Intuition - Winter supplement 2021 by Redactive Media Group

TECHNICAL EDUCATION An inTuition supplement on how industry and educators are collaborating to create a highly skilled, adaptable and agile workforce

SOFT LANDING

Cutting-edge technical skills are preparing the learners of today for success in the future

In partnership with

Winter 2021 set.et-foundation.co.uk

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CONTENTS 3

T LEVELS

ELECTRIC VEHICLES

One year on

4 EDUCATION REFORM Time for T Levels

6 EVIDENCING IMPACT Industry insights

8 EMPLOYERS

Embracing EVs

20 NEW TECHNOLOGIES Soft landing

22 LEARNING FACTORIES Adding to the new skills value chain

Work placements

POST-PANDEMIC LEARNING

FELLOWSHIP Promoting excellence

Maintain your digital momentum

REGIONAL WORKING

SCIENCE

Advanced engineering

STEM is the bedrock

SKILLS FOR JOBS

INCLUSIVE FE

Spreading prosperity

Learners with SEND

REFORMS AND REINVENTIONS

PATHWAYS AND PARTNERSHIPS

Mind the gap

Tapping new talent

FE AND COP26

CAREERS EDUCATION

Sustainable action

New vocational routes

CLIMATE CHANGE

RECRUITMENT

Towards net zero

Retaining the best

D AV I D R U S S E L L

More of the same? T Levels may be adding another qualification to the educational mix but they have the potential to usher in a new era that changes the way in which we all view education re T Levels ‘just another new qualification’? Perhaps. They are without doubt a highly ambitious, well-designed and well-resourced qualification reform. But for me, T Levels were never simply about a shiny new qualification. The really exciting prize for all of us in further education (FE) is a cultural shift in this country, where FE and technical education take their rightful place in the public consciousness: stretching, rigorous, exciting, intrinsically interesting. To borrow a concept from the work of the education writer Michael Young, if education is about ‘powerful knowledge’, then technical education is ‘powerful knowledge applied’. In a world that was the right way up, teaching one’s trade or profession would be seen as the pinnacle of one’s career. FE teachers would not lag behind school teachers in pay or esteem; they would be ahead, as they have to do everything school teachers do, and be proficient in a second career besides.

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Learners would compete to get into the best technical courses. Employers would boast about their role in hosting the talent of tomorrow on industrial placements. A Levels would be valued for the qualities they have and the opportunities that they provide – a specialised route designed for highly academic students who aren’t quite right for the ‘gold standard’: a demanding technical qualiﬁcation. This for me is the promise of T Levels. Not that they are the replacement for some perfectly good Level 3 qualiﬁcations that already succeed for very many young people, but instead that they are the harbingers of a new era, where social attitudes change from top to bottom about what sort of inclusive, diverse, economically strong and socially equitable society we want. A society where head, hand and heart are all equally valued for the great gifts they bring us all.

DAVID RUSSELL is chief executive of the Education and Training Foundation

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While every care has been taken in the compilation of this magazine, errors or omissions are not the responsibility of the publishers. Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the publishers or editorial staff. All rights reserved. Unless specifically stated, goods or services mentioned are not formally endorsed by the Society for Education and Training, which does not guarantee or endorse or accept any liability for any goods and/or services featured in this publication. ISSN: 2050-8980

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T LEVELS

TECHNICAL EDUCATION

T Levels: one year on Getting T Levels up and running was a huge challenge even before the pandemic intervened. It’s a testament to early preparation and intensive planning his is a key moment for technical education – building a highly skilled and adaptable workforce will be key not just to this country’s recovery from Covid but to levelling up across the country and responding to the challenges of climate change. There has never been a better or more important time to be involved in technical education and skills. Delivering T Levels was never going to be easy – it’s a huge change programme and needs post-16 education providers, employers, awarding bodies and government to work in close partnership. Launching our ﬁrst T Levels during a global pandemic added ‘next-level’ challenges into the mix! That is why I am particularly proud that the introduction of T Levels went ahead as planned in September 2020 and that we’re hearing such positive feedback from learners and providers. This is testament to the hard work and dedication of the ﬁrst 43 FE providers who started teaching T Levels last year. It also showed the importance of the strong partnerships, early preparation and intensive planning, particularly around industry placement delivery and workforce preparation.

Working together From the outset, we’ve been clear that T Levels will only succeed if we work in partnership with post-16 providers. We have invested £165 million since 2018/19 to support providers in developing new

links with business and securing T Level style industry placements for current vocational learners. We invested capital funding to support high-quality delivery, with £50 million worth of projects approved for providers delivering from this September. It’s been great to see learners using the fantastic equipment and facilities this has funded on my visits to T Level providers. And, of course, the ETF’s T Level Professional Development programme has been offered since 2019 and has helped staff to prepare to deliver T Levels. It’s been great to hear how much college leaders and teachers have valued these opportunities and

THERE HAS NEVER BEEN A BETTER OR MORE IMPORTANT TIME TO BE INVOLVED IN TECHNICAL EDUCATION in particular the chance to reconnect with industry partners and refresh on best practice in the workplace.

Raise awareness

200 £165m The number of T Level providers expected to be in force by September 2022

The amount invested to date in supporting providers to develop new links with business

Moving forward, I know that continuing to raise awareness of T Levels for both young people and employers will be key to success. I’m excited that T Levels will be a key part of a wider ‘Young People’s Futures’ campaign being launched by government early in 2022. As of this September we have just over 100 T Level providers and this will reach nearly 200 by September 2022. Registration for 2023 delivery is open so if you’re not already on the T Level journey, we’re looking forward to hearing from you! SUE LOVELOCK is director of professional

and technical education at the Department for Education

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T LEVELS

It’s time for T With the UK’s drive to ‘build back better’ following Brexit and Covid-19, the clock is ticking to implement technical education reforms and meet sustainability and global environment targets he Education and Training Foundation (ETF) has outlined four key goals that are inextricably linked to the United Nations’ global Sustainable Development Goals: To deliver excellence in technical education and training To improve life chances of individuals To address – through partnership working – the productivity challenge To meet the needs of industry and our diverse communities.

Net zero seems to ﬁnally have the recognition and global prioritisation that is required to be addressed by the global community. In the wake of the COP26 summit, the importance of recruiting and retaining worldclass technical teaching staff and building capacity in terms of education is unquestionable. For a small nation, the UK has always punched above its weight in terms of design innovation, entrepreneurship, research and development. More than ever, we compete on a global stage and need to be agile and adaptable to remain competitive. Progress has created new jobs and new sectors – including green jobs – but rendered others redundant. Of course, many would argue that all jobs are green jobs, or need to become green. Our role in further education (FE) is to keep pace with progress and to upskill, reskill and retrain the existing workforce, grow our technical talent pipelines and ensure that individuals and businesses have the skills required for a sustainable economy.

Equity and equality If the UK is to truly build back better, we need to embed equality of opportunity and remove barriers to career entry and progression. We need to ensure a balance is struck, offering ﬂexibility that accommodates family and social life, makes career pathways accessible and inclusive, and ensures that all learners have access to high-quality, impartial careers guidance. Young people must also encounter positive, relatable role models throughout their education, as recognised through the UK’s Career Strategy and the Gatsby Benchmarks. The Hamilton Commission recognised the importance of positive role models with respect to black STEM teachers, and F1 driver and activist Lewis Hamilton announced in October 2021 a drive

YOUNG PEOPLE MUST ALSO ENCOUNTER POSITIVE, RELATABLE ROLE MODELS THROUGHOUT THEIR EDUCATION to recruit a greater number of black teachers into STEM subject specialist teaching (see page 25). The well-publicised shortage of lorry drivers in autumn 2021 reﬂects the

RECORD-HIGH VACANCIES: THREE-MONTH AVERAGE VACANCY RATES IN THE UK Human health and social work activities Education Accommodation and food service activities Administrative and support service activities Professional scientific and technical activities Manufacturing Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles Construction Transport and storage Quarterly percentage growth from April 2021 to June 2021 Percentage growth from prepandemic January to March 2020

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

S O UR C E : OF F IC E F OR N AT ION A L S TAT I S T IC S – VA C A NC Y S UR V E Y

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challenges many sectors are facing in ﬁnding individuals with the skills and experience they need. Sectors with the greatest increase in vacancies include transport and storage, and accommodation and food service activities, (see chart on page 4): all areas where technical education has a signiﬁcant contribution to make. Within this contribution, technical education needs to provide both education and leadership in sustainability. COP26 focused attention on the UK’s leadership in sustainability and global environmental targets. We need to consider what sustainability means for providers and for the communities that they serve, bearing in mind the 4Cs: curriculum, campus, community and culture. We also need to ensure that our learners are connected to the environment that we aim to preserve.

A green and golden age

IM A GE S : A L A M Y / S HU T T E R S T O C K

Recent technical education reforms are heralding a golden age for the FE sector that is now, rightly, considered to be the engine room for sustainable economic development. Progress is incremental, but momentum is gathering. FE has always served industry well through economic crises, and providers are again being asked to rise to the challenge. We are part of an educational/ industrial ecosystem driving increasing skills, productivity, and the development of a green and sustainable economy. The 2020 College of the Future report makes the sector’s priorities clear: Upskilling people across the UK by making it possible for everyone to learn throughout their lives, whatever the route Backing business, driving innovation and addressing skills gaps by establishing a unique service for employers at their local colleges Creating an impactful post-16 education and skills system that addresses unproductive competition between institutions.

Our T-shaped future In developing a suite of courses to support the roll-out of T Levels, the ETF has referred to the ‘T-shaped’ thinker, learner and teacher, who has the transferable knowledge, skills and behaviours to succeed. By the end of 2025, the Hinkley Connection Project will connect lowcarbon energy generated by Hinkley Point C nuclear power station to the national grid. Its design is helping to mitigate the infrastructure’s impact on the environment. The physical infrastructure will include T-pylons (pictured below) – the ﬁrst new UK pylon design for almost a century. Hinkley Point C is being built by EDF Energy, whose engagement with schools, FE and communities is ﬁrmly establishing the ‘technical talent pipeline’ needed for the nuclear industry in the south-west of England and beyond. Its education programme has been delivered for several years and young people who were once involved at school are taking up apprenticeships, studying T Levels and progressing into jobs in lowcarbon energy production. Many of these

TECHNICAL EDUCATION

are young women who were encouraged to consider careers in a sector they may not have otherwise considered. One of these is Hannah Poole, a Level 3 engineering extended diploma leaver from Exeter College. “When I met with my careers guidance in secondary school they made me aware of many things I could do, but engineering wasn’t one of them,” she says. “When I ﬁrst came to the [Exeter College] Technology Centre I met a lady from EDF Energy who was very excited about getting females into Hinkley Point. I knew then that was the path that I wanted to try to get into.” Building back better means including everyone in the design and delivery of green jobs, economic growth and a sustainable future. Where the Commission on Adult Vocation Teaching and Learning report concludes ‘It’s all about work…’, perhaps our drive towards a sustainable future requires a new motif: ‘It’s all about people and places.’ The places we learn, work and live in. CERIAN AYRES is national head of technical education at the ETF

The report emphasises the need for FE providers to work to a 10-year strategy, delivering national priorities, and setting clear goals for achievement of transformative technical education through locality and regional working.

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T LEVELS

Evidencing impact For many providers, T Levels have been an opportunity to review their offer to learners and a chance to examine both curriculum and inclusivity he launch of T Levels in September 2020 was, for Wave 1 providers, the culmination of two years’ hard work and preparation. The Covid-19 pandemic added huge complexity to the implementation of T Levels, and it’s testimony to the strength of the sector that the roll-out continued. In this article we consider the impact that T Levels have had to date, lessons learnt by Wave 1 providers, and consider some of the current priorities in the launch of the qualiﬁcations. Many providers have used T Level introduction as an opportunity to review their existing curriculum, and their portfolio as a whole. “When we review any of our curriculum, obviously we look at the national and local picture, but we also have guiding principles that we use to inform whether a piece of curriculum is tangible,” says Sam Hillman, T Level lead, Exeter College. “We look at whether that curriculum has line of sight to industry. Are there jobs for [T Level learners] at the end of their course?” The introduction of T Levels should spark a nationwide review of the further education (FE) and training offer, and encourage institutions to ask the following critical questions: Is our offer ‘coherent’ internally: are we providing the right courses at the right level, and escalators of progression through technical qualiﬁcations? How does our offer complement – or

compete with – other providers in the region? If there’s competition, is it appropriate, and driving up quality? Does our offer service local and regional employers’ needs and skills deﬁcit? Is it informed by labour market information? Is there a line of sight to work for our learners and leavers? T Level providers can and should take the opportunity to examine existing curricula and teaching, learning and assessment materials and to review, refresh and improve them. The research, employer relationship-building and industry insights gained through preparation for T Levels can positively impact providers’ existing offer. This is about more than curriculum content, it’s about inclusivity too, says Louise Rowley, vice-principal, Bridgwater & Taunton College. “It’s about making sure that we’ve got a curriculum that is accessible for all students, that we’re able, with students, to identify and remove any barriers to

learning that they may have, and can ensure that they’ve got the correct level of support. It’s also about creating opportunities and aspiration for students so they know that they’re able to progress into employment.” Impact: If properly considered and integrated with existing offers, T Level introduction should support a holistic review and improvement of providers’ educational offer.

Enhancing employer engagement Of course, T Levels aren’t just new for providers: they’re new – and potentially demanding – for the employer partners that providers rely on to provide industry placements. In many cases that’s meant providers seeking new employer partners, and extending their relationship with existing partners to ensure they have the capacity to accommodate enhanced and meaningful industry placements. “We’re just ﬁnishing our ﬁrst year of T

STILL WORK TO DO: PROMOTING T LEVELS The 2021 Youth Voice Census, published by Youth Employment UK, contains mixed news for the FE and training sector about the guidance and advice young people are receiving about their educational options. While 86 per cent of young people surveyed have had apprenticeships discussed with them, only 27 per cent have had a discussion about T Levels, and only 7 per cent of young people are ‘likely’ or ‘very likely’ to apply for a T Level.

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T LEVEL INTRODUCTION SHOULD SUPPORT A HOLISTIC REVIEW AND IMPROVEMENT OF PROVIDERS’ EDUCATIONAL OFFER

P H O T O G R A P H Y: G E T T Y

Levels and it’s gone extremely well,” says Rowley. “We’ve really taken our successful model that we have for employer engagement and widened that. What’s key to that is working with employers to help them understand the beneﬁts of T levels.” Impact: T Levels have extended and reinvigorated employer partnerships, and the Education and Training Foundation’s Employer Partnerships and Industry Insights course and wider offer has supported the exchange of effective practice in this critical area.

Improved facilities Supported by the Department for Education’s T Level Capital Fund

(TLCF), many learners across FE are benefiting from improved facilities to support T Level delivery. As Wave 1 providers know, advanced planning is critical: future providers require a deep knowledge of T Level curricula and assessment methods to ensure that they’re equipped to provide learners with functional competence on industry standard facilities. “Having sat on the working groups, the biggest challenge I’m seeing across the other providers is the physical resource,” says Andy Wells, head of faculty at Exeter College. “We have a state-of-the-art robotics lab here, seven industrial robots and an industrial robot attached to a CNC machine. We are ahead of the game and it’s not luck: it’s about preparing for industry and making sure that our current students are actually ready for industry.” This is especially important in technical subject areas where industry standards move quickly and capital investment is high. “Our manufacturers will be looking to us to provide them with the skilled labour that they need and further opportunities,” says John Callaghan, former principal at Solihull College. “If we’re working on old, outdated methodologies, software and equipment, they’re going to have to retrain students. So it’s really important that we talk and have proper engagement with our employers and find out exactly what they’re looking for in terms of experience of software and machines. Our students are then able to adapt.” As Wells says: it’s not luck. Preparation for T Level delivery requires planning and foresight but can deliver tremendous benefits for T Level learners and for providers more generally. Impact: The TLCF – and other funding acquired from industry, and via local education partnerships – has considerably enhanced the facilities available to all learners in FE and training.

TECHNICAL EDUCATION

INSIDE VIEW

INDUSTRY INSIGHTS PROGRAMME The ETF’s Industry Insights programme, part of the T Level Professional Development offer, is designed to support the staff involved with the delivery and shaping of T Levels. Here are the views of some who have participated: “The hands-on experience gives a far more effective learning approach to a more realistic setting compared with a simulated environment” Richard, lecturer at Cheshire College South

“My recent onsite visit to a Morgan Sindall project was an invaluable experience; it gave me a real insight into modern building techniques using Eco Modular Buildings to create new classrooms at a local school. It truly demonstrates the importance of industry involvement into the development and training of new T Level learners” Simon, lecturer at South Essex College

Employers also benefit from providing industry insights to FE colleagues: “Our teams, alongside the subcontractor Eco Modular Buildings, really enjoyed showcasing key aspects of today’s built environment, such as modern methods of construction as well as the practical and technical skills that students will need when entering the industry” Helen Clements, social value manager at Morgan Sindall (employer for Simon’s placement)

For more information about the ETF’s Industry Insight programme, and how to apply, visit et-foundation.co.uk/ supporting/professional-development/ technical-education/t-levels/ industry-insights

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Supporting employers A programme from the Department for Education aims to help employers understand what T Level industry placements are and how they might support their workforce ndustry placements are a fundamental part of T Levels and the government’s reforms to technical education. These longer, more structured placements give young people opportunities to develop real skills in the workplace as they make a meaningful contribution to the organisation they’re working in. The concept of a substantial industry placement is new to most FE providers, and also to employers. It needs a very different approach to other types of work experience or work-based learning. That’s why, in March 2020, the Department for Education (DfE) launched a package of support – developed and delivered by the Strategic Development Network (SDN) – to help

Employer engagement resources In 2021 the DfE released a set of ‘implementation support and case studies’ for use by providers to support T Level development and delivery, from student support to facilities and finance. See bit.ly/TLevelsimplementation-support ‘How employers can contribute to T Level delivery’ summarises employers’ potential contributions and advises providers on countering common objections from employers (for example, ‘We don’t have time to get involved at the moment’). See bit.ly/TLevels-employer-contribution

employers understand what industry placements are, explore how they might support their workforce and start to prepare to offer high-quality placements. The primary relationship with employers will, of course, be with T Level providers, particularly as they start more detailed planning and actual delivery. The support outlined supplements this role, helping employers to explore and understand industry placements at an early stage and providing useful resources for providers to signpost and use with their employer contacts.

The programme has three elements: Resources – a bank of generic and skill-area-specific resources to help employers understand and take the practical steps needed to start offering placements. These include guidance, case studies, tools and templates. Events – a regular programme of webinars and workshops open to employers, including introductions to industry placements, T Level-specific sessions, webinars tackling a particular barrier and interactive planning workshops. One-to-one support – this support responds to specific employer needs, whether it’s a question, helping with a particular issue or working through the practicalities of offering placements. These are often hosted online as one-toone or group sessions. The programme is backed by some of the country’s leading employer networks with support from industry-specific

NEW REGIONAL COLLABORATIONS ARE EMERGING AMONG EMPLOYERS IN INDUSTRIES SUCH AS HEALTH AND CONSTRUCTION bodies. Some 1,600 employers have so far engaged in events, the website has received over 100,000 visits and interest has been growing as employers emerge from the impact of Covid-19. The support has helped equip employers and build momentum regionally. New regional collaborations are emerging among employers, such as those in the health and construction industries, to build and share placement models and co-ordinate the hosting of students with local T Level providers. TIM CHEWTER is head of business development and COLIN BENTWOOD is chief executive at the Strategic Development Network

Employers can access the support at employers.tlevels.gov.uk. If you would like more information, email employers@ strategicdevelopmentnetwork.co.uk

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FELLOWSHIP

TECHNICAL EDUCATION

In pursuit of excellence The Technical Teaching Fellowship provides funded fellowships to help promote excellence in technical education he Technical Teaching Fellowship (TTF) programme is funded by a partnership between the Education and Training Foundation (ETF) and the Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851. TTF celebrates, develops and disseminates exceptional practice in technical teaching to support and empower the industrial and technical expertise of the next generation. Funded fellowships enable successful applicants to develop and promote a model of professional excellence in their delivery of technical education. Since 2019, 10 TTFs have been awarded, cascading improvements in teaching and learning across the wider sector. The fellowship programme – and the wide range of technical teaching resources offered – are all part of the ETF’s work in raising the proﬁle of further education (FE) technical teaching, training and education in the UK. The programme has helped to establish a sustainable community of practice for technical teaching throughout England. One of the ﬁve criteria that the fellows work to address is demonstrating highly effective approaches to improving teaching and learning in technical education, helping other teachers to teach better.

Nuclear behaviours Chris Fairclough’s fellowship has supported the development of Lakes College and the National College for Nuclear’s excellent work on ‘nuclear behaviours’, which promotes experiential learning and a focus on attitudes and behaviours. “Humans actually learn by doing something,” he says. “So when students enter education why do we change that?” Working with the college’s excellent simulation facilities, the experiential

model encourages learners to witness the (simulated!) impact of their actions. It encourages learners to reﬂect on – and learn from – their actions and behaviours. In nuclear environments, behaviours are critical, so the model also develops learners’ capacity for peer review, situational awareness and mutual respect. The good news is that expensive installations aren’t required: “Sectorspeciﬁc behaviours can be embedded in a classroom: it doesn’t have to be a whole building,” says Fairclough. “You’re creating an immersive educational environment for those students, preparing them for their workplace of choice.”

Ladders of escalation Steve Mariadas – now the chief executive officer of the South West Institute of Technology (IoT) – has been instrumental in developing data science education across the south-west in close co-operation with key employers including the Met Office and Babcock International (see page 15). He has developed expertise in identifying and responding to employers’ needs: soon, data science learners and employees will have a progression path from Level 3 up to Level 7 with the South West IoT at the centre of a sustainable industrial-educational partnership. His fellowship gave him a national platform to ensure best practices were used as a model for others and to inspire the next generation of data scientists. In May 2020, Lynda Broomhead, head of faculty at Petroc College, was part of a team across Petroc, the University of Exeter and City & Guilds that developed and released an online tool to support FE providers to consider models of effective working practices when faced with the challenges of the pandemic, and also to increase

BECOME A FELLOW The fellows share their effective practice through CPD facilitation, contributing to a comprehensive suite of support. This includes online training courses, face-to-face CPD, webinars and, launched this year, a course, ‘Preparing for a career in FE teaching’, which provides an excellent foundation in the theory and practice of technical teaching. Applications for the 2022/23 Technical Teaching Fellowships are now open. The ETF is seeking outstanding practitioners who are able to facilitate high-quality learning experiences and positive learner outcomes, and to share expertise across the sector. For details of how to apply, see bit.ly/ETF-TTF

public understanding of the virus’s spread. The tool – Simuland – visually demonstrated how public health measures such as social distancing, could reduce risk, supporting the delivery of health and healthcare courses and learners’ development of maths, digital and communication skills. Broomhead and other fellows have also played a signiﬁcant part in the development of the T Level Professional Development programme and the Apprenticeship Workforce Development programme, lending a strong sector voice to these training courses and helping share effective practice across the sector. CERIAN AYRES is national head of technical education at the ETF

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REGIONAL WORKING

City of 1,000 trades The Greater Birmingham and Solihull Institute of Technology is building on the city’s industrial heritage to develop employability skills for advanced manufacturing and engineering etal built Birmingham. From general metalware trades in the 17th century, arms, jewellery and commodities in the 18th and 19th centuries, to engineering and the automotive industry in the 20th century, the city’s fortunes have been tied to silver and steel. Not surprisingly, in Victorian England it became known as the ‘city of a thousand trades’. Industrial decline in the 1970s decimated manufacturing employment in Birmingham and prompted the city’s decades-long redevelopment and the diversiﬁcation of its economy. However, the engineering and advanced manufacturing sectors are still central to that economy and are supported by one of the UK’s ﬁrst institutes of technology (IoTs): Greater Birmingham and Solihull Institute of Technology (GBS IoT). GBS IoT is pioneering a partnership approach to developing employability skills for advanced manufacturing and engineering across the region. “For

P H O T O G R A P H Y: G E T T Y

businesses and employers we’re one point of contact: whether an employer needs a graduate, an apprentice or a work placement they can come to one place and we can solve that for them,” says Rosa Wells, executive director, IoT. GBS IoT encourages a collaborative approach to education and training across the region. Rather than compete with each other, the partnership encourages providers to work together to ensure that high-quality technical education is available to support a technical talent pipeline for all employers. GBS IoT is, formally, a partnership between three colleges, four universities and three local employers, but owes its success to its broader partnerships, which include the following: Colleges West Midlands – this strategic partnership of 20 providers supports co-ordination and inclusion across the region’s technical educational offer, including ‘Kickstart’ and adult education

The West Midlands Combined Authority supports employer engagement and horizon-scanning – for example the potential that the region might host a ‘gigafactory’ for electric vehicle manufacture in the future Solihull Chamber of Commerce, whose head office is based within Solihull College, supports opportunities for constant engagement between educators and employers Shakespeare’s England extends GBS IoT’s reach and influence into neighbouring counties. The collaboration is a genuine ‘twoway street’: in 2020 a Coventry-based manufacturer identified a deficit in apprenticeship provision for materials engineering. Working with the Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), GBS IoT was able to fund facilities and develop a curriculum to deliver a higher national certificate (HNC) to support this skillset. Employers also support the design and development of curricula and facilities: in July 2015 GBS IoT developed a unit to

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support vehicle technicians to maintain hybrid and electric vehicles. A local automotive design company – Continental Engineering Services – supported the curriculum design and helped GBS IoT to ﬁt out a suitable workshop for its delivery. Vehicle technicians from across Birmingham will have access to this professional development, and ‘train the trainer’ delivery to colleges across the country will help generate national beneﬁt from regional innovation.

Sustainable model Sustainability is built in to GBS IoT’s work. A sustainability officer works within each of the colleges in the IoT partnership to share sustainable practices with small and medium-sized employers and to signpost to both funding and sustainability projects in the region. GBS IoT supports groups such as the Solihull Council Climate Change Commission, providing feedback on ways in which the council can engage with young people as well as signposting opportunities for innovation and research. GBS IoT also supports the pipeline for science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) in the region, in part through the STEM-Up project led by Birmingham City University.

TECHNICAL EDUCATION

I N D U S T R Y PA R T N E R S H I P S

A POWERHOUSE OF ADVANCED MANUFACTURING AND ENGINEERING ROSA WELLS, executive director, Greater Birmingham and Solihull Institute of Technology (GBS IoT) For the first time, GBS IoT has brought together the most innovative education providers within the GBS Local Enterprise Partnership area with leading industry stakeholders to create a powerhouse for advanced manufacturing and engineering. Acting as a powerful catalyst for agility and change, the GBS ‘hub and spoke’ IoT is starting to have a significant and positive impact across the sector and beyond. The partnership is jointly designing,

STEM-Up extends funded educational opportunities to over-18s across the region, allowing them to develop employability skills and inspire interest in STEM-related industries and technologies.

INSTITUTES OF TECHNOLOGY Institutes of technology (IoTs) “aim to break down the barriers between higher and further education to deliver practical workplace skills”. The first 12 IoTs – announced in 2019 – brought together 40 FE providers, 60 employers and 18 universities. They cover skills specialisms from IT (East London) to agri-tech (Lincolnshire and Yorkshire and the Humber) and health and life sciences (West of England). A second wave of IoTs are due to be announced soon. You can read more at gov.uk/government/publications/ institutes-of-technology--2/ institutes-of-technology

developing and widening education and training opportunities aligned to the latest skills needs of leading-edge employers; the local, regional and national economy; and government priorities for technical education. We are working with under-represented learners, facilitating clear ‘line of sight’ opportunities for progression from school to high-level occupations. While there are challenges to establishing a truly collaborative partnership bringing together different institutions and working cultures, the benefits for learners, employers and the sector are already evident.

Consideration of both pipeline and progression is essential to the success of IoTs – and the future of technical education provision across the country. GBS IoT has a clear vision for what it intends to achieve. “What we’re looking to do is provide progression from technical levels 4 and 5 into jobs, but also to make strategic partnerships with our university partners so that, if our students do want to go on to do a BSc, a master’s or a doctorate, they’ve got that route as well,” says John Callaghan, former principal of Solihull College & University Centre. “The British system is still very much focused on A Levels into university, which is very academic. What we’re trying to do is to say: ‘There is another route.’” The diversity of Birmingham’s economic base – across industry, ﬁnance and services – should help to protect the city against the recession it suffered in the 1970s, supported by the strength of its FE and higher education provision, and the regional partnership working exempliﬁed by GBS IoT.

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SKILLS FOR JOBS

Sharing the proceeds of prosperity more equally across the UK is at the heart of government policy. Developing skills for the jobs of the future is a vital part of this

he new buzzword in UK politics is ‘levelling up’, but could this agenda be the vehicle for us to ﬁnally address the issue of local skills shortages and regional inequalities across the UK? Two of the government’s headline strategies – the Ten Point Plan and Build Back Better: Our Plan for Growth – highlight the importance of skills development in helping the UK emerge from the pandemic greener, economically stronger and more inclusive. However, any strategy that fails to consider local skills needs may miss the mark. In 2018, reports from Pearson, Nesta and the World Economic Forum, among others, highlighted some signiﬁcant changes in the global labour market: A shift to automation: arriving at the expense of low-skilled, manual jobs but creating skilled roles in programming and engineering Increased globalisation: requiring advanced communication, management skills and global collaboration in the face of challenges such as pandemics and global warming An ageing global population: the legacy impact of the pandemic on global healthcare services will demand innovation, efficiency and investment in health and social care The green economy: requiring new engineering, technology, energy, transport, and leadership skills.

Tomorrow’s world

The pandemic may well have accelerated the pace of change, with the sudden and dramatic shift to online and digital ways of working forcing technological innovation, altered retail and travel patterns and pushing many companies to question the traditional concept of the workplace.

Pearson’s Future of Jobs report highlighted that of those currently employed, 10 per cent are in occupations that will grow, 20 per cent in ones that will shrink and 70 per cent in jobs that have an uncertain future. McKinsey & Company’s more nuanced view is that 30 per cent of tasks in 60 per cent of occupations will disappear.

IM A GE S : GE T T Y

Implications for learners

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SKILLS FOR JOBS

The Skills Accelerator initiative announcement saw a range of collaborations launch in July 2021. Many centred on newly created Local Skills Improvement Plans, intended to link skills supply to employer demand and strengthen pathways available to learners for progression in specific fields. Skills Boot Camps were created for those aged 19+ interested in retraining in areas including construction, digital, engineering, manufacturing, and, most recently, HGV driving. These programmes enhance the potential for making career progression pathways accessible and inclusive to all. The accelerated pace of change requires us to be closer than ever to employers and industry as new jobs – and sectors – emerge. We need more robust mechanisms to link enterprise and education so that we can deliver skills for jobs.

Meeting local needs This seismic shift in employment and skills has the potential to result in a more equal, levelled-up society, by departing from the London-centric mindset and moving towards local approaches to skills planning and delivery. Structures and frameworks to support this are emerging or already in place:

The Gatsby Benchmarks and the development of Opportunity Areas has been a catalyst for schools and further education (FE) providers to focus on how far they link with business and enterprise. In some areas, local businesses have used employer initiatives such as Cornerstone to make signiﬁcant contributions to the resources available to schools, colleges and their pupils.

Skills Advisory Panels developed by Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) have brought business leaders together with universities, FE colleges and apprenticeship scheme providers to inform the local skill provision required to ﬁll current and future vacancies.

TECHNICAL EDUCATION

Partnerships between the Careers & Enterprise Company (C&EC), LEPs and employers have created effective local Enterprise Advisor Networks, supporting the strategic development of careers education in colleges and schools. These networks are offering innovation in curriculum planning, greater contact with employers and crucial information for parents on the changing world of work.

Changing mindsets We seem to struggle with the notion that market forces should dictate our offers. Individuals investing their own time and money into skills development often choose courses they are personally interested in, regardless of the employment opportunities that are realistically available to them. Levelling up and overcoming regional inequalities will require: Robust and responsive labour market information that is accessible to those making choices about their skills development and future career path Incentivising training in shortage skills through employer partnerships for workplace opportunities and bursaries Embedding careers-oriented issues into school and college curricula and taking a counselling and coaching approach to career planning to address the preconceptions around shortage subjects. FE colleges and course providers need investment in these areas to develop their existing good practice in ‘co-training’ programmes where ‘shortage’ skillsets such as science, engineering or digital are embedded across relevant programmes. So, art students gain skills in computeraided design, music students in digital

70%

The proportion of jobs with an uncertain future, according to Pearson

THE ACCELERATED PACE OF CHANGE REQUIRES US TO BE CLOSER THAN EVER TO EMPLOYERS AND INDUSTRY editing and those on beauty courses develop skills in chemistry. FE colleges in the C&EC Careers Hubs have been sharing good practice on new initiatives. For example, Carmel College’s team works with engineering firm Jacobs on live projects. Learners have grown in confidence, having been exposed to new networks, leading to work experience opportunities and career mentoring links. In March 2021, the University of Derby published the findings of a four-year study of the impact of the Gatsby Benchmarks in the north-east of England. At Sunderland College, research revealed that enhanced links with a wide range of employers strengthen the college’s careersfocused curriculum, including the importance of critical thinking, problem-solving and adaptability. There is notable disparity in the economy, with large numbers of vacancies in vital industries and oversupply of skills in others. It is clear that if we are going to face the economic challenge of Brexit and postCovid recovery we must invest not only in skills but in a coherent system of communication and promotion of skills required for the future. The combination of national approaches with local strategies means we may truly be able to start levelling up. LISA VERNON MBE is an education consultant specialising in further education and skills policy, prison education and literacy programmes for marginalised learners

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REFORMS AND REINVENTIONS

Mind the gap Helping teachers deliver world-class higher technical education is key to filling the hole at the heart of the UK’s technical qualification landscape. Collaborative partnerships are a vital ingredient

here is a gaping hole in the UK’s technical qualification landscape. Many of us will be familiar with qualifications such as the HNC or HND, some may have written foundation degrees, but few are qualified at this level. Over the past few decades, studying at higher levels has meant bypassing Level 4 or 5, and moving straight to a degree. Even when studying for these valuable and well recognised qualifications, most learners have used them as a steppingstone. There is a ‘direct to degree’ mentality in our higher education (HE) system that has become endemic. What this means for technical education is stark. If we do not support learners to study to higher technical levels, we will fail to maintain, let alone to grow, the expert technical workforce on which much of our economy relies. Just as T Levels aim to raise the status and visibility of technical education at Level 3, recent reforms to higher technical qualifications (HTQ) have been set out to strengthen these well-known and respected qualifications and increase uptake in economically crucial sectors.

EMPLOY ER DEMAND

DEVELOPING SUSTAINABLE HTQ PROVISION STEPHEN MARIADAS, Education and Training Foundation and Royal Commission technical teaching fellow, chief executive officer at the South West Institute of Technology, and degree apprenticeship lecturer in data analytics, Exeter College World-class technical education requires collaborative working between our renowned HE and FE providers but there is an often-overlooked ingredient: the input of employers and industry.  At the South West Institute of Technology, working closely with employers such as the Met Office and Babcock primarily helps focus the direction of the curriculum but there is an even deeper advantage.  Our recent success of delivering the higher level data analytics programme

not only resulted in over 100 apprentices completing a Level 4/5 qualification but in employer requests to develop a new data science degree apprenticeship. While this requirement could have been anticipated, it was the demand for a Level 3 data technician course that caught us by surprise. The desire of employers to have a simple pathway for their staff to upskill at any level and still have choices to take this further was resounding.   The new In-Work Skills pilot announced this month has enhanced this opportunity. Fully funded short courses, designed to rapidly meet workforce demands in technical skills, can only stoke employer appetite further and lead to greater ambition for other higher-level courses in the longer term.

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TECHNICAL EDUCATION

EFFECTIVE APPRENTICESHIPS

THE COACHING MODEL IN HIGHER/ DEGREE APPRENTICESHIPS STRONG LINKS TO PARTNER ORGANISATIONS CAN BE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SUCCESS AND FAILURE

Fundamentally the changes are simple: Does a programme of study meet the needs of the industry it serves? Do employers recognise the content as valid and up to date enough that they would add the ‘right knowledge and skills’ to their workforce? If so, it is certiﬁed as such, and ‘badged’ as meeting Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education approval. But how do we get learners on these crucial courses? And how do we build the best progression pathways possible leading to high skilled, well-paid employment? The answer lies in collaboration. Working together across the skills landscape develops powerful ways of sharing knowledge and success. Colleges should be wary of simply launching in to teaching at Level 4 and 5 with no background in working at this level. It is not as simple as ‘keeping half the BTEC students’ and laying on a bit more content. Strong links to partner organisations can be the difference between success and failure. There is no one-sizeﬁts-all model – partnerships can be

CHRIS FAIRCLOUGH, technical teaching fellow, and curriculum operations leader, higher engineering, science and nuclear department, National College for Nuclear (NCfN) The coaching process for apprentices has been critical to the success of our higher/degree apprenticeships at the NCfN. Coaching brings academic and work-based elements of the apprenticeship together, supporting the development of each apprentice, but also informing our approach to recruitment. We focus on the recruitment of excellent coaches rather than additional technical specialists on top of the academic࣢teams. An effective apprenticeship coach doesn’t need the technical skills required to assess the standard at end-point assessment. They need to be good coaches, asking thought-provoking questions

countrywide to ensure no one is recruiting one of their partners’ learners, or local consortia working out the best way to meet labour market demands between them. Going back to the HTQ reforms, particularly in an HE environment, creates a need to offer content and teaching which goes beyond the speciﬁcation. Taking feedback from employers who work with graduates will create a more powerful learning environment for your students and open the door to stronger collaboration in ways that you cannot see until they happen. Asking local employers to contribute expertise can be particularly rewarding for both employer and provider in HE courses and offers huge development

that allow apprentices to consider their knowledge, skills and behaviours, and assess their own࣢progress. Effective coaches allow apprentices space to grow, providing encouragement and focus throughout their journey. The coaching࣢model allows us to be agile when responding to requests from our employer partners and to expand our apprenticeship offer. Coaching is now fully integrated into the delivery of higher/ degree apprenticeships at Lakes College, and we’re currently rolling it out across advanced and intermediate࣢apprenticeships. Our coaches are the link between employer and provider and enable the best possible journey for each apprentice. In my department we have a 92 per cent first-time pass rate at Level 6 apprenticeships and a 100 per cent first-time pass rate for Level 5.

potential for teachers on those programmes alongside the students. Ultimately, much of the success of HTQ reforms lies in how we prepare teachers to deliver worldclass higher technical education. With a direct choice between ‘traditional university’ and technical qualiﬁcations, having the very best teaching available becomes an essential differentiator for learners, providers and employers alike. Without taking the time to focus on excellence in teaching, any reform is unlikely to really help us ﬁll the gap we so urgently need to address. PAUL KESSELL-HOLLAND is national head of curriculum design projects at the Education and Training Foundation

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FE AND COP26

Blue skies and green horizons The recent COP26 summit in Glasgow underlined the importance of taking action now to help fight climate change. Those working in further education can become part of the solution n November 2021 the UN Climate Change Conference, COP26, convened in Glasgow, bringing global attention to climate change. The conference had four clear goals: Secure global net zero by mid-century and keep 1.5 degrees within reach (this is the key net zero objective defined by the 2015 Paris Agreement) Adapt to protect communities and natural habitats (protecting and restoring ecosystems, building defences and resilient infrastructure) Mobilise finance (developed countries will make available public and private finance to support the UN’s climate change objectives) Work together to deliver (by finalising the ‘rulebook’ that governs the 2015 Paris Agreement and encouraging collective action between governments, business and civil society).

IM A GE : S HU T T E R S T O C K

The UK – which held the presidency of COP26 – has some reason to be proud of its leadership on climate change. According to Alok Sharma, MP and COP president, over the last 30 years British governments have grown our economy by 78 per cent while cutting emissions by 44 per cent. Some of the activities that have generated this progress will be familiar to teachers and trainers in the sector: for example, training apprentice wind turbine technicians and electric vehicle technicians.

However, when faced with a global challenge, it can be difficult for providers – and for individuals – to understand how they can contribute, and where to start. In this article we suggest some ‘ways in’ to tackle climate change for your institution, and for your curriculum.

Build on learners’ interest Climate change and sustainability really matter to the next generation. The young

GREEN GOWN AWARDS

people that you teach and train are likely to engage with environmental issues without the scepticism that has held back global progress in recent decades. For example, in 2019 Alex Dixon, then enrolled on a higher national certiﬁcate (HNC) in electrical and electronic engineering at Exeter College, won a Green Gown Award for his sustainability project. “When I was set this project and the theme was sustainability, I thought ‘perfect’,” he recalls. “I could actually do something that would make a difference. I’m not talking about cleaning up all the plastics in the oceans because one man can’t do that.

The Green Gown Awards are an annual competition to “recognise the exceptional sustainability initiatives being undertaken by universities and colleges”. They’re organised by the Alliance for Sustainability Leadership in Education (EAUC) and are free to enter. You can find more information at eauc.org.uk/home

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FE AND COP26

But what you can do is make a small difference to what you’re doing.” Alex redesigned a printed circuit board for his employer. The waste reduction in his new design saved his company over £15,000 per year, and removed 4,000kg of C02 from the atmosphere. Alex recognises the agency and potential impact that he – and his peers – have: “We can all sit and go, ‘Oh, you know I’m going to turn my light off every night’ but wouldn’t it be great if the light switch turned itself off ? Engineering is at the core of sustainability because somebody has to sit there, think about it and design it.” Consider, and utilise, your learners’ potential passion for net zero and the sustainability agenda when you’re designing curricula, schemes of work, lesson plans and assessments. Alex’s assessment turned into an awardwinning project with a material and positive environmental impact.

TECHNICAL EDUCATION

C L I M AT E C R I S I S

WHY IT MATTERS JAMES MICHAEL MALTBY, digital learning lead, Humanitarian Leadership Academy, at Save the Children UK I left technical education two years ago to take up my role as digital learning lead at Save the Children UK. The climate crisis has been identified by the movement as a priority response area. Drastic mitigation action is needed to reduce emissions and limit warming to 1.5°C. It should be led by high-income and high-emitting countries and informed by children’s best interests and identified priorities. Without this, the children of low- and middle-income countries will be burdened with the most dangerous impacts of the climate crisis.

Learning and development is essential to the solution. As part of our three-year learning strategy we will be focusing on two activities. First, developing technical training programmes that enable locally led action to counter the effects of climate change. Second, educating the global community on the consequences of the crisis and advocating for further climate action. The FE sector has a key part to play. Technical experts from diverse backgrounds will be required to find innovative solutions to climate problems. Our students are the future global citizens and leaders who will need to take action to avoid new crises.

The four Cs To make our contribution to the climate change challenge, all of us in the sector must recognise the part that we can play, and believe that we can make positive change. Most providers start with a ‘curricular’ response, but quickly recognise that curricula can’t be changed in isolation. The ‘four Cs’ provide a framework for our collective action in education for sustainable development: Curriculum: what we teach and how we teach it. How is sustainability embedded in your curricula? Community: recognising that our institutions can have a powerful inﬂuence on communities, the people and places that share our immediate environment. How can your organisation

become a force for positive change in your locality and region? Culture: understanding that we are leaders and role models in our classrooms and communities. The values that we demonstrate – for example around equity and advancing equality, diversity and inclusion – will inﬂuence tomorrow’s teachers, trainers and leaders. Campus: how do our campuses measure up in terms of sustainability? Does the environment that we provide for our learners reinforce the messages we’re sending on sustainable development?

Doorways to sustainable development In 2006 the (then) Department for Children, Schools and Families (DSCF) launched the National Framework for Sustainable Schools, which provides nine ‘doorways’ through which providers can start their journey to sustainability: Food and drink Energy and water Travel and traffic Purchasing and waste Nature and biodiversity Buildings and grounds Inclusion and participation

Local wellbeing Global dimension. More recently, the Alliance for Sustainability Leadership in Education and the Association of Colleges were part of a partnership that published the Climate Action Roadmap for FE Colleges. The roadmap proposes a collaboration between college leadership, learners and wider stakeholders and provides a ‘series of initiatives that colleges can implement to reach net zero emissions and improve their environmental impact’ across ﬁve categories: Leadership development Teaching, learning and research Estates and operations Partnership engagement Data collection. Whichever ‘way in’ you – or your provider – chooses, or has chosen, use the opportunity that COP26 provides to re-energise your approach to education for sustainable development. CERIAN AYRES is national head of technical

education at the Education and Training Foundation

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CLIMATE CHANGE

Towards net zero The ETF is helping those in the FE E sector secttor create create and adopt education for sustainable ble development developmen nt goals through whole-institution n approaches ap pproaches he further education (FE) and training sector has a critical role to play in combating climate change and achieving sustainability and social justice. Not only can we develop sustainability specialists, providing the pipeline for various industries that will help us with technical solutions, but we can also ensure that sustainability is embedded across our provision. Thus the entire learner body develops knowledge, skills and agency to enable them to meet global challenges in their professional and private lives. For the ﬁrst time in over a decade, it now feels sustainability is ﬁrmly on the agenda. The UK government’s postpandemic recovery plan recognises that investing in environmental sustainability will secure greater economic sustainability in the longer term. The Green Jobs Taskforce published its recommendations to government, the sector and industry in July. And sector bodies, civic society and industry representatives are increasingly calling for more widespread education for sustainable development (ESD). This is welcome among the FE workforce. In a survey of 830 practitioners, nearly all respondents (94 per cent) believed that all UK learners should be taught about sustainability issues. Many are bringing their beliefs to their teaching and learning practice, with 61 per cent of respondents already actively incorporating ESD into their teaching and practice to some extent. But there’s more to be done, with over 70 per cent feeling there should be more teaching in the post-16 UK education system about a range of subjects that relate to ESD. “If sustainability means to develop today while maintaining

the world for future re ggenerations ener en erat atio ions n to prosper, then alll su subjects subj bjec ects ts aare re llinked inked to in sustainability,” respondent. ,” said one respond dent. t That’s why at the Education and Training Foundation (ETF), we’re ndation (ETF) working to support the sector’s adoption of ESD to enhance teaching, learning, assessment and leadership. We’re promoting whole-institution approaches where FE providers embed ESD strategically across not only their curriculum but also their operations, leadership and culture for the beneﬁt of the wider community as well as their learners and staff. Examples of this in practice include: Building ESD into strategic plans Building plans for green jobs into local skills partnerships Setting up partnerships with local sustainability charities Ensuring everyone in the staff and learner community has an opportunity to shape, and engage, with sustainability and ESD action.

94% 61%

The proportion of practitioners who believe all UK learners should be taught about sustainability issues

The amount of educators who are actively incorporating ESD into their teaching and practice

Sustainable Sustai ina nabl ble bl e De D Deve Development eve vello lopm p en entt Go Goal Goals alls The UN UN’ UN’s ’s Sustainable Sus usta tain i ab in able le D Development evel elop pme ment nt Goals (SDGs) G oals l (S (SDG DGs)) are a vvaluable aluabl l ble fframework ramework k ESD. for exploring the themes of ESD. The SDGs clearly and simply demonstrate the breadth of sustainability, helping people identify the links between their objectives or subject matter and the issues central to sustainability. Sub-indicators on all 17 goals reference education, so they also help educators see their role in working towards their realisation. One organisation furthering its ESD practice is ACL Essex. “We’ve identified ways to embed this into the curriculum, working with curriculum leads and tutors across a range of subjects,” says Terry Norris, workforce development lead. “So far people have responded enthusiastically. As the staff development lead, I am looking at running accredited courses in the future. The ETF has been instrumental in helping us progress.” “We’re also exploring new technical courses supplying the retrofit market and how we can improve sustainability in our operations too,” says Christian Norman, VP curriculum and learning. ETF resources and tools available to practitioners and providers include not only our research, but a range of case studies, curriculum audit tools and subject-specialist specific resources. We’re also working with others in the sector to create a more enabling environment for greater ESD uptake in the sector. You can explore the latest at et-foundation.co.uk/ESD CHARLOTTE BONNER is national head of education࣢for sustainable development at the ETF

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ELECTRIC VEHICLES

f you’ve not yet been behind the wheel of an electric car yourself, you’ll have seen one gliding past and marvelled at how quiet they are. The electric vehicle (EV) is here to stay, and the sector is ﬂourishing: in May 2021 EV sales represented 23 per cent of the new vehicle market. Having driven an electric car, I’m hooked. They are quiet, fast and, with no gears to change, have a lot fewer moving parts to be maintained by your garage. Miles per charge is increasing with every new launch. Over 250 miles per charge is now commonplace and where it costs £35 in diesel for my car to travel this distance, my EV costs £4. It takes longer to charge the electric car, but you’ll be amazed how many charge points are already in use across the UK. Charging times are coming down, and the new way to do this is to allow your EV to put its remaining energy back into the National Grid and then recharge at home, overnight, when electricity is cheaper. But there is a threat to the sustainability of the EV sector: according to analysis by the Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI), only 6.5 per cent of the automotive sector was EV-ready by the end of 2020. Without enough technicians who are able to service and repair electric vehicles, the UK government’s climate change target to cut emissions and to make progress towards net zero emissions sions by 2050 is unachievable. We need to train rain and retrain the workforce required to support the adoption of EV technologies gies

and the further education and training sector is critical to that. The number of technician job postings requesting EV skills is skyrocketing and, with these skills so thin on the ground, it’s vital that our education and training system responds to meet demand. To do so requires proactive and intensive collaboration; it’s important that employers work together with education

UNFORTUNATELY, WE STILL FIND THAT CAREERS GUIDANCE PORTRAYS ‘MECHANIC’ AS A LOW-SKILLED JOB and training providers, involving teachers and careers advisors, students and parents, professional associations and industry bodies to raise awareness of skills gaps and do something about them. At Lincoln College, our automotive provision includes training pathways for electric and hybrid vehicle technicians, supported by multiple stakeholders including the IMI, and working closely with local and regional employers. We’ve become a ‘skills hub’ for the region providing relevant apprenticeships and T Levels for new

TECHNICAL EDUCATION

entrants into the profession, and CPD for existing mechanics. We’re nurturing a pipeline of new talent through a range of activities that bring automotive technologies of the future to parents and schoolchildren. Unfortunately, we still ﬁnd that careers guidance portrays ‘mechanic’ as a lowskilled job: it’s not! That’s why it’s so important to get the students and the teachers in to see a car surrounded by the diagnostic equipment that a technician of today’s standards needs to have. Automotive engineering is a much cleaner profession now, and one that can appeal to young people with an interest in IT and clean, green technologies. We have the opportunity to expand our workforce and increase its diversity, attracting female learners and – with the support of the Hamilton Commission and the Royal Academy of Engineering – an increased number of learners from black and ethnic minority backgrounds. The petrol shortage in October 2021 brought into focus the challenges of the carbon economy and – quite possibly – was a tipping point for many car owners to commit to electric for their next purchase. As the timescale tightens to achieve net zero, it’s time that we all considered the move to EVs, and to equip our automotive workforce for the green jobs of their future. PETER JACKSON is an ETF and Royal

Commission technical teaching fellow

Gearing up The need to embrace electric vehicles is overwhelming, ming, but it’s important our education cation and training system keeps eeps pace by enabling the skills required to develop elop and service them TECHNICAL EDUCATION WINTER 2021 INTUITION 19

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NEW TECHNOLOGIES

Parachute your learning Devon firm Heathcoat Fabrics has evolved from textile manufacturing to providing a safe landing for a Mars mission. It’s a great example of innovation in UK engineering and manufacturing

eathcoat Fabrics Ltd in Tiverton, Mid Devon, and its founding family, have a fascinating origin story full of industrial achievement which – in 2021 – saw its products, literally, parachuting technologies onto another planet. John Heathcoat – the company’s founder and a textile entrepreneur – was a man far ahead of his time, says Peter Hill, director of woven fabrics at Heathcoat. “He set up the ﬁrst factory school for the workers, so he had an educated workforce to run his equipment,” he says. “He was really, you could say, the Elon Musk of his

day: he was really that far ahead of the normal thinking of factory managers, a guy that came up himself from being an apprentice to an inventor and owning a very large factory.” The company specialised in knitted silk fabrics and, later, woven fabrics. During World War Two it was called upon to make parachutes for the war effort. It began to develop a reputation for high-performance, specialist technical fabrics that eventually caught the attention of the European Space Agency (ESA) and NASA. On Thursday 18 February 2021, a Heathcoat parachute helped the

Perseverance rover brake – from 20,000 km/h to just 1,500 km/h – to achieve a soft landing on Mars, demonstrating Heathcoat’s global standing in the production of high-concept fabrics. The company employs people with skills and expertise in engineering, manufacturing, textiles, aerodynamics and materials science – and adds to its existing skillset through internal training and development. “The people that we employ have come to us with these skills and we’ve added to them by doing on-the-job training here,” says Hill. “We’ve always encouraged people to continue with

1808

1816

1920

1938

John Heathcoat invents a highly advanced lace-making machine for use in his factory in Loughborough

Heathcoat’s factory is attacked by Luddites and he moves his factory to Tiverton, Devon. Heathcoat Fabrics grows into a global business trading lace and other fabrics across the world

Heathcoat begins to manufacture woven fabrics

The firm acquires the PAK parachute company

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NEW TECHNOLOGIES

their training all the way through their careers and pick up new ideas and new skills, and be really open-minded to working with lots of different people. We also encourage people who come through the shopﬂoor technical route to get involved and come up with their own ideas.” Heathcoat prides itself on the enthusiasm of its staff and puts its success in contracting with NASA down to this. “People like NASA or ESA always tell us that our people have got more enthusiasm and more ideas than anyone else,” says Hill.

Hydrogen economy Solutions to the global climate crisis that we have considered throughout this supplement might come from unexpected places. Since 2015, Heathcoat has been working with NASA, ESA and others to develop component fabrics for aerodynamic decelerator systems, power and life-support systems for space applications. The ‘advanced closed loop’ system for water electrolysis uses

a high-technology fabric, developed by Heathcoat, to generate oxygen and hydrogen for multiple uses in space exploration. Hydrogen has a number of qualities to help economies move away from reliance on fossil fuels: It can help decarbonise, and use, the existing gas supply grid It’s the most promising alternative fuel for transportation, via hydrogen fuel cells offering high-energy density and lower production cost than batteries It can be used as a high-grade heat source and feedstock for multiple manufacturing processes It can be stored, transported and used within many of the existing supply systems. Realising the potential of hydrogen will require expertise from across the technical spectrum. The learners that we are currently teaching and training will be participants in the UK’s migration to a low-carbon economy using some of the hydrogen technologies that have originated in space travel. For example: Construction T Level learners will need to understand the impact of net zero on the design and construction of the UK’s built environment Engineering and manufacturing T Level learners will be involved in the design, manufacture and maintenance of new technologies in the hydrogen economy Advanced engineering apprentices will be working within industry as these changes take place,

TECHNICAL EDUCATION

F LY I N G H I G H

WOMEN AT THE FOREFRONT Female engineers are leading the innovation that has taken Heathcoat Fabrics into space Eleanor Newsome NASA – Mars 2020 mission, Superlight and commercial space exploration Lotte De Leeuw ESA – ExoMars, MSRL and Blue Origin࣢ Nicola Willey NASA – integrated optic fibres

and bring their workplace expertise back into further education (FE) classrooms across the country to enrich teaching, learning and training in our providers.

Spread the word As FE teachers and trainers, we have a role to support the aspirations of our learners and to excite and inspire them about their career. If we don’t maintain our own ‘dual professionalism’ we risk embedding out-of-date notions of industry and employment, and missing opportunities to share the kind of innovation that makes technical education so exciting. The Education and Training Foundation (ETF) provides a wide range of ‘industry insight’ activities to support professional development, from individual work placements to group industry collaborations. If you are not already signed up to these activities, explore them at bit.ly/ETF-industry-insights

1939-45

2019

2021

2023

Heathcoat contributes to the war effort through the manufacture of parachutes and parachute fabrics. It continues to develop expertise in more complex technical fabrics, including military and fire-fighters’ uniforms

Heathcoat’s advanced materials used in the life support system on the international space station

Heathcoat Fabrics enables a soft landing for NASA’s Perseverance rover

Expected landing date of the ExoMars mission using a Heathcoat parachute

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LEARNING FACTORIES

Encouraging innovation The preceding article introduced John Heathcoat, who attached a school to his factory to develop the skills he needed. The ‘learning factory’ is the modern-day equivalent n July 2020, the UK government announced that it would “build a world-class, German-style further education [FE] system in Britain, to drive the levelling up of skills and to increase opportunities”. One interesting feature of the German system is an extensive network of facilities described as ‘learning factories’. These play an important role in linking together their innovation and technical education systems, and in supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to adopt the ‘Industry 4.0’ digital technologies. A learning factory is designed to facilitate experiential learning, practical projects and collaborative problemsolving. Imagine an industrial adventure playground rather than a classroom. At its simplest, the concept of a learning factory refers to a facility with aspects of an authentic production environment designed and used primarily for the purpose of learning. It is not a simple duplicate of an industrial factory but designed to best suit and serve an intended experiential learning process. It generally involves multiple machines or operations that can be ﬂexibly reconﬁgured and can extend to include supply chains and customer services.

A new way of working Learning factories can be owned and run by universities, technical colleges or groups of companies. They can support a range of learning uses: applied research and innovation projects with industry, further and higher education (HE), training of technicians and managers, and so on. The same learning factory is

often used for multiple purposes, and facilities that link research and innovation with teaching and training can be a particularly effective model for the transfer of new skills and ways of working. Over the past decade there has been rapid growth in learning factories internationally. When I ﬁrst started

A LEARNING FACTORY IS DESIGNED TO FACILITATE EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING, PRACTICAL PROJECTS AND COLLABORATIVE PROBLEM-SOLVING looking in 2018, I wondered if this trend had bypassed the UK. I found a striking lack of facilities calling themselves ‘learning factories’. However, this is often a matter of terminology and, as I dug beneath the surface, I found a number of facilities that demonstrate the main features of learning factories in a manufacturing context. There are universities that have kitted out their engineering departments with learning factory equipment for student project work; companies like Nissan and Toyota which set up replica production lines for training new

workers in partnership with colleges; and facilities linked to the High Value Manufacturing Catapult network, such as the AMRC Factory 2050 in Sheffield and the planned National Manufacturing Institute in Scotland.

Supporting the skills agenda A well-established example is the University of Lincoln’s National Centre for Food Manufacturing, which has a purpose-built food factory for teaching and research that serves in one place the needs of the food industry for FE, HE (Levels 2 to 6, including degree apprenticeships), research and innovation. Other industries adopt a similar approach, such as the military, rail, oil and gas, and nuclear sectors, where gaining real-world experience can be both dangerous and very costly. Learning factory-type developments have the potential to support not just the skills agenda but also the diffusion of innovation, joining together the ‘skills value chain’ needed for the adoption of new technologies. This can already be seen with some of the new institutes of technology and the Emerging Skills Projects, which the Department for Education is launching with the institutes and the High Value Manufacturing Catapult. DR STUART EDWARDS is independent advisor for the Gatsby Charitable Foundation See his full report, The Opportunity for Learning Factories in the UK, at gatsby.org.uk/ education/latest/the-opportunities-forlearning-factories-in-the-uk This article is based on material first published in FE News on 31 July 2020 and followed up on 26 January 2021. Reproduced by permission

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POST-PANDEMIC LEARNING

Lessons learned Every teacher had to adapt to meet the needs thrust on us all by the pandemic. Now is the time to absorb what we have learned ovid-19 challenged the UK’s education sector in ways it could never have expected: the speed and scale of disruption demanded a brave and inventive response from the sector. Everyone involved in the learner journey became accustomed to online teaching, learning and assessment. We all learnt a lot about our capacity to teach or train online, and our learners’ capacity to learn in new ways, and with an increased focus on digital skills. Some of the strengths and potential of online teaching and learning should – and will – be maintained post-pandemic. Consider the skills you gained during the pandemic. You may be:

Quicker and more confident in producing and disseminating online teaching and learning resources Able to use online quizzes to support formative assessment with an element of fun for your learners More digitally able, and better able to share and develop digital skills in your learners More confident to share and collaborate with other teachers and colleagues online to create new teaching resources More confident using augmented and virtual reality tools and simulation technologies, used in industry, in the classroom or workshop. Ask yourself: what will I keep, and what can I do to avoid the urge to go

TECHNICAL EDUCATION

back to old ways? In September 2021, FE News published ‘Future FE Pedagogies’, a series of essays about the potential of technology-enabled learning. In the concluding article, Vikki Liogier, national head of EdTech and digital skills at the Education and Training Foundation (ETF), asks: “Why would we return to redundant pedagogic approaches that are not harnessing the powers of the tools that are now at our disposal? Habit, comfort, modelling are our constant enemies. We tend to teach the way we were taught and the way we have taught in the past, assuming learners will be engaged in the way we once were. The old techniques may work for knowledge and skills to stick enough to pass an examination, but does it prepare our learners to live, work and study in a digital world?” This is the essence of high-quality technical teaching: teaching that prepares learners for the world of work. The pandemic has changed that world: Hybrid working is here to stay Video conferencing is now a feature of everyday working life Other technologies that supported safe, socially distanced working are being adapted to add value across all occupational settings. Your own digital skills have probably taken a leap forward, but many of us lack conﬁdence in our digital delivery. To support you in gaining and maintaining your ‘digital momentum’, the ETF provides the Enhance Digital Teaching Platform – resources, guidance and advice to help technical teachers explore, adopt and lead in technologyenabled education. CERIAN AYRES is national head of technical teaching at the ETF You can find out more at enhance.etfoundation.co.uk

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TECHNICAL EDUCATION

SCIENCE

The bedrock of learning A healthy pipeline of STEM talent is essential to helping the world cope with some of the challenges it faces today. That means ensuring everyone has access to science education cience is the bedrock of the UK’s economy, and improving access to high-quality technical teaching, training and learning at all levels is essential if we are to increase skills, build workforce capacity and contribute to increased productivity, growth and a sustainable UK economy. To achieve that goal, science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) education in this country needs to be prioritised. We must implement a holistic systems-level approach, with strategic leaders and managers providing thought leadership, while providing technical teachers with the space and time to engage with high-quality continuing professional development (CPD). “The implications of the pandemic for science education and practical science in the classroom cannot be understated,” says Dr Ajay Sharman, regional network lead, London and the South East, for STEM Learning. “There is no more important time than now to ensure science teachers and technicians, across schools and colleges, are supported professionally. STEM Learning’s CPD support for teachers is a crucial part of this, as is helping young people in the contextualisation of science and computing in the real world through engagement with employers, researchers and STEM ambassador role models.”

As well as societal concerns, there’s a need for science to take centre stage as we build back and restructure the economy in response to the pandemic and to Brexit. The UK’s Innovation Strategy (July 2021) lays out government aspirations for the UK to become a global ‘superpower’ in science. Plans are underpinned by recognition of the key areas in which the UK already leads the world in science, research and innovation: for example, our capabilities in medicine and the life sciences. The Innovation Strategy also recognises that continued innovation will be crucial to tackling climate change,

£1.5bn 2.4% The annual cost to the UK economy as a result of a lack of STEM skills

The proportion of GDP the government has committed to investing in research and development by 2027

anticipating jobs growth in the offshore wind sector, hydrogen, and carbon capture, usage and storage. A strong pipeline of scientists is important for the future, but businesses are already suffering from skills shortages: the Institution of Engineering and Technology warned in May 2021 that the UK economy suffers a loss of £1.5 billion per year due to STEM skills shortages.

Tackling shortages With skills shortages in mind, but also equity of opportunity, it’s important that we ensure our scientists are drawn from all of our young people, but there appear to be barriers to undertaking further training and education in science – for example, post-16 choices in science and STEM appear to be heavily gendered. The 2020 Wellcome report Young People’s Views on Science Education found female learners had lower self-belief and higher anxiety about science than males and cited a wide range of barriers to learning science. STEM engagement and aspirations are affected by economic disadvantage, and young people from more disadvantaged backgrounds are less likely to have attended science attractions outside of formal education. There is a clear association between this level of ‘science capital’ in the family and young people’s future science

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SCIENCE

aspirations, says Chris Carr, network educational lead for STEM Learning. “Science education is a great enabler – it opens the door to a myriad of careers and occupations that many young people may not otherwise have considered,” he says. “It is no exaggeration to say that a thorough grounding in science can help to improve a young person’s life chances and their conﬁdence to interact with an increasingly complex world.”

With learners in place, our qualiﬁcations need to be right to ensure that young people leave education and training with the science skills that employers need. T Levels in science and healthcare science are designed to do just that, developed in collaboration with employers and businesses so that the content meets the needs of industry and prepares learners for work, further training or study. Of course, it’s up to our science teachers to bring that learning to life through building in excellent practical science work, working closely with employers and STEM ambassadors. Alison Ackroyd from MidKent College is meeting the challenge, delivering the new T Level science and enjoying it. “T Level science combines traditional core knowledge with current working practice,” she says. “This needs to be an evolving dynamic – use any contacts you might have, such as STEM ambassadors, and routinely employ science public engagement resources from industry and research. Instil the idea of continuously updating your skillset and developing your professional network. Above all, use content that excites you. Your enthusiasm may well spark a dialogue beyond the classroom setting.”

P H O T O G R A P H Y: I S T O C K

DRIVING EDUCATIONAL INCLUSION In 2020 Formula 1 driver Lewis Hamilton – working with the Royal Academy of Engineering – established the Hamilton Commission “to identify the key barriers to recruitment and progression of black people in UK motorsport, and provide actionable recommendations to overcome them”. The commission reported in July 2021 and identified several factors that contribute to the under-representation of employees from black communities in Formula 1, including: Geographical factors, for example distance from Silverstone, which prevents participation by learners in cities or from low-income backgrounds

Behaviour management practices in schools, such as temporary and permanent exclusions, which disproportionately affect black learners The lack of black role models in STEM teaching positions Young people’s lack of understanding of engineering careers, and a feeling among black learners that motorsport ‘wasn’t for them’. In October 2021 Hamilton launched a scheme, in partnership with Teach First, to attract black teachers into STEM subjects. You can read more about the initiative – which will benefit the entire education sector – at mission44.org or hamiltoncommission.org

TECHNICAL EDUCATION

STEM PIPELINE

SUPPORTING SCIENCE EDUCATION HANNAH RUSSELL, CEO, the Association for Science Education (ASE) The past 18 months have brought into sharp focus the importance of science education, both in supporting a strong future pipeline of scientists, medics, engineers and technicians, and in equipping all young people with the skills and confidence to engage with major global challenges. It has also highlighted the wide variation in education experienced by young people across the UK. Ensuring that all young people, regardless of their background, can access the benefits of an excellent science education will be key to the UK’s ability to continue at the forefront of science, research and innovation, supported by the government’s commitment to investing 2.4 per cent of GDP on research and development by 2027. Further education (FE) and training providers will play an important role in contributing to this future success and the ASE is committed to supporting the FE sector with opportunities for science departments to support their professional learning through our events, activities and publications, as well as representing the views of the science education community through our advocacy work. We invite our FE colleagues to join us for the post-16 day at our annual conference in January. For more information, see ase.org.uk/aseconf2022

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INCLUSIVE FE

The world we want to see Learners with disabilities or who require additional support still find it difficult to find work. Education initiatives from the FE sector aim to change this urther education (FE) changes lives in all sorts of ways, and one of the ways it does this is by supporting our learners to enter the careers they aspire to. But recent figures from the Office for National Statistics show that if you have a disability, you are less likely to be in employment. There are 81 per cent of non-disabled people in employment compared with 52 per cent of disabled people. Only 22 per cent of people living with autism are in work. The Education and Training Foundation (ETF) has just launched eight new employer spokes to complement its Centres for Excellence in SEND. The new spokes will deliver events where employers talk about the benefits of hiring learners with SEND, and the importance of working closely with local FE providers. Oldham College is one of these spokes. It also has the prestige of being part of the WorldSkills UK Centre of Excellence. In November 2021, four of its learners will be competing in the WorldSkills UK National Finals. Daniel (pictured right) is one of those who will be attending the final to showcase his outstanding carpentry skills. Daniel just happens to be neurodiverse and on the autistic spectrum. Oldham College takes the approach of focusing on what its learners want to achieve, and teachers and tutors work with learners to make it happen. They also want to exceed their

SCIENCE COMPETENCE A national consortium of FE providers, led by Hopwood Hall College and University Centre in Greater Manchester, is currently undertaking a T Level Resource Improvement Project (TRIP) to research T Level learners’ preparedness for their industrial placement, from a ‘science competence’ perspective. Working with learners and employers, the TRIP aims to: Identify a set of science competencies that are essential for learners to have prior to their industry placement Develop a ‘toolkit’ of skills, behaviours and aptitudes to help learners, and teachers, identify – and fill – any gaps before their placement begins. The outputs of this project have the potential to be of interest across the spectrum of technical education.

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INCLUSIVE FE

employers’ expectations by ensuring learners leave college with the latest knowledge and skills for their industry. Weston College is one of our three Centres for Excellence in SEND. Like all three centres and eight employer spokes, it too has high aspirations for learners and recognises that diversity among its learner and staff population is an asset. Within Weston Bay, the college’s residential training facility for learners with autism, learners are provided with experiential learning opportunities to develop the skills needed to live independently before heading off to university or into employment. For many young people this can be extremely daunting and they are empowered to develop the strategies needed to achieve sustainable outcomes. Weston College has recently launched the ‘WE WORK for everyone’ local initiative that supports people with learning difficulties by linking them with an ‘employment navigator’. This specialist role works with the participant to co-create an action plan, which identifies the support and training steps needed in order to successfully progress into paid employment. Since the launch in June 2021, many of the participants have already secured work in a range of industries including health and social care, education and retail. Nina, one of the employment navigators and a former learner at Weston College, says that the philosophy is always to start with the question, ‘How can we make this work for you?’ She speaks highly of the support she received so that her dyslexia wouldn’t prove a barrier to her success. Pete Benyon, project manager at our Centre for Excellence in SEND at Derby College, recognises how living with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has helped him and underpins his creative, risk-taking and inclusive approach to life. While growing up feeling different had its benefits and challenges, he understands the importance of relationship-building and making people feel comfortable. Throughout his life, people recognised his potential and this is what he brings to his work in FE: the knowledge

TECHNICAL EDUCATION

LEARNERS WITH SEND

IMPROVING LIFE CHANCES ROB BUTLER, CSciTeach FCCT, field officer, Midlands region, Association for Science Education (ASE) Learners with SEND have the same requirements and entitlements as all learners, which includes access to practical work. The Gatsby Foundation’s Good Practical Science report (2017) reminds us of the reasons we do practical work: To teach the principles of scientific inquiry To improve understanding of theory through practical experience To teach specific practical skills, such as measurement, that may be useful in future study or employment

52% 22%

The proportion of disabled people who are in employment

The proportion of people with autism who are in employment

that as educators we have the ability to make education a humanising or dehumanising experience for learners. So let’s celebrate the diversity of the FE sector and the role it plays in providing the workforce for the future. By focusing on what our learners want from their lives and talking with them to see how we might help them to do that, we can create the world we want to see. TERESA CARROLL is national head of inclusion at the ETF

To motivate and engage students To develop higher-level skills and attributes such as communication, teamwork and perseverance. It is important to remember that these higher skills could be key in improving the life chances for learners with SEND. I’ve seen learners join my classes at the start of a school year unable to work with a partner, but by the end of the year can carry out a practical investigation as part of a group. For learners with SEND in particular, that could be lifechanging࣢progress.

GET INVOLVED The Inclusive Science Group is made up of educators, from all phases and sectors, who have an interest in teaching learners with special educational needs. It is organised by Rob Butler (ASE field officer) and Jane Essex (ASE futures and Royal Society of Chemistry࣢member). Membership of this group is open to anyone, and they meet roughly every two months, although attendance is optional. Notes are taken during the discussion and these will be shared with the whole group (individual contributions are not identified so everyone can speak freely). You can sign up to the group by going to ase.org.uk/ise The ASE annual conference in January 2022 has several workshops with a focus on learners with special educational needs. You can view the full programme at aseannualconference 2022shu.sched.com

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PATHWAYS AND PARTNERSHIPS

Healthy combination Petroc College of Further and Higher Education’s partnership with Northern Devon Healthcare NHS Trust and the universities of Bolton and Plymouth shows the value of well structured, strategic partnerships en years ago, as programme manager for Petroc College of Further and Higher Education’s health and social care course, Shaun Kershaw saw a pool of potential talent that was not set for university, but lacked local opportunities. He knew the learners would be perfect for the NHS, if only they could secure high-quality work placements, and have an insight into the variety of roles available in healthcare. He went straight to the director of workforce at the Northern Devon Healthcare NHS Trust, an approach he advocates for establishing strategic partnerships. “The way into the trust was to identify the key person to talk to,” he says. “You get the ear of the top people, and then you won’t have to go through bureaucratic layers, which takes ages.” In partnership, they developed a scheme providing rotational work placements and work-shadowing for 17- to 19-year-old learners, which allowed them to explore roles across the trust, from operating theatres to podiatry clinics. Backed up by excellent careers education, learners developed enthusiasm for a career in the NHS and demonstrated their capability and readiness to transition directly onto a healthcare apprenticeship. As the partnership grew, structures were developed to ensure that it was stable and scalable. A strategic oversight committee was established to coordinate four subgroups overseeing apprenticeships, work placements, higher education and innovation. The ‘innovation’ group is key to the success of the structure, says Kershaw. “The plan for this group was to be

horizon-scanners and to be aware of what will be impacting on health services and people’s career development in the future: the setting up of scientist training programmes, the transition to integrate care organisations, and the development of future career roles such as the nursing associate, for example,” he says. “We were trying to keep ahead of the curve, so that when we took those young people into the programme, they would be right at the cutting edge of what was going on.” Progress was rapid in the early years: an ‘assistant practitioner’ foundation degree programme was established, and two ‘academies’ were set up to provide support for the broadest range of careers and aspirations. Inclusion has also been central to the partnerships, including through Project Search (see panel below). Today, the partnership between Petroc and the trust is stronger than ever, and

now includes both the University of Bolton and the University of Plymouth as higher education partners. Petroc learners can now study health and social care courses from entry level, right up to apprenticeships and on to degree-level study through the University of Bolton’s Nursing Satellite Centre led by Kershaw. The success of the partnership has gained national attention, and is currently part of a knowledge transfer and exchange initiative with the North East Local Education Partnership, which is looking to establish a similar, strategic ‘Health Future Skills Hub’. By identifying a need, taking positive action, and establishing well-structured, strategic and innovative partnerships, Kershaw and Petroc have achieved real change, and enabled opportunities for learners and employers in their region – an example for others.

PROJECT SEARCH Inclusion and support for learners with SEND have been࣢central to࣢Petroc’s࣢partnership with the Northern Devon Healthcare NHS Trust࣢through Project Search, which provides pathways for young people with learning disabilities and autism into࣢employment, through internships. The trust has offered Project Search placements in medical records, sterile services, occupational therapy, optometry, pathology and microbiology, among others. Learners are offered the opportunity to rotate through departments, and their placements are based in a classroom at the hospital where they start and end each day in a formal learning environment to build their skills.࣢ Programmes like these can provide a huge confidence boost for learners with SEND, as demonstrated by࣢Ashley࣢Chivers, a 2019 participant: “Project Search has helped me gain confidence in my abilities, and I believe that I can get a job,” he says. You can find more information about Project Search at dfnprojectsearch.org

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CAREERS EDUCATION

TECHNICAL EDUCATION

A NEW PROFESSION – CAREERS LEADER – IS NOW EMBEDDED IN EVERY SCHOOL AND COLLEGE

On the up Society and the education sector are shifting the focus from university as the only option to include technical and vocational options post-16 hroughout my career as a school leader, the university route was always put front and centre. It was the bedrock of colleagues’ expectations. They had been to university themselves and were sure this was the route to a great education and career. This was the ever-present narrative encountered. Thankfully, this is changing. From research by the Social Market Foundation showing that middle-class families value vocational routes as highly as university, to The Times Education Commission ﬁnding that 42 per cent of people thought that an apprenticeship was a better preparation than university for the future, technical education is starting to get the respect it deserves. But public attitudes, while important, aren’t the only game in town. I lead the education work for the national body for careers education. Year on year we’re seeing improvements in how schools and colleges are delivering information, advice and guidance to students about vocational education. In 84 per cent of schools, the overwhelming majority of students are now accessing information about apprenticeships – up 18 per cent in two years. Historically, schools with sixth

forms didn’t share as much information about apprenticeships with their students as those without sixth forms, but this is no longer the case. Data shows there has been a 50 per cent increase in the number of schools providing meaningful encounters with FE colleges over the course of the pandemic. While starting from a low base, there has also been a 45 per cent increase in schools providing meaningful encounters with independent training providers. These improvements have been driven by multiple factors. A new profession – careers leader – is now embedded in every school and college, driving forward careers education that is modern, 21st century and more strategic than ever before. Careers leaders are being trained to higher standards, including knowing more about vocational and technical pathways. They are supported by Careers Hubs, which have been introduced across the country. These share best practice, provide resources, and link up with local businesses and apprenticeship and in-work training providers. More young people are also receiving personal guidance from trained careers advisers about the routes they could take. But this isn’t the end of the road, and

not everything is perfect. We’re providing more training and resources to teachers, expanding our network of Careers Hubs and senior business volunteers, delivering targeted technical education projects, and working with bodies such as the Association of Employment and Learning Providers to get more training providers into more schools. I was frequently asked – by my governors, local authority and parents – how many students were going to university. I hope those same voices are now putting pressure on schools to send 50 per cent of their students on to brilliant technical and vocational options. NICOLA HALL is director of education at The Careers & Enterprise Company, the national body for careers education in England

Further information For more information and resources to support your delivery of excellent careers education, information, advice and guidance (CEIAG), visit the website of The Careers & Enterprise Company (C&EC) at careersandenterprise.co.uk The C&EC’s resources site, which provides a wide range of resources to support CEIAG aligned to implementation of the Gatsby Benchmarks, is at resources.careersandenterprise.co.uk The entry point to the C&EC’s professional development offer, which combines both free and fee-paying courses, including accredited training available nationwide, can be found at bit.ly/ careersandenterprise-entry-point

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TECHNICAL EDUCATION

RECRUITMENT

wide range of factors draw people into teaching. Being motivated to teach is essential, but we also need prospective new teachers to know about the expectations of the role and to make an informed decision. In my experience as the delivery partner lead for the Education and Training Foundation’s (ETF’s) Further Forces Programme – which takes leavers from the armed forces and supports their transition into teaching – pre-initial teacher education (ITE) programmes provide an invaluable insight into the role, and an excellent preparation for the formal ITE courses we deliver at the University of Portsmouth. The ETF recently developed a freely available online course – ‘Preparing for a career in FE teaching’ – to provide pre-ITE advice and guidance to all prospective entrants to the profession. It’s a great example of how we can support those considering a career in education to make an informed choice. Effective support needs to continue through new teachers’ formal training. Balance is key: too little support can lead to trainees struggling or disengaging. Too much can be confusing or overwhelming. On Further Forces we use tutor, employer and mentor support and provide opportunities for trainee teachers to develop theoretical knowledge, subject-specialist pedagogy, employability skills and industry insights, while building on the subject

content knowledge gained through their careers. To increase the breadth of trainees’ input, Further Forces also includes access to the University of Brighton’s subject-specialist mentoring support. This mentoring is referred to as ‘onside mentoring’, and is external to the trainee’s placement or place of work. It provides a space where challenges can be discussed openly and informally. As the Further Forces programme moves into its ﬁnal year it will be replaced by the Service to Civilian Pathway, which will continue to support military personnel to transition into teaching. Armed forces leavers will also be supported to transition into FE technical

teaching through the ETF’s Taking Teaching Further programme. There is no silver bullet to solve the shortfalls in teacher recruitment, but I would encourage colleagues to continue to identify technical talent pools, support prospective teachers to make informed choices, and provide broad, balanced support for trainees through their ITE programmes. This will undoubtedly be of beneﬁt for new teachers, educational institutions and their students. DR STEPHEN CORBETT is reader in

professional development and learning at the University of Portsmouth

THERE IS NO SILVER BULLET TO SOLVE THE SHORTFALLS IN TEACHER RECRUITMENT

It’s vital new teachers have the help and guidance they need to make a success of their career choice. The ETF’s programmes aim to do just that

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RECRUITMENT

IM A GE S : I S T O C K

Mentoring and coaching At the ETF we believe excellent mentoring and coaching for teachers and trainers is one of the most effective ways to enable technical education to flourish. A mentoring framework is now available that contains guidelines for effective practice in mentoring and coaching. There are also three accompanying guides: one for mentors, one for mentees and one for leaders aimed at ensuring there is high-quality mentoring and coaching across the further education (FE) sector. The ETF also offers a range of training programmes for mentors and coaches who are supporting practitioners across the FE sector, including those delivering technical education. Our training programmes for mentors and coaches are practice-based and informed by the latest evidence on effective practice in mentoring and coaching. Mentors and coaches can access short online courses, interactive webinars and in-depth skills development programmes. Mentors and coaches who have completed the training reported they had increased confidence, knowledge and understanding of effective mentoring and coaching. The participants stated they improved a range of techniques such as questioning, listening, supporting mentees’ wellbeing and tailoring their support for individuals. The mentees, including those specialising in technical education, said that as a result of working with a trained mentor or coach, they felt more confident in managing their workload, using EdTech, and delivering excellent lessons. In addition to training for mentors and coaches, the ETF also offers a high-quality mentoring programme for managers involved in the roll-out of T Levels. This programme is aimed at middle managers and offers them the opportunity to develop in their role through a series of facilitated mentoring sessions. The sessions aim to increase participants’ leadership and management capabilities and offer specific coaching and mentoring techniques to enhance T Level delivery. The managers who have taken part in the programme have found it to be

TECHNICAL EDUCATION

TEACHER RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION RESOURCES very beneﬁcial. “During my mentoring sessions, my mentor and I discussed particular problems or ideas I had, such as strategies that I could use to support my students with exam preparation or even how to engage employers within the induction process,” says Stephanie Moriarty, education and childcare T Level lead at University College Birmingham. “The whole process was supportive and very personalised, which made the mentoring sessions very worthwhile.” Many of the middle managers who have taken part in the programme are now trying out the mentoring techniques they experienced with their own team members.

Taking Teaching Further A flagship national initiative to attract experienced industry professionals with expert technical knowledge and skills to work in FE. SET for Teaching Success Established in 2018 to recruit, train, mentor and support new teachers of science, engineering and technology, with a focus on technical education. Talent to Teach FE Supports the pipeline of entrants to the FE sector by raising awareness of careers in FE to undergraduate and postgraduate university࣢students.

DR CATHERINE MANNING is national head of

practitioner research and development at the ETF

CPD

INDUSTRY INSIGHTS MENTORING PROGRAMME If you’re interested in mentoring and coaching, you can combine it with continuing professional development (CPD) in your industry or professional area through the ETF’s Industry Insights Mentoring Programme. The ETF believes that the bespoke support mentors and coaches offer to practitioners and managers involved in technical education makes this a particularly powerful form of CPD that has the potential to bring about significant growth and development for the individual teacher and their learners. “The Industry Insights Mentoring Programme allowed me to update

and maintain my industrial and professional knowledge,” says Phyllis, a lecturer at Solihull College. “This in turn enabled me to deliver competent lessons to my learners both in theory and practice so that they could gain industry-specific competencies, skills and behaviours. The meetings with my mentor gave me a clear focus, where I benefited from guidance and explanations on what I need to know, what happens next and what needs to be done.” For more information. see bit.ly/ETF-industry-insights

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The ETF at the Annual Association for Science Education Conference Between 5 and 8 January 2022, Sheffield Hallam University will host the Association for Science Education’s annual conference The Education and Training Foundation is delighted to be delivering four sessions at the conference including: Preparing learners for the world of work and the work of the world: exploring the ‘T-Shaped Learner’ and Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) T Levels – if you can see it, you can be it: this will consider how effective partnership working and high-quality careers education can support learners’ aspirations towards careers in STEM Considering a career in FE teaching. Cerian Ayres from the Education and Training Foundation will also deliver the Post-16 Keynote: T Levels – bringing the world of work to life.

For further information and conference tickets, please visit: ase.org.uk/ ASEConf2022

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