Empowering FE: enhancing skills with technology

From January 2025, AoC and Ufi VocTech Trust have entered a multi-year partnership working together to increase the use of vocational technology (VocTech) in further education (FE) colleges to provide greater access to learning and skills and improve outcomes for post-16 vocational students. We aim to build capacity and confidence to use VocTech across FE colleges by embedding behaviours and strategies that can support innovation in how tech is used to enhance teaching, learning and business support with a clear focus on improving student outcomes.

To help shape the direction of this new partnership and ensure our work responds to the diverse needs of the sector, for the first phase of the partnership, we gathered insights from AoC members through a research-focused survey. The survey is now closed, and the next stage is to conduct a series of interviews. The survey aimed to understand the current use of technology across colleges and recognise how through this partnership we can support the integration of technology for enhanced learning, teaching and business support. Thank you to everyone that completed and disseminated the survey.

Technology is dramatically changing how students develop skills in FE colleges, offering unique opportunities for learning, engagement and workforce preparation. However, the adoption of technology within FE colleges is uneven, creating gaps that could have long-term effects on students, communities and regional economies. Addressing these gaps requires both leadership and targeted investment, alongside a clear strategy for digital transformation across the sector.

Throughout the strategic partnership between AoC and Ufi we will collaborate with Jisc to identify opportunities to draw on their insights, resources and networks to add value and catalyse the change we want to see.