May 2001

CASEWORKER APPOINTMENTS

The Association for College Management currently employs a number of Caseworkers throughout the UK. The ACM Caseworkers have won a national reputation for their skill and professionalism in supporting the Association’s members individually and collectively and the Association is now seeking additional caseworkers to join this team.

High quality negotiation and communication skills are required, together with experience and knowledge of the challenges of the FHE Sector. A knowledge of employment law and the operation of internal management procedures are essential. Training in employment law will also be given.

Caseworkers are retained on a self-employed (consultancy) basis and report directly to the Chief Executive and General Secretary. Remuneration is £21.00 per hour plus expenses.

Further information is available from:
Administration Manager
ACM
10 De Montfort Street
Leicester
LE1 7GG

Tel: 0116 275 5076 Fax: 0116 255 0548
Email: saramccaffrey@acm.uk.com
Web site: www.acm.uk.com

Closing date for applications (by letter) is 30 June 2001

The AoC are in the process of conducting a series if regional seminars on TPI. Once these are concluded, the AoC guidance will be shared with all NJF unions. Clearly, it will be necessary for ACM to develop a strategy on TPI.

The immediate priority was to obtain the release of the funds, but we now have a responsibility to influence others to a view that the rewards should be available for all staff who contribute to student achievement. One immediate problem for colleges is whether those managers with substantial teaching loads are eligible; another is that with the amount on offer, it will be spread very thinly. One college who wishes to make a pay award to the Vice Principal is seeking to use TPI money, so there will be some interesting developments.

The impact of TPI on the annual national pay award is important. The AoC are saying that it is totally separate, but I am not sure that the colleges have received this message.

Susan Pember, Chief Executive of the new Basic Skills Strategy Unit, opened her key note address to delegates at the ACM conference with an appeal to the college sector: Colleges are well poised to address the challenges of the basic skills agenda – they must become the champions of basic skills.

The problem as assessed and described by Sir Claus Moser in his 1999 report, is now well known. 7 million people lack level 1 literacy skills (where level 1 is the expected attainment level of an 11 year old). A similar number lack level 1 numeracy skills. An analysis of some of the factors behind these statistics has informed the development of the new basic skills strategy:

• Only 40% of UfI learners want to learn in a college setting

• Relatively few low paid, low skilled individuals come forward to learn

• Standards in adult basic education have been too low, characterised by weak teaching and weak management

Basic skills will be one of the three key strands to the education policy of the next Labour government (assuming they are returned) and substantial resources (£241m in 2001 – 01 rising to £403m in 2003 – 04) have already been identified. With these resources come targets, which, collectively we will be expected to achieve. Practitioners are often wary of targets but that is tough, reckons Susan, because if we welcome the government’s commitment of substantial resources and support then it is reasonable that they should expect something in return. Monitoring performance against targets enables the return on that investment to be measured.