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The further education workforce - what do we know and what is next?

28 October 2015 Hannah Stanwix

A joint seminar hosted by Gatsby and The Education and Training Foundation in October 2015 explored how to ensure a highly qualified further education (FE) workforce in the future, through better use and understanding of current workforce data.

The further education workforce - what do we know and what is next?

The seminar opened with a presentation from Charlynne Pullen (The Education and Training Foundation), discussing the data obtained through the annual survey of the FE workforce, the Staff Individualised Record (SIR), and a recent project exploring learner characteristics, types of qualifications and learner destinations in initial teacher training.

A second presentation from Jenifer Burden (Gatsby Charitable Foundation) and Dr Matt Homer (University of Leeds) discussed the findings of recent research profiling the science, engineering, technology (SET) and maths workforces across the college sector in England. The presentation explored capacity for expanding current SET provision in colleges and delivering new post-16 maths policy.

Attendees then discussed such issues as:

  • Are the current data sufficient and fit for purpose?
  • How can we encourage better returns from the SIR?
  • Do we have adequate data to inform local planning and the recently announced area reviews?

A report of the seminar, including suggestions and recommendations made during the roundtable discussions, will be published in due course.

The reports discussed in both presentations are available via the links below:

Workforce data across the Further Education sector

Further Education Colleges’ workforce data for England

Initial teacher education provision in FE and Skills

Profile of the science, engineering and technology teaching workforce in the college sector in England

Profile of the mathematics teaching workforce in the college sector in England

The further education workforce - what do we know and what is next?