Academic jobs under threat as further education college faces £4m cut

Sheffield College has begun consultation with staff on proposals to reduce its workforce in a shake-up which could see the equivalent of up to 121 full-time posts being cut.

The plans will affect teaching and support staff at the Hillsborough College, Norton College, Peaks College and Sheffield City College sites.

Courses likely to be scaled down include English for Speakers of Other Languages and skills for life.

The college’s principal and chief executive Heather MacDonald said yesterday: “We are consulting with the trade unions and our staff, and looking at different measures to avoid compulsory redundancies.”

An “enhanced” voluntary redundancy scheme will also be introduced for staff who will also be asked if they want to take a voluntary reduction in hours.

The college says the cuts are needed to cope with a drop in Government funding of £4m for the 2011-12 academic year.