Following some years of turbulence in FE, there was a definite buzz of optimism at the AoC conference this November. The role of AoC is to raise the profile and prestige of colleges - and there has never been a better time to define the role of colleges as we head towards a general election.
The work of the Colleges of the Future Commission set out the role for FE colleges as anchor institutions and many of us have signed up to that vision. As the commission suggests, the term “anchor” for FE colleges goes far beyond the traditional static interpretation and is more dynamic, versatile and proactive than the metaphor implies.
Since joining Stoke on Trent College just under two years ago, I have come to strongly believe that colleges can create impact far greater than the institution they are and have a vital role in shaping place and prosperity. Our new strategy, entitled Skills Ready, Future Ready sets out, a vision and values that are focused on collaboration and partnerships to achieve more complex objectives about meeting skills needs, technical capability, driving social mobility, and making ground on challenging and stubborn indicators for the city.
Colleges should be an integral part of the system with schools and universities if we are to succeed in boosting productivity, higher level technical skills and social mobility. Further education has something unique and significant to contribute to the economic, social and civic growth of their localities.
