Daniel Bennett: Training Apprentices - A College POV

Hosts Jay Tovey and Mark Trussler interview Hereford College farriery lecturer Danny Bennett about UK farrier education, sponsorship, and how colleges rise and fall based on staff teams and management support. Danny describes his roles at Myerscough and Hereford, Hereford’s near-loss of FRC approval around 2016–17, and how Dean Bland helped rebuild admin frameworks alongside renewed senior leadership backing. They discuss teaching to the syllabus/“standard,” how exams can lag industry progress, and the four-part training landscape: colleges, ATFs, EPAOs, and apprentices. Danny outlines ATF CPD days, competitions, and “meet your next apprentice” initiatives to build relationships, plus digital revision resources. He explains Hereford’s redesigned block system (20 weeks total, more frequent shorter visits) improving student progress, and reviews Trailblazer/EPA changes, VetSkills communication limits, written exam issues, appeals, resits, and ongoing debate about shoemaking’s role in assessment.