York College
‘apprenticeships’
Employer bodies have attacked Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) guidance that Trailblazer apprenticeship incentive payments are used where expensive assessments push costs over government funding limits. The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) last month told of its concerns that end-point assessments were “driving up costs for Trailblazers”. However, a BIS spokesperson has told […]
News
The National Audit Office (NAO) will investigate quality concerns over the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills’ (BIS) drive towards 3m new apprenticeships by 2020. The NAO announced today (November 6) that it will publish a report on apprenticeships in spring next year. A spokesperson said: “They are a key element of the government’s plans […]
When high street jeweller Gerald Ratner famously rubbished one of his products a few years ago, his ill-judged comments resulted in Britain’s biggest jewellery group plunging £122.3m into the red with 330 shops in Britain and the United States closing. I’m sure Ofsted chief inspector Sir Michael Wilshaw, when rubbishing ‘cleaning’ and ‘coffee-making’ apprenticeships, did […]
Opinion
A three-year funding cycle was one of the key proposals in the AoC’s submission on the Spending Review, explains David Corke. Colleges may just be the most important element of the government’s plan to improve productivity in the UK. With industry-standard facilities and expert teachers, students receive the very best technical and professional education, which […]
The FE Commissioner was sent in to Stratford-Upon-Avon College after the Skills Funding Agency (SFA) rated its financial health as inadequate. Nicola Mannock outlines the actions taken on the commissioner’s advice. Following a year of exceptionally hard work by my dedicated and committed team, Stratford-upon-Avon College is now, as reported by FE Week, officially out […]
Stratford-upon-Avon MP Nadhim Zahawi (above left) today told how his “experience as an entrepreneur” would help him in his new role as Prime Minister David Cameron’s apprenticeships adviser. The announcement came during today’s Prime Minister’s questions and will see the remit to help the government deliver its General Election pledge to create 3m new apprenticeships over the next […]
Government representatives today dismissed the suggestion of targets for different apprenticeship levels in the race for 3m new starts by 2020. Lord O’Neill of Gatley, commercial secretary to the Treasury (pictured above), and Small Business, Industry and Enterprise Minister Anna Soubry were challenged by the House of Commons Business, Innovation and Skills Select Committee. The duo were quizzed […]
A rename for the National Institute of Adult Continuing Education (Niace) following its merger with the Centre for Social Inclusion (Inclusion) has been approved by members. Niace held its annual general meeting this afternoon at City Lit, in London, with the new Learning and Work Institute name the key item on the agenda. Members voted to approve […]
Limited demand for level three apprenticeship skills among UK businesses could lead to “resistance” to the proposed large employers’ levy, according to joint House of Commons select committee research out today. Business, Innovation and Skills committee chair Iain Wright (pictured above left) and his Education committee counterpart Neil Carmichael (pictured above right) commissioned the research, […]
