Welcome to FE Soundbite Edition 727, January 6th 2024: Going into 2024!

This is the weekly e-newsletter and e-journal brought to you by FE News: ISSN 2732-4095. We know life is busy, so here is a snapshot of the latest announcements and epic thought leadership articles, from sector influencers and cool thinkers across FE and Skills this week on FE News.

Our Top 3 Thought Leadership Articles This Week

Firstly, we have ‘2023 Review: Lessons for Providers from Ofsted Inspections’ by Kerry Boffey, Fellowship of Inspection Nominees. Kerry discusses consistency across programmes, personal development, careers guidance and governance.

Secondly we have, ‘More funding is needed for Green Skills’, by Alex Glasner, Managing Director at Workpays. He discusses how a lot more needs to be done to support the UK’s transition to net zero, and how training providers will be essential for this transition .

Lastly we have, ‘Navigating Employability: A Year of Growth, Challenges, and Aspirations’ by Scott Parkin FIEP, Group CEO, IEP. He reflects on the Institute of Employability Professionals (IEP) remarkable growth in 2023, highlighting its achievements, international partnerships, the development of a Quality Improvement Framework, Centre for Employability Excellence and the IEP’s commitment to futureproofing the sector.

This week, we have also had some other epic exclusives:

• 5 Ed-Tech Predictions For 2024, According To Jack McDougall, Head of Business Development at the Skills Network
• Creative Skills for Life: Helping Non-Designers Develop Design Skills​, by Si Beales, founder of Future Skills Club, and a former principal lecturer at Nottingham Trent University’s School of Art and Design
• Why we must build on our sector’s momentum into 2024, by David Gallagher, Chief Executive of the awarding organisation NCFE
• 2023 – A Tough Year For Many, But A New Year Brings New Hope, by Nichola Hay MBE, AELP Chair

What’s New in the World of FE?

Disadvantaged young people make up the majority of international study placements, as new research on year one of the Turing Scheme was published.

Almost £100 million was allocated in academic year 2021-22 the schemes first year of operation so schools, colleges and universities across the UK could offer these one-in-a-lifetime opportunity to their students.

Leaders across the further education sector were named in the New Year Honours list. We compiled a list of all those within the sector who were named.

CBE (Commanders of the Order of the British Empire)

• Angela Foulkes, Chief Executive and Principal, The Sheffield College.
• Zoe Lewis, Principal and Chief Executive Officer, Middlesbrough College.
• Bill Watkin, from Sixth Form Colleges Association (SFCA).

OBE (Officers of the Order of the British Empire)

• Virginia Barrett, Principal and Chief Executive Officer, Farnborough College of Technology.
• Anthony Bravo, Principal, Basingstoke College of Technology.
• Heather Akehurst, Chief Executive of Open Awards.
• Jayne Clarke, Executive Principal, Pinnacle Learning Trust.
• Brian Palmer, founder and chief executive of Tharsus Group.
• John Traynor, former managing director of Go-Ahead London.
• Dr Darrell Desouza, former Principal and Chief Executive Officer, Harrow College and Uxbridge College.
• Elaine Dale, Director, Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Support, City College Norwich.
• Samantha Mayhew, Assistant Principal, Special Educational Needs and Disabilities, Weston College.
• Tiffany Beck from Maritime Academy Trust and PLMR Group Ltd.
• Kathryn Marshall, senior manager at Lloyds Banking Group.

MBE (Members of the Order of the British Empire)

• Laura-Jane Rawlings, chief executive of Youth Employment UK.
• Christine Kenyon, Deputy Principal, The Manchester College, Greater Manchester.
• Ruth Devine is Managing Director of SJD Associates, an SME electrical installation contractor and IfATE route panel member. M
• Elizabeth Gorb, director of apprenticeships, Manchester Metropolitan University.
• Maureen Vevers, Chair of Governors, Askham Bryan College, York.
• James Boyce, Team UK gold medal winner, WorldSkills UK.
• Ewan Payne, Team UK gold medal winner, WorldSkills UK.

We hope that you’ve enjoyed this week’s soundbite. Now that you’re all caught up on what’s going on in the FE Sector this week, we hope you have a restful weekend!

Finley Vile, Platform Growth Manager, FE News

Holly Wheaton, Digital Project Manager, FE News