🤝 Skills England should challenge the government over FE funding gaps and 'excessive competition and poor alignment' between colleges and universities, a new report has said feweek.co.uk/skills-engla...

A “major shift” in policy is needed if Labour is to succeed in uniting England’s post-16 education and skills system and reaching its new target for participation, a report has argued https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/significant-policy-reform-needed-meet-labours-skills-agenda

Ahead of the CSR, college leaders across the UK back the UK Government's ambitions for economic growth and opportunity, but say that to truly deliver on these, Whitehall must invest. Colleges: 💪 Empower Young People 🧱 Support Industry 📚 Uplift Adults. nation.cymru/news/college... @colegau.cymru

We’re hiring! Please share if you can @medr.bsky.social @emmaraczka.bsky.social @josephbaldwin.bsky.social @llandrillomenai.bsky.social @nptcgroup.bsky.social @bridgendcollege.bsky.social @lewis-cooper.bsky.social @fenews.bsky.social @susietsegay.bsky.social

Great to see this package of measures helping colleges to scale up their construction training, in partnership with employers. Looking forward to working with DfE on making it happen. Pleased that colleges being recognised for how vital they are on this

I seem to spend quite a lot of my time in this space (ie between industrial strategy and skills)… Good stuff from @pmdfoster.bsky.social at @financialtimes.com www.ft.com/content/c14b...

For #CollegesWeek2025 I'm proud to draw attention to the incredible work of Bracknell and Wokingham College delivering cutting-edge skills education right in the heart of Bracknell

One reason I am sceptical of the idea there are real-world savings to be had from the bucket marked 'welfare' is shouldn't some people who are currently 'NEET' (not in education, employment or training) be....in further education?

Congratulations to the newly appointed leadership team at #SkillsEngland. Looking forward to working with them to help establish a better, coherent, inclusive post-16 education and skills system

🌎 Esol provision has changed drastically but what are the real benefits of devolution? @wmc-adultlearning.bsky.social 's Ziya Moustafa

Further to my question to the PM on improving training in trade skills, it was great to meet with the Minister for Skills, alongside MidKent College’s CEO A productive discussion on how we support young people across Medway to fulfil their potential &how we can improve and grow our training offer.

"The SMF estimates that last year a total of £431 million was spent on funding apprenticeships for people who already held degrees." Yet more coverage of my new @smfthinktank.bsky.social report - out today. Report link: bit.ly/3DXrd2S www.timeshighereducation.com/news/bar-gra...

Great piece from Audrey Cumberford in the @thescotsmanpaper.bsky.social making the case for strengthening regional tertiary systems across Scotland - allowing colleges and unis to play a more active & better coordinated role in regional economic development www.scotsman.com/education/sn...

'The government should spend some of its £2.1 billion revenue from the immigration skills charge to boost declining levels of ESOL funding over the last seven years.' @feweek.bsky.social write-up of joint @aoc-info.bsky.social- Bell Foundation report out yesterday. feweek.co.uk/aoc-immigrat...

One thing I love about the Paris cycling revolution is it’s also reminding us of the power of cities to imagine different futures. In line with a long history of municipal reforms stretching back to mid-19th century.

Have written for @politicshome.bsky.social on how HM Treasury makes its biggest decisions, how this has changed in recent years and how this looks to be changing for the future.

Solid article on Britain's skills needs on.ft.com/41wa0HC Takeaways: -300,000 houses/annum isn't just about planning. May not even be the biggest constraint - countries succeeding in this area devolve skills needs - construction cyclicality a big issue - overseas route under strain

1/8. OECD’s survey of adult skills is a once-in-a-decade test of what people know across 31 countries, including England (but not rest of UK). There’s a lot going on but I’d say this is a big story www.oecd.org/en/publicati...

We were thrilled to launch our 'Mission accepted' report in the House of Lords yesterday, celebrating the incredible work of colleges alongside college members and parliamentarians. You can read the report here: www.aoc.co.uk/news-campaig...

Honoured to attend @AoC_info Winter reception & to meet our supportive local MPs @LSEColleges today, discussing all things FE, Skills & SEND with @danfrancis02 @helenhayes_ and our amazing local & sector advocate @DLawrenceOBE @UKHouseofLords 👇

Some thoughts from #TCAInternational on what FE needs to thrive: 1. A trust-based funding environment 2. accountability based on outcomes 2. The opportunity to shape their offer to meet local/sector needs 3. Structures that facilitate meaningful partnerships with employers 4. Collaboration!

So many thanks to @hughesdavid.bsky.social and @lewis-cooper.bsky.social for inviting me to #TCAInternational. Such a brilliant event and so many fascinating conversations, my mind is completely buzzing!

Fascinating to here from @pmdfoster.bsky.social about a growing (if still slightly confused) political and policy consensus around the importance of skills, the potential for FE to position itself as key to this but the need to avoid this becoming an oppositional HE/FE battle #TCAInternational

The additional £10million in-year funding for colleges from Welsh Government is very welcome - and a recognition of the budget pressures facing the FE sector www.colleges.wales/en/blog/post...

Day 2 of #TCAinternational begins with a presentation about the new Jobs & Skills Australia. These are their legislative functions - some similar to those we see here, some slightly different. V interesting

Really good first day of the College Alliance's international conference, at Belfast Met College - a great range of international inputs from Sweden, South Africa, Singapore and the OECD, along case studies from across the four UK nations and Ireland #TCAinternational

Interesting slide about the gap between the skills needed to support the green transition between low skilled and high skilled jobs. The gap is much bigger for the low skilled jobs

Some trends from the OECD in relation to lifelong learning in a transforming labour market. In the U.K. unemployment is low but economic inactivity high, rising most for 16 -24 yr olds and 50 -60 years. Long term sickness a key reason, worst among those with few qualifications #TCAInternational

I am at #TCAinternational in Belfast where we are looking at shaping the future of FE. Big themes - what do colleges need to thrive, what role should employers play & how does FE raise its profile with the media and policy makers alike.

"If you have a map of the country with the areas of high economic inactivity, worklessness or high poverty – my maps are exactly the same as [health secretary] Wes Streeting’s for poor health and low life expectancy.” amp.theguardian.com/society/2024...

📢 VACANCY ✨ We're looking for a 🌟 COMMUNICATIONS AND EVENTS ASSISTANT 🌟 to join our busy Policy and Public Affairs Team! 📅 Closing Date: 13 January 2025 👇 Visit our website for further details 👇 https://buff.ly/439x0t9

Tomorrow, Lords get to scrutinise the IfATE abolition bill in detail in the first of two scheduled committee stage debates. Here's a piece about the bill and what it means for much-lauded new skills body, Skills England feweek.co.uk/from-ifate-t... Thread below for fellow nerds 👇

Much to like in this piece from @annlimb.bsky.social, following @aoc-info.bsky.social annual conference. Collaboration, place-making, college leaders as systems leaders, delivering across all 5 of Labour's missions. Our conference was upbeat & optimistic feweek.co.uk/we-must-look...