'Students need to think critically in new AI age'

I HAVE worked locally in further education colleges for the last 29 years as a teacher, manager and leader and I have been in my current role as assistant principal for curriculum and quality at Stoke-on-Trent College since January. I am proud to be working in an anchor institution, in the heart of our city.

- Claire Poole - Assistant Principal Curriculum & Quality, Stoke-on-Trent College

Colleges have always had a responsibility that goes far beyond simply delivering qualifications.

While technical skills and subject knowledge remain at the heart of our offer, we also prepare learners not only for work or further study, but for participation in a world where truth, trust and certainty are under pressure.

There is now a growing recognition that FE colleges sit at a crucial intersection: equipping people not only with academic and employability skills, but also with wider skills such as the judgement needed to navigate complex, digital-first lives.

Our own "Skills Ready, Future Ready" framework names qualities such as digital literacy, critical evaluation, resilience and confidence as essential to student success but these are not optional extras, they are becoming indispensable.

One area of growing concern is the challenge learners face in distinguishing between what is real and what is not, especially online.

According to Ofcom's 2023 report on UK media habits, nearly four in ten adults reported coming across false or misleading content in the previous month and a significant proportion were unsure whether the media they encountered was genuine or not.