]

News

What do employers really want from an apprenticeship provider?

Employers are becoming increasingly savvy about what they want from training providers. Annette Allmark explains exactly how to make your pitch stand out and win more business It’s almost six months since the levy was introduced, enough time to make an initial assessment. After a snapshot survey in August, we discovered that employers struggle to […]

Opinion

Ofqual considers special treatment for new AOs

New apprenticeship exam bodies are next in line for special treatment, after Ofqual hinted that it’s considering a lighter regulatory touch for those that fall under its remit. But established awarding organisations groaning under the weight of increased regulation have begun to complain about double standards. The exams regulator is about to take charge of […]

News

ESFA breaks its promise to audit untested providers

The Education and Skills Funding Agency has missed its own deadline to make sure new providers approved to deliver apprenticeships are up to scratch. Even though its programme director outlined the checks and balances the ESFA was planning for untested firms on the register of apprenticeship training providers in June, FE Week has learned that […]

News

What government can learn from Learndirect

The government needs a skills strategy that cuts across every department, argues Stephen Evans The recent scandal involving Learndirect, coupled with the ongoing troubles in our procurement processes, shows the need for a clear vision for learning and skills. The Learndirect affair opens up a whole set of questions around corporate governance that also apply […]

Opinion

CONEL college launches specialist smart meter Installation Academy

Following the nationwide rollout of smart meters in UK homes, the College of Haringey, Enfield and North East London is launching an academy to train students how to install them. The Smart Meter Installation Academy will specialise in training apprentices and students in meter-testing and maintenance, risk assessment, codes of practice, and health and safety […]

Bulletin

NHS ‘reviews’ Learndirect Apprenticeships’ status as a provider

An apprenticeship provider created by the owners of Learndirect last year could be kicked off the purchasing system used by London hospitals, after a joint investigation by FE Week and The Financial Times found multiple irregularities in a tender application. In one recent bid to deliver apprenticeships at a London hospital, Learndirect Apprenticeships (LDA), a company […]

News