Higher Education issues
Funding
Letter from Vince Cable and David Willetts providing an update on communicating the student finance package for 2012/13 onwards, plus full-time and part-time flyers for student starting higher education from September 2012. These are in A5 format for printing, and are also available on the BIS website www.bis.gov.uk/studentfinance in A4 format.
THE NATIONAL CAREERS SERVICE
and Education Bill updates
Speaking at the ICG's Annual Conference in Belfast on Thursday 4th November, John Hayes MP, Minister of State for Further Education, Skills and Lifelong Learning, announced the creation of an all-age careers service for England, to be fully implemented by April 2012.
The Institute of Career Guidance welcomed this announcement, and we are working with the Minister and others in the sector to ensure its successful implementation. However, we are dismayed by the sudden decimation of Connexions services around the country and urge the government to put robust transition arrangements in place.
Check back here for updates as the policy unfolds and the new arrangements begin to take shape, including through the new Education Bill.
NATIONAL CAREERS SERVICE
and CONNEXIONS CUTS NEWS
(for additional member-only items see below)
Notes of Careers Guidance summit at Hertford Regional College with John Hayes MP and officials from the Department of BIS - 12/5/11. Atttended by two ICG members.
Policy Commentary from Careers England 18th April 2011
- a detailed and comprehensive review of the Coalition Government's emerging policies for careers advice and guidance for young people and adults
New article on the role of schools and local authorities in careers guidance on the Department for Education website, 13th April 2011 - updated 12th May
Statement from John Hayes on 13th April 2011 - National Careers Service for England
Survey on Cuts to Careers and Connexions Services
UNISON, the National Careers Network (NCN), Institute of Careers Guidance (ICG) and Careers England (CE) are trying to establish a national picture of cuts taking place. Please fill in this short survey as it will help in our joint campaign to save services. Individual returns will be kept confidential to the organisations involved in this research: norespondents will be identified in any press releases or research reports published.
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/7VVNB8S
Early Day Motion on Careers and Connexions Services tabled in the House of Commons on 31st March. Urge your MP to sign it.
Read the joint letter sent to the press by ICG, Careers England, UNISON and NCN, 15th March 2011.
Read the briefing statement on the future of the Careers Service produced by ICG, Careers England, UNISON and NCN, 15th March 2011, which includes links to the online petition and campaign Facebook page.
Article by John Hayes, January 2011.
EDUCATION BILL NEWS
You can follow the progress of the Bill here.
ICG Immediate Past President Dr Deirdre Hughes has prepared a paper outlining the research evidence base for CEG. This has been sent to key politicians and Lords to inform their debates.
Update:
On 11th May the Education Bill reached its report stage had its third reading in the House of Commons, in which the House considered the amendments made to the Bill in Committee. Click here to read the extract with particular relevance to careers guidance. For the full debate, visit the Hansard pages here (starts at 11 May 2011 : Column 1187)
The House divided on a new Clause 9 moved by Iain Wright (Lab, Hartlepool) which sought to amend the Bill by adding a requirement for suppliers of careers guidance to achieve a specified standard. The new Clause was defeated by 304 votes to 212.
The first reading in the House of Lords took place 12th May. The Bill is now awaiting its second reading in the House of Lords.
Update:
ICG President Steve Higginbotham has made a comparison between what was said at Tuesday's committee (29th March) with the ICG's submission. He has also highlighted the statements that he considers that members need to note.
Copies of our submission and the Public Bill Committee proceedings have been highlighted to show which points of the ICG submission have been quoted verbatim by Committee members (mainly Iain Wright). The copy of the Committee proceedings is also marked up to draw attention to specific matters of relevance to our members.
Submission of Evidence by the Institute of Career Guidance to the Public Bill Committee (Education Bill), 15th March 2011
ICG President Steve Higginbotham comments on the career guidance clauses in the Education Bill in the Times Education Supplement. Read more here.
ALL AGE CAREERS SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT
LISTEN to John Hayes' speech to the ICG Conference HERE. This podcast includes the question and answer session after the Minister's speech, during which John Hayes further developed some of his themes.
READ John Hayes' speech in full here.
DOWNLOAD the speech as an ICG Occasional Paper (pdf)
WATCH John Hayes' post-speech interview at the ICG Conference. The Minister responds to a range of questions put to him by Rachel Mulvey, Fellow and Past President of the Institute, following his speech to conference.
READ the ICG's press release HERE. The ICG's official response to John Hayes' announcement at the ICG Conference.
Read the BIS press release HERE | 