National Forum of Engineering Centres

Bob Millington – Director, National Liaison and Regional Coordination

Brief Background

•Represents providers of Training & Education in Engineering• Established for 18 years initially for the network of FE Colleges• Now includes private providers/GTAs & companies with training facilities• Corporate membership but some individual members• Five Regions• National Council (Advisory body and arena for sharing and resolving issues)• Run by six Directors who volunteer there services

National Voice ……… Local Representation

National Representation

•Represents the interests of members and the sector through lobbying• Matters relating to Quality, Content, Structure, Management and Funding • Provide networking opportunities for sharing good practice

Representation on:

-National Training Framework Committee (SEMTA),-Education and Skills Panel (Engineering UK), -Steering Group for Engineering Gateways Initiative – Progression to HE (Engineering Council)- Attend other meetings were interests of members can be represented

• Organise and deliver two highly regarded National Conferences per year – NEXT: Thursday and Friday 27th and 28th May, Holiday Inn, Coventry

National Representation Cont’d

Through the National Council – effective links with:

-SEMTA/NSAM•Summit Skills•Engineering Council•Engineering UK•EEF•LSC •Award Bodies• Foundation Degree Forward•EPC•FdF

Local Representation

•NFEC provides free regional seminars to help identify and address local and regional issues.

•Relevant issues are taken to National Council

Projects – Adding Value for Members

•Successfully managed an LSC £1.6M ‘Dissemination of Good Practice’ national project• Project Management of the then DfES (Standards Unit – QIA) ‘Engineering in a Box’ initiative• EAL- NFEC Performing Engineering Operations

Current Issues

1. Transition to QCF

2. Funding for QCF Programmes

3. Apprenticeship Frameworks

4. “Higher Ambitions” – The New HE Framework

1. Transition to QCF

By end of 2009:

- About 2,500 qualifications ready-About 12,000 NOS QCF Units of Assessment ready

By Level:-Entry – about 8%-Level 1 – about 18%-Level 2 – about 35%-Level 3 – about 28%-Level 4 – about 2.5%-Level 5 – about 2%

1. Transition to QCF Cont’d

• Concerns whether deadline will be met• QCDA responsible for preparing the Sector & working with LSIS, ALP and the AoC. Centres will be ready by December 2010• Have conveyed message to QCDA and LSC that providers need clear information about qualifications that are to be available for Sept 10• Calendar available regarding key dates relating to strategy but doesn’t relate to quals

2. Funding for QCF

• From presentation at NFEC National Conference – on surface, seems complex• Concern over level of admin for providers• Implementation will be with providers to handle with what seems like little help at operational level• Will providers know the overall level of funding in good time for budgeting

3. Apprenticeship Frameworks

• Technical Certificate that forms key part of Framework – some concerns• Key to developing “well rounded” Engineers able to more easily transfer skills• SEMTA is to keep for Engineering Apprenticeship Framework• SummitSkills have removed from Building Services Apprenticeship Framework

3. Apprenticeship Frameworks Cont’d

• Replacing NVQ and Tech. Cert. with integrated programme for Apprenticeship and Advanced Apprenticeship• New full-time Access Award at level 2 for unemployed• Not allowing funding for Level 3 programmes • Disenfranchising the unemployed•NFEC in discussion with SummitSkills regarding this• Linking with AoC who are also dealing with matter

4. Higher Ambitions – The New HE Framework

• Announced in November by Department of BIS• NFEC contributed to EPC Seminar focussing on staffing in HE from FE perspective• Concerned at low level of academics in HE with teaching qualification (14%) – this will include research staff• Encouraged by the drive to widen participation

4. Higher Ambitions - Cont’d

• Announcement seemed to assume that proposals were new – some were but some (e.g. progression from FE to HE and Apprenticeships to HE) are not.

• Unsure there is understanding about motives for recruiting Apprentices – primarily NOT for HE unless recruiting to new Higher Apprenticeship

• Questions/Discussion