DIUS FE and Skills e-Newsletter

Ref: F60

Audience: FE college principals/governors, training providers, school sixth forms, local authorities, voluntary providers and national partners/stakeholders (ie everyone in the FE system)

John Denham and Ed Balls have written to college principals and chairs of governing bodies to set out some of the key challenges facing the FE sector over the next twelve months. It thanks colleges for their hard work in achieving impressive results last year, and says that the sector is well placed to meet the joint ambitions of DIUS and DCSF for learners and employers. It positions colleges as leaders in their community, as institutions that can drive economic development and regeneration through their presence, participation and leadership. The letter also sets out the Departments' firm commitment to Train to Gain and highlights the flexibilities that have been made to enhance its delivery, in response to issues raised by employers and learners.

The letter can be downloaded from the DIUS website.

Contact:
FE.Reform@dius.gsi.gov.uk

Ref: F61

Audience: FE college principals/governors, training providers, school sixth forms, local authorities, voluntary providers and national partners/stakeholders (ie everyone in the FE system)

DIUS will again be holding a Christmas e-card competition this year. Students within the further education sector are invited to design a Christmas e-card for DIUS, portraying DIUS’ mission in an innovative and creative way. DIUS regularly showcases the work of students and currently is enjoying an exhibition of artwork from Goldsmiths College in the 5th floor ministers’ waiting area at DIUS London head office - Kingsgate House, London, SW1.

Using e-technology the design should be ready to be used either as a direct email, an attachment or as an email link, and should be in an accessible format which can be viewed by the wider public with minimal software requirements other than standard internet browsing software (without requiring additional plugins).

The winning card will be circulated with the December edition of this newsletter and the winning entrant and a staff member from the relevant College will be invited to have lunch in the House of Lords and to visit one of our partners such as the Design Council or The Space Centre.

The deadline for e-card entries is Friday 21st November 2008. Completed entries should be emailed to: dius.communications@dius.gsi.gov.uk. To view last year’s winning e-card from Matthew Boulton College please visit the DIUS website.

Contact:
Email: dius.communications@dius.gsi.gov.uk

Ref: S18

Audience: FE college principals/governors, training providers, school sixth forms, local authorities, voluntary providers and national partners/stakeholders, all with an interest in skills for employment – as users or providers, skills for life practitioners, teachers, support staff and anyone with an interest in literacy or numeracy, union learning reps, employers, voluntary organisations who work with the unemployed

On 8 September the Government unveiled a new strategy for the UK's manufacturing sector - 'New Challenges, New Opportunities' - to help UK firms take advantage of changing global trends in manufacturing. The strategy brings together almost £150 million of medium term support for UK manufacturing, and sets out the Government's view of what the sector needs for success in the long term, including:

•  seizing the opportunities of the low carbon economy
• supporting skills, realising overseas opportunities and
• improving the perceptions and understanding of manufacturing

There will be a new focus on apprenticeships. This will see 1,500 new manufacturing apprenticeships, in addition to the 9,000 places announced earlier this year, increasing the total number of manufacturing apprenticeships by over 10%.

Skills Secretary John Denham said: "We want businesses to be able to nurture and develop the talent of their people, so we will make it easier for manufacturing employers to access skills support and extend the number of high quality apprenticeships available by supporting firms in training additional apprentices.”

Contact:
For more information, see http://tinyurl.com/56ekv5
To download a copy of the strategy, see http://tinyurl.com/5zt5jl

Ref: F62

Audience: FE college principals/Chief Executives, Chairs of Governors, local authorities, learners, potential learners and employers, LSC

The Further Education & Training Act 2007 imposes a duty on governing bodies of FE Institutions in England to have regard to guidance from the Secretary of State about consulting with learners, potential learners and employers. The Act places a similar duty on the LSC.

The guidance has now been published and is available on the DIUS website.

The purpose of the guidance is to help FEIs and LSC develop the way they seek and respond to the voice of learners and employers. It builds on existing measures to put their needs and priorities at the heart of the system including:

• the establishment of the National Learner Panel
• the development of effective learner involvement strategies
• strengthening the role of the Staff Student Liaison Officer
• increasing the number of student governors on the boards of FE Corporations

Contact:
Sue Ruck, Learning Quality & Systems Directorate, Tel: 0114 259 3316, email: sue.ruck@dius.gsi.gov.uk

Ref: P49

Audience: Provider chief executives, FE college principals, HR directors, staff development managers and all FE and skills teachers, tutors and trainers

If you are a trainer, tutor or teacher working in LSC-funded FE and skills provision, you are required to register as a member of the Institute for Learning (IfL) by 30 September 2008.

If you teach in an FE or specialist independent college, you were supposed to register by the end of March 2008 and should register now if you have not already done so.

DIUS has agreed to meet the full cost of standard registration with IfL for teachers in LSC-funded institutions who register online, even if you missed the original 31 March deadline for FE teachers.

Colleges and providers are reminded of their responsibility in ensuring their staff register with IfL. This is an LSC contractual obligation and IfL are duty bound to report to LSC and Ofsted where providers have not registered their staff. To streamline the process, colleges and providers can use the bulk notification system to identify staff who should be registered.

Contact:
Main website: www.ifl.ac.uk
Information about joining: http://www.ifl.ac.uk/services/p_wwv_page?id=156&menu_id=1090
Ph: 0844 815 3202, email: enquiries@ifl.ac.uk

Ref: P42

Audience: FE college principals/governors, training providers, school sixth forms, local authorities, voluntary providers and national partners/stakeholders, all with an interest in skills for employment – as users or providers, skills for life practitioners, teachers, support staff and anyone with an interest in literacy or numeracy, union learning reps, employers, voluntary organisations who work with the unemployed

Get online day aims to get families into UK online centres across England and show them how they could save time, hassle and money online - and even have fun in the process.

Its target is the 50 percent of the population considered to be low paid or low skilled and could benefit from starter skills to help them improve everyday personal and family life.

The focus of the day is Challenge the Walkers, an online game where people get a flavour of sites including Directgov and NHS Choices as well as activities like online shopping. A national PR campaign and local centre marketing will kick-off in October. Get online day is part of the Campaign for Learning’s Family Learning Festival, and is supported by the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills, Becta, Directgov, Ofcom and TalkTalk.

Contact:
For more information, visit http://www.getonlineday.com or contact UK online centres at ukonlinecentres@ufi.com

Ref: P43

Audience: FE college principals/governors, training providers, school sixth forms, local authorities, voluntary providers and national partners/stakeholders (ie everyone in the FE system)

QIA is pleased to announce the short-listed nominations for the 2008 QIA STAR Awards. Now in their fifth year, the STAR Awards recognise and celebrate the sector’s unsung heroes.

This year’s awards attracted a record number of high-quality and interesting nominations. A panel of independent judges had the difficult task of agreeing the final shortlist but were pleased to see the high standard of entries, which were representative of the entire further education and skills sector.

A series of regional celebratory events for the short-listed nominees, their nominators and special guests will be held in London, Birmingham and Liverpool in October 2008. The overall winners and highly commended in each of the 10 categories will be announced at a glittering awards ceremony at Old Billingsgate in London on 24th November 2008.

Contact:
To view this year’s shortlist visit the STAR Awards website at http://staraward.qia.org.uk/shortlist
Contact the STAR Awards team on 0845 225 4523 or email excellence.innovation@qia.org.uk

Ref: P44

Audience: Leaders, managers and staff throughout the FE and skills sector

The Centre for Excellence in Leadership (CEL) is conducting an online survey about work shadowing. Staff throughout the FE and skills sector are invited to offer their feedback about how CEL should arrange work shadowing placements in future.

Over the past four years, CEL's work shadowing scheme has enabled hundreds of leaders, managers and staff to gain experience of practice outside their own organisation. Spending time with leaders and managers in other public or private sector companies has given participants:

• deeper understanding of the skills required in a given role
• the opportunity to reflect on their own work practices
• the chance to compare leadership styles, organisational structure and business processes
• the opportunity to network and develop ongoing relationships with host organisations

The work shadowing scheme is funded by DIUS and is open to all LSC-funded providers in the sector.

Take part in the survey:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=b_2b192eDNo_2fo2nxeAMtlIug_3d_3d  

Read about Shrewsbury College, where 27 leaders and managers have taken part in the scheme:
http://www.centreforexcellence.org.uk/default.aspx?Page=nomenuReadNews&id=583  

Contact:
www.centreforexcellence.org.uk
Ph: 0870 060 3278
Email: enquiries@centreforexcellence.org.uk 

Ref: P45

Audience: FE college principals

The LSC has put in place support for colleges to help students affected by delays to their EMA payments.  There have been delays in processing the applications and learners and parents have also experienced problems when calling the helpline.  Students who are eligible for EMA can now get interim support from their college.

Mark Haysom, Chief Executive of the LSC, said: “Less well-off students starting courses without funding is simply not acceptable. We’ve arranged for colleges to have access to funds as a matter of urgency so that no student in this situation will lose out”.

Liberata, who mange the contract, has taken on an extra 460 staff to speed up the application process.

Funds are available for those who would not be able to attend or participate effectively in education as a result of the delay in payment of their EMA. Such difficulties include paying for, public transport, books, meals, or essential course equipment.

David Collins, President of the Association of Colleges, said: “This is good news for colleges who can’t always afford to help students in this way. This should go a long way towards ensuring no one – student or college - loses out while the backlog is processed.”

Contact:
The Mark Haysom Letter to colleges can be viewed on the LSC website: http://www.lsc.gov.uk/news/latestnews/news-120908.htm

Ref: F63

Audience: FE college principals and training providers

Continuing the programme of visits to FE colleges and providers, John Denham, Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills visited City College Brighton and Hove. Bill Rammell Minister of State, Lifelong Learning, Further and Higher Education recently visited Blackburn College.

Ref: P46

Audience: FE college principals/governors, training providers, school sixth forms, local authorities, voluntary providers and national partners/stakeholders (ie everyone in the FE system)

Since 31st March 2008, as part of transition to the new Vetting and Barring Scheme (starting October 2009), the Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) has advised the Secretary of State on barring decisions (List 99, PoCA, PoVA).

In the next stage of transition, subject to Parliamentary approval, from winter 2008 (precise date to be set), employers must send new referrals under these schemes to ISA, which will take the barring decisions. Where the ISA asks organisations for information on a case, they must provide it.

The attached document has been prepared by the Department for Children, Schools and Families.

By October 2008, please cascade this information within your organisation so that you can prepare in time; and remember to fulfil existing pre-employment responsibilities, such as taking up references and conducting checks.

For more information visit: www.isa-gov.org.uk

Contact:
Queries on the ISA and the new Vetting and Barring Scheme:
Email: scheme.info@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk, tel 0300 123 1111.

Queries on current barring schemes (on cases started before the change to ISA decision making, dealt with by the Secretaries of State):
List 99 or PoCA: tsm.casework@dfes.gsi.gov.uk
PoVA: pova.mail@dcsf.gsi.gov.uk

Ref: F64

Audience: FE college principals/governors, training providers, school sixth forms, local authorities, voluntary providers and national partners/stakeholders (ie everyone in the FE system)

Education for 14-19 year olds is changing from September 2008.

The routes offered by the new Diploma, Apprenticeships and reformed
A levels and GCSEs offer different combinations of practical and classroom learning.

The DCSF is launching a new marketing campaign for parents, employers and the educational workforce about changes within the 14-19 reforms. The campaign started on 8 September with national press and radio adverts. It will be followed up by further communications for specific groups including a series of briefing sessions for schools and colleges in the New Year.  For more information visit www.dcsf.gov.uk/reforms

This will be supported by the Diploma campaign starting on 22 September with radio adverts, national and employer press until 19 October and a refreshed website http://yp.direct.gov.uk/diplomas/. The Diploma campaign publicity materials are still available to order visit Diploma Communication Materials for details.

 Specific campaigns on Apprenticeships and EMA will also start in the autumn.

 Contact:
www.dcsf.gov.uk/reforms
http://yp.direct.gov.uk/diplomas/
Diploma Communication Materials

Ref: F65

Audience: FE college principals/governors, training providers, school sixth forms, local authorities, voluntary providers and national partners/stakeholders (ie everyone in the FE system)

DIUS is hosting the UK Youth Online conference on Saturday 27 September from 10am in London.

The event will be a gathering of practitioners, innovators, academics and managers to explore how services for young people can respond to the massive growth of the interactive internet and its impact on young people's lives.

Through discussion, demonstrations, presentations and opportunities for hands-on idea development we will:

• uncover cutting edge practice and ideas
• develop a vision of the opportunities and challenges for working with young people in a digital world
• share tools and techniques
• come away with new plans for action, and new tools we can use

Themes include:

• Online safety and opportunity
• Participation and engagement online
• Projects: practical applications of new tools
• Promotion: getting services known

For more details, and to register for the event, see: http://ukyouthonline.ning.com

Contact:
http://ukyouthonline.ning.com/
Tim Davies: Tel: 07834 856 303, email: tim@practicalparticipation.org

Ref: P47

Audience: FE college principals/governors, training providers, school sixth forms, local authorities, voluntary providers and national partners/stakeholders (ie everyone in the FE system)

The Federation of Awarding Bodies’ highly regarded two day national conference will this year explore the opportunities and challenges of vocational qualifications reform, including addressing the national policy context and employers’ perspectives on Tuesday 14 October in Coventry.

The morning session on 15 October will focus specifically on providers’ priorities and issues, while the afternoon covers awarding organisation aspects of the reforms, including a provider perspective on what makes a good awarding organisation.

Why come?
FAB’s well established conference will have high level national speakers and is sponsored and supported by DIUS, DCSF, the Welsh Assembly Government, QCA and Ofqual. The morning session for providers includes

• Aligning funding with qualifications reform
• Provider priorities and issues
• Provider staff development
• The broader 14–19 curriculum offer
• Open questions
• Meet the presenters

For more information and to register visit http://www.awarding.org.uk/public/nationalconference 

Contact:
Contact Karen Daws for further information on 020 7294 4326 or visit www.awarding.org.uk

Ref: S19

Audience: FE college principals/governors, training providers, school sixth forms, local authorities, voluntary providers and national partners/stakeholders (ie everyone in the FE system), skills for life practitioners, teachers, support staff and anyone with an interest in literacy or numeracy, all with an interest in skills and employment, people working in skills for life, college staff, union learning reps, employers, voluntary organisations who work with the unemployed

Registration for the National Skills for Life Conferences 2008 is now open. The theme of this year's conferences is Building on Success: Meeting New Challenges. This reflects the exceptional achievements made by people working in Skills for Life since 2001, and the challenge ahead to improve the skills of even more adults. The dates are:

• Friday, October 31, QEII Conference Centre, London
• Wednesday, November 12, ICC, Birmingham
• Tuesday, November 25, The Royal York Hotel, York

Practitioners, managers, researchers and others with an interest in Skills for Life can book a FREE place at these conferences.

As well as the usual focus on literacy and ESOL, there will be a particular focus on the step change required in numeracy, new research and practice in teaching and learning, and the developments in policy since last year’s events.

Contact:
For more information and to register for the conferences, go to:
http://livegroup.co.uk/skillsforlife2008

Helpline: 020 8481 3397
Type talk: 18001 020 8481 3397

Ref: P48

Audience: Leaders, managers and staff at all levels throughout the FE and skills sector, senior women, equality and diversity directors and managers, HR and staff development directors and managers

Sex and Power, the annual report just published by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), reveals that in twelve of twenty-five job categories studied, there were fewer women holding top posts than in 2007.

Further education was one of just eight categories in which women's representation had increased, but the proportion of women who are college principals has increased by less than one percentage point. While welcome, this is a tiny change.

This is not just a 'women's issue'. Changes in demographics, the world of work, and the range of skills needed to power our economy mean that we can no longer afford to adhere to outdated and old-fashioned workplace models.

The Women’s Leadership Network (WLN) is for women who hold or aspire to leadership and management roles at all levels in the FE and skills sector. We want to help ensure that women at all levels receive the support and encouragement they need in order to thrive.

Join us today: http://www.wlnfe.org.uk/membership.php
Find out about our programmes and events: http://www.wlnfe.org.uk/events.html

Contact:
www.wlnfe.org.uk  
Ph: 020 7297 8449, email: tinafahm@wlnfe.org.uk