AELP’s Simon Ashworth Discusses FE Workforce Development and the Challenges Communicating The Constant Announcements To Employers and Stakeholders

We caught up with Simon Ashworth from AELP (Association of Employment and Learning Providers) at the recent Education and Training Foundation’s Teaching and Learning Conference in Birmingham.
Simon discusses the importance of FE Workforce development in Independent Training Providers, especially as 70% of Apprenticeship delivery is completed by ITPs.

We have also had a raft of announcements of late, from Adult Skills Budget, Curriculum and Assessment Review, Keep Britain Working and the Pathways to Work Green Paper. Simon discusses the challenges in communicate the many announcements to employers, colleagues in FE and Skills and learners. Simon also discusses some of the feedback from Employers about the soon to be announced (so more announcements) around the Levy and the promised flexibilities in Apprenticeships and Skills.

Simon then discusses the worrying recent announcement on Adult and Lifelong Learning, with the cuts to adult skills budget and the potential challenges around funding for adult skills in the devolved areas.

Check out the video with Simon from #TeachingAndLearning Conference: