Could the Sainsbury review save the day for FE? Don’t hold your breath (article free for subscribers), says Andy Westwood, associate vice president for public affairs at the University of Manchester. Andy writes that what the government described as “the most significant transformation of post-16 education since A-levels” is essentially “half-baked” and “artificially and clumsily constructed”. He writes: “We are going to need more than a few little twists if we’re going to redesign England’s skills system.”

Baker day

In this week’s TES Further: an exclusive interview with Lord Baker, the founder of university technical colleges (UTCs). Speaking to TES, Lord Baker admits that it is a “struggle to keep them going”, due to difficulties in attracting students at 14 - often without the support of schools and local authorities.

Lord Baker says that recruitment at 14 is still challenging, UTCs “have not failed”. “It’s a struggle to keep them going - there’s no question about that,” he says. “[But] we didn’t think there would be so many [difficulties] because we thought that schools would be more cooperative.”

Strength in unity

FE editor Stephen Exley writes that a lack of consensus on the future of FE makes it easy for politicians to use divide-and-rule tactics to keep the sector splintered (article free for subscribers). But in strength there is unity - last spring a petition opposing cuts to the adult skills budget was signed by more than 42,000 people. Stephen says that “lack of unity is a pity”, because a united sector is a stronger sector. “It’s impossible to quantify the impact this show of force had, but taking on an entire corner of the education system is not a fight any politician would seek,” he writes.

An apprenticeship at 14

TES reporter Will Martin uncovers the story behind the UK’s first “pre-apprenticeship programme” (article free for subscribers). In September, 12 ‘pre-apprentices’ from North Bromsgrove High School in Worcestershire started a course that weaves school work with hands on experience at a neighbouring engineering firm. A further 12 students are expected to start next year.

The jobs of tomorrow

Garry Phillips, chief executive of Ealing, Hammersmith and West London College, writes the FE colleges can help educate the workforce of tomorrow. With industry changing at such a rapid rate, it is difficult to make predictions about what types of jobs will exist - and what skills will be required to do them. “It falls to the FE sector to provide the core of the nation’s workforce of the future,” Gary writes.

TES columnist Sarah Simons writes that it doesn’t pay to be snooty with ‘crafters’ - those that study arts and crafts (article free for subscribers). She writes that it is “as much about promoting positive mental health and opportunities for social interaction as anything arty” and that it is OK to give in to an innate love of PVA glue and “wanging glitter” at things.

FErret

No college wants to become embroiled in a row with the unions, let alone face a strike. So FErret can’t help but feel sorry for the college which, in the midst of an industrial dispute over pay, ended up being visited by the area review team as well (article free for subscribers)...

All this and much, much more in this week’s TES Further.

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