I was the future once. Increasingly, in my final years in our sector, I find myself drawn to David Cameron’s self-deprecatory description on leaving office, which echoed his taunt of Tony Blair a decade before. Unlike Cameron, though, I have no regrets. Longevity means I know the majority of college principals, every one of whom I like, admire and seek to learn from. The impressive shortlists for the Tes FE Awards leader of year and college of the year, plus my engagement with so many of our teachers in the research meet/research group space, shows me that this is a golden generation of FE people.
We owe it to the 2 million students who pass through our institutions each year to make sure they benefit from this strength in depth. So what can we learn from others?
The last golden generation of England footballers - the one that included Gerrard, Lampard, Rooney and Scholes - under-achieved at international level. France’s Patrick Vieira recently said he thought this was because English players couldn’t suppress their club rivalries to create a true team. This tension could similarly hold FE back. My friend and neighbour-principal Ali Hadawi has challenged college leaders to become system leaders, to act in the interests of our sector, even if sometimes that goes against the interests of our institution. It is a hard ask, particularly for those engaged in a permanent relegation battle, keeping their college afloat financially. But Ali is surely right. We will let the country down and under-achieve overall if we fail to put the system or the sector before our “club”.
Support FE colleges like we do the England stars at Euro 2020
The current golden generation of England footballers are exciting fans, and others, too. By common consent, this is largely down to great leadership by someone with real knowledge and expertise. Every night, we listen to the armchair pundits who, at no personal risk, will tell us where the manager went wrong with team selection or tactics. Often these insights are helpful and they are always worth a listen. However, pundit Gary Neville, has consistently said he trusts the manager, who works with the players every day, to pick the right team. We must learn from this and, as exhorted by Tes FE leader of the year Stuart Rimmer, be more combative in this area.
Meet Stuart Rimmer: Tes’ FE leader of the year 2021
More: Is your FE college letting you down?
Skills bill: How colleges should review their provision
Too often, we allow ministers and civil servants to coerce us into doing things we know won’t work or are badly thought through. This is akin to allowing the pundits or the Football Association to pick the team and dictate the tactics, when they don’t know our communities, our employers, our students or our staff. If we are to make the most of our golden generation of people, we must be clear that we are in charge, but we will listen carefully and courteously to advice and insights, which those outside our institutions are often well-placed to provide.
Of course, when countries have a golden generation they usually back it with big bucks. Sadly, this element of the formula may be the hardest to achieve. While there are some positive signs, our level of resource remains more Stockport County than Manchester City. But perhaps we shouldn’t despair too much. As Euro 2020 has shown, you don’t necessarily need a golden generation, or golden resources, to put on a golden performance. The unfancied Danes, Czechs and Swiss have all shown us that the clever application of hard work, teamwork and intelligence can be a winning combination, and one that lifts the spirits of supporters and neutrals alike.
Let’s aspire to do just that and use our greatest strength, our people, to deliver success for all our communities, and make their futures golden, too. Let’s hope, too, that this doesn’t curse England’s current golden generation in their quest to be champions!
Ian Pryce is principal and chief executive of the Bedford College Group
