York College
‘apprenticeships’
Offenders will be able to work towards an apprenticeship while in prison for the first time under new plans put forward by the government. The new prisoner apprenticeship pathway, set to be introduced next year, is one of a number of proposals to reform prison education included in the Prison Safety and Reform white paper, […]
News
Campaigners hope overwhelming pressure has forced the government to clear the way for a u-turn over GCSE requirements for early years educator (EYE) apprenticeships, following the launch of a new consultation. It follows outrage when it was announced in September 2014 that EYE applicants would have to gain at least a C in maths and English […]
Your weekly guide to who’s new, and who’s leaving. Frank McLoughlin has been appointed associate director for leadership at the Education and Training Foundation. A registered charity, the ETF is a commissioning body serving the FE and training sector. Mr McLoughlin joins the organisation from his previous role as principal of City and Islington […]
Movers and Shakers
The government’s controversial plans to replace over 20,000 technical courses with 15 routes won’t lead to just 15 qualifications, a top civil servant has insisted. Warwick Sharp, the deputy director 16-19 strategy at the Department for Education, said it was a “myth” that the streamlining – which many in the sector worry is too drastic […]
The Technical and Further Education Bill is a good start, but it needs to address structural problems that will hold us back in world trade, says Shane Chowen. In the wake of the vote to leave the EU, the economic aftershocks are beginning to be felt. Economists still forecast a rise in unemployment – albeit […]
Opinion
Fresh concerns have been raised about endpoint tests on apprenticeships, after an FE Week investigation found learners who will finish in March on a new standard without any officially approved awarding organisation. Global insurance company Aon has confirmed this to be the case for the first wave of students taking its level three insurance practitioner […]
Last week, I spoke to apprenticeships minister Robert Halfon about the government’s so-called funding U-turn and the apprenticeship levy. Part two of the interview takes in employer ownership, assessment organisations and subcontracting. So, I asked, is employer ownership compatible with social justice? “Absolutely,” he told me. “If you don’t incentivise the employer you then don’t […]
The apprenticeships and skills minister is “pretty sure” that no apprentices will get to the end of their course without an end-point assessment organisation in place. Robert Halfon was grilled on the topic in speaking at a sub-committee on education, skills and the economy evidence session on apprenticeships today (November 2) in the Palace of Westminster, […]
Members of the Sub-Committee on Education, Skills and the Economy could be forgiven for getting fruity with Robert Halfon – just over 24 hours after his apples and pears analogy for apprenticeships left MPs fuming. The FE minister is set to face his second set of tough questions on apprenticeship reforms this week, during a […]
