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Increasing Diversity in Apprenticeships. Claire Nicholson-Clinch Project Lead Claire.nicholson-clinch@acer.ac.uk. Why address Diversity? . Women predominantly in low paid sectors. Low numbers of those with learning difficulties and disabilities are achieving higher level apprenticeships.
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Increasing Diversity in Apprenticeships Claire Nicholson-Clinch Project Lead Claire.nicholson-clinch@acer.ac.uk
Why address Diversity? • Women predominantly in low paid sectors. • Low numbers of those with learning difficulties and disabilities are achieving higher level apprenticeships. • Need to meet the governments guarantee for care leavers • Some ethnic minority groups are not engaging with apprenticeships.
Project Overview • Cambridge Regional College – atypical gender roles • Peterborough Regional College – BME • Huntingdon Regional College – Bangladeshi community in the hospitality sector • North Herts College – BME into Business Admin • Bedford College – women into IT • West Herts College – BME and LLDD • Hertfordshire Pass – LLDD • Thurrock Council – care leavers • Menter – providing support and training
Assessing Marketing material It’s a man’s world .... It’s women’s work ....
What has been achieved? Achievements to end February 2012
Other benefits not envisaged • Typical apprenticeship numbers increasing • Good retention and achievement rates • Demand for new frameworks to be delivered • Employers viewing the approach as expanding business opportunities/working differently
Raising awareness for increasing participation in the hospitality sector, with particular focus on the Bengali community.
Rationale for the project . Assumptions: • research and data indicates that Bengali learners attend college for Maths, IT and Engineering on full-time or part-time programmes to progress to Higher Education. • College data indicates that this is not the case for the Huntingdonshire area. • there is a cultural tradition of working within the family businesses and not continuing training, limiting future prospects. Given this tradition those who have not experienced further education do not appreciate the value of training. • on past experience HRC had problems engaging with the BME community, in this instance with the Indian restaurants in the locality. • To engage with the BME community we would need to market successful role models within the Hospitality Sector
What we achieved Transferrable lessons: • Know the sector requirements; use legislative training to attract employer e.g. Food Hygiene • Know your employers’ businesses and their needs • Know exactly how the frameworks/training will meet those needs • Do not assume any prior opinions, information or stereotyping • Do acknowledge that once committed, quality of training will inform both employers’ and employees’ opinions • Word of mouth is the best advertising
lessons Learnt - general • Plan and research • Don’t approach diversity work with preconceived ideas – common ground or shared background overcomes many barriers • Marketing must be appropriate and provide positive images. • Ensure parents get information on the status of apprenticeships career pathways • Clear independent advice in schools.
More general lessons • Peer to Peer advice is an effective approach. • Action research improves outcomes • Look at the language you are using • Ensure your offer meets the economic demand • Working together across providers
Lessons specific to different atypical groups • BME – understanding the culture and the benefits of using a specialist provider or community members to support you • LLDD – pre-apprenticeship work is key and flexibility to provide appropriate support • Care leavers – individualised programmes with the right staff to provide continuous support through crisies
Where to start? • Cultural change – internal and external • Planning and identifying your local issues • Action research approach • Long term planning • Costs
Case study Youtube links • Introduction – www.youtube.com/watch?v=n1q6FTBfN7Y • Sports turf - www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lup_wLDv0o • Business Admin - www.youtube.com/watch?v=EnJ9fcSDBd8 • Electro technical - www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNG-zYQG9RQ • IT - www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SiJ1f4DnWQ • Vehicle maintenance - www.youtube.com/watch?v=530fYaGNHL8 • Hairdressing - www.youtube.com/watch?v=7KthC3A5pB0 • Health and social care - www.youtube.com/watch?v=SPNWy58VOv8 • Customer services - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-BXTo3RQxJQ
Questions to think about • How do you see your college benefitting from the project and what might you need to support you? • What simple steps do you think you could implement? • What atypical groups do you think need support to increase access in your area/provision? • What would you need to do to begin to implement changes? • How do we ensure the sustainability of the project in the region?