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Search forJob loss fears if colleges combine
Friday, November 21, 2008, 17:30
Union leaders are concerned over the possibility that Swansea and Gorseinon colleges could become one.
The two city institutions have revealed they are to look into the possibility of becoming a single entity.
It is one of a number of options they are considering, as well as "future collaborative working methods".
But both colleges say it is too early to speculate if a merger would mean job losses.
A statement issued jointly by the colleges said: "Both Swansea College and Gorseinon College recently met to discuss future collaborative working methods, including the possibility of a merged entity.
"Both have now agreed to take the first step in the collaborative process, which is the development of an independent feasibility study to explore the range of issues such collaboration would incur and its impact on students and the wider community."
The decision to work together is understood to have been taken in the past two weeks, and follows the publication of the Assembly Government's Transforming Education and Training Provision in Wales document, which outlines the future of education for students in Wales aged 14 and above.
A decision on a possible merger is a long way off.
Work is about to begin to produce a report examining the options, which will be submitted to the Assembly Government in June next year.
But teaching union NUT says it has concerns for teaching jobs if a merger is given the go-ahead.
Swansea divisional secretary Steffan ap Dafydd said: "If a merger were to go ahead, our main concerns would be employment. We are already facing a lot of reorganisation in Wales and in Swansea in education.
"A merger would not guarantee job losses, but it is likely to be a possibility, and that would be our concern.
"But we shall have to wait and see — the devil is in the detail."
Both Gorseinon College and Swansea College are independently funded. Swansea College has around 2,000 full- time students and 10,000 part-time, supported by 900 members of staff.
Gorseinon College has 2,000 full-time students, 2,000 part time and 450 staff.
Mike Day, Swansea's cabinet member for education, said: "The Assembly's Transforming Education programme is important for us to ensure the long-term education of people throughout Swansea, and to achieve that, there needs to be collaboration between further education colleges and sixth forms.
"It is important from our perspective that whatever agreement is reached, they work together so students in Swansea get the opportunities across the board."
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