Transcript Transitions from school and further education into work

A lifelong learning perspective on
transitions from school and further
education into work
FOCUS - The potential of higher apprenticeships to
provide a new vocational and work-based learning
pathway to higher level technician and professional
roles in the UK economy
Hugh Joslin
Director Kent and Medway Lifelong Learning Network
17 December 2010
Kent and Medway Lifelong
Learning Network
 Partnership of 5 Universities and 6 Colleges
 University of Greenwich lead body
 Improve the progression of vocational learners to
higher education
 Supporting the development of progression routes for
work-based learners
 Working with employers to develop programmes
Public Administration FD with NHS Trust
Higher apprenticeship in Engineering Technology
Participation Rates for 16-18 year
olds in 2008
(SFR 12 – 2009 Table 1)
AGE 18
AGE 17
AGE 16
16
9
Not in employment, ed or tr.
5
20
In employment (not ed or tr)
7
2
20
Part-time Education and training
16
11
44
Full-time Education
68
82
Progression to University

82% of A level students (Youth Cohort Study BIS
2009)

41% BTEC Vocational students (HEFCE 2007)

39% Access Students (HEFCE 2006)

4% Advanced apprentices (HEFCE 2009)
Apprenticeships in England

Apprenticeships are paid jobs incorporating
on and off the job training leading to
national qualifications

Apprenticeship frameworks include:
◦ Technical certificate (knowledge underpinning
job)
◦ NVQ – competence certificated by work-based
assessment
◦ Functional skills – literacy and numeracy
◦ Employment rights and responsibilities
Apprenticeship numbers 2008
STARTS
 Apprentices (level 2) – 158,500 (4.4% increase
from 2007)

Advanced apprentices (level 3) – 81,400
(11.6% increase from 2007)

Higher apprentices not disaggregated yet,
200 in advanced apprentice figures for 2008
Statistical first release – post 16 Education and Skills (Data Service, BIS 16
November 2010)
Apprenticeship ages 2008
STARTS

16-18 year olds – 99,000

19-24 year olds – 57,800

25+ year olds – 17,900
Statistical first release – post 16 Education and Skills (Data Service, BIS
16 November 2010)
Accountancy
Active Leisure and Learning
Agricultural Crops and Livestock
Automotive Industry
Beauty Therapy
Business Administration
Children's Care Learning and Development
Communications Technologies (Telecoms)
Construction
Contact Centres
Customer Service
Dental Nursing
Driving Goods Vehicles
Electricity Industry
Electrotechnical
Engineering
Engineering Construction
Equine Industry
Farriery
Gas Industry
Hairdressing
Health and Social Care
Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and…
Hospitality and Catering
IT Services and Development
IT User
Land-based Service Engineering
Management
Marine Industry
MES Plumbing
Print and Printed Packaging
Property Services
Retail
Security Industry
Sporting Excellence
Transport Engineering and Maintenance
Travel and Tourism Services Leisure and…
Vehicle Body and Paint Operations
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair
Vehicle Parts Operations
Veterinary Nursing
Advanced Apprentice numbers by industrial sector 2007 and 2008
(SFR Table S6.2 Apprenticeship Achievements by Sector Framework Code,
Level and Gender - 2008)
8,100
7,000
6,900
6,100
1,400 1,400
200 400
1,300
6,100
4,300
1,400
700
200
200
4,100
3,700
3,100
900
300200200
4,100
3,200
700
3,200
1,600
1,300
700
300200 200 200200 200 200 500 200500
1,100
1,700
UK Policy on Apprenticeships

“We will expand the numbers of adult Apprenticeships available by up to
75,000 by 2014-15, leading to more than 200,000 people starting an
Apprenticeship each year. To fund this, we will increase investment in
Apprenticeships by up to £250 million over the spending review period.
There will be investment of £650 million in 2011-12 and an indicative
budget of £648 million in 2012-13.”

“We will not only increase numbers, but we will also improve the
programme. As an advanced economy needs advanced skills, we will
reshape Apprenticeships so that technician level, Level 3 . becomes the
level to which learners and employers aspire”.

“To widen access, there will be clear progression routes from Level 3
Apprenticeships to higher level skills, including Level 4 Apprenticeships
or higher education”.
Skills for Sustainable Growth – Strategy Document. BIS 2010)
(
Policy Drivers

Social Mobility
“Skills play an important role in creating a fairer
society by promoting social inclusion and social
mobility. As those who choose vocational routes
into work tend to be from lower socio-economic
groups , further education has a key role to play
in opening up access to higher level skills to
individuals from backgrounds with historically
lower rates of participation”.
Skills for Sustainable Growth – Strategy Document. BIS 2010)
Policy Drivers

Skills
We need a more competitive, rebalanced economy, which
is environmentally sound and resource efficient, and we
need to reduce the deficit. There should be no illusions
about the scale of the challenge we face. Our working
age population is less skilled than that of France,
Germany and the US and this contributes to the UK
being at least 15% less productive than those countries.
We are currently weak in the vital intermediate
technical skills that are increasingly important as jobs
become more highly skilled and technological change
accelerates. Approximately 80% of the people who will
be in the workforce in 2020 have already left
compulsory education. If we are to achieve a worldclass skills base we need to increase the level of their
skills and meet the demands of our economy.”
“
Skills for Sustainable Growth – Strategy Document. BIS 2010)
Role of Sector Skills Councils

To work with employers to identify skills
needs including higher level skills needs
in their sector (Sector Skills Assessments)

To establish apprenticeship frameworks at
levels 2 and 3, and now 4 and 5

To work with employers, professional
associations and universities to develop
higher apprenticeship frameworks
Higher Apprenticeship Frameworks

Existing Frameworks
◦
◦
◦
◦
◦
Engineering Technology
ICT
Accountancy
Purchasing and Supply
Contact Centres
◦ Plus 8 more in process
Evidencing Demand - Employers
A methodology for demand-led curriculum
development
1. Work with employers to scope demand
2. Work with Sector Skills Councils
3. Work with Universities on curriculum
development
4. Work with training providers and colleges to
market opportunity and ensure good IAG
and preparation are available
Evidencing Demand - Apprentices

National Apprenticeship Service – quotes
research showing 50% of advanced
apprentices show interest in pursuing a
degree equivalent course

LLN funded research shows a figure of
41.5% (“One of the 4%” - Sussex Council of Training Providers
2010)
Challenges
The Academy
 Why should academics be interested?
 Is it cost effective compared to teaching
full time students?
 The challenge of listening to employers
 Use of the work-place as a laboratory or
classroom – a place of higher level
learning
 Can university systems cope?
Challenges
Cost
 Increased fees (£6,000 - £9,000 pa)
 New opportunities for part-time learners
to get loans to cover fees
 A new paradigm regarding employers
responsibility for fees, transfer to the
learner
 Complexity and the need for good IAG
and preparation for higher level study
Considerations
Establish demand first so it is not
constrained by existing curriculum offers
 Listen to employers, they can have more
expertise than academics in some areas
 Develop curriculum with employers to
meet both their needs and the
requirements of academic rigour
 Factor in work-based learning (as in
medical training in the UK)

Considerations
Develop part-time courses for part time
students
 Deliver higher apprenticeships and other
work-based learning through Colleges
which are used to it
 Open higher apprenticeship programmes
to older workers wishing to retrain
 Build on existing routes from technician
occupations to the professions

Finally....
Higher Apprenticeships provide the
opportunity to plan new curriculum for
emerging occupations and roles such as
the integrated children’s workforce
 They will also have a “pull” effect
increasing the scope of opportunity for
young people and adults who did not
think that higher education was for them!

Thank you very much- Grazie mille!
Contact Details
[email protected]