Foundation Degree and Work Based Learning Programmes: 3

rd

Call Workshop

Agenda

1. Overview of programmes 2. Existing projects/ projects in development 3. Funding criteria 4. Funding application process 5. Next steps 6. Q&A 7. Individual Sessions

•

Foundation Degree & Work Based Learning Programme Management Unit (PMU)

Based at the University of Glamorgan • Responsible for the FD and WBL sector Programmes for the • Each Programme has a Programme Manager, Finance Officer, Quality Assurance Officer and an Administrator. Shortly recruiting a Business Engagement Broker for each Programme • Responsible for the Programme from PIF stage through to contract and for the life of the projects, until funding comes to an end in August 2015 • Manage claims and participant monitoring with partners and WEFO

FD & WBL Programmes

The WBL and FD Programmes have received approval from WEFO under

Priority 3 Theme 2

of the ESF programme: Improving skill levels and the adaptability of the

(private sector) workforce

. The over-arching objective of P3T2 is Skills for the Knowledge Economy: Higher Level skills and Systems for Workforce Development within the

Convergence area

.

FD & WBL Programmes

The Foundation Degree (FD) and Work Based Learning (WBL) Programmes are led by the University of Glamorgan on behalf of the HE sector in Wales. The programmes are supported by the European Social Fund (ESF) — FD will develop and deliver Foundation Degrees equivalent to CQFW level 5 for employed participants within the private sector — WBL will develop a range of WBL bite-sized opportunities at CQFW level 4 and above for learners currently in private sector employment The Programmes will operate in collaboration with business and other appropriate stakeholders which include Further Education and the Sector Skills Councils (SSCs)

FD & WBL Programmes

Facts and Figures Foundation Degree

• Total Budget: £16.5million

• Total Outputs: 1330 • Total Results: 1064 • Employers assisted: 133

Work Based Learning

• Total Budget: £34million • Total Outputs: 7600 • Total Results: 5320 • Employers assisted: 950

FD & WBL Programmes

The Foundation Degree Programme

• •

Key objectives:

Encourage non-traditional part-time progression routes into further and higher learning, life long learning and work-based learning • • Offer a practical solution to the dilemma of working or studying for each employed participant undertaking a Foundation Degree. This will ensure that participants get the skills employers require Involve key stakeholders, such as Sector Skills Councils, employers, and FE Institutions in curriculum development and delivery, and will ensure that the skills delivered in each qualification are an asset to the employers in the region Ensure that participants have the skills for increased competitiveness in the labour market, and enable them to develop their personal performance. For many, a Foundation Degree may be the best option when seeking career progression or changing their career

FD & WBL Programmes

The Work-Based Learning Programme

•

Key objectives:

To offer a practical solution to those in employment who want to gain higher level skills, but are not able to embark on full time education, or are not ready to commit to a qualification such as a degree. • To provide a flexible mode of delivery for small chunks of modular learning which will present a progression route for participants to get back into the education arena and gain the skills employers require. • To foster employer and employee engagement in learning, through initiatives which promote, recognise and reward good practice. • To involve key stakeholders, which include Further Education (FE) and Sector Skills Councils (SSCs), who will ensure that the skills delivered in each qualification are an asset to the employers in the region

FD & WBL Programmes FD Budget Overview (Total £16.5 million)

£4 718 025; 28% Budget Already Allocated Redevelopment Budget Remaining £1 439 741; 9% £10 342 234; 63%

FD & WBL Programmes FD Outputs Overview (Total 1330) FD Results Overview (Total 1064)

408; 31% 352; 33% 761; 57% 594; 56% Outputs already approved Remaining outputs Resubmission 161; 12% 118; 11% Results already approved Remaining results Resubmission

FD & WBL Programmes WBL Budget Overview (Total £34 million)

£13 114 149,00 ; 38% £10 132 341,00 ; 30% Budget already approved Approved in principle Remaining budget £10 753 510,00 ; 32%

FD & WBL Programmes WBL Outputs Overview (Total 7600) WBL Results Overview (Total 5320)

2172; 29% 1780; 34% 1658; 31% 2812; 37% Outputs already approved Remaining Outputs 2616; 34% Approved in principle 1882; 35% Results already approved Remaining Results Approved in principle

Existing projects and projects in development

• Importantly,

WBL

and

FD

duplicate existing activity projects should not • Project sponsors should try to remain aware of other ESF projects, WAG-funded schemes as well as recently-approved WBL and FD projects

FD & WBL Programmes

FD Approved Projects :

Pembrokeshire Energy Management £693,005 Pembrokeshire College £617,857 UHOVI Sustainable Construction £747,005 Merthyr College Gwent College £37,938; £204,025; Coleg Morgannwg £166,163 UHOVI ICT £782,334 Merthyr / Gwent / Morgannwg £112,208 Bangor Energy £497,364 Llandrillo College £287,788 UHOVI Business Pathways – £1,506,660 Merthyr College Coleg Gwent £173,970 £183,499 Glamorgan Aerospace £491,657 Coleg Morgannwg £402,742

FD & WBL Programmes

WBL Approved Projects

Trinity LATERAL £692,677 Glyndwr Built Environment £118,996 Coleg Menai £12,962 Bangor Health & Wellbeing £2,260,607 Trinity Mentoring our Workforce £397,565 Glamorgan Professional Academy £2,280,088 Bangor Environmental £393,741 UHOVI DEHOV £3,288,829 CiDS UoG £916,986 Glyndwr Horticulture – 97,684 Coleg Sir Gar £27,846 Swansea Bioscience £3,473,182 Glyndwr Business & Leisure £161,291 Coleg Menai £93,221 UWIC HPWN £4,675,106 Swansea Innovation £2,304,205

Projects currently in development

Foundation Degree – Llandrillo College/UWIC – FD Professional Tourist Guiding – Llandrillo College/UWIC – FD Sustainable & Renewable Construction Technologies – UWIC FD Food Science & Technologies – UoG FD Music Technologies – UWIC FD Engineering

Work Based Learning

– Llandrillo College/UWIC – Professional Tourist Guiding – Llandrillo College/UWIC – Sustainable & Renewable Construction Technologies – Bangor Nuclear Power Management – Skillset Academi+

Sector Split

CORE/ENABLING

Energy Environmental management Telecoms & ICT

STRATEGICALLY IMPORTANT

Bioscience Health (not public sector) Financial services Creative Industries Automotive & Aerospace

ECONOMICALLY IMPORTANT

Construction Leisure and Tourism Other

FD

2 1 1 1 1

WBL

2 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 2

FD Regional Coverage

Projects approved: • UOG Pemb Energy Man • UOG ICT • UOG Sust Construction • UOG Aerospace • BU Energy & Power Tech • UHOVI Business Pathways

WBL Regional Coverage

Projects approved: • Bangor Environmental • Bangor Health and Well Being • Glyndwr Built Environment • Glyndwr Horticulture • Glyndwr Outdoor Business & Leisure • Swansea Bioscience* • Swansea Innovation • Trinity LATERAL • Trinity Mentoring our Workforce* • UoG Professional Academy • UoG CiDS* • UHOVI DEHOV * Projects begin in their regions, but will expand Pan-Wales;

Other higher-level skills projects

• •

Hefcw Regional FD funding

:

One Wales funding for the development, promotion and delivery of new part-time

foundation degree provision (one proposal per region). Areas of overlap must be clearly identified at an early stage: http://www.hefcw.ac.uk/documents/publications/circulars/circulars_2010/W10%2029H E%20Foundation%20Degrees%20circ%20and%20Annex%20A.pdf

ESF: Software Alliance Wales

(SAW) led by Swansea University in partnership with the Universities of Bangor, Glamorgan, Aberystwyth, and University of Wales Trinity Saint David. Post-graduate CPD: http://www.softwarealliancewales.com • •

ESF: LEAD WALES

(SU) is designed to meet the specific needs of owner-managers (SMEs), integrating active teaching with action learning and encouraging participants to share knowledge and experience with their peers and to apply what they learn to their own business situation (10-month course): http://www.leadwalesprogramme.co.uk/

ERDF: ASTUTE

(Advanced Sustainable Manufacturing Technologies) will target the aerospace, engineering and automotive industries as well as other high-technology manufacturing. Universities: Swansea, Aberystwyth, Glyndwr, Bangor and Cardiff. Collaborative R&D: www.swansea.ac.uk

3. Funding criteria

• • • • • • • Is the proposal submitted by a

Welsh Higher Education Institution

?

Does the proposal demonstrate

Added Value

? (inc. sector fit) Has the proposal been

developed on a collaborative basis

– involvement with

SSCs

?

N.B. Evidence of SSC support is a condition of funding, and written support must be provided as appendices at PDP stage.

Is the proposal

demand-responsive

(i.e. meeting the needs of industry)?

Are

all costs eligible

in accordance with WEFO and EU Regulations?

Is the

match funding eligible

?

Does the proposal demonstrate that it will make a contribution to

Cross-Cutting Themes

(CCT) (Equal Opportunities and Environmental Sustainability) and consider the integration of CCT actions in the implementation of the project?

Programme Stipulations

1. Project participants (students) must be in (private sector) employment, and must live and/or work in the Convergence area of Wales (WW&V) 2. Projects must address one or more of the following WAG Ministerial Advisory Group private sector priorities:

Added Value: WAG MAG Priority Sectors

Jane Hutt letter (Apr 2009) NLSA 2009-2010 John Griffiths letter (Mar 2009) CORE/ENABLING

Energy Environmental management Telecoms & ICT

STRATEGICALLY IMPORTANT

Bioscience Health (not public sector) Financial services Creative Industries Automotive & Aerospace

ECONOMICALLY IMPORTANT

Construction Leisure and Tourism Low Carbon Economy Digital Economy Health and Bioscience Advanced Engineering & Manufacturing

Sector Skills Councils: Engagement & Collaboration

Meeting with Sector Skills Alliance, Key representatives & HEFCW 5 th March 2010. The following process was agreed to manage the project sponsor & SSC relationships: PIF PIF Programme Board

PIFs agreed at Programme Board taken forward to develop PDP

PIFs to be submitted PIFS to be sent to Alliance SSC contact who will send it out to the relevant SSCs for review before Programme Board Meeting Ongoing collaboration with HEIs and SSCs to implement projects SSCs to attend Prog. Board Meetings SSCs to work collaboratively with “sponsors” to develop PDPs PDPs to be sent out to the one SSC contact to pass onto relevant SSCs for review before the meeting Programme Board PDP Version 1 - 5 March 2010

Sector Skills Councils: Engagement & Collaboration

• SSC engagement protocol – Guidance document setting out the process and requirements for engaging with SSCs, as well as main contact details, SSC footprints, SSB details – Key message: •

Early and meaningful engagement is crucial!

SSC Engagement Protocol

The purpose of the SSC engagement protocol is to explain the duties of project teams when engaging with SSCs at project development stage Project Team Engagement Process:

• SSC involvement (from an early stage) in project development • SSC involvement in curriculum design and development • Ongoing SSC involvement during project implementation where appropriate The Alliance of SSCs will act as a conduit for engagement – signposting project teams to relevant SSCs if needed - but project teams are responsible for working closely with the relevant SSC & SSBs for the project.

The Alliance cannot endorse proposals

As part of the engagement protocol, a list of SSCs, their sectoral footprint and Welsh representatives’ contact details have been included, as well as a list of SSBs

Project engagement with SSCs should not be merely letters of endorsement for a proposal from one or more SSC – it must be demonstrable involvement from SSCs/SSBs in the development of the projects

Engaging with Businesses

• It is important to prove that there is a sector need for the project, in particular evidence of engagement with employers. This may take the form of: – Letters of support detailing that businesses are willing to let individuals attend specific courses (the letters must prove the course is fit for purpose rather than a generic letter of support) – Focus Groups – Market Research Surveys – A lead business being part of the development of a project – they will provide details of curriculum need, amount of training needed, levels that are required • • This information will be detailed in the PDP and copies of any letters from businesses needs to be supplied to the PMU This information is presented to the Programme Board as part of the assessment process

4. Funding Application Process

What is the PIF process?

Idea Discuss with partners Evidence of need Engage with SSC Complete Project Idea Form 7th Jan

Assessment of PIFs

• The Programme Board will meet to consider the PIFs • The PMU provide a summary table outlining: –

Institution and partners

– Project Title – –

Sector Spatial area

– Project Summary – –

Partnership engagement

(SSCs, employers)

No of Modules D / V

( FD: 240 credits, WBL: 60 credits max ) – Level of qualification ( FD: L4&5 only, WBL: L4-7 ) – Pre entry requirements and

Progression Routes

• If a PIF is declined, reasons will be given • If a PIF is approved, it proceeds to PDP

Assessment of PDPs

• PDPs are assessed by the PMU; • PDP templates, spreadsheet packages and guidance are provided in a PDP training workshop by the PMU; • Project sponsors are then responsible for the full development of their proposal, including: – Full PDP (with evidence of SSC and employer support for the proposal); – Budget (for each partner); – Outputs (for each partner); – Gantt Chart (setting out activities, tasks, milestones and responsibilities); – Risk Assessment (accurately assessing the risk and providing a mitigation strategy)

;

Assessment of PDPs

• Once PDPs have been submitted to the PMU, the PMU undertakes a due diligence exercise • PMU feedback will be provided to the Project Sponsors before the Programme Board meeting • As a minimum, PMU feedback follows a set format:

Project Title Main Applicant Main Contact Sector(s) Project Objectives How does it fill a gap in existing provision?

HE/ FE Partners Other collaboration SSC direct feedback Proof of Sector Need (including evidence of company support) Delivery Approach DP issues Cross-cutting Themes Management, Admin, Quality State Aid Regulation treatment Exit Strategy Budget Total Project Cost ESF Public match Private Match VFM Budget issues requiring clarification Management Development Delivery Outputs No. of Participants Accessing Employers Results Gain qualifications Completion rate Participants – further learning Output Issues requiring clarification Overall Project Assessment Risk PMU Recommendation £ % % of budget # # Issues % %

Project Title Main Applicant Main Contact Sector(s) Project Objectives How does it support existing provision?

HE / FE Partners Other Collaboration Start date / End date SSC Direct Feedback Proof of Sector Need (including evidence of company support) Approach to Delivery Module Status Module Size Cross Cutting Themes (Equal Opps & Environmental) Management, Administration & Quality State Aid Regulation Treatment Exit Strategy Budget Total Project Cost ESF Public Match Funds Private Match Funds Value for Money (Unit Cost) Value for Money (credits) Budget Issues Requiring Clarification Outputs Accessing Qualifications Completion Rate Employers Assisted Participants – further learning Output Issues Requiring Clarification Risk PMU Recommendation

To be Developed?

Currently Validated?

£ # % %

Assessment of PDPs

MAG Sector

% budget % outputs % results

VfM

Project Cost Total Credits Credits Value (@ £50.00 per credit) % of Total cost % management staff % development staff % delivery staff

JH & JG

10% 5% 2%

No

£1m 5,400 270,000

27%

7% 1% 60%

Major Issues

• SSC support – letter received from one SSC, but proposal overlaps with 2 SSCs.

• Evidence of support from companies not provided • Management costs ok • Development costs low • VFM poor but STEM subject • Poor student completion rate • Priority sector • Links with other project – evidence required that no competition • High risk – outputs, budget, regs

5. Next Steps

The deadline for the 3

rd

(1

st

stage) is call Project Idea Forms

5pm Friday 7th January 2011.

Forms should be submitted to [email protected]

or [email protected]

6. Q&A

Thank you!

Programme Management Unit

• Clare Naylor – Foundation Degree Programme Manager [email protected] / 01443 483650 • Joanna Fashan – Work Based Learning Programme Manager [email protected] / 01443 482772 • www.higherskillswales.co.uk