Trust, Fraud and Reform: Navigating the FE Sector’s Biggest Challenges | FE Soundbite 785

Welcome to FE Soundbite Edition 785: 22nd February 2025 | Trust, Fraud & Reform: Navigating the FE Sector’s Biggest Challenges

This is the weekly e-newsletter and e-journal by FE News: ISSN 2732-4095. We know life is busy, so here is a snapshot of the latest announcements and epic thought leadership articles from sector influencers and cool thinkers across FE and Skills this week on FE News

Gavin’s Reflective Perspective

Ofsted, Ofqual and GenAI Turbo Charging Qualification fraud

This week we have Exclusives from Ofsted on the recent changes to Inspections and the Ofsted Report Cards, Jacqui’s article on the End Point Assessment developments and Ofqual was the most read article of this week and I found Martin Hall’s article on Qualification fraud being turbo charged with GenAI and how Generative Adversarial Networks are creating near perfect fake Qualification certificates that can’t be distinguished from originals.. as really alarming and really interesting tips on how to tackle this alarming development. A 1,265% increase in phishing attacks from GenAI, is alarming, for already stretched budgets, team members under pressure, this needs to be deeply thought about, but you can also understand how this could fall between the cracks and be a massive problem for later.

What is interesting is that Ofqual went out for consultation this week, particularly around changes to improve the way Ofqual both supports compliance and takes regulatory action. I wonder if Qualification fraud with GenAI and GANs are on the radar?

Trust

Qualifications, grading.. .is all about trust and value. So Martin’s article on GenAI turbo charging Qualification fraud, really resonated with me. Dennis Sherwood’s article on the recent Ofsted Report Card changes, is also thinking about trust and trust around grading in the new system.

Adult Education Budget, NEETs and the 74.9% Employment rate

I’d also highly recommend checking out Simon Ashworth’s article on Adult Education. Especially when the Gov has an 80% employment target. Especially as the latest ONS Labour market figures came out this week at 74.9% employment rate… and 136,000 people aged 16-24 now unemployed – making up two-thirds of new jobseekers… forward thinking on Adult Skills and NEETs is essential.

The future of AI in Education and Skills for 2025

I got to ask Turnitin’s Annie Chechitelli a bunch of Questions on the future of AI and it’s impact for Education and Skills… So I enjoyed myself there as this is a very interesting topic to me.

EDI

I really enjoyed Sally Alexander and Arv Kaushal’s article EDI policies are under attack.  What do we do about it? This is a really important article in the big scheme of things!

This week is a cracking Soundbite, there is something for everyone, I hope you find the articles helpful.

Epic Exclusives Thought Leadership Articles

Our Top 3 Thought Leadership Articles This Week

Firstly, How the Proposed Ofsted Inspections Would Look for Small Training Providers and Apprenticeship Providers By Lee Owston, National Director of Education at Ofsted and Paul Joyce, Deputy Director of Further Education of Skills at Ofsted

Secondly, Navigating the Changing EPA Landscape: A Need for Clarity on Recent Announcements By Jacqui Molkenthin, Specialist support for End-point Assessment Organisations

Finally, Eroding Adult Education Stores up Problems for Tomorrow By Simon Ashworth, Director of Policy and Deputy Chief Executive at AELP

This week, we also had some other Epic Exclusives!

• EDI policies are under attack.  What do we do about it? By Sally Alexander, CEO and Principal, and Arv Kaushal, Head of People Development & EDI, Milton Keynes College.
• Ofsted’s ‘Report Card’ – It’s All About Trust By Dennis Sherwood
• 7 Questions on the future of AI in Education and Skills for 2025 By Annie Chechitelli, Chief Product Officer at Turnitin
• Beyond the Deficit: Reframing Dyslexia at Work By Jay Williams, That Dyslexic Guy
• How AI is Turbocharging Qualification Fraud, and What AOs Can Do About It By Martin Hall – Non-Executive Director, Advanced Secure Technologies, Emeritus Professor, University of Cape Town and former Vice-Chancellor, University of Salford
• Five Things I’ve Learnt about Leadership By Glenn Fosbraey is Associate Dean of Humanities and Social Sciences at the University of Winchester
• Green Changemakers: A Second Operating System By Dr Lou Mycroft, Green Changemaker

What’s New in the World of FE?

Announcement

• ONS Labour Market – 136,000 People Aged 16-24 Now Unemployed, Making Up Two Thirds of New Jobseekers By Office for National Statistics (ONS)
• £19m To Support the Higher Education Sector in Wales By the Welsh Government
• Ofqual Seeks Views on Improvements to Supporting Compliance for AOs By Ofqual

Reports

• Boost in Job Ad Numbers Suggest it is Too Soon for Gloom About 2025! By Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC)

Voices

• Adult Skills Fund Cuts: Wrong-headed, counterproductive and the polar opposite of what’s needed By Paul Sceeny, Co-chair and trustee of the membership body for ESOL teachers
• Higgs v Farmor’s School – key points for the FE sector following judgment in landmark case By Joanne Moseley, Senior practice development lawyer – employment, Irwin Mitchell
• ADHD Friendly Careers Support is Key to Encouraging Young People with the Condition to Thrive By Jenny Booth, Careers Adviser at Career Connect 
• With NAW Wrapped Up, What’s Next for FE Policy? By Ed Richardson, Programme Director for People & Skills at BusinessLDN
• Embedding AI for college educators and learners in Scotland By David Hiddleston, Curriculum Portfolio Manager, Data-Driven Innovation Skills

In The Know

This week we announced the upcoming Making Skills England Work virtual round table with our friends at Edge. This is on the 4th March. Are you going to join us?

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We hope you enjoy FE Soundbite this week. Stay curious, keep innovating, and let’s shake up the world of FE together – catch you next week!

By Danny O’Meara, Digital Project Manager, FE News

By Gavin O’Meara, CEO and Founder, FE News and FE Careers