Teach Too Case study
Provider: Hair and Beauty Industry Training Ltd (HABIT)
Summary
HABIT works in partnership with Hydram Sheet Metalwork to deliver the Advanced
Apprenticeship in Engineering. Hydram is one of the UK’s largest suppliers of precision
sheet metal components, assemblies and fabrications. In 2011, senior managers at Hydram
approached HABIT to explore the possibility of setting up an employer partnership model of
apprenticeship training, similar to the model HABIT had already developed with Regis
International for Hairdressing Apprenticeships.
Practice
HABIT worked in partnership with Hydram to set up an Advanced Apprenticeship
Programme carefully tailoring the provision to meet business objectives and learners
individual requirements.
Hydram staff are occupational experts in the engineering sector and have been trained by
HABIT to plan and deliver the training for the occupational component of the apprenticeship
programme. The programme that has been developed for Hydram’s engineers has been
designed to develop the skills and knowledge required to achieve both assessor and internal
quality assurance qualifications and is delivered through one to one coaching and small
group sessions.
Outcomes
Over the last 3 years, four of Hydram’s engineers have been trained: three have achieved
the Assessors Award with a further one becoming qualified as an internal quality assurer.
Being able to deliver training on site with their own highly skilled and industry qualified staff
has given Hydram much greater control over the programme than when their apprentices
went off to college on a day release basis. The Teach Too approach ensures that the
training is directly relevant to their own working practices and skill requirements. It also helps
to ensure that opportunities for assessment are maximised.
Since the programme has been introduced apprentices have demonstrated greater
commitment to the programme, taking ownership of their own learning. The time taken for
apprentices to achieve the Advanced Apprenticeship in Engineering Manufacture has been
reduced from thirty six to twenty four months and there has been an increase in apprentice
retention rates.
The first cohort to complete the Advanced Apprenticeship have secured permanent
employment in a variety of engineering roles within the company and been given the
opportunity to progress on to higher qualifications.
The programme has also had huge benefits for HABIT’s assessment team who have gained
new skills and knowledge. Working in an entirely new sector has given them an insight into
a very different working environment and developed their understanding of different working
practices, particularly related to quality assurance.
Good working relationships have been established between HABIT and Hydram staff with
the engineers happy to share their IT knowledge and skills and support HABIT staff working
towards Functional Skills ICT.
Model document and links
Context and summary
Hair and Beauty Industry Training Ltd (HABIT) was established in 2003 and provides
Apprenticeships in Hairdressing, Engineering, and, more recently, Business and
Administration. HABIT works in partnership with Hydram Sheet Metalwork to deliver
Advanced Apprenticeships in Engineering. Hydram is one of the UK’s largest and leading
suppliers of precision sheet metal components, assemblies and fabrications in the UK,
operating from a 100,000 square foot site in County Durham, north east England.
In 2011 Hydram senior management approached HABIT to explore the possibility of setting
up an employer partnership model of Apprenticeship Training, similar to the model HABIT
had already developed with Regis International for Hairdressing Apprenticeships. Hydram
was dissatisfied with the current training their apprentices received and the limited
opportunities for their own staff to input into their Apprenticeship Programme. They were
concerned about the lack of integration between the on/off-the-job training. Apprentices
attended a local college on a day release basis, following a set training plan, but the skills
they were being taught were not relevant to Hydram’s working practices
Impacts for ‘Teach Too’
As Hydram has full control of all aspects of the delivery of vocational training in the
Apprenticeship Programme, the apprentices’ training is specific and bespoke to the
employer and learners’ needs.
The development by HABIT of the Hydram Management Team to be the apprentices’
trainers and assessors has given the apprentices a sense of pride and ownership in their
apprenticeship. The apprentices see Hydram’s managers take time in their busy working
days to deliver theory sessions, practical training, mark assessments etc and it has made
them feel valued by the company.
HABIT also worked with the Hydram Training Team to map the Functional Skills into the
engineering curriculum at the start of the programme. There are ongoing monthly visits from
a HABIT assessor support the delivery of on-the-job Functional Skills.
Effective reciprocal relationships have been established between HABIT and Hydram staff
with the engineers happy to share their IT knowledge and skills. One key impact of this is
that they have supported HABIT staff to develop the skills to be able to deliver the Functional
Skills ICT component. Working with the Hydram Management Team on engineering
qualifications has also enabled the HABIT team to develop new curriculum skills, leading to
the delivery of new qualifications outside the hairdressing sector e.g. Business
Administration Apprenticeship.
This also contributes to developing other aspects of excellent vocational practice:
Clear line of sight to work

Hydram, with the learners, select the optional units in the vocational qualifications
which are applicable to the apprentice job role and business requirements. This
ensures the apprentices gain on-the-job training relevant to their work and
qualifications enabling the apprentices to achieve the standard for assessment
sooner.
Curriculum development and design

The decision by the Hydram Management Team to deliver the Technical Certificate
with the relevant NVQ Level 3 Units in the Apprenticeship has resulted in the
reduction of the Advanced Apprenticeship programme by twelve months.
Adding value to employers’ businesses

Hydram Operations Manager, Stephen Beacham, said “Apprenticeships are very
important to us; we see them as a way of future proofing our workforce. We bring
young people in train them to a very high standard with a view to seeing them
progress on to become our managers of the future.”
Access to up to date equipment used in industry

As apprentices are learning in the work place they gain their skills on the latest
production machinery.
Key highlights of effective practice

HABIT worked in partnership with Hydram to set up an Advanced Apprenticeship
Programme carefully tailoring the provision to meet business objectives and learners
individual requirements.

To deliver the Apprenticeship, HABIT developed a training programme for Hydram’s
engineers which was designed to develop the skills and knowledge required to plan,
deliver, assess and internally verify the vocational qualifications contained in the
framework for the Advanced Apprenticeship in Engineering. The training, which
leads to the Level 3 Certificate Assessing Vocational Achievement, has been
delivered through one-to-one coaching and small group sessions.

Hydram assigns a workplace mentor to each apprentice who supports them with their
on-the-job training.

Hydram has control of planning the apprentices training assessments so it can be
planned to fit with the apprentices work schedule and the factory production
schedule. There is always on member of the Management Training Team in the
factory, so if an unplanned assessment opportunity occurs the assessment is not
missed.

Regular standardisation meetings and monthly Apprentice Progress meetings
support the Hydram team and HABIT’s General Manager and Hydram’s Heath,
Safety and Environment Manager have weekly updates either by factory visits, email
or telephone meetings. The team from HABIT are seen as an integral part of the
Hydram workforce. Judith Porter, a Director of Hydram, asked HABIT’s General
Manager in January 2014 “Have we got you on the payroll now as you are here more
than I am?!”

The Hydram training team comprises of the Operations Manager, the Safety, Health
and Environment Manager, the Design Manager and the Systems and Technical
Manager all of whom are all highly qualified engineers. The engineers achieved the
Level 3 Certificate within 9 months of starting the programme. The Safety, Health
and Environment Manager who already had their D32/32 award, up-skilled by taking
the Level 3 Certificate Assessing Vocational Achievement. HABIT have also
supported him through the Level 4 Certificate Leading the Internal Quality Assurance
of Assessment Processes and Practices.

Stephen Beacham, Hydram Operations Manager, said, “Working with a partner
company, HABIT, a programme has been designed which meets the needs of this
growing precision fabrication business. Apprentices gain not only the technical
knowledge, which is delivered onsite by members of Hydram’s management team,
but also the necessary practical skills on the latest production machinery:- CNC laser
cutting machines, punching machines, pressbrakes, milling machines and the newlycommissioned £1m paint and assembly facilities”.
 The HABIT assessment team deliver the
Functional Skills elements of the Advanced Apprenticeship
in Engineering, but had not previously delivered ICT Key
Skills or Functional Skills which is required in the
Engineering Apprenticeship. Working with Hydrams ICT
experts the HABIT team have up-skilled their ICT
knowledge. This has enabled them to develop ICT training resources and
successfully delivered the ICT Functional Skills to the Hydram Apprentices.
Partners
Hydram Sheet Metalwork
Contacts
Hair and Beauty Training Ltd (HABIT)
The Old Brewery
Castle Eden
County Durham
TS27 4SU
Contact: Brenda Allan
Email: brendaallan@habit.gb.com
Tel:
01429 839261