This special episode comes straight from the Association of Colleges annual conference in Birmingham, one of the biggest FE events of the year!

Shane is joined by two leading principals: Sally Dicketts, chief executive at Activate Learning, and Jo Maher, chief executive at Loughborough College.

Together they take a closer look at Nadhim Zahawi's speech that day, in the education secretary's first appearance to the sector...

This week Shane is joined by Stephen Evans, chief executive at the Learning and Work Institute, and Lynette Leith, vice principal at Hull College - to discuss the hot topics.

What is the relationship between industry and FE in the context of skills shortages relating to Covid and Brexit?

Should England follow Wales in combining further and higher education funding?

And the guests discuss their reflections on the state of lifelong learning.

This week Shane is joined by David Russell, chief executive at the Education and Training Foundation, and Fiona Aldridge, head of skills insight at West Midlands combined authority - to discuss the biggest stories.

Have the government's special educational needs reforms failed - and if so, what should be done?

Who is providing solid, top-down leadership on sustainability in the FE sector?

And the guests discuss their reflections on the spending review after mulling it over during the half-term break.

This week Shane is joined by college principal Ian Pryce and the chief operating officer of an independent training provider, Nicki Hay, to discuss the biggest stories.

How should providers respond to climate change in the run up to COP26? Is anything actually going to be done about careers guidance, even with a Skills Bill amendment? And what FE research projects need funding?

This week Shane is joined by former DfE civil servant and adult education expert Sue Pember, and further education funding guru Julian Gravatt.

How are energy costs affecting colleges? Why did the Lords get so heated this week? And has the Commission got the right focus?

In our second episode, Shane is joined by exams board guru Kirstie Donnelly, from City & Guilds Group, and policy director Simon Ashworth, from the Association of Employment and Learning Providers.

So - what did the Conservatives have to say on skills? What are the Lords planning to do to the Skills Bill? And have exams had their day?

Listen to our first episode, Shane is joined by the Rt Hon Anne Milton and Ali Hadawi CBE.

A short trailer for the new FE Week Podcast.