It was announced that adult education providers will receive a 20 per cent top-up this year and next on their earnings for adult education budget (AEB) courses in six subjects: engineering, manufacturing technologies, transport operations and maintenance, building and construction, ICT for practitioners, and mathematics and statistics. Sector leaders have criticised the government for excluding key skills shortage areas in their list of adult education (AEB) subjects in line for the top-up. Experts have also complained that the chosen subject areas are male dominated, while courses more likely to be taken up by women, such as in hospitality and health and social care, have been excluded. Click here for FE Week commentary.
