The view from the Association of Employment and Learning Providers

Stella Turner, Qualifications and Curriculum Manager at AELP, reports on Independent Training Providers joining the Unit Funding Trials.

A small group of pre-selected independent training providers (ITPs) have begun to deliver single QCF units to employers and the unemployed as part of the expanded unit funding trials.  The ITP pilot is being managed by AELP in partnership with the Skills Funding Agency.

The objective of the pilot is to identify the potential barriers, challenges and opportunities for providers and the learners and employers they work with around the delivery of single units. It is focusing on two primary areas:

• Supporting individuals to gain the skills to get them back into employment; and
• Increasing employer co-investment through the flexible delivery of qualifications.

Pilot providers are exploring ways in which the flexible delivery of qualifications can open up new opportunities to make the journey towards full qualifications more manageable, and support learners access higher level skills and training.  Providers are also being encouraged to develop innovative approaches to delivery and to work with employers to develop flexible business models for co-investment.

All the pilot providers are very enthusiastic and excited about having the opportunity to begin to realise the benefits inherent within a unit based credit and qualification framework.  The timescales for this pilot are extremely tight but everyone is working hard to ensure that there is a positive outcome for all the learners involved.

The 14 providers who are part of the pilot are delivering a wide range of units. From employability units, such as Job Application Skills and Interview Preparation, to specific vocational units that form part of larger QCF qualifications e.g.  a Dementia Awareness unit that is part of the Award in Dementia Awareness.  Some providers are running IT courses accredited through QCF units in spreadsheet, word processing and website software, while another is offering single units from the QCF Level 2 Certificate in Team Leading to a local employer on a co funded basis.

Providers working with the unemployed are using the pilot as a way of testing the mechanisms for working with Job Centre Plus in advance of the introduction of the Single Adult Skills Budget.  The pilot is also giving them an opportunity to test out new ways of working and to adapt to the needs of a different client group.

"We are able to deliver the knowledge units in our training centres, which is a real benefit when working with the unemployed.  By completing a knowledge based unit that employers value really improves their chances of getting a job.  Once they have secured employment the learner is able to start working towards the competence based unit"

Hazel Lessiter, Assistant Director, Acacia Training and Development, one of the providers involved in the pilot.

BIS News

Wolf Review of Vocational Education – Government Response

The Government Response to the Wolf review was published on 12 May. It accepted all Professor Wolf’s recommendation and set out key milestones for implementing them.

Higher Education White Paper – Students at the Heart of the system

This White Paper was published on 28 June. Putting students at the heart of England's higher education (HE) system is the central theme of the Government’s reforms.

Proposals to get prisoners into jobs and out of crime

In May the Government launched a report outlining radical plans to break the cycle of reoffending, by developing a stronger link between learning in prisons and the vocational and employability skills that employers demand.

Vocational Qualifications Forum

The second meeting of the Vocational Qualifications Forum took place on 1 July in London.

The Forum is responsible for actively taking forward vocational qualifications policy, monitoring progress and developments on policy and legacy work from the UK Vocational Qualifications Reform Programme. BIS’s major partners for vocational qualifications are represented on the Forum together with representatives from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. 

Employer support offer

Employers wishing to have their own training accredited on the QCF, or interested in becoming an awarding organisation should visit Business Link for information and to view interactive tools on the processes involved.

VQ Day

VQ day took place on 22 June. The main event was held at Westminster Kingsway College.  In the morning a roundtable discussion with key employers looked at how to embed vocational qualifications and learning into the future of British businesses. In the afternoon regional winners from across England were presented with their VQ awards and the national winner, Mark Farrell who gained his qualification while studying to successfully streamline training programmes at North Lanc Training Group.

John Hayes, Minister for Further Education, Skills and Lifelong Learning, congratulated the winners and spoke about the importance and value of skills and vocational qualifications. He also sampled some of the skills at the Worldskills 'Have a Go' zone which allowed guests to try their hand at painting, stonemasonry and floristry.

Skills Funding Agency Update

Statistics for QCF funded enrolments

Latest statistics indicate that as of 30 April 2011 there were 2,051,405 publicly funded enrolments (pre and post 19 learners) on QCF provision across 1,350 providers in England. This is up from 1,563,921 enrolments in February 2011, across 1,350 providers, up from 1,270 providers in February 2011.

QCF Unit Delivery

The Agency continues to support providers to deliver QCF units in order to realise the flexibilities of the QCF. Over 100 providers are involved in the unit delivery trials accessing from a menu of nearly 2,000 units. Recently we have expanded the scope of the current trials to involve a small number of independent training organisations, working with AELP.

There are just over 5,000 publicly funded enrolments across the unit delivery trials. Overall there are 17, 644 publicly funded enrolments (pre and post 19) for QCF units. This means a significant number of learners are learning flexibly and accumulating credit with the QCF.  

From 1 August QCF units will be part of the new offer to support the unemployed in England. From August 2011, all approved colleges and training organisations registered on ACTOR will be able to deliver units to individuals who are in receipt of active benefits. We have identified just over 11,000 QCF units which can be delivered as part of this programme. 

The evaluation of the 2010/11 unit delivery trials will be completed in August. An interim report is available presenting emerging findings across a range of topics including affordability and costs, credit accumulation and transfer (CAT) and benefits, challenges and impacts

Learning Aim Reference Application

The Learning Aim Reference Application (LARA) is being developed to replace the Learning Aim Database (LAD). This will be implemented with minimum disruption as LAD and LARA will run alongside each other for a defined period.

Non-Regulated Provision and the QCF

The Agency has been taking forward work to understand the opportunities and challenges for provision which is currently publicly funded and not part of any regulated qualifications framework to be developed for the QCF. This indicates that the Agency should be able to cease funding for new starts for non-regulated formal vocational provision from 31 December 2011 on the basis that appropriate provision already exists in the QCF or that existing non-regulated provision could be developed to fit QCF specifications.

For non-regulated non-formal provision indications are that not all of this provision currently funded by the Agency would easily map across to the QCF and in some cases there will be a need for the Agency to continue to fund provision outside of a regulated framework. The Agency will need to undertake further work with a view to reviewing the funding of this provision by 31 July 2012, bearing in mind the work around the Informal Adult and Community Learning reinvigoration and reform work, of which outcomes are expected in October 2011.

Personal Learner Record

The Personal Learner Record (PLR) now has the facility to record all QCF learner achievement and other qualifications such as A levels, GCSEs, Diploma and Functional Skills.
A new ‘find a qualification’ feature has been introduced to the Learning Records Service organisation portal . This allows the user to select a qualification and identify what additional units a learner requires for it; or select some or all of the units a learner has and identify which achievements they can build toward with those.

Ofqual Update

Ofqual has published the second report from a two-year project to evaluate the regulatory arrangements in place for the Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF).

The report, published jointly by Ofqual, the Department for Education and Skills in Wales and the Council for the Curriculum Examinations and Assessment in Northern Ireland, explains the findings of the project which looked at the extent to which the regulatory arrangements for the QCF have delivered on regulatory objectives to maintain standards, ensure efficiency, promote public confidence and meet the needs of learners.

Ofqual will be using the findings described in the report to support its commitment to contribute regulatory discipline to any future reforms to qualifications.

The conclusions from the report will also be used by Ofqual to support the development of a proposal for a single framework for all regulated qualifications. The initial proposal to introduce a single framework received broad support in a consultation held at the end of last year. The single framework will be developed and introduced in the context of Ofqual’s new strategic approach to regulation. Further information on this will be available later in the year.

Report from Northern Ireland

Success through Skills – Transforming Futures, the Northern Ireland Skills Strategy was launched on 25 May. It looks at the current skills base, examines the future skills needed to grow the Northern Ireland economy and highlights areas for action. 

Since the closure of the VQ reform programme, work in Northern Ireland has focussed on the legacy tasks identified as part of the closure process.  The skills strategy provides some additional organisational focus for this work, and the successor to the NI VQ reform programme board met in early July to provide advice on these areas. 

The NI Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment (CCEA) has produced case studies about four organisations which have linked their training programmes with units and qualifications available on the Qualifications and Credit Framework by working with CCEA, relevant Sector Skills Councils, awarding organisations and providers.

Report from Wales

In May 2011 the Welsh Government launched a bilingual DVD package explaining the Unique Learner Number (ULN) and the ULN Service for Schools in Wales.  The DVD follows Alice, a school student, as she applies for a business course at her local college, and goes for an interview with an employer, using her personal learning record (PLR) as part of her application information. This narrative is supported by step-by-step guidance for staff on how to register with the UK register of learning providers, obtain ULNs and manage exceptions.

The DVD package is supported by a CD-ROM containing a PowerPoint presentation and leaflets explaining the ULN and the implementation of the QCF qualifications as an important part of the Credit and Qualifications Framework for Wales. In addition, the Welsh Government has extended funding for the Central Support Team for schools for a further two years to assist with implementation.

Three regional launch events were held during May 2011; these attracted over 250 delegates. In North and Mid Wales the keynote address was given by Stephen McMillan, from the Welsh Government Department for Education and Skills (DfES) and in South Wales it was given by Mary Curnock-Cook, Chief Executive of UCAS.  Both emphasised the benefits that the ULN will bring for learners over time.

The DVD will shortly be available on-line. The Welsh Government is also keen to promote a shared approach with partners throughout the UK through sharing the DVD and related materials. For more information contact cqfwenquiries@wales.gsi.gov.uk