July 2017
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This timely conference examined proposed reforms to technical education in England and implementation of the Post-16 Skills Plan.
It followed the commitment to implement the recommendations of Lord Sainsbury’s Independent Review of Technical Education including:
• The introduction of T-levels and a framework of 15 routes for technical education from 2019;
• Increasing the number of hours for students on technical routes to over 900 per year on average; and
• An additional £500 million in funding each year for technical education from 2019-20.
Sessions focused on key issues in the roll-out of the proposed T-levels and 15 routes into technical education - including the design of individual employer-led qualifications, how to ensure the content of each route is sufficiently demanding, and the impact of the possible move to a single awarding body per qualification. Further sessions considered future involvement of schools and priorities for the proposed new Institutes of Technology in creating effective progression routes to higher level qualifications.
Delegates assessed the sustainability of technical education and the resourcing to support reforms, following the announcement of additional funding in the Spring Budget and in light of Area Review findings.
The implications of technical education reforms on teacher supply and college leadership in the view of concerns over whether some colleges can adapt to a rapidly changing environment were also discussed.
