Making Ends Meet:
Emerging learning broker models for
Train 2 Gain
Jo Pye
Senior Researcher
SLIM – www.swslim.org.uk
GOALS FOR TRAIN TO GAIN
• A service to help businesses get the training
they need to succeed
• Hard to reach employers are the primary target
• Offer basic literacy and numeracy training
(through Skills for Life)
• Enable many people in the workforce to achieve
a first and full Level 2 qualification
• Enable many people to move beyond Level 2
• Encourage growth in business-based training
that could lead to referrals in HE
KEY MESSAGES
• An independent & impartial skills
brokerage service to diagnose business
need & source appropriate training
provision (free2learn has helped over 28,000
learners & 3000 employers in the SW)
• If businesses are to be successful they
need to compete, and to compete they
need to train their staff (over one third of adults
in UK do not have basic school leaving qualifications)
LINKS TO PUBLIC SECTOR
AGREEMENT TARGETS
Train to Gain directly supports the following PSA
targets
• Reduce by 40%, working adults without NVQ 2
or equivalent, by 2010.
• Improve basic skills of 2.25 million adults
2001/10, with a milestone of 1.5 million 2007
• Increase those completing apprenticeships by ¾
in 2007/8 compared with 2002/3
• Increase by 3% those 19 year olds achieving
Level 2 or better in 2006 and by 2% in 2008
PARALLEL / RELATED
ACTIONS
What has been achieved so far?
• Established a network of 25 sector skills councils
• Transferred to RDAs, the management of Business
Link services from April ’05
• Launched an updated Investors in People standard
• Introduced the 1st phase of Employer Guide to
Training
• Developed a new programme for Leadership and
Management
PARTNERS IN THE
SERVICE
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LSC - Specialist Skills Brokerage
RDAs - Generalist Brokerage (IDB service)
Regional Skills Partnerships
Job Centre Plus
Skills for Business Network
Providers
Trade Unions
HE
Source: : localknowledge, Local Futures
LSC’S COMMITMENT
• Together with Department for Education
and Skills (DfES) the LSC has developed
a funding model up to 2010.
• Around 400 Skills Brokers will be available by
2006
• The LSC national investment of £230m in the
first year will rise to £399m in 07/08
• £38m available for wage compensation for
businesses with fewer than 50 employees
TRAIN TO GAIN NATIONAL
TARGETS
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ETPs and Train to Gain April ‘06
Remaining 27 LSC areas August ‘06
Fully available across England, financial year ‘07/08
33,000 employer training engagements ‘06/07
52,000 employer training engagements ‘07/08
185,000 NVQ2 (or equivalent) qualifications ‘06/08
 Hard to reach employers are the primary target
DIFFERENCES TO ETP
IN THE SOUTH WEST
• A service to employers not a programme
• Builds on the lessons learnt – not simply an
extension of the ETP pilots
• A national service from August 2006
• Focuses on new & hard to reach employers
• April launch in Devon & Cornwall and
Wiltshire & Swindon
• Introduced by August 2006 at the latest in
Gloucestershire, Bournemouth, Dorset &
Poole, West of England & Somerset
THE CORE OFFER
Key features:
• Analysis and recommendation of skills training
solutions
• Access to relevant and flexible, high quality
training
• Information and support to access a wide range
of training packages including higher level
qualifications and non-qualification-based
training
WHAT CAN EMPLOYERS
EXPECT?
Training and skills advice which is impartial,
flexible, responsive and offered at a time and
place to suit businesses:
• impartial, skills assessment to identify the skills
and support a business needs
• help choosing the most suitable training
providers and training solutions
• training providers encouraged to provide training
around the clock to suit business needs.
WHO IS ELIGIBLE?
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Available to businesses of all sizes nationwide
Particularly targeted at ‘hard to reach’ employers
Hard to reach defined as:
Businesses without Investor in People
recognition
• who have not accessed substantial
Vocational/Apprenticeship/NVQ training within
the last twelve months.
• Note: Large (>5000 employees), national and
multi sited employers are serviced by NES
brokers
FIVE KEY STEPS IN THE
PROCESS
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Skills brokerage means Skills Brokers work with the
customer (employer) to “broker” a deal with one or more
training provider
Skills Broker conduct a skills analysis to assess skills
needs (for now and the future)
Skills Broker makes training recommendations which
include the most suitable: training providers, types of
training, delivery mechanisms, qualifications
Employer, Skills Broker and training provider agree the
training package
Skills Broker recommends best funding solution
Skills Broker provides ongoing support and review
The 14 Elements of the Skills Brokerage
Standard
Core competencies for business support
Core competencies may be viewed at:
http://www.sfedi.org.uk/businesssupport/standard.php
LSC REGIONAL
AWARENESS WORKSHOPS
Content
• the key features of the south west labour market and
future trends
• how skills and learning are delivered in the region
• how and why employers access skills and how to make
the application of skills in the workplace more effective
(Content developed by SLIM)
Delivery
• series of three, two day residential workshops
• to take place a month apart from each other
(Workshop Administration – Learning South West)
Workshop 1
Day 1
Session 1 – Welcome
Session 2 – Background
Session 3 – Business Link Bid
Lunch
Session 4 – The Offer
Session 5 – Marketing Messages
Session 6 – Learning Solutions
Tea/Coffee Break
Session 6 – Learning Infrastructure
Session 8 – Broker Standard & CPD
Session 9 – Equality & Diversity and Health & Safety
Session 10 - Summary
Workshop 2 – Regional awareness workshop
• Knowledge management and exchange
• Understanding the SW labour market and
working with sectors
Workshop 3 – Regional awareness workshop
• Key regional policies, strategies and partners
• Learning infrastructure, including Skills
academies and COVEs
• Relationships with providers
• Regional protocols
• Skills brokers – reflective practice
Workshop 4 – Regional awareness workshop
• Skills for Life, diversity and learner support –
IAG etc
• Understanding employer demand for skills
• Links between skills acquisition and productivity
– regional case studies
• Improving the transfer of skills within the
workplace to support productivity
Regional case studies of
brokerage good practice*
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Charles Farris Ltd, candlemaker, Wiltshire
Country Leisure, fibreglass manufacturer, Wiltshire
Willow House, care home
Amesbury Abbey, care home
Pencarrie, clothing distributor
Magnate Grey Box, railway signals
Fields of Sidmouth, retailer
Kennet District Council, local authority
Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital
Pork Farm Bowyers, food manufacturer
*Thanks to Gareth James of OtterKli for case studies and practice
analysis)
Lessons learned
Key learning points for skills brokers:
Training can ‘enliven’ the workforce, where the work
is repetitive and progression opportunities very limited.
q
The knowledge and confidence gained from training
can empower staff to make changes to working
practices.
q
A key role for the broker is to make sense of a
confusing training system in the employer’s particular
context.
q
A sustained broker-client relationship can enable a
gradual skills development process that encompasses
leadership and management.
q
Lessons learned (2)
Key learning points for skills brokers:
q
IiP can provide a route to engagement and underpin
the training process.
q
It can be difficult for employers to visualise the full
benefits of training before it has taken place.
q
Incompatibility between training provider and client
can be a major barrier to progress, unless swiftly
resolved.
q
Training can have a discernible influence on the
bottom line.
Lessons learned (3)
• Key learning points for skills brokers:
q
Training can play a key role in an organisational
transformation.
q
Providing training is part of a package of measures
needed to retain staff in the care sector.
q
IiP can help companies to improve customer
service.
q
Choice of trainers and assessors affects individual
enjoyment and participation.
q
Training can have an impact on the culture of an
organisation, including care home residents.
q
Training builds confidence, empowering staff to raise
standards of care.
q
Providing training is seen as important for retaining
staff.
Lessons learned (4)
• Key learning points for skills brokers:
q
Accreditation through NVQs can be a useful way of
rewarding loyal staff.
q
Brokered training can support succession planning.
q
Once expectations of employers and employees
have been raised, the response needs to be swift to take
advantage of momentum.
q
But slow and/or poor service from IAG or training
providers can have a major impact on progress made.
q
NVQ training can enable staff to fulfil mentoring
roles that help to develop skills within the business.
q
Training has to be flexible to fit in with down time
and the periods when staff are away on site.
Lessons learned (5)
• Key learning points for skills brokers:
q
NVQs can boost self esteem and give people the
confidence to make better use of the skills they have.
q
Skills brokers can add weight to internal proposals
for investing on training and development.
q
Choice of provider should take account of the stage
of development of the client in terms of training.
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An NVQ programme can make a real difference to
team working and reinforce health and safety issues.
q
Choices on both provider and the specific assessor
or tutor need to fit the organisation and its staff.
q
There is a key question about whether a whole
organisation approach to Skills for Life should mean
compulsion or choice for the individual. If appropriate,
the former needs very careful handling.
Lessons learned (6)
• Key learning points for skills brokers:
q
Accreditation through NVQs can be a useful way of
rewarding loyal staff.
q
Brokered training can support succession planning.
q
Once expectations of employers and employees
have been raised, the response needs to be swift to take
advantage of momentum.
q
But slow and/or poor service from IAG or training
providers can have a major impact on progress made.
q
NVQ training can enable staff to fulfil mentoring
roles that help to develop skills within the business.
q
Training has to be flexible to fit in with down time
and the periods when staff are away on site.
Contacting the Skills and Learning Module
South West Regional Observatory
University of Exeter
St Luke’s Campus
Heavitree Rd
Exeter EX1 2LU
www.swslim.org.uk
Swslim@exeter.ac.uk
T 01392 264 500
F 01392 264 966