At NCFE, we’re always on the pulse with policy, funding, and everything else affecting the education sector.
I recently attended the Meet the Minister event, hosted by FE Week, where Shadow Minister for Young People John Woodcock debated the FE sector, the growth of Apprenticeships, and other hot topics in the world of education.
The Minister was joined by a panel of experts, including President of the Association of Colleges (AoC) Richard Atkins, CEO of MiddletonMurray Angela Middleton, and CEO of the Association of Employment and Learning Providers (AELP) Stewart Segal.
John Woodcock spoke at length about the FE sector and the challenges facing it, stressing that it can’t be a poor second or third option to academia, the traditional route of going on to university or other higher education study.
He also touched upon careers advice within education, saying a number of local institutions delivered good practice, but that it wasn’t tailored enough to each individual learner. Rather, broad, generic advice was often given.
Stewart Segal of the AELP also spoke of the challenging times ahead in the FE sector ahead of another expected £450m cut to adult education, expressing concern that this could set back growth in the sector over the coming years.
The following open debate also brought up some interesting topics, including employer engagement, as educational institutions have been encouraged to include employers in their qualifications, and Awarding Organisations are to involve them in the development of qualifications to ensure they are fit for purpose. NCFE is currently doing this as part of the Supply Chain Trailblazer group.
There were, however, concerns over a low percentage of employer engagement in education, with some worried that the government isn’t doing enough to involve or incentivise employers. One attendee also suggested that, in order to meet the government’s target of 3 million Apprenticeships by 2020, Trailblazers must be abandoned; this echoes the sentiment of some in the sector that a high target for Apprenticeships will be at the expense of course quality.
The Minister rounded off a lively debate by stressing the dialogue between politicians and those in the sector is vital, in order to help understanding and to tailor policies.
Panellists and delegates alike stressed the importance of understanding the complexity of the sector. Politicians from all parties were asked to take note of the full impacts of every policy decision they make on the lives of learners and their futures.
Were you at the event? What do you think of the topics covered? What questions would you have posed to the Minister and the panel?
