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It’s all change at the top. Time for a fresh start? (p7) – its ‘all change’ in Education and Skills world, with new Ministers Nicky Morgan and Nick Boles replacing Michael Gove and Matthew Hancock. The TES article looks at the legacy Nicky is set to inherit at the Department for Education, where ‘she faces the tough task of making her predecessors reforms work on the ground.

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MPs are set to take a closer look at the effectiveness of Apprenticeships and Traineeships for 16 to 19 year olds, it has been reported. The House of Commons Education Select Committee has called for written evidence for the inquiry; particularly looking at whether Apprenticeships and Traineeships meet employers’ needs and prepare learners for work.

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Here’s your weekly round-up summarising the top education stories from the sector’s press including FE Week and the TES. FE Week 16 June

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The government has recently published an implementation plan called The Future of Apprenticeships in England which will give employers a stronger power in the design and delivery of Apprenticeships. These plans are a result of the Holt and Richard Review of Apprenticeships, which took place last year. All Apprenticeships that fall under the current framework will be replaced with new qualifications written by employers and other professional bodies. The new qualifications will have a minimum 12 month duration, with no exceptions.

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MEPs have made a number of recommendations to tackle the issue of youth unemployment, advising that we’re in need of further measures to help young people move into work. ‘Youth guarantee’ schemes currently aim to ensure that young people under the age of 25 are offered a job, training, or a traineeship within 4 months of becoming unemployed. MEPs have now proposed that these schemes should be extended to include graduates under 30 years old.

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With the education watchdog Ofsted recently stating that schools’ career services are not up to standard, I thought I’d start this issue by focusing on their recent comments. According to Sir Michael Wilshaw, three quarters of schools visited by Ofsted were reportedly not delivering effective careers advice. He commented last month that, "It’s worrying that the new arrangements are failing to provide good guidance." Of course while this situation may be true, it’s also true that these comments come at a time when money and resource to support careers guidance have come under increasing pressure.

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In direct contrast to last year, Apprenticeships and the ‘Skills Gap’ are very much at the forefront of political thinking at the moment, as a solution to the 1 million + unemployed young people. They’ve been discussed more this conference season than ever before! Terms like ‘parity of esteem’ between vocational and academic qualifications, and ‘employer input and ownership’ are on the lips of politicians across the traditional political divide.

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The UK risks failing to close its "chronic skills gaps" by continuing to push young people towards the university "default route", according to business leaders. A recent report from CBI suggests that a growing demand for high level technical skills cannot be met by traditional university courses alone, and it’s important for teens to consider apprenticeships as a viable alternative. The report states that we must “widen gateways into skilled work and promote routes to higher skills that appeal to individuals for whom a degree may not be the best option." Vince Cable, Business Secretary, agrees “a credible alternative to university is needed to help young people get the skills that the economy needs”

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It’s been a good month to be British! Not only did Andy Murray become the first British man to win Wimbledon in 77 years but the UK also gave a fantastic performance at the 2013 World Skills competition in Leipzig, achieving a whole host of medals. Particular congratulations must go to Ashley Terron, a bricklayer from Warrington and George Callow, a cabinet maker from Chichester who took the top spots and were honoured as the best young tradesmen in the world. World Skills is about celebrating vocational skills and talents in all their forms; from plumbing to floristry, from hairdressing to IT. At NCFE, we think it’s important to recognise the value of these skills and nurture people’s natural aptitudes in these areas. That’s why in addition to our wide portfolio of vocational courses, we now offer a suite of qualifications in Achieving Excellence in a Vocational Skill. The qualifications range from Level 1 to Level 4 and aim to extend a learner’s range of skills, attributes and behaviours within a wider context of work-related learning.

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Apprenticeships, Apprenticeships, Apprenticeships... certainly the topic of conversation consuming the world of education at present. A recent survey carried out by Government has shown that employers rated apprentices more highly in comparison to university graduates, rating apprentices 15% more employable than those with other qualifications. These findings have been welcomed by Minister for Skills, Matthew Hancock who claimed taking a higher apprenticeship could boost a young person’s lifetime earning by more than £150,000.

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Blog posts for tag:apprenticeships

Policy Corner - 28 July 2014

Apprenticeships and Traineeships to go under the spotlight

Policy Corner - 23 June

The future of Apprenticeships

Ensuring good quality traineeships

Careers advice: helping pupils get on the right course

Headlines from the Party Conference Season

Closing the skills gap

Nurturing world class skills in the UK

Apprenticeships

Authors

Lindsay Plumpton

David Grailey

Andrew Gladstone-Heighton

Esme Winch

Michael Lemin

Categories

Archive

Blog posts for tag:apprenticeships

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Authors

Lindsay Plumpton

David Grailey

Andrew Gladstone-Heighton

Esme Winch

Michael Lemin

Categories

Archive