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Shane Chowen

@ukshane.bsky.social

5.2K followers 350 following 400 posts

Editor at FE Week - reporting on further education, skills and apprenticeships. Story tips: [email protected]

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Shane Chowen @ukshane.bsky.social · 5d

Good evening! Coming up in @feweek.bsky.social edition 509

🍨SCOOP: V Levels are about to enter the chat

🌹Full dissection of Labour's conference promises

🪑FEATURE: Does paying your college chair make a difference?

Subscribe | feweek.co.uk/subscribe/

#TomorrowsPapersToday

Shane Chowen @ukshane.bsky.social · 3h

Badenoch confirms what was trailed last night, including a claim she was an apprentice before going to university

I've sourced some evidence Badenoch had a gap year placement at an architect's firm in around 1998/1999 - not sure that counts as an apprenticeship though

feweek.co.uk/badenoch-ill...

Badenoch: I'll double apprenticeships budget by slashing uni degrees

Leader of the opposition would reintroduce student number controls for 'poor quality' uni courses to fund apprenticeship boost

Shane Chowen @ukshane.bsky.social · 2d

We’re all clear childcare is unviable, are we not?

Shane Chowen @ukshane.bsky.social · 2d

Same business owner: 'Training providers treat apprentices like commodities. The training from the college was all online. Local young people don't want to do apprenticeships - all that online training is seen as no fun'

Shane Chowen @ukshane.bsky.social · 2d

Minimum wages 2025:

Apprentices (all ages): £7.55
Under 18s: £7.55
18-20: £10
21+: £12.21

Shane Chowen @ukshane.bsky.social · 2d

Also what worker with 20 years' experience is working for minimum wage?

Shane Chowen @ukshane.bsky.social · 2d

Business owner in the room: 'I have to pay my apprentice minimum wage next year. Why would I do that if I can get someone with 20 years of experience?'

Erm if you're using below-minimum-wage workers to run your business, your business isn't viable

#CPC25

Shane Chowen @ukshane.bsky.social · 2d

Ex-skills minister Robert Halfon said the prime minister's speech on further education and skills was "an incredible thing" and "built on the work we did" #CPC25

Shane Chowen @ukshane.bsky.social · 2d

Everyone here is ill

Shane Chowen @ukshane.bsky.social · 2d

I have arrived at #CPC25 at 2000% of my recommended daily allowance of vitamin C

Shane Chowen @ukshane.bsky.social · 3d

The offending clip has now been edited out of last night's episode on iPlayer

Shane Chowen @ukshane.bsky.social · 4d

Have I Got News For You producers need an @feweek.bsky.social subscription

feweek.co.uk/100bn-digita...

Shane Chowen @ukshane.bsky.social · 4d

Have I Got News For You producers need an @feweek.bsky.social subscription

feweek.co.uk/100bn-digita...

Shane Chowen @ukshane.bsky.social · 5d

📢 What do we want?
Two-thirds of young people getting higher-level qualified by technical or academic routes

📢 When do we want it?
… At an unspecified time in the future

feweek.co.uk/starmer-swer...

Shane Chowen @ukshane.bsky.social · 5d

We think the V stands for Vocational - but we'll see what the nation's teenagers think...

feweek.co.uk/revealed-v-l...

Revealed: V Levels incoming as axe looms for BTECs

Ministers are poised to announce new qualifications as 'third route' between A-levels and T Levels as colleges prepare to axe applied generals

Reposted by Shane Chowen

Katie Martin @katie0martin.ft.com · 5d

Please join me in congratulating Woman on her appointment

Sky News @news.sky.com · 5d

Woman named as new Archbishop of Canterbury in historic first

Woman named as new Archbishop of Canterbury in historic first

Bishop of London Dame Sarah Mullally, a former nurse, has been named as the next Archbishop of Canterbury - the first time a woman has been appointed to the role in the Church of England's history.

Shane Chowen @ukshane.bsky.social · 5d

Good evening! Coming up in @feweek.bsky.social edition 509

🍨SCOOP: V Levels are about to enter the chat

🌹Full dissection of Labour's conference promises

🪑FEATURE: Does paying your college chair make a difference?

Subscribe | feweek.co.uk/subscribe/

#TomorrowsPapersToday

Shane Chowen @ukshane.bsky.social · 5d

🚨Exclusive: Ministers are poised to announce new V Level qualifications as 'third route' between A-levels and T Levels

Must-read story 👇

feweek.co.uk/revealed-v-l...

Revealed: V Levels incoming as axe looms for BTECs

Ministers are poised to announce new qualifications as 'third route' between A-levels and T Levels as colleges prepare to axe applied generals

Shane Chowen @ukshane.bsky.social · 6d

Tune in from 16.43 to hear @feweek.bsky.social deputy editor @billycamden.bsky.social answer questions about yesterday's education announcements from the prime minister

www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

Radio 5 Live - Listen Live - BBC Sounds

Listen live to BBC Radio 5 Live on BBC Sounds

Reposted by Shane Chowen

Full Fact @fullfact.org · 8d

Viral social media posts have claimed that Multiverse, a company founded by the son of former Labour PM Sir Tony Blair, has been chosen to run the new digital ID scheme.

This isn’t true, according to both the company and the government.

Has Euan Blair’s company Multiverse been chosen to run the government’s new digital ID scheme? – Full Fact

Multiverse is an “upskilling company”, not a software developer, and both it and the government say there’s no truth to viral claims linking it to the scheme.

Shane Chowen @ukshane.bsky.social · 7d

"By making apprenticeships a gold standard option for ambitious young people, we are sending a message that technical excellence is as highly valued as academic prowess."

Prime Minister David Cameron, 2012

Shane Chowen @ukshane.bsky.social · 7d

Spoken to quite a few principals following yesterdays speech.

Symbolically, flagging FE as a “defining mission” of government matters - but there is a sense that we’ve been here before.

Starmer has set himself up for accusations of hollow words if November’s budget doesn’t deliver the goods.

Shane Chowen @ukshane.bsky.social · 7d

... talking about expanding and improving further and higher-level education without even mentioning crippling teacher shortages in FE and assessor shortages in apprenticeships was an error.

feweek.co.uk/fe-to-get-ex...

FE to get ‘extra £800m’ next year as Starmer ‘scraps’ 50% uni target

PM replaces Blair’s mantra with a new goal that includes FE and apprenticeships and teases post-16 white paper plans

Shane Chowen @ukshane.bsky.social · 7d

Starmer shone a huge spotlight on FE today. He acknowledged the sector's historic (but for some reason completely silent these days) relationship with working class people and called out a "disrespect" towards skilled labour

So the sentiment was spot on. But

FE to get ‘extra £800m’ next year as Starmer ‘scraps’ 50% uni target

PM replaces Blair’s mantra with a new goal that includes FE and apprenticeships and teases post-16 white paper plans

Shane Chowen @ukshane.bsky.social · 7d

- Single regulator (OfS) for level 4 to 6 with awarding powers for colleges and some providers for level 4+ technical courses

feweek.co.uk/fe-to-get-ex...

FE to get ‘extra £800m’ next year as Starmer ‘scraps’ 50% uni target

PM replaces Blair’s mantra with a new goal that includes FE and apprenticeships and teases post-16 white paper plans

Shane Chowen @ukshane.bsky.social · 7d

Starmer's speech was a major trail for the upcoming post-16 white paper:
- Regional improvement teams (presumably replacing or reporting to the FE commissioner) - £20m just been splashed on these for schools
- Some kind of national CPD offer for FE teachers (no sign of pay equality though)

...

FE to get ‘extra £800m’ next year as Starmer ‘scraps’ 50% uni target

PM replaces Blair’s mantra with a new goal that includes FE and apprenticeships and teases post-16 white paper plans

Shane Chowen @ukshane.bsky.social · 8d

Now would be a good time to point out:
- Colleges are full because no one planned for the demographic rise in 16-year-olds
- There are shortages of college teachers and apprenticeship trainers and assessors

*Amazing* to see the sector get the limelight in PM speech - but big decisions needed fast