Further education must improve connections with business

Education and Skills Secretary Charles Clarke has urged the further education secretary to build on the connections they have built over the last few years and create even stronger links with the business sector.

Mr Clarke highlighted some of the major improvements made in the last few years as:

• the increase in student numbers from around 3 million to around 4 million;
• an increase in college success rates from 59 per cent in 2000/1 to 68 per cent in 2002/3;
• meeting target of 750,000 adults achieving their first qualification in either literacy or numeracy; and
• record number of apprenticeships with 255,000 young people on apprenticeship programmes today compared with 75,000 in 1997

Mr Clarke described the Further Education sector as one of the main drivers of his 5 Year Strategy for Children and Learners. That is why substantial investment has been, and is being made in the sector after years of neglect. Our plans will mean over £1 billion of extra funding for Further Education over the current spending review period. The sector's response has already been impressive. Results and participation has improved and there is greater than ever student satisfaction."

But, he said he now wants to see further reform accompanying this extra investment. The government cannot and should not be expected to fund everything. Employers and students as personal beneficiaries should also contribute.

The sector needs to raise funds from a wider range of sources and collect more income from fees. He has urged the Higher Education Institutions to do the same.

Greater college and employer collaboration is the route to ensuring that the needs of employers are understood and met so they are confident that learners are equipped with the necessary skills, knowledge and attitudes. Likewise it is about giving learners the confidence that their education gives them prospects in the future economy and society. To achieve this, employers need to contribute more to course development so that the supply side is geared up to provide what they want, when they want and where.

He encouraged colleges to work with the Sector Skills Councils who are responsible for identifying the skills that we need to drive up productivity across the UK sector by sector. 

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