York College
‘apprenticeships’
I was of course pleased when the government listened to mounting calls through our SaveOurApprenticeships campaign for a rethink on apprenticeship funding cuts. Credit should go to FE’s new minister Robert Halfon for taking on board the findings of our initial analysis showing how younger learners in deprived areas would have been worst hit, and […]
Opinion
Jaguar Land Rover, the British car manufacturer regularly lauded by ministers for its apprenticeship scheme, has been hit with a shock grade three rating after an Ofsted inspection. The Indian-owned firm received a ‘requires improvement’ score across the board for its dealership apprenticeship programme, for which it is an employer provider. The report will raise […]
News
As it turned out, my exclusive interview with the new apprenticeships minister Robert Halfon was conducted just hours after the Independent, Guardian and Mirror had all reported a major government U-turn on apprenticeship rates. “People are saying this is a U-turn, but actually I would describe it as listening with elephant-sized ears,” he volunteered – […]
Plans to cut the number of recipients of Skills Funding Agency cash have been shelved in an attempt to increase the provider base for degree and higher-level apprenticeships, and advanced learner loans. A total of 1,023 providers received direct SFA funding this academic year, up from 984 at the start of 2015/16. The SFA first attempted to introduce a […]
The entrepreneur Lord Alan Sugar could be about to quit his role as the country’s apprenticeships champion after receiving no contact from government officials after six months on the job, FE Week can reveal. The businessman, best known for his role in the hit TV show The Apprentice, was appointed “enterprise tsar” by former prime […]
Despite the very public “U-turn” the government made on proposed apprenticeship cuts on Tuesday, funding is still due to be cut from key frameworks by up to 50 per cent, exclusive analysis by FE Week has shown. In August, this newspaper discovered that cuts proposed by the Department for Education would cause framework funding rates […]
A new Technical and Further Education Bill published today has set out proposals for a new insolvency regime for FE colleges. The legislation also includes a proposal to extend the role of new vocational training policing body, the Institute for Apprenticeships, to cover technical education. The plan, it confirmed, is now is to call it the Institute […]
Karin Smyth MP reflects on key issues with apprenticeship reforms that the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee is pushing for more information on. Post 16 education is vitally important to the UK, and to my Bristol South constituency. It’s always one of the issues raised with me by parents, carers and grandparents, and that’s […]
Widespread anger about planned funding cuts exposed by FE Week has brought about a welcome change of heart from the government, which this morning pledged much needed extra financial support of 16 to 18 apprentices in poorer areas. FE Week’s analysis published in August of the planned government funding rates, showed they could be slashed by up […]
