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‘apprenticeships’

Sue Husband, director of apprenticeships, Skills Funding Agency

It’s the warning that exasperated mums and dads up and down the country issue their teenage children — “If you don’t work hard enough in school, you could end up working in McDonalds”. But it’s a comment that gets under Sue Husband’s skin, having risen through the ranks at the fast food giant as a […]

Profiles

The principal of a large and well-established FE college writes about life at the top — the worries,

Labour conference Seeing a party leader actually talking about FE and skills policy is both encouraging and unnerving. Nobody was as pleased as me to hear about apprenticeships in Ed Miliband’s otherwise tepid speech, but when we’re this close to election, it also makes me worry. Apprenticeships are already a heavily political issue, with every […]

Opinion

Ofsted directors’ traineeship drop-out fears

Too many learners are dropping out of traineeships, Ofsted FE and skills director Lorna Fitzjohn (pictured) has warned. Ms Fitzjohn raised concerns about drop-out rates among learners on the government’s flagship youth unemployment programme in an exclusive interview with FE Week. The education watchdog was unable to reveal any figures to back up the concerns, […]

News

‘Quantity over quality’ warning over Labour apprenticeship pledges

Ed Miliband’s apprenticeship pledges should be welcomed, but risk prioritising quantity over quality, FE sector leaders have warned. Association of Employment and Learning Providers chief executive Stewart Segal and 157 Group executive director Lynne Sedgmore both cautiously welcomed the pledges delivered in Mr Miliband’s keynote speech to the Labour Party conference, but raised concerns about […]

News

Apprenticeships first among Miliband’s goals for Labour in power

Apprenticeships will top a list of six goals to be outlined at the Labour conference by party leader Ed Miliband today. Making the number of school-leavers becoming apprentices equal to the number who go on to university comes first among Mr Miliband’s pledges should Labour win power next year. His plans for increased apprenticeship numbers, to […]

News

Improved technical education one of Labour’s top three campaign priorities – Hunt

Improving technical education is one of three key campaign priorities for Labour, Shadow Education Secretary Tristram Hunt has announced. Addressing the Labour Party conference in Manchester, Mr Hunt outlined the three most important issues as his party heads into its general election campaign, including childcare reform, a qualified teacher in every classroom and efforts to […]

News

Shadow Business Secretary Umunna offers apprenticeship investment pledge

Shadow Business Secretary Chuka Umunna today told of his commitment to investment in apprenticeships and new technical degrees. In his address to the Labour Party conference in Manchester, Mr Umunna said one of his biggest priorities was to see “apprenticeships quadrupled” if his party were to win next year’s General Election, and added that plans […]

News

Making young women part of the skills ‘equation’

The number of young women considered not in education, employment or training (Neet) is 29 per cent higher than it is for young men. Dr Carole Easton considers why this is the case and what it means for the skills agenda.   Young women want to work, but hundreds of thousands are stuck not earning […]

Opinion

Phones 4u collapse leaves learners in dark

More than 800 apprentices were today in the dark over their qualifications and job future after Skills Funding Agency (SFA) lead contractor Phones 4u plunged into administration. The Staffordshire-based mobile phone retailer was placed into the hands of administrators PwC on Monday (September 15) after network operator EE joined Vodafone in cutting ties with the […]

News