Greg Irving, Telford’s depute principal, says that trainers, coaches, assessors and learning assistants are classed as support posts and have been the subject of full agreement with the public service union Unison.
The Educational Institute of Scotland also signed up to a document last June.
“The plans, which affect management, teaching and some support staff, have resulted in 54 managers and lecturing staff accepting voluntary redundancy to date,” Mr Irving said. “We will, over a three-year period, be introducing up to 50 trainer, coaches, assessors and learning assistant posts.
“The posts of trainer and coach have been introduced into the structure to deliver practical classes up SVQ level 2. The EIS now wishes this role to be simply one of demonstration but we do not consider it possible or desirable to separate out underpinning knowledge from the acquisition of practical skills. This role equates to trainersassessors throughout industry who support and develop the skills of employees to achieve the competencies required for employment.
“The post of assessor has been introduced into the structure to assess andor verify work-based awards up to SVQ level 3, but the EIS now wishes this restricted to SVQ level 2.
“Almost all of the workplaces where the college provides verification services employ candidates at both level 2 and level 3 as components of the modern apprenticeship programme.
“Models of delivery which require workplace visits by both lecturers and instructors would render the college uncompetitive.”
