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‘apprenticeships’

Ministerial bypass sparks ‘woeful’ area review row

The UCU has blasted the “woeful” lack of transparency in the area review process, after it emerged that key guidance waiting for ministerial sign-off has been circulating in draft form for months. The Department for Education has still not officially published a crucial set of implementation guidance that was originally due in July, because final […]

News

Greening tells conference Skills Plan will be ‘big focus’

A firm commitment to “transform” technical education was made by education secretary Justine Greening, in a Conservative Party Conference speech that stressed the government’s Skills Plan will be a “big focus” for her. She told delegates yesterday (Tuesday) there had been a “renaissance in apprenticeships” over the last six-and-a-half years, and she was now determined […]

News

Conservatives talk big on skills agenda ahead of Budget

Ministers were in fine voice on skills at the Conservative Party conference this week, but the FE sector must now wait to find out if the lip service they paid will translate into extra financial support. Skills were at the top of the agenda at the event in Birmingham, and featured in the speeches of numerous party heavyweights including education secretary Justine Greening, […]

News

Not rabbit, rabbiting over apprenticeships

Mark Dawe reflects below on apprenticeship and skills minister Robert Halfon’s comments at the Conservative Party Conference on his priorities for apprenticeship reforms. I have just sat in a fringe meeting at the Conservative Party conference that gave the apprenticeship and skills minster, Robert Halfon, the opportunity to speak and answer questions for an hour.  In summary, […]

Opinion

Halfon plays down apprenticeship levy ‘gaming’ fears

The apprenticeships minister Robert Halfon has sought to play down fears in the business community that some companies will “game” the new apprenticeship levy system to subsidise their own in-house training. Halfon told a fringe event at the Conservative Party Conference in Birmingham this morning that although it was “inevitable” that there may be some “gaming […]

News

Apprentices ‘discouraged’ by schools demand better careers advice

Apprentices should be sent into classrooms to tell school pupils about vocational career and training options, according to two learners who chose apprenticeships despite having been discouraged by their schools. Ellie Newton (above left) and Liberty Hobbs (above right), both business administration apprentices with Pimlico Plumbers, told a fringe event at the Conservative Party Conference this morning […]

News

Computer skills to be fully funded through existing Adult Education Budget

Plans have been unveiled to fully fund IT courses for adults, putting ‘digital literacy’ on a similar footing to English and maths. A consultation on the final details of the plans will be undertaken in due course, which will be funded from the existing £1.5bn annual Adult Education Budget. At present the Skills Funding Agency […]

News

TV’s Reggie Yates announced as AoC conference speaker

Reggie Yates has been unveiled as the latest star speaker for the Association of Colleges’ annual conference. The actor, presenter and DJ will join other big names including the broadcaster Steph McGovern and the comedian Ruby Wax, at the event which takes place between November 15 and 17 at the ICC in Birmingham. The conference […]

News

Funding reform roll-out in 2017 still on track, insists DfE

There will be no delay to apprenticeship funding reforms, the government has insisted, despite growing concerns in the sector over a series of setbacks to key policy details. The Association of Colleges called for all funding and regulation reforms to be delayed beyond the planned May 1 launch date for the first time last week, […]

News