This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Professional body considered for college staff
01/09/2004
Staff in Scotland's 46 colleges are to be asked if a
professional representative body could help uphold
occupational standards in the sector and take a strategic
approach to training and development.
A consultation will ask staff to consider if a
professional body would be an effective way of maintaining
and enhancing the quality of teaching and learning in
Scotland's colleges. It also seeks views on issues such as
whether registration with the body should be mandatory,
whether members should adhere to a Code of Ethics, and
whether allied professionals - such as community learning
and development practitioners - should also be able to
join.
Lifelong Learning Minister Jim Wallace said:
"In fulfilling their professional roles, college staff
increase the nation's skills base and open up new
opportunities for people from a wide variety of
backgrounds. They are at the forefront of our drive to
create a more prosperous and inclusive society.
"New times breed new challenges, and I am aware that in
recent years the demands on all kinds of college staff have
been increasing. Partly due to legislative changes and
partly to an ever-widening client base, college staff are
now expected to wield greater levels of knowledge, skill,
and responsibility than ever before.
"I believe that systematic training and development is
vital to the achievement of a motivated and effective
workforce. For this reason, and in view of responses to
last year's consultation on occupational standards, I have
asked my officials to consult the sector fully on whether
there would be merit in establishing a professional body
for staff in Scotland's colleges.
"As the creation of a professional body could impact on
a wide range of staff in the sector, I am keen that as many
college staff take the time to respond to this consultation
as possible. This means not only managers and lecturers,
but also staff employed in learning support roles and
anyone else with an active interest in the subject."
Both the consultation paper and online questionnaire may
be accessed at:
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/consultations.
The consultation paper can be accessed directly at:
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/profbodyconsultation.
The deadline for the consultation is Tuesday 30
November. The team may be contacted at
profbody@scotland.gov.uk.
An earlier consultation entitled 'A Review of
Occupational Standards and National Guidelines…' was held
between March and July last year. After its completion, an
analysis of responses was published, which showed - amongst
other things - evidence of support in the sector for the
establishment of a professional body. This was despite the
fact that the issue had not been mentioned in the
consultation paper.
Scotland's 46 FE Colleges deliver education and training
in a wide range of academic and vocational subjects. To do
this, they employ around 22,000 members of staff, of whom
around 13,700 (62 percent) are permanent or temporary
teaching staff.
26 percent of college study is at higher education level
and 85 percent of enrolments are on a part-time study
basis. During 2002/03, there were almost 290,000 student
enrolments.
During the current academic year, Scotland's colleges
will receive around £409 million of public funding. This is
an increase of over nine percent on the figure for the
previous year.