Big Jump In College Manager Redundancy Levels

The number of AMiE members asking for help because they are at risk of redundancy has jumped significantly in the last few weeks.

Some 40% of all calls to the AMiE helpline from college managers since the beginning of June have been about redundancy problems compared to 30% for the academic year as a whole.

The rise is not in itself that unusual – many FE colleges reorganise their staffing structures at this time of year – but the big concern is that job losses will continue well into the autumn.

AMiE general secretary Peter Pendle said, “No one seems to think we will see a reduction in job losses any time soon. Uncertainties about funding together with the current economic climate are conspiring against us. When colleges reopen in the autumn we expect a further round of restructuring and more college mergers. The impact on our members jobs will be serious.”

MPs Condemn College Funding Scheme

MPs have condemned the Learning and Skills Council’s college building scheme in England. This follows the announcement earlier this month that just 13 projects would be allowed to proceed.

Both the LSC and the government are criticised in a report by the Innovation, Universities, Science and Skills Committee which deals with further education.

Committee chairman Phil Willis MP, is quoted as saying: “It really beggars belief that such an excellent programme which had showed real success in transforming the further education experience for students was mismanaged into virtual extinction.”

For more on this story, please see the BBC News website.

Reacting to the MPs’ report, Dr Mary Bousted, general secretary of AMiE partner union the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL) said,

“Further education, its staff and students, are suffering because of the total fiasco over the capital building programme.  This was a text-book example of how not to run a funding programme.  Both the Learning and Skills Council and the Government have to take the blame for this and learn from their mistakes.

“The Committee’s report supports our view that the structures set up to deliver post 16 education are ill thought through and too complex.  Contrary to what was proposed in the 2005 Foster Review the Government has been treating FE colleges like any other commercial, market driven business.  They are being used as ‘skills warehouses’ to educate those over 16.

“The current mess highlights the dangers of splitting education provision between more than one government department.”

Massive Jump In Apprentices Aged Over 25

There has been a massive 377% increase in the  number of new apprentices aged over 25  as employers look to upskill and motivate their existing workforce during the recession.

Government figures have revealed that 46,800 over-25s joined apprenticeship schemes this year.

For the full story please see the Personnel Today website.

Inquiry into Teacher Training in Vocational Education

The Skills Commission is issuing a call for evidence for its inquiry into the provision of teacher training in vocational education.

Chaired by Sir Mike Tomlinson, the Commission is now inviting written submissions relating to teacher training in vocational education and is supported by the educational foundation Edge.

More details can be found at the Skills Commission website.

Ruskin College and TUC – New Academic Partnership

An agreement is being signed today between the TUC  and Ruskin College that will mark the beginning of a two year partnership between the College and the TUC’s Organising Academy.

The agreement, to be signed at 3pm, will make Ruskin College the lead national provider of Organising Academy courses, bringing together two important academic institutions that have a long and prestigious history of producing trade unionists that campaign for social justice and equality.

The TUC’s Organising Academy, now in its 11th year, trains over 350 union officers and organisers every year. Ruskin College has a history of educating trade unionists, with graduates such as Ex-Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott, Ex-TUC General Secretary George Woodcock and Dennis Skinner MP.

Commenting on the new partnership, TUC Deputy General Secretary Frances O’Grady said: “For the last four years the TUC Organising Academy has enjoyed a successful partnership with Newcastle College. I’d like to thank Newcastle College for their wonderful support and also Ruskin College for welcoming the Organising Academy with such open arms.

“‘This new partnership marks an opportunity to shape a new generation of skilled, educated and motivated trade unionists that will create stronger and more successful unions.”

Audrey Mullender, the Principal of Ruskin College said: “We are delighted to be welcoming the TUC Organising Academy to Ruskin. It makes absolute sense for Ruskin and the TUC to draw together our proud histories of educating trade unionist to organise for social justice and social mobility.”

The new partnership will allow Organising Academy graduates to take advantage of Ruskin’s broader programme of training and support, which includes MA and undergraduate programmes.

School Teachers: 2.3% Rise Confirmed

Commenting on yesterday’s  announcement from the School Teachers Review Body (STRB)  on pay for teachers, Dr Mary Bousted, general secretary of our AMiE partner, the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL), said:

“We are glad that common sense has prevailed and Ed Balls has accepted the STRB’s view that teacher should get a 2.3% pay rise in 2009 and in 2010, as initially recommended in January 2008.

“We are pleased Ed Balls has honoured the pay commitment he made to ATL members at our annual conference in April, and not bowed to pressure to use teachers’ pay as a political football.

“ATL will continue to fight for teachers to be rewarded fairly, not only during a recession but also when the economy picks up and graduates have a far greater choice of careers.”

13 FE Building Projects To Proceed

The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) has announced a shortlist of 13 further education building projects which are proceeding to the next stage of development. The 13 projects have been selected from over 180 projects submitted to the LSC as part of the latest round of the FE Capital programme.

For more information please see the LSC press release.