Reputation
Raising the regional, national and international reputation of FE colleges and the wider sector is central to all that we do at the 157 Group. The way in which colleges are perceived by stakeholders - including the government, business, media, the public and learners - is critical, and a positive perception contributes to promoting the profile and status of the whole sector.
Advocates and spokespeople
An important part of our mission to enhance the reputation of further education involves working closely with influential individuals who are willing to act as advocates for our sector. We are privileged to have seven high-profile and expert patrons, four of whom sit in the House of Lords and between them represent the three main political parties. The Baronesses Wall, Sharp and Perry all have a personal interest and a remit in education and skills. Our other patrons - Sir Andrew Foster, Sir David Melville and Sir Mike Tomlinson and Lord Adebowale all have a background in leading educational policy, thinking and development at a national level. For more information about our patrons, click here.
In their day-to-day work and at events, our patrons speak readily and with great passion about the value of FE colleges, vocational education, skills training and the importance of engaging employers.
Many 157 Group principals are regularly called on to make comments for the media about specific issues, such as women in business, regional skills, social cohesion, unemployment, changes to funding, and the impact of the recession. During the immense national and specialist media interest generated by the capital crisis and the select committee report, Spend spend spend? The mismanagement of the LSC capita programme in FE colleges, we focused on protecting the reputation of FE colleges.
Events and public platforms
Events and public platforms have become an important vehicle for expanding the profile and reputation of FE. 157 Group principals regularly appear on local, regional and national platforms talking about their colleges, the value of FE and their own perspectives on specific issues.
157 Group principals and practitioners and 157 Group staff have spoken at:
•national sector events and conferences
•agency eventsand discussion panels
•policy seminars and debates
•regional and national employer and skills events
•sector panels for partner delivery associates.
Media
Good media coverage is crucial to raising awareness about the value of further education and the profile of the 157 Group. We are establishing good relationships with key media outlets, especially those that cover education, professional development, policy and the public sector.
157 Group principals regularly appear on national and regional television and radio and are frequently asked for views on their colleges and from a 157 Group perspective by newspaper editors and journalists.
Our media activities have included:
•supporting a six-page Guardian supplement
•opinon pieces by 157 Group principals published in the TES, FE Focus section
•articles in two journals for parliamentarians
•gaining significant coverage in FE Focus, FE News and the Education Guardian.
