Association of Colleges

What is the Adults, Apprentices and Employers area?

Adults, Apprentices and Employers is the AoC team that concerns itself with Skills-related issues.

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 communication pathways distribute information effectively in both directions.

Why is the Skills area important? What is the current Skills landscape?

With Machinery of Government (MoG) changes, the Skills landscape and stakeholders are changing. Colleges need to be engaged with the agencies and organisations charged with the delivery of skills, and AoC is positioning itself to support Colleges to effect these engagements.

Please see the below attachment for a visual overview of the current skills landscape, post-19, from the presentation 'Post-19 Further Education and Skills Organisation Landscape and the role and creation of the Skills Funding Agency' (Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills).

Around this landscape there are also roles for Regional Development Agencies, Employment and Skills Boards and Local Authorities. A copy of the BIS publication ‘Adult Skills Landscape and the Skills Funding Agency’ which gives more detail on the roles of all of these organisations can be accessed here.

 

Current hot issues in Skills

Hot Issues

1    Stay of execution on Key Skills in apprenticeships
2    Concerns over shift in funding to Department for Work and Pensions' (DWP) "The Work Programme"
3    Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF) Business Improvement Techniques
4    Consultation on future of skills launched
5    Business Development National Network meeting
6    Specification of Apprenticeship Standards for England (SASE) Implementation
7    AoC meet with the Department for Education (DfE), Department for Business Innovation and Skills (BIS) and Summit Skills
8    Introducing Quick Guide Presentations   

For more details on these stories, member Colleges should read the fortnightly  Adults, Apprentices and Employers briefing.  If you belong to a College and do not currently receive the Adults, Apprentices and Employers briefing but would like to sign up to do so, please register online at this link. If your College would like to join AoC, please contact Membership Manager, Anna Stella.