The Government has issued two consultations on the future of FE and Skills. Skills for Sustainable Growth indicates a commitment to expanding apprenticeships including progression from level 3 to 4, suggests establishing Lifelong Learning Accounts and giving colleges and training providers more freedom to respond to employers and other needs.
The consultation on funding seeks to simplify the funding methodology for colleges and providers and radically change the methodology.
Further information can be found on the following page of the Bis Website.
16-19 and post 19 Education and Skills Reform
In June 2007, it was announced that 16-19 funding would be de-centralised and instead be delivered via the local authorities from 2010/2011. The report 'Raising Expectations: Enabling the Sysytem to Deliver' which was published in March 2008 (and can be downloaded here in PDF) set out two main proposals. To transfer responsibilty in 2010 for funding the education and training of young people from the Learning Skills Council to local authorities, who will be supported by a new Young People's Learning Agency (YPLA). Secondly, and to the same timescale, to transfer the LSC's responsibilties for adult education and training to a new adult Skills Funding Agency.
The government aims to raise the participation age of young people to 18 by 2015. Doing this requires all the local authorities to take the lead and ensure that all young people have access to high quality learning opportunities, one of the main ones to be apprenticeships.
Improving access to these groups depends upon Children’s Trusts and a greater involvement of new partners such as further education colleges. With a higher level of involvement from these sectors, the government will be able to expand the range of learning experiences and make a deep impact upon those not in education, employment or a training scheme (NEETS).
The changes that are being made will streamline the adult skills system. The new adult Skills Funding Agency (SFA) will underpin a flexible and responsive demand-led system and facilitate delivery of the government’s 2020 skills ambitions. The SFA will ensure funding that colleges and providers receive, is driven by the choices of individuals and employers and facilitate the development of Train to Gain, the new Careers Service and the National Apprenticeship Service.
The SFA’s focus solely on adult learners and those looking to start an apprenticeship enables quick adaption to changing economic climates. It will raise demand with employers and help to ensure that the needs of the individual and the country’s skill requirements are equally matched.
The changes will allow colleges and training providers to deliver the education and skills that are in demand in their local community. Employers will in turn be able to access the skills training they need quickly and easily via co-ordinated brokerage services and responsive college and providers with no regulation - unlike the current system.
For more information on the Department for Business Innovation and Skills' Further Education and Skills Policies, visit our page Policy at a Glance
Useful Downloads
Progression from vocational and applied learning to higher education in England Read More
'Delivering 14-19 Reform: Next Steps' available to download here in PDF
'FE and Skills System Reforms: An Update' available to download in PDF
'Brief on the Adult Skill System: Reforming the Delivery Chain' available to download in PDF
'Skills Funding Agancy Factsheet' available to download in PDF
'Raising Expectations: Enabling the System to Deliver' available to download in PDF
'Raising Expectations: Enabling the System to Deliver - Summary and Written Response' available to download in PDF
'Raising Expectations: Enabling the System to Deliver - Update and Next Steps' available to download in PDF
Training Providers
Many Aimhigher Partnerships are working with training providers either individually or through local & regional associations. The national body for training providers is the Association of Learning Providers.
The Association of Learning Providers is recognised as the voice of independent learning providers throughout England. The majority of its 470 members are private, not-for-profit and voluntary sector training organisations who deliver government-funded education, skills and welfare-to-work programmes. In particular, ALP’s members deliver most of the Apprenticeship training and the majority of Train to Gain provision in England. Membership is open to any provider committed to quality work based learning (WBL) and includes over 60 Further Education colleges.
They work closely with policy makers such as Government Departments, Members of Parliament, and the Skills Funding Agencies, such as the DWP, Ufi and Business Link. They are involved in the development of Government strategy with the newly formed Department of Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) and other national bodies.
Such providers range from relatively small companies and voluntary organisations, through to large national and multi national companies and the trade union sector through the TUC Union Learning Representative Initiative and the Union Academy. Please see our page Sector Skills Contacts for a full list of these Sector Skills Councils/
Aimhigherand Training Providers
An interesting variety of work is developing in Aimhigher partnerships including:
Working with WBL assessers to raise awareness of HE
Providing mentors to employees to support development of progression plans
Working with trade unions
Seconding Aimhigher staff to Training Provider Networks
Developing progression information and raising the awareness of Training Providers
Visit our Aimhigher Working with Training Providers page for a look at how Aimhigher is involved with training providers and current projects that are currently in operation.
