12 JAN 2016
Our Predictions for Further Education in 2016
We hope you had a wonderful Christmas and New Year and are ready and raring to go for 2016!
Happy New Year!
We hope you had a wonderful Christmas and New Year and are ready and raring to go for 2016! We are really excited to see what 2016 has to offer the FE World and after some heavy debating in the office (and a good deal of tweaking, tuning and pruning of the list) we're excited to tell you our 6 predictions for the year ahead!
1. The year the landscape will change
As the Public Accounts Committee reported in ‘Overseeing the financial stability of the FE sector’, a combination of funding cuts and the Government not stepping in fast enough to address the FE funding crisis has left many Colleges in a dire financial state. In the hope of addressing the issue and increasing efficiency in the sector, the Government is undertaking ‘Area Reviews.’ However, as we highlighted in ‘Our Take on the Area Reviews’ last year, these have not gone without criticism. The Government announced the second wave of Area Reviews on December 3rd, listing the 34 general FE Colleges and 15 Sixth Form Colleges to be involved. Once again, concern has been raised over the haphazard nature of the Reviews, as well as their non-comprehensive nature as no School Sixth Form Colleges are being subjected to the process, which is sure to lessen their effectiveness. Despite these concerns, the reviews will be undertaken, and 2016 looks set to be a year of change for the FE landscape as we see many more Colleges merging as more devolution deals are struck. If your College is one of the many institutions now moving towards closer collaboration or merger with a neighbouring institution, have a read of this helpful article on TES by guest writer Nigel Raynar. The piece sets out some key advice for Colleges going through this great structural change, learnt from institutions that have come out the other side.
2. A bumpy ride for Apprenticeships
As the Apprenticeships system is set up, refined and put into action, we expect to see plenty of issues bubble to the surface and big questions raised about how and if it will work to reduce the UK’s skills deficit. The system is already displaying some worrying characteristics, with the Trailblazer employer groups given free reign to decide on the new apprenticeship standards. Many of these groups are not basing their schemes on National Occupational Standards (NOS), which government advisor Mr Whitehead and UKCES claim are vitally important, forming the “raw material on which high quality apprenticeships and many vocational qualifications are based.” Given that, as Ofsted have warned, apprenticeships must remain of the highest standard if they are to prove effective, this is more than a little worrying. Concerns have also been raised about the Apprenticeship Levy of 0.5 per cent of payroll costs on all large UK employers, which is meant to fund new apprenticeships and due to come into effect in April 2017. There is concern in Wales that the knock on effects of the levy will affect employers, funding and the Welsh Government’s own apprenticeship programme, as this doesn’t seem to have been fully considered in plans so far. Concerns have also been raised that the levy will be perceived as another short-term tax on big business, with many dubbing it a new “payroll tax”, and will be difficult to recover from companies in practice. Despite these issues, there is plenty of potential for Apprenticeships, with some Colleges and local MPs seizing the opportunity with both hands.
3. Technology overload
The rise of technology shows no signs of slowing, and we think 2016 will be a transformative year for the use of technology in FE. New initiatives are gaining pace, such as Learnium (an online platform that helps students connect with each other and their teaching staff, as well as share knowledge, interests and answers) who have recently partnered with Microsoft to make their platform accessible for free to every UK Higher and Further Education student (sign up for free here.) Then there's ETAG, the Education Technology Action Group, which was set up following the release of the FELTAG report. ETAG are seeking contributions on key issues surrounding the future of technology in education. They are working on plans and policies to ensure our educational institutions are able to make the most of technology that can deepen and accelerate learning, and working to make this a reality as soon as possible.
4. Colleges will broaden their horizons
2015 was a hugely eventful year for much of the World. With 1 million refugees on the move, many countries are reeling in their attempt to deal with the influx. The UK has promised to allow 20,000 Syrian refugees to resettle in the UK, which we will start to see taking full effect in 2016. We envisage that many of the UK’s institutions will need to adapt their offerings to help assimilate the Syrians into British life, helping to keep the country stable. One hugely important task that doesn’t appear to have crossed the Government’s planning desk yet is teaching the refugees English. We believe Colleges may be asked to play this vital role, and hope they are given the support and funding necessary to do so.
5. Security goes up on the agenda
Internet and infrastructure security has been growing in importance over the last few years. Malicious attacks targeting large institutions have become common, and many large companies have been hitting the headlines having been hacked. 2015 was the year to see educational institutions targeted, with DDoS attacks on the University and College Janet networks affecting Colleges, Universities, their staff and pupils across the UK. The general rise in threats is causing businesses of all sizes to shore up their defences, and we expect Colleges will follow suit in order to ensure their network security is up to scratch in 2016.
6. The challenge of recruitment
With the FE sector facing rather a lot of doom, gloom and most of all uncertainty in the last few years, it seems likely recruitment will be negatively affected in 2016. To counter this, institutions will need to be able to convince candidates that their role will be secure and that it won’t be ‘cut’ in the immediate future due to lack of funding. Benefits and perks to working in FE need to be made clearer than ever, and the sector could do with a good deal of inspiring, positive PR to help it along. We will need to continue focussing on bringing in candidates from other sectors and the world of industry, as well as those new to the job market. For more on FE’s 2016 recruitment challenges, have a look at FECareer’s insightful video article here.
What do you think??
Has our crystal ball worked wonders or failed us in your opinion? Let us know in the comments!