Vital role of FE colleges in providing future skilled workforce

Ask the principal of a further education college what misconception of their college irks them most and it's a good bet the reply will be: "Being called a school" writes Lowell Williams, Principal of Dudley College.

Along with that other misconception that colleges are public sector -— rather than, since 1993, independent corporations -— the school analogy belies the true nature and work of FE colleges.

It's not that FE colleges have anything against schools, of course, it's just that we're profoundly different.

Unlike schools, the predominant work of colleges has always been technical and vocational education, with employers and working people as our key stakeholders.

Dudley College, for example, traces its roots back to the Dudley Mechanics Institute which first opened its doors to workmen in 1862.

Historically, mechanics' institutes were educational establishments formed to provide adult education, particularly in technical subjects, to working men.

As such, they were often funded by local industrialists on the grounds that they would ultimately benefit from having more knowledgeable and skilled employees.

Much has changed in the 150 years since the Dudley Mechanics Institute first opened its doors. Government policy on skills, for example, has bounced from one initiative to another. Colleges have often been called on to deliver the required outcomes.

Take Train to Gain in the West Midlands, for example. Love it or hate it, as a programme aimed at improving the level 2 skills of employed adults it was highly successful.

The level 2 skills deficiency, which contributed so significantly to the West Midlands' skills gap, has virtually been closed out. FE colleges did much of this work.

So, based on the Government's renewed called for greater collaboration between colleges and employers and more apprenticeships, do colleges need to change what they do?

The answer is 'probably not'. Apprenticeships and technical training have always been at the heart of our work. In an average year FE colleges in the Black Country support some 6,000 employers and 33,000 of their employees. 4,500 of these employees follow an apprenticeship.

But, we know we need to do things better, if we are to further increase apprenticeships.

Going forward, the link between FE colleges and employers will be more crucial than ever. That's why the majority of colleges in the Black Country are accredited by the Training Quality Standard.

The Training Quality Standard recognises and celebrates the best organisations delivering training to employers. The standard highlights high quality, high impact training, by looking at the organisation's responsiveness, flexibility, expertise and commitment to continuous improvement.

So, if you're an employer, you'll find the standard a great way to spot the providers you can work with to improve the return on your training investments.

It's also why FE Black Country colleges are working in partnership with the Black Country Chamber of Commerce to extend the apprenticeship offer to employers.

In a recent survey 83 per cent of apprentice employers rely on their apprenticeship programmes to provide a skilled workforce for the future and 88 per cent of apprentice employers believe that apprenticeships lead to a more motivated and satisfied workforce. Persuasive numbers.

If you would like to find out more about how apprenticeships can support your business, contact the chamber of commerce, or your local FE college.