The Educator Magazine U.K. Sept-Dec 2022 - Magazine - Page 20
Further education and
skills (FES)
Read ‘Education recovery in further
education and skills providers:
summer 2022’.
Providers have continued to use
creative strategies to respond to the
challenges of the pandemic and close
gaps in learners’ practical skills and
theoretical knowledge.
A small number of providers have
retained or reverted to remote
learning. In some industries, and for
adults studying for professional
qualifications, online learning can have
a useful and flexible role to play.
However, for younger learners, and
those on vocational courses, remote
learning narrows opportunities to gain
and practice skills.
For instance, it is very difficult to teach
brick laying or carpentry remotely.
By learning remotely, some learners are
also missing out on valuable
socialisation and opportunities to
develop work-ready behaviours and
attitudes.
This limited interaction with peers and
staff can have a negative impact on
learners’ experiences and outcomes,
and leave them unprepared for their
next steps.
high-stakes assessments for the first
time.
Challenges remain for apprentices.
While difficulties securing work and
training are easing, sectors that were
hardest hit by the pandemic
continue to be affected, such as health
and social care. Some apprentices are
not completing meaningful tasks, or
are observing rather than gaining
practical experience, while the
pressures on businesses following the
pandemic mean others are not being
released for off-the-job training. The
disruption to learning has also seen
many apprentices remain on their
programmes beyond the planned
end-point, due to them not being
ready for assessment.
Some providers have compressed
English and maths timetabling to
increase time for learners to catch up
on vocational skills. This does not leave
enough time for learners to make good
progress in English and maths.
And because of business pressures,
some employers have decided only to
recruit apprentices who already hold
the required English and maths
qualifications.
The pandemic has exacerbated existing
challenges in recruiting and retaining
high-quality staff. This is largely due to
salaries being incomparable to industry,
particularly in sectors like construction
and engineering. In some cases, the
pandemic has prompted staff to
e-consider their careers.
The level of exam anxiety was noted to
be higher than pre-pandemic,
particularly among learners sitting
The number of adult learners was
already decreasing pre-pandemic,
but this decline has accelerated. In
some cases, courses have closed.
Elsewhere though, some providers
reported an increased interest in
employability courses as adult learners
looked to re-train or move jobs.
Many learners with high needs have
received extensions to their
programmes to help them take part
in activities they missed out on at
the height of the pandemic. Personal
development has been slow to recover
and some learners have experienced
increased mental health difficulties, or
have regressed in their social skills.