Flexible Training Solutions

1. Flexible Training Solutions Key issues and recommendations

2. Learning theme focus • Joint project with FSO1 and 3. First phase in a research programme • Understand barriers to delivering flexible training and identify solutions. • Acknowledge but not dwell on well rehearsed systemic problems of funding and qualifications. • Focus on what is working and why.

3. Learning theme process • Discussions with Steering Group on focus • Literature review • Facilitated online discussion • Interviews and case studies • Workshop • Final report and recommendations • Definition of Phase 2 research project

4. Recommendations • Funding • Marketing • Partnerships/brokerage • Skills and competencies • Provision

5. Maximise flexible funding sources • Maximise use of ESF and non college based funding to support flexible provision • Build capacity of colleges to access and use funds flexibly • Government agencies encouraged to use flexible funding streams to support innovative flexible provision

6. Review and simplify funding systems • Reduce and manage bureaucracy • Longer time horizons • Funding linked to softer outcomes and those activities more relevant to flexible provision • Better understanding of real cost and impact of courses

7. Funding to recognise the costs of relationship building • Relationship building with employers and important first step • Relationships need o be maintained • Activities have a cost but not recognised in funding regimes • Cost of contact, assessment need to be included

8. Level playing field for private providers • Aspects of GTA funding models are useful • Find ways of putting purchasing power in the hands of employers • Some useful lessons from ILAs

9. Improve market intelligence • Providers (particularly colleges) recognised need to improve market intelligence. • Improve access to employers not currently served • Need up to date business register and business analysis

10. Review effectiveness of links with employers • Providers need to review organisation of their business links - are dedicated business units necessarily the right approach? • How well are services integrated across the provider organisations? • Better knowledge of business cycle and needs • Use of honest brokers and relationship building

11. Improve marketing techniques • Build on good practice in the private sector. • More proactive development work with clients • Investment in client focused systems • Outsourcing marketing to other agencies - Business Links? • Improve capacity within colleges

12. Improve partnership arrangements • Establish partnerships between public and private sector providers • Enhance signposting services • Build on best practice • GTA models are useful • Use partnerships to promote flexible funding

13. Develop and support brokerage services • Brokerage services appear to be a successful models which could be further replicated. • Help to share the “contact” process with employers. • Better clarity of role of such services and signposting of services.

14. Support and encourage business networking • Use existing networks to promote learning services • Build on emerging SSC network • Encourage consortia of small business to support economies of scale and provide focus for training need

15. Share best practice • Raise awareness of regional and local best practice between training providers and projects. • Updated and searchable database of providers and projects including areas of expertise.

16. Skills of staff • Improve tutor training and CPD to equip to work with employers • More use of secondments • Corp of part time tutors with business/industry links • Support training of workplace tutors

17. Provision • Modular provision with improved cross matching of units across awarding bodies • Complementary progression routes across providers • Rurality • Niche market needs • Use of college certificates in place of quals