Technical and Further Education Bill rushed through by Lords before General Election

After much debate, many amends and several visits to both the House of Commons and House of Lords chamber, the Technical & Further Education Bill has been rushed through to approval by the House of Lords before the General Election.

The TFE Bill has been passing through the Houses of Parliament for more than a year, and with the news of the quickly impending general election, it has finally passed and is being prepared for Royal Assent. 

It includes key proposals such as financial support for students undertaking apprenticeships, as announced in the Spring Budget by Chancellor Hammond; improved careers information advice and guidance, including enabling local employers to meet students and help them better understand what companies look for with technical training qualifications (this could encourage local skills gaps to be plugged); and that Institutes for Apprenticeships will also include technical education in their remit.

The Skills Commission said “The poor quality of the existing IAG is illustrated by a recent City & Guilds report which found that, when young people were asked how they had heard about their ideal job: 30% responded, ‘we learned about it in a class in school/college’; and, worryingly, only 14% replied saying ‘a careers advisor recommended it’.” in its Spotlight on... young people report.

Also the Going Places: innovation in further education and skills research inquiry report, launched by the Skills Commission in December 2016, notes that “By sharing the space, learners, particularly those not enrolled on apprenticeships, could get a better idea of the workplace through sustained interaction with business throughout their learning. Employers and providers would be less isolated from one another and could better understand one another’s language and culture enabling them to build stronger partnerships. There could also be opportunities for colleges to serve as incubator spaces, building on good practices developed in a number of providers.”

Lord Nash: 'This is our chance to ensure that all FE students can access the support they need to...achieve their full potential' #TFEBill pic.twitter.com/d2eG2PlW7q

— Tes Further Ed (@tesfenews) April 25, 2017