Everyone agreed England did quite well in the World Cup. At the end of the tournament, the Association of Colleges compared the FE sector, - well, colleges, as opposed to the sector as a whole - to the England team. They referred to teamwork, building from the bottom, collaborative leadership etc. and celebrated how the FE sector was like the England men’s football team.  All I could think was, “Really, is that how you want to be thought of? Fairly poor for 20 years and viewing coming fourth as a success- and still getting excessive pay-outs when an institution fails?”  

FE missed the opportunity to take the level 4 and 5 space when a polytechnic’s only ambition was to become a research-based Russell Group university. Many a skills strategy and policy initiative put FE at the centre of government, but time after time the opportunity was missed to grab the agenda and establish the sector as the dominant sector in education. I know there are politics and power at play when it comes to schools and HE, but that is not a good enough excuse.

Anyway, some very wise people told me at the time not to criticise the England team, even implicitly, as it would leave me with no friends even among my own AELP membership. As hard as it was, I stayed silent.

Hard-working for the team

However, more recently, the AoC described the sector as the super-domestique in the Tour de France following Geraint Thomas’s fantastic win this year. That analogy has tipped me over the edge. Most of you will know cycling is my sport, starting way before the phrase “MAMIL” (google it) was coined.

Once again, in summary, the analogy is based on being hard-working for the team and its leader with the occasional opportunity to get the yellow jersey during the race or even win it overall.  Indeed, the team leader will often let their lieutenant win a stage or the yellow jersey during the race as a thank you. There are some riders who are career domestiques and made a good career from it - Briton Sean Yates was one of these - and yes, he wore the yellow jersey during a race and won a few stages through his career - but how many of you can recall his successes? 

In reality, a super-domestique is just a term used to massage the ego of the team leader - these riders are leaders in waiting and as soon as the opportunity arises, they will trample on their leader and take over. It has happened throughout tour history; Greg LeMond did it to Hinault; Jan Ullrich did it to Riis; Froome almost did it to Wiggins. 

My point is this: when is the sector going to be brave enough to step forward and take control and demonstrate, no matter how painful and no matter how risky, why FE should be considered the leaders of the education “team”?  Sure, you can be hard working; sure, you can be a team player, but if you want to lead, then you have to step forward and be bold.

No glass slipper

In my eyes, both these analogies perpetuate the image of the Cinderella sector, which I detest. I thought we had got rid of it, but its ugly head seems to have risen again. The sector never gets to the ball, despite being so beautiful and the best choice, and no one ever turns up with the glass slipper.

We need to stop putting ourselves down and take control and show leadership - and I don’t mean through jumping on the latest government initiative that might get some recognition in the distant future. We need to stop being led down an initiative paved path and be the juggernaut on the skills motorway. 

If we are going to use Cinderella, then let FE be the prince. Let’s be the future leadership of the country’s education system. I constantly hear comments about the complexity of the funding system, the lack of funding, the unacceptable expectations, the demanding processes, the constant change, the need to engage with so many stakeholders, the strictness of the regulators and particularly the quality control - and I get it too from the school and HE sectors.  

I have worked in the FE sector or alongside the sector since incorporation in 1993 and started being responsible for the data, finance, and MIS.  It was as complex and demanding then.  It has always been this way; the sector as a whole, when allowed, is innovative, efficient, responsive and the engine of social mobility along with being employer and job focused.

Here’s your chance

We have an apprenticeship policy, which has the potential to be a fully employer responsive system with the delivery and assessment experts embedded in relationships with employers large and small across sectors and across the country. It will have government oversight protecting both the individual and the employer, but not constraining them or the providers. 

However, the wider skills strategy needs to be taken hold of. So come on, FE sector; here’s your chance.  It’s not about unit of resource or maintaining a presence in every city, etc. It’s about the needs of the English population - for example, the devastatingly poor literacy and numeracy of our adults and young people. It requires us to reconsider the look and feel of what FE is. 

Start with a blank sheet and demonstrate why FE should be the prince, the team leader, and - take a big deep breath - France.

Mark Dawe is chief executive of the Association of Employment and Learning Providers