York College
‘apprenticeships’
A parliamentary debate on the drastic funding cuts to apprenticeships proposed by the government and exposed by FE Week has been approved by the Backbench Business Committee. David Lammy MP put his case for the debate to the committee on October 11, in a move that gives a significant boost to FE Week’s #SaveOurApprenticeships campaign against the cuts. He called for […]
News
London mayor Sadiq Khan has added his voice to those calling on the government to rethink proposed apprenticeship funding rates that would see cuts of up to 50 per cent for young people in the most deprived areas. His concerns about the effect of such drastic cuts on social mobility and on young people in […]
Apprenticeships and skills minister Robert Halfon has dubbed the University Technical College programme “excellent”, despite ten per cent of the 14 to 19 institutions closing just six years since they were first introduced. In his first major speech in his current role, Mr Halfon told the audience of the Edge Foundation Annual lecture: “I actually […]
Richard Atkins’ appointment as the new FE commissioner has been confirmed by the Department for Education – almost a month after FE Week first reported the news. He will take over the role from current FE commissioner Sir David Collins, who will retire in November. Mr Atkins was principal of Exeter College from 2002 until […]
Plans for a merger between two Sussex colleges that aims to boost apprenticeships and higher level skills in the region have been unveiled. The link-up between City College Brighton and Hove and Northbrook College is one of the recommendations to have emerged from the Sussex area review of post-16 education and training. The two colleges […]
While end-point assessments currently raise more questions than they answer, if well implemented, they could help build confidence in the apprenticeship system, says Terry Fennell Last month the DfE approved the 135th apprenticeship standard for mainstream delivery and by the end of 2016, over 3,000 apprentices will have started on one of these new programmes. […]
Opinion
If colleges wish to continue to deliver apprenticeships, they will need to adapt quickly, writes Teresa Frith We are sitting in the middle of a maelstrom of reform in apprenticeships. But what should be at the forefront of our minds is that whatever apprenticeships we provide, they must be high quality. We will be doing […]
Your weekly guide to who’s new, and who’s leaving. Berkeley Green University Technical College has appointed Rhian Priest as its group principal. The college is due to open in September 2017, and will provide specialist training facilities for the science, technology, engineering and manufacturing industries. Ms Priest, who began her career in education as […]
Movers and Shakers
The “indefatigable” shadow minister for higher education, FE and skills has kept his post, following a Labour party reshuffle. Gordon Marsden has held onto the role since September 2015, when he moved over from the transport department, and was praised by Jeremy Corbyn during an exclusive interview with FE Week back in February. The Labour […]
