Association of Colleges

Supporting Colleges to deliver Employer responsive provision

AoC aims to position Colleges as key providers of services to employers and individuals.  We seek to ensure that the College voice is heard at all stages of Policy development and implementation and that Colleges are kept informed and up to date in the rapidly changing Skills landscape.  AoC are supporting Colleges in developing relationships with the newer stakeholders; Sector Skills Councils and UKCES for example, and making sure that effective communiction pathways distribute information effectively in both directions.

Skills-related Groups and Representation

External groups

• NAS Stakeholders Group
• National Train to Gain Stakeholders Forum
• QCF Communications Advisory Board
• LSIS QCF Support Programme Steering Group
• World Class Skills Steering Group
• Functional Skills Support Programme
• Steering Group
• PODIUM and Olympic Legacy Group

Regular update Meetings with

• DBIS
• NAS
• UKCES
• LSC (SFA)
• Ad hoc meetings with Sector Skills Concils

AoC Managed Meetings

Tripartite 

This strategic, overarching group, chaired by David Hunter, Chief Executive, Lifelong Learning UK (LLUK), looks at how to build firm partnerships between the FE sector and SSCS and it's members are:

Andy Wilson, Principal, Westminster Kingsway College
Anne Eaton, Associate Director, Skills for Health
Brian Wisdom, CEO, People 1st
David Hunter, CEO, LLUK
Derek Williams, Development Director, Improve Ltd
Fintan Donohue, Principal, North Hertfordshire College
Brenda Sheils, Principal, Solihull College
Frank Ramsay,
Jack Matthews, CEO, Improve Ltd
Jo North
John McNamara, CEO, Alliance of SSCs
John Rogers, CEO, Skills for Health
Katie Nurcombe, Policy Manager, ASSCs
Laraine Smith, Principal, Uxbridge College
Paul Eeles, Director of Sector Reforms and 14-19, ALP
Phil Raynsford, Development Director, People 1st
Stephen Studd, CEO, Skills Active
Tanya Lawes, Higher and Further Education Delivery Manager
Terry Fennell, Regions and Sectors Engagement Manager, ALP
 

Minutes from last meeting - 28 January 2010

  Tripartite Minutes - Jan 2010

Minutes from previous meeting - 1 October 2009

  Tripartite Minutes - Oct 2009

 

Skills Portfolio Group

The Colleges who are represented on this group are:

• Barnsley College
• Basingstoke College of Technology
• Bradford College
• Bridgwater College
• Cambridge Regional College
• Castle College Nottingham
• City College Norwich
• City of Bristol College
• Croydon College
• Ealing, Hammersmith & West London College
• Exeter College
• Filton College
• Hartlepool Sixth Form College
• Highbury College Portsmouth
• Isle of Wight college
• Kingston Maurward College
• Kirklees College
• Knowsley College
• Lewisham College
• Liverpool Community College
• New College Durham
• North Hertfordshire College
• Park Lane College Leeds
• Stoke-on-Trent College
• Solihull College
• South Devon College
• St Helens College
• The Isle of Wight College
• Uxbridge College
• Walsall College
• Westminster Kingsway College
• York College

Minutes from the previous meeting - April 2009

  Skills Portfolio Minutes - April 2009

 

Business Development Network

About the Business Development Network (BDN)

It was formed in May 1999 when the AoC invited Colleges to nominate a member of staff with responsibility for generating income through business development and external funding to join the Network. There are now over 400 members from General FE and Sixth Form Colleges across England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

The network's purpose is to support the business development activities of Colleges. It is organised both centrally through the AoC and regionally through a network of regional and national associations each with its own co-ordinator.

BDN aims

To represent and promote the interests of business development managers and staff in Further Education and Sixth Form Colleges.

Objectives:

Consider how Colleges can develop their business development activities and functions and share this knowledge with other network members
Discuss the effects of Government action, recommendations and legislation on business development activities and advise Colleges accordingly
Disseminate information and advice on sources and methods of income generation and other business developments for the mutual benefit of the sector
Establish contacts with national organisations that can assist Colleges in developing their business
Achieve the objectives of the network through meetings, conferences, courses, workshops and other appropriate activities at regional and national levels
Membership:

Membership of the network is open to College representatives from all Further Education and Sixth Form Colleges in England, Wales and Northern Ireland
The network is organised into eleven national and regional organisations
A College member who cannot attend an activity may nominate a deputy
Each nominated member receives copies of correspondence, briefings, course leaflets and invitations to regional and national events
BDN Organisation:

The central organisation is based at the Association of Colleges in London. The network manager administers the members database, arranges meetings and deals with correspondence and other forms of communication
The nine English regions together with Wales and Northern Ireland each have their own network and co-ordinator. These co-ordinators are nominated by the Association and are responsible for arranging meetings and other activities within their own areas
Co-ordinators attend regular meetings of the BDN Advisory Committee at the AoC to raise issues of interest or concern and to participate in the planning of network activities
Members are informed of network activities through the Association's Briefings
For more information on the Business Development Network please see the latest Briefings or contact:

Teresa Frith
Skills Policy Manger
Tel. 020 7034 9958
 

 
Presentations from the previous meeting:

AoC Skills Sub-groups

Following the formation of the Strategic Skills Group, described above, AoC is successfully recruiting Skills Champions from this group to take forward the Skills Agenda by sector. As they form, they are introduced to the Chief Executives of the relevant SSCs and from there, form a mutually agreed work plan to take forward aspects of the Skills Agenda. These can include Diploma design and delivery, the development of Skills Academies and the development of industry focused qualifications.

AoC Skills Sub-Groups Chart

Appointed AoC Skills Champions

ROUND 1 (August 2007)
Andy Wilson, Skills Champion, Hospitality and Catering
Dick Palmer, Skills Champion, Business, Administration and Finance
Fintan Donohue, Skills Champion, Creative and Media

 ROUND 2 (January 2008)
Paula Whittle, Skills Champion, Society, Health and Development
Stella Mbubaegbu, Skills Champion, IT
David Waddington, Skills Champion, Construction and the Built Environment
Fiona McMillan, Skills Champion, Automotive
Kevin Hamblin, Skills Champion, Sport & Leisure

ROUND 3 (September 2008)
Michele Sutton, Skills Champion, Public Services
Laraine Smith, Skills Champion, Hair & Beauty
Brenda Shiels, Skills Champion, Retail
David Henley, Skills Champion, Land-based & Environmental

ROUND 4 (October 2008)
 

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The contact at AoC on the Skills Initiative is Teresa Frith, Skills Policy Manager.  Please contact her by email or phone on 020 7034 9900.