National recruitment campaign for FE managers of the future
LLUK launches recruitment campaign to attract candidates into FE management roles
16 May 2008
A major recruitment campaign has been launched to attract managers from the private and public sector to roles within colleges, work based learning, and adult and community learning establishments as part of an initiative to cultivate new talent and develop future leaders within the further education sector.
Make a Difference has set out to attract and recruit candidates currently working within the public and private sector to opt for management roles in establishments such as colleges, across a broad range of specialism; including finance, IT, business and community engagement, marketing, quality improvement, human resources, student support services and curriculum management or procurement. By drawing upon experience gained in other sectors and industries, it aims to ensure that further education organisations, training and skills providers can enhance their offering both to students and the local business community.
Make a Difference has been developed by Lifelong Learning UK, the independent employer-led sector skills council for the lifelong learning sector, as part of a series of initiatives and programmes to ensure that further education establishments better serve the needs of both learners and businesses, thereby raising the skills level of the UK’s workforce and meeting the demands of employers. According to the Learning Skills Council National Employers Skills Survey (2004), only 15% of employers make use of further education colleges when seeking solutions to their training and skills needs.
David Hunter, chief executive of Lifelong Learning UK says: “Further education has a significant role to play in shaping the UK’s future workforce and producing candidates that possess the skill levels demanded by employers. The government has big ambitions and expectations of the sector and Make a Difference has been designed to specifically to support a key aspect of this ambitious agenda. We aim to develop highly motivated and accomplished managers to work in colleges, work based learning and adult and community learning settings throughout the further education sector who will utilise the business and commercial skills they have gained elsewhere to play a vital role in helping their new employer raise the bar of performance and achieve the future vision for their organisation.”
Natasha Tesfai, project manager for Make a Difference continues: “In particular, we are looking to make a significant impact in increasing the number of managers within colleges and other further education establishments that come from a BME or diversity background. When you think that only 4.9% of managers in the sector from a black or ethnic minority group compared to 14% of learners, there is a significant challenge to overcome. We want to ensure that the programme creates inspirational role models for learners, and have set a target of achieving 20% of the recruits to Make a Difference as being from a diversity background.”
She adds: “Once employed, participants will embark on a tailored, leadership development programme. The first year of the programme offers a mix of training, coaching and mentoring support which can provide the opportunity to fast-track to a senior leadership role. With salaries for management and leadership roles within further education colleges typically starting in the region of £32K, a move to the sector doesn’t have to mean a compromise financially.”
The Make a Difference initiative is part of Lifelong Learning UK’s wider Catalyst programme, a range of specially tailored recruitment schemes targeting different employment needs within further education to achieve world-class levels of management and ensure that teachers, trainers and tutors are best equipped to serve students, learners and employers.
For further information about the Make a Difference programme or to complete an application form online visit www.changeyourfuture.org or call 0845 602 7012.
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