Response to Consultation on Review of Apprenticeship Training In Ireland

Transcription

1 Response to Consultation on Review of Apprenticeship Training In Ireland August 2013 Contact: Alan Nuzum Skillnets Ltd Fifth Floor, Q House 76 Furze Road Sandyford Dublin 18 Phone:

2 Introduction Skillnets Ltd is an enterprise-led publicly funded body established in 1999 to support the development of workplace skills. A short background note on our mandate and model is attached in Appendix 1. While Skillnets has no organisational involvement directly in the existing apprenticeship system, several of our networks are engaged in sectors which engage with the existing system. We have limited competence to comment on the existing approach but wish to make this submission in terms of a possible new approach to delivering a high quality, fully accredited apprenticeship system which is fit for purpose. As this response is more forward looking than a review of the existing system, we have not followed the suggested format for submissions very rigidly. Overview It is Skillnets view that a modern apprenticeship system which is fit for purpose must deliver learning outcomes, both theoretical and practical, which are relevant to the sector and which can be assessed in a robust and verifiable manner to ensure the validity of the accreditation offered. All apprenticeships should be the subject of a major award on the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ). These awards should be open to both public and private sector providers to submit their methodologies to deliver and assess the learning outcomes to QQI in the same way as other awards. As with other awards, the specific duration of the apprenticeship should be less important than the candidates ability to demonstrate that the learning outcomes have been achieved. This would also ensure a robust Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) system could be established. Having consulted with our training networks, the sectors reviewed covered industries that have traditionally been catered for in the current apprenticeship system such as the Printing Industry, alongside sectors where there is a need for an apprenticeship system including Manufacturing, Medical Devices, Renewable Energy and Aviation sectors. In some cases indigenous apprenticeships have already begun forming specifically in the Aviation sectors (Fás provide apprenticeships for various roles within the Aircraft sector) and Manufacturing (some large companies have developed their own apprenticeship system that is specific to their company needs). After a review of several industries across our training networks we believe that a combination of the proposed Industry Provided Model (as outline in the Issues Paper) with 2

3 elements of the Pre-Apprenticeship Model could offer a solution to the apprenticeship needs in Ireland today. The suggested model illustrated in Table 1 caters for all sectors and considers the varying requirements of different industries. Pre Apprenticeship/Traineeship Duration: Up to a year Funding: Statutory Recruitment: Training Agency Industries/ roles requiring no further apprenticeship training Apprenticeship Duration: As required by Industry Funding: Statutory and Industry Recruitment: Industry Probationary Recruitment Duration: Six months to a year Funding: Industry Recruitment: Industry Higher Level Education Table 1 Key points Three stage system that allows apprentices to gain a progressive level of certification on completion of each stage Further levels of industry engagement particularly around levels of recruitment, training delivery and curriculum development The model expands into sectors beyond the traditional craft apprenticeships and is flexible enough to allow different industries to follow the model but not commit to stages that are not required by certain apprenticeships. (e.g. in some sectors an apprenticeship might just involve the first stage of training and move from here on to higher level education or recruitment) The duration of each level will be determined by learning outcomes and accreditation requirements. Consideration and flexibility is also given to the trainee who satisfies learning outcomes in an amount of time that may be more or less than the suggested course duration. 3

4 Recommendations Range of Occupations It is evident that the range of apprenticeships covered by the current structure could be further expanded to accommodate new and growing sectors such as the Green Economy, ICT, Medical Devices and Manufacturing. However in recommending this we need to carefully assess what the perception of the apprenticeship model is and understand that not all industries are suited to the type of learning structure that is currently in place. Traditionally apprenticeships are a vehicle for learning a particular type of craft and apprenticeships are awarded a craft certificate on completion of their learning, from here most apprentices continued into full time employment. While considering the expansion of sectors that could train under the apprenticeship model, the possibility of moving into higher level education needs to be further explored. The proposed model is flexible in that it allows industries to train at a first stage of training which on its own is of a shorter duration than the traditional apprenticeship, this training may be sufficient in providing the skills that an individual may need to move straight into employment (which may be probationary recruitment where skills can be honed) or alternatively a trainee may be given the option to use the first stage as an access point for further education at higher levels ( NFQ level 7 and higher). Curriculum and Award The three stage model of apprenticeship training is a progressive model where trainees will advance from one stage to the next, entry to each stage is dependent on completion of the preceding stage. Stage one, Traineeship/Pre-apprenticeship, provides training in skills and knowledge that are necessary for further learning and employment in the sector. Transversal skills relevant to each industry will be learned at this stage. It is expected that a learner will complete this stage with a baseline level of skills that will be required for further training and work in their chosen industry. This stage can last for as little as a few months up to a full year and will include a series of short work placements where on the job learning of practical and technical skills can be put into practice. Stage two, Apprenticeship, this stage will include more in depth learning spanning all aspects of the specific role that the trainee is aiming for. The training will be a 4

5 combination of practical and non practical skills which will be learned on and off the job. It is expected that the work placement element at this stage will be of longer duration and will be a more significant part of learning at this stage. Stage three, Probationary Recruitment, will take place in one work place, an employer is expected to take on a trainee in a full capacity, with much of the learning carried out through a flexible mentoring process. At this stage in the training the trainee should be able to contribute significantly to the work place and will be able to refine their skills by putting them into practice. A training element may be included in this stage that will be similar to the Skillnets Training Networks Programme, this is where an employee undertakes training to learn or improve on specific skills or knowledge areas. For this stage these will typically be short duration courses and will complement the role that the trainee has in the work place. The syllabus for each stage of learning should be determined by industry. This should take the form of groups of industry experts and representatives reviewing the skills needs in industry and researching current skills needs for their sector. By following this method the landscape of training methods will be very varied across the spectrum of apprenticeships with the balance of practical and theory based learning varying across different sectors. One outcome of our review is the need for a rotation of work placements for the work based learning element of the apprenticeship. This will give the learner a more varied and in-depth learning experience. This is also important where an industry might have a variety of companies under one sector title, a company may have a strong focus on one element of their trade and a learner may find an uneven standard across the range of skills they have learned. By rotating work placement companies a learner can be assured of a more equitable learning experience. We believe that entry requirements should remain at Junior Cert level however a competency based assessment should be a requirement for entry to the first stage if Leaving Cert is not obtained. If this were raised to leaving cert standard we risk marginalising a proportion of young people who may not have been able to continue past junior certificate and this would create a further inequality in the system. A level of flexibility needs to be explored in the early stages of apprenticeships. Commonalities between various apprenticeships perhaps spanning several sectors could be identified. This may give trainees at the first stage of the model the choice to migrate to a different apprenticeship for the second level of apprenticeship. 5

6 While assessments should be conducted by the employer, a robust external examination process will be required to ensure standards are maintained. Interim awards are catered for in the three stage model. An apprentice will be rewarded a level of certification at the end of each stage. For some career paths the level of certification gained at stage one will be sufficient for entry into employment or into higher level education. Modularisation of the apprenticeship stage, stage two, could lead to further levels of awards within the model, this may vary from industry to industry however. By taking a modularisation approach to the second level an apprentice may still have the opportunity to migrate to a different apprenticeship where modules are similar. Governance Like the Skillnets Model, we believe that apprenticeship training should be enterprise led but operated within a statutory framework. The monitoring of funding and adherence to set targets should be driven by the state. The state would also need to develop a quality assurance system to ensure a standard level of quality is being adhered to across all elements of training. Similarly certification should be determined by a body such as QQI but with an involvement from industry stakeholders. Industry should be accountable for setting and achieving targets. A group of industry experts should be formed to monitor resource requirements of their sector and adjust levels of recruitment as necessary. Industry would demonstrate buy in with significant involvement in curriculum development, trainer selection and identifying assessment needs. While certification of the majority of training should be certified by a body such as QQI it is important to note that industry certification should play an important part in an apprenticeship particularly when there is a high level of recognition for it in any one sector. This outline for dual governance combines the expertise of two stakeholders, Industry and the state. The high level of enterprise involvement will ensure that training is current and is moving at the pace of each specific industry and the state will be able to respond to the needs of industry efficiently and with more agility. 6

7 Funding Pre Apprenticeship/Traineeship Funding: Statutory Apprenticeship Funding: Statutory and Entperprise Probationary Recruitment Funding: Enterprise Table 2 There are two aspects to funding to be considered; the payment of apprentices and the funding of the training for the apprenticeship. Like the current apprenticeship system the training element should be fully funded and the apprenticeship should not have to contribute to this. The funding of the trainee beyond training provision needs to be considered and a number of options are available: o Trainees could continue to be funded as they are under the current system o A training allowance to cover the costs of travel and subsistence could be provided (this may include an allowance for the purchase of tools in some sectors) o Trainees could be given an allowance similar to that given to jobseekers o Apprenticeships could be aligned with third level education and a means tested grant could be provided The funding of the training (both on and off the job) should be paid by either the state or by enterprise depending on the stage of learning that the apprentic is at (see Table 2). Our suggested model proposes that the first year of pre-apprenticeship/ traineeship can be fully funded by the state, at this stage industry will contribute by offering short duration work placements for apprentices. 7

8 The second stage, apprenticeship, will require both statutory and enterprise funding. The state will contribute to certification and quality assurance costs. The cost of classroom and technical training will be shared by enterprise and the state, the ratio for this division of costs could vary across industries. The sector will also provide meaningful on the job training and support the apprentice with a dedicated mentor. The last stage will be fully funded by enterprise as it is mostly work based learning and the apprentice should be at a stage in their learning where their contribution is meaningful to the company that they are employed in. Recruitment Pre Apprenticeship/Traineeship Recruitment: Co-ordinating Agency Apprenticeship Recruitment: Industry Probationary Recruitment Recruitment: Industry Table 3 Recruitment should happen through a combination of state and enterprise involvement. For the initial stage of training, the agency that coordinates the training should be responsible for recruiting trainees. Such recruitment could include the opportunity for direct application to the programme provided. Once trainees have completed this first stage employers will manage their own recruitment, this recruitment will be from a smaller pool of potential candidates however as the apprentice must have completed stage one in order to be eligible for the second stage. This will reduce the burden of recruitment on employers and also will give employers assurance that all candidates will be starting from a consistant baseline level of knowledge and skills. We explain further on in this document that the work based portion of learning in this stage does not necessarily have to take place in one single company; rather it 8

9 could be shared by multiple companies. By having this baseline level of skills all companies are assured of a more consistent standard of quality in an apprentice. Recruitment needs should be assessed by state and enterprise in the form of industry experts for each sector. They would need to assess current provision of skilled/trained employees, resource deficits, training needs, future trends, possible downturns. This needs to be assessed on a regular basis so that the intake can be adjusted accordingly. Providers and Delivery Methods It is felt that it may be more cost effective to ensure a process where private providers can compete with public providers for the provision of training. Public procurement processes can be used and the assessment criteria for this would be created and weighted by enterprise with guidance from statutory bodies By allowing the flexibility of using a variety of providers from across both the private and public sector the problems surrounding a set curriculum and syllabus can be addressed and resolved. As has previously been suggested in this paper, it is important that the training content of each apprenticeship can move and change quickly in response to industry developments and growth. In the traditional apprenticeship model, reviews of the curriculum only happened every five years and any requests for change generally could not be accommodated outside of this timeframe, in many cases this meant that industry requirements could not be met as quickly and easily as possible. The needs of many industries can change very rapidly and new skills and processes are developed constantly. This needs to be reflected in the way that the apprenticeship takes place and the freedom to change providers and undertake more current areas of training may be the way to do this. This method of training provision and trainer selection has worked successfully for Skillnets and forms a large part of our model. 9

10 Duration Pre Apprenticeship/Traineeship Duration: up to a year Apprenticeship Duration: As required by Industry Probationary Recruitment Duration: 6 months to a year Table 4 The suggested model allows for stage two to be skipped in some cases where a longer duration or more in depth training is not needed. Stage one may mirror the existing traineeship scheme or PLC system that is already in place, an important element of this stage is the inclusion of short work placements. Unlike the current system of PLC courses and Traineeships, enterprise will have a significant input in the development stage and so the course duration will be enterprise led. The duration of the second stage will be enterprise led and will be dependent on the completion of learning outcomes as outlined by industry and the certification that will be awarded. The probationary recruitment stage should be in line with normal probationary employment for each sector however the training needs of each apprentice and the current needs of the industry and company must be considered also. RPL and catering for redundant apprentices through RPL can be easily accommodated in the proposed model. Provision of training for this type of learner will mean a variance in duration across all stages of the model. 10

11 Conclusion/Summary Any national apprenticeship system should be standards led with awards on the NFQ. These awards should be developed with the potential for private and public sector organisations to offer solutions to deliver the specified learning outcomes. As an open standard, the concept of a defined programme duration would be of less relevance than the demonstration of capability of each apprentice. The proposed model in this paper outlines an enterprise led approach that will operate within a statutory support and monitoring framework. The first stage of the model will have high levels of engagement with industry and will rely on employers to provide short duration work placements for an apprentice. This stage should be fully covered by statutory funding and will ensure that apprentices achieve expected learning outcomes in order to gain a certified award. This will promote a consistent level of knowledge and skills across all apprentices. Recruitment for the second stage should be dependent on an apprentice completing the first stage of training; the responsibility of recruitment will lie with industry and employers. Industry will also be responsible for training delivery and assessment with guidance and quality assurance from the state. This stage of the apprenticeship will be co funded by industry and the state. The final stage of the model sees the apprentice entering into a probationary recruitment stage where skills and knowledge are refined through a balance of work and in short training courses where necessary, it is proposed that enterprise should fully fund this portion of the apprenticeship. The national apprenticeship system should be responsive to the needs of industry and have the ability to be agile enough to accommodate fast paced changes. The model outlined in this paper meets these needs and should contribute significantly to national competitiveness from both an industry perspective and a human resource perspective. 11

12 Appendix 1 A Brief overview of Skillnets Skillnets Ltd is an enterprise-led publicly funded body established in 1999 to support the development of workplace skills. Skillnets works with groups of companies across regions and sectors to provide quality training as a key element in sustaining Ireland's national competitiveness. Since 1999, Skillnets has facilitated over 70,000 Irish enterprises in over 400 networks to improve the range, scope and quality of training and enabled over 300,000 employees to up-skill and meet their work related training needs. Skillnets is dedicated to up-skilling those in employment and since 2010 has also been providing training to the unemployed. Over 16,000 Job-seekers have trained with those in employment, with this approach they benefit from networking opportunities, as well as having access to industry-specific training. Skillnets supports and funds networks of enterprises to engage in training under the Training Networks Programme (TNP). These enterprise networks are led and managed by the enterprises themselves to design and deliver specific training programmes across a broad range of industry and service sectors nationwide. The networks receive grants drawn from the National Training Fund (NTF) thereby enabling network member companies to avail of significant discounts on market training rates. The member companies also contribute to the grant aided programme with match funding to a ratio agreed by the network and Skillnets. Skillnets' strategy is to support companies from all sectors in the economy to engage in training, but does so exclusively through networks of companies. This approach allows companies to achieve economies of scale, increase efficiency, lower costs and benefit from training that is more relevant to their individual sectors and/or type of company. There is also a significant benefit to be achieved through the sharing of business experience and advice via networking opportunities afforded by membership of a Skillnet. All training and development activities are supported and enterprises are given the ownership of all training strategies and plans to ensure they meet enterprise needs. The Job-seekers Support Programme (JSSP), first piloted by Skillnets in 2010, is aimed solely at supporting unemployed people. Key features included the provision of skills in demand by industry combined with direct access to employers through meaningful work placements. The main objectives of the JSSP are to increase employability by up-skilling / cross-skilling job-seekers to re-enter previous employment sectors or transfer into alternative sectors. The JSSP comprises many varied, free courses aimed solely at unemployed people. The key features include the provision of skills required by industry, combined with direct access to employers through the provision of work placements/internships. 12

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