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In a constantly shifting employment landscape, lifelong learning is essential. Not just to fill emerging job roles, but to ensure

Apprenticeships have long been recognised as a key stepping stone for young people moving from school into work. The structured

The UK faces not just a huge skills deficit, but rising unemployment that’s particularly concentrated in sectors hit hardest by the pandemic, including hospitality, travel and retail. For large numbers of newly unemployed people the path back to work will involve a career change. Whether that means transitioning within a sector to a different role – shaped by new health and safety protocols and increasing automation – or a sidestep into a completely new industry where growth is predicted to continue, individuals will need to identify the skills they have and those they need to get hired.

The impact of global warming and other environmental disasters have created an impetus for change. For the ‘green industrial revolution’ to be delivered, we need urgent investment in green skills.

With long-term economic changes, the pandemic and Brexit, the employment landscape in the UK is changing. Dr Deborah Talbot talks to Dr Fiona Aldridge, Director of Policy and Research at the Learning and Work Institute, about why skills should be at the core of every UK policy.

On 1 April 2021, after nearly four years of lobbying, Ofsted will formally take over the reins of university degree apprenticeship inspections across all levels of study through to level 7. We explore the view that university Ofsted inspections are more opportunity than risk.

The Department for Education has published its long-awaited FE White Paper, but is it enough? We look at what’s new and what’s outstanding.

2021 needs to be a year of economic recovery. To support that, it’s essential to have a clear idea of the shortcomings in the existing talent pool to fill vacant jobs, and the roles which will see high demand in the coming years. So informed, we will be better equipped to determine the best way to support jobseekers to reskill, upskill and move into secure jobs, and to once again nourish growth and innovation in our economy. 

Apprenticeships are increasingly recognised as a key means of skills development and are only set to increase in importance. For Independent Training Providers (ITPs) this involves finding ways to streamline the process of apprenticeship delivery and recognising that this is a necessary step to align with current and future education practices.

The Independent Commission on the College of the Future has published the findings of its investigation into how FE colleges should be structured to address the skills deficit and transform the life chances of individuals in the UK. 

We are now half-way through the first term of the new academic year. Despite the new lockdown, the government has resolved that schools, colleges and universities will stay open. Of course, things may change as has proven to be the case thus far.

When you mention apprenticeships to most people – unless they are in the skills sector – they immediately think of physical, hands-on activity like carpentry or car maintenance. But while there are still many manual apprenticeships on offer, today’s apprenticeship standards also include subjects like data science and advanced forensic practitioner.
Given words have meaning, is it time for apprenticeships to have a rebrand?

The way we learn needs to reflect how we live and work. Our daily lives are a seamless blend of physical and digital interactions. Schedules are increasingly flexible, with portfolio careers on the rise and continuous learning becoming a more common feature of our routines.

Developments in education technology represent an opportunity to prepare young people and adults with the skills and capabilities they will need to thrive in the future. Not only that, but for further education colleges and independent training providers, EdTech offers solutions that can help them successfully address the UK skills gap and guide students into promising careers.

Here, we will explore what EdTech offers the further education sector and explain why it’s time to embrace the confluence of technology and learning.

The UK’s A Level results were unusually disastrous this year, throwing into doubt our children’s futures as well as university admissions processes. What went wrong?

The coronavirus pandemic is unprecedented in recent history, and it’s forcing training providers to innovate around distance/remote learning. Aptem, an intuitive, all-in-one EdTech platform – can help.

Deborah Talbot, Communications Officer at MWS, talked to Vikki Liogier, National Head of EdTech and Digital Skills at the Education and Training Foundation (ETF) about the benefits of, and barriers towards, using EdTech in colleges

A study by the Association of Employment and Learning Providers (AELP) and Public First on apprenticeship levy funding has shown that lowering the £3 million annual payroll threshold to £1 million would not generate enough revenue to meet the funding shortfall for SME apprenticeships.

A report by Qlik and Accenture says that the reluctance to train employees in data analysis is costing the UK and other national economies billions every year.

A report by the Learning and Work Institute (L&W) says that the UK skills deficit will cost the country £120 billion by 2030.

Technology is impacting society and everyday life in all sectors, yet education and training lag conspicuously behind. Should the education and training sector be more technologically engaged, and what are the implications for pedagogy?

Every year a new tranche of apprenticeship stats is published. These often tell us conflicting news about new starts and

A report published earlier this year by the Learning and Work Institute (L&W) shows the intrinsic link between skills and

Ofsted has started delivering on its new inspection framework. What can providers expect?

The UK government has continued to assert its support for apprenticeships. But are the assurances wearing thin?

The Parliamentary Select Committee for Education has published a damning report into education funding for the FE sector.
Calling for a ten-year plan to “fix the broken school and college funding system,” the report refers to a “troubling lack of a long-term vision” and “winner takes all short-termism” driven by a “politically-driven spending review cycle.”

Apprenticeship policy is a victim of its success, say government ministers, as the options for funding have once again become a subject for controversy. Richard Alberg, CEO of MWS Technology, looks at the options.

Deborah Talbot, Communications Officer at MWS, looks at the recently published Augar report and asks whether it really has the

Apprenticeship policy is about addressing the skills and productivity gap. But is it working? Deborah Talbot talks to Mandy Crawford-Lee, Director of Policy and Operations at the University Vocational Awards Council (UVAC).

Is the government’s apprenticeship policy working? And why is there a fall in new apprenticeship starts but a potential levy overspend? MWS’s Deborah Talbot talks apprenticeship policy and funding with Mark Dawe, CEO of the Association of Employment and Learning Providers (AELP).

The government has announced that it is launching the first three T Levels in the Autumn of 2020. But what are T Levels, and will they help deliver the government’s skills strategy?

Artificial intelligence, or the rise of the smart machine, is the stuff of science fiction. But applying machine learning to apprenticeships can deliver a better learning experience, argues Mark Abrahams, Head of Research at MWS Technology.