1. Two Alternative Futures: Skills Ghettoisation or Skills Liberialisation?
David Corke, Director of Education & Skills Policy

2. CONSERVATIVES LABOUR LIB DEM
Shift remaining schools out of council control
Allow profit making in education
Teachers don’t need to be qualified
Loans extension to 19+
New role for local authorities –’middle tier
Focus on raising vocational standards
Institutes of technical
Education, technical degrees
Return to AS Levels
All teachers (school & college) to be qualified
CONSERVATIVES
LIB DEM
Greater employer control
of skills (including ££)
Increase apprenticeships Literacy/numeracy until 18
Devolution
LABOUR
Discounted transport for young people aged 16-21
Protect education budget to 19
Increase higher apprenticeships
Introduce lifelong learning accounts
Careers advice

3. Two Alternative Futures (1)
Money
Ofsted Grades
Finances
Reputation
Devolution
Consolidation
and Specialisation
A lot less
Externally driven
Down
AUTONOMY
LOST
(SCOTLAND)
NTIs increased
Imposed
Down

4. Two Alternative Futures (2)
Money
Ofsted Grades
Finances
Adaptation
Devolution
Consolidation
and Specialisation
Less but not quite as much
Mediated
Internally driven
AUTONOMY
RETAINED
(WALES)
Influenced
Stabilised
Enabled

5. Today’s ‘wicked’ problem – 24% cuts in ASB
The Rt. Hon Dr Vince Cable MP rightly speaks of our dual purpose:
To deliver higher level technical and professional skills. 17.9% drop in L3 in one year.
Social purpose programmes such as ESOL, numeracy, literacy and employability programmes. Holding up.
With 24% cuts in ASB, it may no longer possible for some to fully serve both.

6. Specialisation – a good thing?
These cuts could drive forward so-called ‘smart specialisation’ more quickly, which may be seen my many as a good thing.
Think:
Outcome Agreements.
Outcome Based Success Measures.
Labour Market Intelligence.
LEP Priorities.
FE Capital and LGF.
Localism and Devolution.
Ofsted.

7. Specialisation – a bad thing?
We must consider the negative possibilities of specialisation:
Limitations on social mobility in:
Dormitory counties.
Horizontal economies.
Semi-rural locations.
Globalised academic pathways, localised vocational pathways?
Travel to learn patterns.
Consideration of industrial partnership needs.
Support of emerging rather than established markets.

8. A metaphor…

9. Preferable Future…