#214 – What’s next for VocTech and FE?

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Welcome to the latest episode of our The Voctech Podcast: learning continued series, supported by the Ufi Voctech Trust. This episode was hosted live as part of Ufi VocTech Trust’s ‘Week of VocTech’.

What’s in this episode?

In this episode of the VocTech Podcast, we are discussing the near and long-term future for vocational technology and further education with our guests.

How can the crisis be a pivot point for lifelong learning? What practical examples are there for how industry and F.E are using technology now to set them up for a changed world of employment and skills development?

You’ll hear the different perspectives and demands on our guests plus questions and comments from our live audience.

You can follow the conversation using #VocTechPodcast and #WeekOfVocTech.

People

Chantal Wilson, People Director, Honest Burgers | Twitter: @honestburgers

Chantal feels privileged to be the People Director for a brand she loves, Honest Burgers. Chantal is a hospitality-lifer from her first waiter job in her teens to her first ‘people’ job in recruitment. As a dyslexic, Chantal enjoys using her superpowers to solve complex problems. She is thankful to have worked for some pioneering people brands, McDonald’s and Nando’s, who helped shape her human-first approach to all things people. 

Eglė Vinauskaitė, Director, Skillbright Labs | Twitter: @ThisIsEgle

A learning strategist and director of edtech consultancy Skillbright Labs, Egle creates digital, virtual and blended learning programmes and products. With a degree in Education from Harvard University, she has worked with household brands and education startups alike to create learning solutions that serve audiences worldwide.

Dr. Maren Deepwell, CEO of the Association for Learning Technology (ALT), an independent charity and the leading professional body for Learning Technology in the UK on Amplify FE | Twitter: @MarenDeepwell

Dr Maren Deepwell is the CEO of ALT, the Association for Learning Technology, shaping the direction of education technology and driving the field forward internationally. Maren writes regularly for publications in Higher and Further Education as well as policy development.

With a background in Anthropology, Dr Deepwell’s particular focus is on a critical perspective on the development and future of technology in education, professionalisation and skills in Learning Technology including development of the CMALT accreditation framework and leveraging technology to create greater equity in education.   

Shane Guildford, a FE Hospitality Chef/Lecturer and PEARSONS Silver Award Winner, TES Finalist, EdTech Innovator and MIE Expert from Cheshire College South and West | Twitter: @shanelegend23

Shane is an award-winning chef and award-winning lecturer. He specialises in cooking local produce with a modern twist including patisserie and molecular gastronomy. Shane is extremely passionate about his career and achievements in the hospitality sector as a chef with over 25 years of experience as he is in the FE sector of 16 years. He is a consistent Ofsted grade 1 teacher with a vibrant and innovative teaching approach on courses of all levels.

Now an educational leading ambassador in the use of Educational technology and experience to teach the latest generation of trainee chefs, Shane is just as passionate in the classroom as he is in the kitchen. Shane instills that same passion, work ethic and attitude into today’s modern learner.

Sophie Bailey is the Founder and Presenter of The Edtech Podcast | Twitter: @podcastedtech

Sophie is the founder of the iTunes new and noteworthy, The Edtech Podcast. The mission of The Edtech Podcast is to improve the dialogue between ‘ed’ and ‘tech’ for better innovation, through storytelling. The podcast is downloaded from over 145 countries with the UK, US & Aus in the top 3. Sophie has spoken and moderated at a variety of events including SXSW EDU, Yidan Education Prize, ASU GSV Summit, and the Next Billion Edtech Summit. She is an industry mentor and advisor, including to the UCL Knowledge Lab initiative EDUCATE, a Reimagine Education, GESA Awards, Bett Awards and XPrize Adult Literacy judge, and previous Edtech50 and Edtech Digest winner.

Sophie is passionate about lifelong and everyday learning. If she’s not interviewing a University Vice-Chancellor, Edtech Investor, School Leader, or StartUp about education innovation, she’s engrossed in Teach Your Monster to Read or wrestling her lockdown baby. A keen cyclist, she has recently relocated to West Devon which she considers the English version of the Pyrenees. She is very lucky to work with a distributed team on The Edtech Podcast.

 Quotes from this episode

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References from this week’s episode

• Ufi Voctech Trust – Website, homepage
• Ufi Voctech – Twitter
• Ufi Voctech Trust – LinkedIn
• Ufi Week of VocTech – Website link
• Catch up on previous episodes of the VocTech Podcast series here – The Edtech Podcast website link
• Chantal Wilson – LinkedIn
• Honest Burgers – Twitter
• Shane Guildford – Twitter
• Cheshire College South & West – Twitter
• People First Accredited colleges Scheme – Website link
• People 1st International – Twitter
• Eglė Vinauskaitė – LinkedIn
• Skillbright Labs – Website
• Maren Deepwell – Website
• Maren Deepwell – Twitter
• Association for Learning Technology (ALT) – Website
• AmplifyFE – Website
• The Bot Platform – Twitter
• Fireside chat with Honest Burgers and The Bot Platform – Website link
• Mark Parsons – Twitter
• College Commission – College of the Future report – Report Link
• Commission on the College of the Future – Twitter
• FlipGrid – Twitter
• Nearpod – Twitter
• Create Education Project – Website
• Create Education Project – Twitter
• Wakelet – Twitter
• Phil Whitehead – Twitter
• Blended Learning Essentials – FutureLearn Course
• FutureLearn – Twitter
• #AmplifyFE – link to page recommended by Maren

Thank you to the Ufi Voctech Trust

The Voctech Podcast Series is produced by The Edtech Podcast and supported by Ufi Voctech Trust.

Our aim is to help improve vocational skills in the UK’s workforce by funding digital solutions for vocational learning. We only fund activity that is ‘scalable’ through technology, ie projects that use digital methods to widen access to vocational learning. While digital learning solutions are potentially open to all, we are especially keen to assist digital projects which involve post-school age vocational learners that have failed to be engaged by the education system. Contact: kate.atha@ufi.co.uk, Head of Communications, Ufi Voctech Trust.

Tell us where you are listening in from

We’d love to hear about innovative technology or approaches you are developing or using in adult education. Leave your stories in the comments below. Alternately, record a quick free voicemail via speakpipe for inclusion in the next episode. Finally, you can post your thoughts or follow-on links via twitter @podcastedtech or via The Edtech Podcast Facebook page.