Prepared for: the Department for Education & Department for Business Innovation and Skills

Transcription

1 Supporting young people to develop the skills for apprenticeships and other sustained jobs - published by the Department for Education in January Prepared for: the Department for Education & Department for Business Innovation and Skills Traineeships.Discussion@education.gsi.gov.uk Prepared by: Chris Moody, Chief Executive, Landex Landex members welcome the proposal to establish traineeship programmes as an entry route for young and/or inexperienced people to apprenticeships in land based industries or to alternative employment or training. Land based industries, after a period of sustained financial pressure and perceived marginal importance are now regarded as increasingly significant, not only as custodians of the countryside, but economically and socially. Food, energy, and water security were identified by Professor Beddington the Governments Chief Scientific officer as the major challenge facing governments over the next 20 years. The Land based industries are essential to the success of the UK economy. For instance, in 2011 the farming industry employed nearly 480,000 people and added 8.8billion in GVA (Gross Value added) to the British Economy, an increase of 25% on the previous year. In relation to farming specifically, for every 1 generated by farming, food manufacturing added a further 5, resulting to a field to plate contribution to the British economy of 85billion per annum and employment for 3.5 million people. The average age of farmers in Britain is 58 and in order to maintain production, RASE has estimated that the agriculture industry will require an additional 60,000 new entrants over the next decade to replace those retiring from an ageing workforce, and that each year 1,000 of those entrants will be required to enter salaried management roles within farming. (Royal Agricultural Society of England, June 2009). Current numbers of entrants are insufficient to meet the projected demand. The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) and Institute of horticulture (IoH) have also identified a significant shortage of skilled labour and new entrants to the wide range of industries that they represent. Landex members believe that well designed and flexible traineeships could help address the shortage of entrants to these industries, whilst also addressing youth unemployment. Key Questions Question 1: What are your views on the elements that are essential for an effective programme to support young people to prepare for Apprenticeships and other jobs? We believe that preparation to enter the workplace should focus upon the following key elements: Development of those inter-personal skills necessary for successful entry to the workplace. This might be described as enhancing employability and should focus upon helping young people and older entrants to understand the expectations of potential employers and how they might meet those demands. Appropriate levels of literacy, numeracy and work related ICT. This might include work towards traditional english and maths qualifications, but to maximise success and perceived value to the trainee and employer, it is important that these subjects are taught in a vocational context. Sufficient technical content to allow new entrants to safely enter the workplace as an apprentice. This must include industry specific health and safety training, together with the

2 certification required for specific tasks that are fundamental to the industry that the trainee will enter. e.g. for entry to land based industries, certification for basic tasks such as tractor driving and fork lift truck operation are essential. Extensive relevant and closely supervised work experience. Land based industries are dominated by micro-businesses, but in contrast with other industries this position not only relates to the number of businesses, but to both the total turnover and numbers of employment opportunities generated. More than 50% of agriculture businesses employ two or less persons, making the close supervision of new entrants particularly difficult. Couple this with a very high proportion of lone working, exposure to potentially dangerous animals and machinery, work across an extended day and week, and the worst health and safety record of any industry and the challenges associated with properly accommodating new, and particularly young, entrants become substantial. As a consequence it is important that where appropriate facilities to provide realistic commercial experience exist, this work experience may be provided by Colleges and other providers on their own sites. (Agriculture has one of the worst fatal accident and occupational ill-health records of any major employment sector. Fewer than 1.5% of the working population are employed in agriculture yet the sector is responsible for between 15% and 20% of fatalities to workers each year. HSE 2012) However we believe that traineeships should also prepare students for further study as a less direct route into employment. Question 2: Should a guaranteed interview be part of the core content of a Traineeship? We believe that in principle this would be a valuable and motivating part of a traineeship. It would also allow potential employers to select apprentices who are likely to match the needs and culture of their businesses. However when dealing predominantly with small employers, who often have limited experience of the selection and interviewing process, some preparation/training of employers may be necessary to ensure that this experience is constructive for all interviewees. Question 3: What makes work placements high quality and effective? Work placements need to stimulate interest in the tasks undertaken and be sufficiently challenging to both maintain the interest of the trainee and stimulate the desire to develop further their knowledge and skills. This involves well planned and agreed schedules of experience, to ensure that the focus is not exclusively upon menial tasks, and that sufficient work place support and mentoring is available. Question 4: Are you aware of other evidence from existing programmes that demonstrates the effectiveness of these elements? The majority of land based education and training in England is delivered through a network of specialist further and higher education providers (over 80% of further education and 84% of higher education). This network is a unique feature that is not replicated for any other industry and its existence reflects the specific nature and needs of the landbased industries and agriculture businesses in particular. As it is very difficult for land based businesses to provide effectively the close supervision required by new entrants to the industry, and particularly by minors, initial training has traditionally been undertaken on a full-time basis. As a consequence the Colleges have commercial farms and/or horticultural business as part of their estates to allow them to provide real work experience as part of the preparation for employment. These unique

3 resources also make land based colleges particularly well placed to provide, on campus, the realistic work experience necessary as part of a traineeship. However land based colleges also have close relationships with local employer networks and are well placed to secure, where appropriate, additional work experience beyond their own estates. Assessed work experience modules are common place in land based programmes, and much good practice exists which could be adapted for use within traineeships. Question 5: How could Traineeships best complement what is already available for young people, simplify our offer and avoid unnecessary duplication? For the reasons identified under question 5, most pre-employment training for land based industries takes place by a full-time route. However this route does not currently provide the number of entrants required by either the agriculture or horticulture industries. We believe that an appropriately designed and funded traineeship programme in land based disciplines could both help to address youth unemployment and increase the uptake to apprenticeships at level 3. To date, apprenticeships have not been a significant training route for land based industries, but the current proposals could provide the opportunity to change that position by developing trainees in a safe environment to the stage at which they may safely embark upon an apprenticeship and to address both the future needs of the agriculture industry and the extreme shortage of entrants to the horticulture industry. Question 6: What are your views on the proposed Traineeships model? Are the core components right? Is the balance between flexibility and specification correct? It will be important to ensure that the format of the traineeships provides sufficient technical knowledge and experience, alongside generic skills and employability training, to facilitate entry to specialist apprenticeships. This technical education must include industry specific health and safety training, together with the certification required for entry to industry. For land based industries, tasks such as tractor driving, fork lift operation and pesticide application certificates should be essential elements of traineeship programmes. Question 7: What are your views on the right age range for the programme (Paragraph 21)? Due to the shortage at the present time of suitable entrants to the agriculture and horticulture industries, we believe these programmes should be attractive to unemployed persons of all ages. Although the picture differs across the country, in general land based businesses are currently reluctant to employ young people under the age of 18. They are also reluctant to employ older entrants with no relevant experience. In view of the specific challenges associated with the employment of young people in the agriculture and horticulture industries, it would appear appropriate for traineeships for under 18s in these subjects to be delivered over a period of up to 2 years, with level 3 apprenticeship usually taking place from the age of 18.

4 Question 8: What are your views on the right duration for the programme (Paragraph 24)? As described under question 7, it would appear appropriate that programmes for trainees in some land based subjects be delivered over up to 2 years, with level 3 apprenticeship usually taking place from the age of 18. Whilst adult trainees are likely to be smaller in number, 6 months would appear to be an appropriate length for adult traineeships. Question 9: What other elements of flexible content would you expect to be added to the core locally? As identified above, industry specific health and safety training should be an essential component of the core. Traineeships preparing learners for entry to microbusinesses, must contain sufficient industry specific technical content to enable them to make an effective contribution to the business as well as receiving effective training. This will vary according to both locality and specialism of the participating employers. Question 10: What are your views on the most effective routes for delivering Traineeships? Do the funding systems set out in Paragraph 27 provide sufficient flexibility to achieve this? Funding for students is currently provided through the EfA, and is distinct from that available via the SfA/NAS to support apprenticeships. It is important that the under-utilised level 2 apprenticeship funding should in future be made available to support traineeships. If this is not the case, traineeships are likely to displace other funded provision, which will neither help to reduce youth unemployment nor increase the number of new entrants to industries such as agriculture and horticulture. Funding of traineeships through the EfA methodology would depend upon providers being willing and able to deliver the programmes in the hope of securing lagged numbers and the associated funding during the following year. If this route is adopted it will be important to ensure that additional funding is made available in-year, rather than relying upon lagged funding, to support the traineeships. With respect to funding for adult traineeships, a programme funded through the SfA matrix as described in the Skills Minister s discussion paper, plus a separate element for funding closely supervised work experience, would appear appropriate and preferable to the suggestions contained in the Richard Review. Question 11: How can we ensure that Traineeships are a high quality route which delivers real progression for young people but minimises bureaucracy for employers and providers (Paragraph 30)? We believe that traineeships should embrace the most successful aspects of both apprenticeships and provider based vocational programmes. We do not favour payment by results, but we do believe that progression to apprenticeships, permanent employment or further study should be used to evaluate the success of the programmes.

5 Question 12: The success of Traineeships will rely on employers offering high quality work placements. How can we best support and encourage employers to offer these? What will employers see as the benefits of being involved in Traineeships? To date, apprenticeships have not been a significant training route for land based industries, but the current proposals could provide the opportunity to change that position and to address both the future needs of the agriculture industry and the extreme shortage of entrants to the horticulture industry. As identified above, traineeships will help to prepare new entrants for direct entry to level 3 apprenticeships. As the apprentices will already have a range of relevant experience they would require less direct supervision and could therefore be accommodated more easily by microbusinesses. As a consequence employers will engage with appropriately designed traineeships to help them address the current skills shortage. However this will only take place with many small employers if the programmes are sufficiently flexible to allow appropriate pre work placement training and certification to take place. Landex, a subscriber organisation which represents 43 colleges and universities in the UK with substantial specialist landbased provision, 36 of which are located in England. Landex Colleges are mixed economy: as such in England they collectively provide over 80% of further education and over 84% of higher education in landbased subjects, together with a wide range of and cost-recovery programmes. Courses delivered by most Landex providers are underpinned by substantial business enterprises, which provide a unique learning experience for students. The primary functions of Landex are to secure continuous improvement in all its members through peer review, support and CPD; and to promote the interests of members and their various client groups through dialogue with government, funding agencies, sector skills councils, quality improvement agencies and professional bodies.