Higher Futures news digest
Week ending 27 March 2009
Higher Futures news
- Event - Go Higher - Stay Local progression opportunities fair
Thursday 23 April 2009, HUBs, Sheffield Hallam University Students' Union - Event - Sustainable communities employer breakfast event
Friday 8 May 2009, The Source at Meadowhall, Sheffield
General news
- 14-19 education - Surge in numbers of well qualified young people (DCSF, 24 March 2009)
Record numbers of young people are achieving qualifications which will help them excel in the world of work and further study, figures released by the Department for Children, Schools and Families reveal. - Apprenticeships - Denham pledges greater progression for apprentices (DIUS, 18 March 2009)
Skills Secretary, John Denham today pledged to help apprentices go to university, and to ensure higher education meets the needs of students who have come up through a vocational route. - Further education - Becta launches new ‘Generator’ to boost technology use in Further Education and Skills (Becta, 18 March 2009)
Generator, the technology improvement leadership tool for FE and Skills has been launched today. This new online tool is available to all colleges and learning providers in the FE and Skills sector. - Further education - Colleges face £170m projects loss (BBC, 19 March 2009)
Colleges in England have indicated they face losing more than £170m because of delays in getting funding they say was promised for refurbishment… One of those that says it might go bust is Barnsley College, in South Yorkshire, which is half demolished with rebuilding work due to begin in May. - Further education - Learning and Skills Council boss quits over college building fiasco (Telegraph, 23 March 2009)
A £200,000 a year quango chief has resigned following the collapse of a major scheme to rebuild colleges across England. - Higher education - Lifelong crisis spreads as ELQ decision forces further closures (Times Higher Education, 19 March 2009)
More universities have confirmed they are cutting back on lifelong learning courses because of a government funding decision. - Higher education - What if all the students dry up? (Guardian, 24 March 2009)
The economy, climate change and virtual learning could leave university buildings standing empty. - Sectors: health and social care - Lord Laming’s focus on social workers and their skills and support welcomed by regulator (General Social Care Council, 12 March 2009)
The General Social Care Council (GSCC) today praised Lord Laming for highlighting the importance of training and support for social workers and the pivotal role played by those who employ them. - Sectors: health and social care - £4m boost for ‘P Plate’ adult social workers (Department of Health, 17 March 2009)
Newly qualified adult social workers will soon be offered more support throughout their first year of practice, with a £4 million injection of funding announced by Care Services Minister Phil Hope today, World Social Work Day. - Vocational education - Universities to sponsor new 14-19 vocational academies (Times Higher Education, 13 March 2009)
Ken Baker backs diploma-specialist colleges, but critics fear they will become secondary moderns. - Vocational education - VQ Day: Our day in sun (Guardian, 23 March 2009)
Advertisement feature: Last year saw the first ever “VQ Day” – the official celebration of the achievements of everyone who gained a vocational qualification. - Vocational education - Record number of adults gain vocational qualifications (DIUS, 26 March 2009)
A record number of adults gained vocational qualifications in the past academic year, according to National Statistics published today.
Events
- Event – Social care recruitment event
Tuesday 24 to Sunday 29 March 2009, Meadowhall Shopping Centre, Sheffield - Event - HEFCE Annual Conference 2009
Wednesday 1 and Thursday 2 April 2009, Royal Holloway, University of London - Event - Listening to learners: Partnerships in action
Wednesday 22 April 2009, University of East London (Docklands Campus), London - Event - Podium: 2012 Games Workshops for Further Education Colleges
Tuesday 28 April 2009, Park Lane College, Leeds - Event - EAN (European Access Network) Annual Conference
Monday 22 to Wednesday 24 June 2009, York St John University, York - Event - Skills and business expo 2009
Tuesday 23 to Wednesday 24 March 2009, Excel, London - Event - VQ Day
24 June 2009 - Event - FACE (Forum for Access and Continuing Education) Conference 2009
Wednesday 1 to Friday 3 July 2009, Staffordshire University
Publications
- Newsletter - 14-19 Delivery Newsletter: 13 March 2009
- Newsletter - Apprenticeships newsletter: Issue no.02
- Publication - Our future: It’s in our hands – FE Works: supporting individuals, employers and communities (PDF document)
- Publication - Progression through apprenticeships: The final report of the Skills Commission’s Inquiry into apprenticeships; March 2009 (PDF document)