Traineeships - A Framework for Local Growth: Full Report July 2017

Transcription

1 Traineeships - A Framework for Local Growth: Full Report July 2017 learningandwork.org.uk

2 Acknowledgements Learning and Work Institute is grateful to staff from the following organisations, who supported our development work for this research: Birmingham City Council Essex County Council Leeds City Region LEP Manchester LEP Sheffield City Region LEP Thanks also to Amy Skipp, Helen Plant, Howard Gannaway, Lorna Lindsay, and Sue Blake, for their contribution to the research and this report. Published by National Learning and Work Institute 21 De Montfort Street, Leicester LE1 7GE Company registration no Charity registration no Learning and Work Institute is an independent policy and research organisation dedicated to lifelong learning, full employment and inclusion. We research what works, develop new ways of thinking and implement new approaches. Working with partners, we transform people s experiences of learning and employment. What we do benefits individuals, families, communities and the wider economy. We bring together over 90 years of combined history and heritage from the National Institute of Adult Continuing Education and the Centre for Economic & Social (Wales) All rights reserved. No reproduction, copy or transmission of this publication may be made without the written permission of the publishers, save in accordance with the provisions of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, or under the terms of any licence permitting limited copying issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency This report has been funded by the Department for Education [DfE], but this does not necessarily represent their views.

3 CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 4 1. INTRODUCTION 9 2. A FRAMEWORK FOR LOCAL TRAINEESHIP GROWTH CASE STUDIES Leeds City Region LEP Essex County Council Sheffield City Region LEP Birmingham City Council Manchester LEP CONCLUSION 46 3

4 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY In 2016, Learning & Work Institute (L&W) was commissioned by the Department for Education to undertake development work to explore how strategic support for traineeships at local level could strengthen delivery and encourage the growth of provision. The work was carried out through pilot activity in five areas, developed and delivered in partnership with local strategic stakeholders and providers. This report draws on the pilot activity to present a framework for traineeship development at local level. It is intended to provide clear, practical insights and guidance which show how local stakeholders can develop and influence strategic approaches to traineeships. The report highlights how such approaches can drive and strengthen delivery to: ensure that it effectively meets the needs of the labour market and young people; support inclusive growth; and align traineeships with wider local priorities. It will be of interest to Local Enterprise Partnerships, combined authorities and local authorities, as well as learning providers, employers and other stakeholders involved in the design and / or delivery of employment and skills opportunities for young adults. Detailed case studies of the activity undertaken in the five pilot areas are included in the report. There are two parts to the model: 1. A structure chart showing how key elements of the local education, employment and skills system impact upon the development of local approaches to traineeship activity. 2. A process map setting out the principal stages in the effective local planning of traineeships. A framework for local traineeship growth The framework for local traineeship growth is designed to be used by Local Enterprise Partnerships, combined authorities and local authorities wishing to optimise the effectiveness of traineeship planning at local level to strengthen the development and delivery of provision. 4

5 FIGURE 1 - KEY ELEMENTS OF THE APPROACH What elements underpin the development of localised traineeship provision? Lead Strategic Partner Key Priorities Interface with local policies Interface with national policies Employer Engagement How the strategic partner can increase traineeship activity working with local stakeholders Traineeships Careers Information, advice and guidance [CIAG} Apprenticeships policy & support Stakeholders LEP Jobcentre Plus Local Providers CIAG Schools Local authority stakeholders Apprenticeship Hubs Employers q A range of local stakeholders need to work together to enable traineeships to flourish. Fundamental to driving forward activity locally is the commitment of an organisation which can take a strategic lead and provide overall direction and co-ordination for the programme q The strategic engagement of providers is critical, as they effectively own local traineeship provision by providing the route through which funding is accessed via the Education and Skills Funding Agency. 5

6 q Employer involvement connects traineeship development to the needs of the local labour market, and helps to identify where skills gaps exist that traineeships could play a role in addressing. q Alongside these key groups, other stakeholders whom the pilots have identified as important for creating viable traineeship programmes include Jobcentre Plus, Careers Information Advice and Guidance Services and schools. q A key aspect of strengthening traineeship provision and promoting growth is the integration of programmes with wider local economic and labour market priorities. This helps to ensure relevance and build support for development among stakeholders. q Traineeships can offer a potential route to sustainability for skills and employmentfocussed programmes targeted at young people, currently funded from other sources. q If traineeship provision is to grow, organisations that take the strategic lead on traineeships must do more to give providers the confidence to develop and deliver effective programmes. q Key areas in which bodies such as LEPs, combined authorities, local authorities and provider networks could work to create a more conducive environment for the growth of provision are: employer engagement; careers information advice and guidance (CIAG); and integration with apprenticeship growth and support activities. FIGURE A PROCESS MAP FOR IMPLEMENTATION What elements underpin the development of localised traineeship provision? Aim: Designing a strategic approach to traineeship development in their local area 1. Lead strategic partner key priorities Lead Strategic partner needs to identify the key priority they would like to focus on 2. Understanding the local context Lead Strategic partner needs to collect existing local data and research on the key priority and existing traineeship activity 3. Scoping Exercise Lead Strategic partner to conduct scoping exercise with relevant local stakeholders to fill gaps and inform development activity 6. Evaluation of development activities Lead strategic partner to work with providers to evaluate pilots and share learning with wider local stakeholders 5. Development activity Lead strategic partner to work with 1-2 providers to pilot new traineeship provision or adapting existing provision to meet selected priority 7. Sharing learning Lead strategic partner to share learning of both scoping exercise and pilot activity with local stakeholders 4. Key Findings Report/briefing paper produced which includes emerging themes, and recommendations on how the lead strategic partner can take the word forward 8. Widespread local delivery Local providers develop new traineeship provision /adapt existing provision Outcome: Increased progression for young people to Apprenticeships or employment linked to key priority Outcome: Increase in traineeship participation rates linked to key priority Outcome: Increase in traineeship provision linked to key priority 6

7 q Scoping Having a clear understanding of how traineeships can contribute to local employment and skills activity, the current traineeship landscape, and any factors that may impinge upon prospective development activity, is essential for designing and implementing an effective local programme. If the knowledge base does not already exist, it will be necessary to undertake fact-finding research to collect relevant intelligence on current provision, barriers and enablers, and potential opportunities for growth. q Stakeholder engagement and consultation Involving key local stakeholders in the development of plans for traineeships is vital not only to secure their support, but also because they are likely to have insights and wider relationships that can help to inform and strengthen the programme. Engagement and consultation can be done through existing channels such as provider network meetings, or through specially commissioned activities. Employer engagement is also vital at this stage, to ensure both that provision meets the needs of the local labour market and that high quality work placements can be provided for trainees. q Planning and developing pilot activity Pilot activity should address issues which are important locally and therefore are likely to have wider relevance and be transferable and scalable beyond the pilot itself. Detailed planning with delivery partners - providers, employers and other stakeholders such as JCP and CIAG services ensures that the overall aims and objectives of the new pilot programme are understood and roles, responsibilities and actions agreed. q Pilot delivery Local strategic support is intended to create a framework within which high-quality traineeship provision can flourish. It connects all those who need to be involved, and offers a clear focus for activity that addresses local priorities. Providers themselves are responsible for operational delivery, working with employers and other stakeholders to develop and deliver traineeship programmes. q Evaluation and review Pilot activity should be robustly evaluated and reviewed in light of the findings, so that lessons can be learned and future delivery planned to ensure that it remains responsive to local needs. Evaluation should be planned into the pilot from the outset, follow a staged process, and ideally include a formative element so that that progress can be assessed and learning from the initiative captured in an on-going way. Conclusion Much traineeship activity to date has developed in a somewhat piecemeal way, led by individual providers and creating a relatively small number of opportunities for young people. Many of those delivering provision recognise the need and potential to develop traineeships in a more strategic, effective and co-ordinated way, but face a range of issues and challenges in doing so. The work undertaken for this project in five geographical areas suggests that there are benefits to be gained from adopting a more strategic approach to traineeship planning and delivery at local level, which aligns it to social, economic and labour market priorities and objectives. Such an approach has the potential to: q Target and address skills gaps and recruitment needs in specific sectors of the economy and labour market. q Target and address the needs of specific learner groups and wider local priorities. q Link traineeships more effectively to strategies for apprenticeship growth, including public sector apprenticeships and the apprenticeship levy, by positioning them 7

8 as pre-apprenticeship or apprenticeship preparation training. q Contribute to key national social inclusion priorities and targets, for example by creating pathways that will increase the proportion of apprentices from BAME backgrounds and apprentices with learning difficulties and disabilities, and tackling gender stereotyping. The strategic framework for traineeship development set out in this report is designed to help lead local employment and skills stakeholders to realise this potential. It would do this by: q Raising the profile and status of traineeships with young people and intermediary and referral organisations, to increase awareness and understanding of what traineeships are and how they can support young people s career development and longer term aspirations. Providing a clear line of sight for young people to further learning and desirable jobs is essential to build motivation, and for some young people traineeships can be a key part of that progression pathway. q Raising employer understanding and awareness of traineeships, to engage them in the provision of high-quality work placements and progression opportunities into apprenticeships and jobs. q Co-ordinating more effectively work between the different stakeholder organisations required to deliver traineeships, including providers, employers, referral agencies, CIAG services and wider support services. q Support from LEPs, combined authorities and local authorities for traineeship growth would be of value to all providers, but is likely to be particularly helpful for smaller independent training providers, which appear to be experiencing the greatest challenges with traineeship delivery. The work indicates they are well-placed to reach into under-exploited sectors and build links with individual local employers which secure high-quality placements with good career potential, so there would be gains for young people and employers if they were better supported to scale up this activity. q The introduction of the apprenticeship levy and public sector target presents a range of opportunities to harness traineeships more effectively as part of a pathway to apprenticeships. Traineeships can provide employers with a talent pipeline of apprenticeship-ready young people, and give young people themselves experience of a sector in which they are interested to assist with career planning and development. The pilots showed how local authorities as employers are exploring the scope for bespoke traineeship programmes to strengthen their apprenticeship activity, and other employers, whether in the public or other sectors, have indicated their interest in doing so. q With the fall in youth unemployment, providers report that young people being referred to traineeships are often those categorised as not in employment, education, or training (NEET), and often have additional barriers to learning and work. This factor contributes to the delivery challenges experienced by providers, and particularly by smaller organisations which are generally operating without a well-developed infrastructure to provide wider learner support. More effective strategic co-ordination of local provision, and encouragement for providers to build partnerships with organisations that can help to meet learners wider needs, would better support traineeship delivery and labour market participation for young people who are NEET. 8

9 1. INTRODUCTION In 2016, Learning & Work Institute (L&W) was commissioned by the Department for Education to undertake development work to explore how strategic support for traineeships at local level could strengthen delivery and encourage the growth of provision. The objectives of the project were to: q Undertake targeted activity in five local pilot areas to boost traineeship provision and participation rates through working with a range of stakeholders. q Work directly with both existing traineeship providers and others who have not yet delivered the programme to develop provision that is effectively targeted at local young people. q Work with strategic partners to develop and embed an approach to the planning and delivery of traineeships that addresses key local priorities. q Develop guidance for local areas about how to take a strategic lead on traineeship activity and align it with local priorities. The project was designed to build on the results of earlier development work conducted by L&W on behalf of the Gatsby Charitable Foundation. This showed the potential of traineeships in contributing to addressing skills gaps in priority sectors and supporting local growth, as well as reducing youth unemployment and promoting social inclusion. In that work, Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) were identified as having a key role to play in unlocking this potential, by influencing traineeship development to align it with local priorities and integrating traineeships more effectively into the wider employment and skills infrastructure About the traineeship programme Traineeships were introduced in 2013 and are aimed at young people aged years old, or young people with Learning Difficulty Assessments or Education, Health and Care plans up to the age of 25. Traineeships are designed to help young people gain the skills and experience they need to get an apprenticeship or job. The target group for traineeships are young people who: q Are not currently in employment and have little work experience, but who are focussed on work or the prospect of it. q Are aged 16 to 24 and qualified below level 3; and q Have a reasonable chance of being ready for employment or an apprenticeship within six months of engaging in a traineeship. Traineeships are made up of three core elements: q A high-quality work experience. q A focussed period of work preparation training. q English and maths if required, More information about traineeships is available on the Education and Skills Funding Agency (Traineeships) website 1 NIACE (2015) STEM Traineeships in the Humber LEP Area: report of demonstration pilot project (download 9

10 Additional vocational training and qualifications can be included within traineeships where required, for example where participating employers indicate that this will enhance young people s prospects of progression in their organisation or sector. Since the launch of the traineeship programme, levels of youth unemployment have been steadily falling. Nevertheless, traineeships continue to form an important part of the skills and employment agenda. They provide one of the pathways for young people to apprenticeships, and therefore can contribute towards the achievement of the national target of three million apprenticeship starts by By providing flexible, tailored provision that addresses young people s individual needs for employability skills development and work experience, the programme is also wellplaced to support an increase in the diversity of those taking up apprenticeships. This includes addressing the national target to increase by 20 per cent the proportion of people on apprenticeships from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) backgrounds; increasing the participation in apprenticeships of adults with learning difficulties and disabilities; and tackling gender stereotypes in specific occupations and sectors. In addition, from April 2017, traineeships will form one of the options available to young people aged 18 to 21 who have been unemployed for six months under the Youth Obligation, in those areas where Full Universal Credit is in place. Traineeships are therefore an important part of the package of support specifically available for young people not in education, employment or training (NEET). It is anticipated that this will lead to increased local demand for traineeships. The traineeship model aligns well with the general direction of travel in education, employment and skills policy towards greater flexibility and local determination of provision. One of the key features of the traineeship programme is that it is designed to be flexible and therefore can be developed to suit the needs of individual young people and employers, as well as to be focussed on specific sectors within the local economy and labour market, and other local priorities. 1.2 Our approach To achieve the objectives of this project, L&W undertook development work through two linked strands of activity in each of the five pilot areas: q Engagement with Local Enterprise Partnerships, combined authorities or local authorities and their strategic partners, to identify how traineeship provision could be strengthened through the local employment and skills system, and to provide support for planning and development to achieve this. q Engagement with providers, to support the development and testing of new traineeship provision in order to meet local needs and priorities. L&W provided dedicated, one-to-one support to each of the five local areas. This involved: q Working with strategic partners to define the scope and focus of activity. q Providing independent support to undertake specific actions within local areas, as agreed with each LEP /combined authority / local authority. q Providing practical support for providers with the development and implementation of pilot activity. q Facilitating links between strategic bodies and providers, to ensure the exchange of intelligence and information about how different strands of the pilot were progressing. 10

11 The table below summarises the five local pilots. Locality Lead strategic partner Main focus of pilot activity Leeds Leeds City Region LEP Scoping current activity Developing public-sector and sector focussed traineeships Sheffield Sheffield City Region LEP Scoping current activity Building providers capacity to deliver traineeships Manchester Greater Manchester Combined Authority Scoping current activity Developing traineeships for the digital sector Birmingham Birmingham City Council Developing public-sector traineeships Essex Essex County Council Developing supported traineeships for young people with learning difficulties and disabilities The intention throughout was that the scope and focus of each pilot should be determined and directed by local partners, and address distinct needs and circumstances in their area. L&W s role was to provide support to develop and implement activity which would be sustainable and embedded beyond the lifetime of the project. 1.3 About this report This report presents the results of pilot activity undertaken in the five areas between September 2016 and April It is intended to provide clear, practical insights and guidance which show how local stakeholders can develop and influence strategic approaches to traineeships. The report highlights how such approaches can drive and strengthen delivery to: ensure that it effectively meets the needs of the labour market and young people; support inclusive growth; align traineeships with wider local priorities. It consists of detailed case studies describing the activities and outcomes in each pilot, and sets out a flexible model, or strategic framework, for driving forward the development of traineeship programmes at local level. The report will be of interest to local strategic stakeholders such as LEPs, combined authorities and local authorities; current and prospective traineeship providers; organisations that support young people into employment and training; and employers. 11

12 2. A FRAMEWORK FOR LOCAL TRAINEESHIP GROWTH This section draws on the work undertaken across the five pilot areas, which is described in detail in the case studies on page 23. It sets out a model for driving traineeship growth in local areas. It is intended to provide a strategic framework that can be used by Local Enterprise Partnerships, combined authorities and local authorities wishing to optimise the effectiveness of traineeship planning at local level to strengthen the development and delivery of provision. It sits above, and is intended to complement and support, the programme planning for individual traineeships programmes undertaken at provider level. The model is also likely to be of value to other stakeholders, including providers and employers, who wish to influence LEPs, combined authorities and local authorities to strengthen traineeships locally. The model is designed to be applied flexibly, according to local needs, priorities and circumstances. The five pilots from which it has been derived were all very different, and as the commentary below demonstrates, they adopted a varied range of specific approaches and activities. Nevertheless, it has been possible to review the work in its entirety and define a core set of features of a single strategic framework that could be applied and adapted to suit the requirements of different localities. There are two parts to the model: 1. A structure chart showing how key elements of the local education, employment and skills system impact upon the development of local approaches to traineeship activity. 2. A process map setting out the principal stages in the effective local planning of traineeships. 12

13 2.1 Key elements of the approach The local pilots suggest that an effective approach to traineeship planning, development and delivery needs to integrate activity with key elements of the wider local learning and skills system. These are summarised in Figure 1 below: FIGURE 1 - KEY ELEMENTS OF THE APPROACH What is the process for designing traineeship provision tailored to local priorities? Lead Strategic Partner Key Priorities Interface with local policies Interface with national policies Employer Engagement How the strategic partner can increase traineeship activity working with local stakeholders Traineeships Careers Information, advice and guidance [CIAG} Apprenticeships policy & support Stakeholders LEP Jobcentre Plus Local Providers CIAG Schools Local authority stakeholders Apprenticeship Hubs Employers 13

14 Local stakeholders A range of local stakeholders need to work together to enable traineeships to flourish. Fundamental to driving forward activity locally is the commitment of an organisation which can take a strategic lead and provide overall direction and co-ordination for the programme. In the Sheffield City Region and Leeds City Region pilots this role was taken by the LEP; in Greater Manchester by the combined authority, and in Birmingham and Essex by the local authority. In all cases the pilot lead has now indicated its commitment towards sustaining this role. The strategic engagement of providers is critical, as they effectively own local traineeship provision by providing the route through which funding is accessed via the Education and Skills Funding Agency. In Greater Manchester and Leeds City Region, local provider networks played an important role, helping to shape the focus of activity and brokering links with individual providers to involve them in the development work and pilot delivery. The West Yorkshire Learning Providers Network is likely to be key to providing on-going support for traineeship development across the Leeds City Region, with the LEP continuing its more hands off approach. Employer involvement connects traineeship development to the needs of the local labour market, and helps to identify where skills gaps exist that traineeships could play a role in addressing. In Greater Manchester, the initial scoping work with employers brought to light a range of obstacles to the establishment of traineeships for the SME software development sector. The pilot was therefore orientated towards securing evidence to show how these barriers could be addressed, and identifying whether there were promising opportunities to test out provision with a large employer in the first instance. Engaging a range of publicsector employers as development and delivery partners was central to the Birmingham pilot. As a result, a 16-week pilot public-sector traineeship programme has been designed, which includes rotating work placements across the partnership to provide trainees with a breadth of experience. Alongside these key groups, other stakeholders whom the pilots have identified as important for creating viable traineeship programmes include Jobcentre Plus, Careers Information Advice and Guidance Services and schools. Interfaces with other strategies, priorities and initiatives A key aspect of strengthening traineeship provision and promoting growth is the integration of programmes with wider local economic and labour market priorities. This helps to ensure relevance and build support for development among stakeholders. In Greater Manchester, the combined authority s focus on Digital media and ICT as a priority area underpinned its interest in exploring how traineeships could help to address local skills gaps in the sector. In turn, this stimulated interest from employers and other agencies. In Essex, the county council s priority to support young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET) into employment was the motivating factor behind its interest in developing a supported traineeship programme, in view of the high proportion of people with learning difficulties and disabilities in that cohort. Traineeships can offer a potential route to sustainability for skills and employmentfocussed programmes targeted at young people, currently funded from other sources. The Sheffield City Region pilot is exploring how provision developed via the Big Lottery-funded Talent Match programme could be continued through traineeships once the Talent Match programme ends in

15 Enabling providers If traineeship provision is to grow, organisations that take the strategic lead on traineeships must do more to give providers the confidence to develop and deliver effective programmes. The scoping and pilot activity revealed relatively high levels of anxiety among providers about their ability to make a success of traineeships, and concerns about the perceived riskiness of expanding provision. This applied even to those with a good track record of securing positive outcomes for learners. They pointed to a number of areas in which bodies such as LEPs, combined authorities, local authorities and provider networks could work to create a more conducive environment for the growth of provision: q Employer engagement Lead stakeholders and providers reported that most employers have not heard of traineeships, and even where they have, their understanding of the programme and the benefits it could offer to them is limited. Added to this, many providers are wary of placing traineeship learners with employers with whom they have valued and established relationships, as they are sometimes seen as high risk, as by definition they are not yet work ready. Together, these factors point to the need for the engagement of more and different employers to work with providers to develop traineeships and offer work placements. Providers in Greater Manchester, Leeds City Region and Sheffield City Region identified employer engagement as the key area where support from the combined authority or LEP would be vital for the expansion of traineeships. While providers had employer engagement activity in place, traineeships rarely featured significantly in this and were perceived as difficult to promote to employers in anything more than ad hoc way, without more effective strategic intervention. Employers need to understand how traineeships could make a positive difference to both their own organisation, the wider sector in which they operate and the local area/local young people. In Greater Manchester, a clear need was identified for the combined authority and other stakeholders to work with employers in the digital sector to define appropriate work experience opportunities for young people below level 3. The Essex pilot identified the need to work with employers to understand how they can be engaged and supported to offer appropriate work placements for young people with learning difficulties and disabilities on supported traineeships. This included recognising potential barriers to involvement, exploring how such barriers could be overcome and promoting approaches such as linking participation to Corporate Social Responsibility. q Careers information, advice and guidance (CIAG) The challenge of securing sufficient suitable referrals onto traineeship programmes acts as a barrier to growth. Providers are understandably unwilling to invest resource into setting up programmes which they are then unable to deliver due to low numbers. The Leeds City Region pilot found this to be a widespread concern during the scoping phase, and it impacted directly upon pilot delivery. Weak referral mechanisms were also cited as a major determinant of the low levels of current traineeship activity in Essex. Levels of awareness and understanding about traineeships among young people, parents, schools, colleges and referral partners were widely felt to be low. The pilot in Essex showed how this could be tackled, by bringing together the local authority, academies, secondary schools, colleges and the National Apprenticeship Service to plan the development of appropriate referral routes 15

16 and progression pathways for supported traineeships, and to market these effectively to learners. In Birmingham, the development of a public-sector traineeship model includes the mapping of a clear progression pathway from engagement to careers in the public-sector, which can be actively promoted to learners, parents and referral agencies. q Apprenticeship growth and support LEPs, combined authorities, local authorities and provider networks undertake a range of activity to support apprenticeship growth. Building traineeships explicitly and consistently into this local apprenticeship infrastructure is widely regarded as key to their success. Positioning traineeships as pre-apprenticeship or apprenticeship preparation activity has the potential to resonate with learners for whom it provides a clear line of sight with regard to career progression, and with employers for whom it offers a talent pipeline. Pilot delivery with Birmingham City Council is developing a public-sector traineeship programme which is designed directly to support its own and other public-sector bodies apprenticeship growth in the context of the levy and the public-sector target. Wakefield College within the Leeds City Region pilot is developing traineeships as pre-apprenticeship provision with the local authority, supporting its commitment to the public-sector target and providing opportunities for local young people to progress into employment. Also in the Leeds City Region pilot, WYLP is integrating traineeships into its work on the NAS Apprenticeship Knowledge in Schools project. 2.2 A process map for implementation The pilot activity indicates that there are a number of key stages that stakeholders wishing to implement an effective strategic approach to traineeship development in their local area should aim to follow. The degree of time and resource that is devoted to each stage will of course depend upon an individual area s starting point, but all should be regarded as essential to the approach. Figure 2 below summarises the stages: 16

17 FIGURE A PROCESS MAP FOR IMPLEMENTATION What is the process for designing traineeship provision tailored to local priorities? Aim: To develop a strategic approach to traineeships in a local area 1. Lead strategic partner to identify key priorities Lead strategic partner needs to identify the key priorities they would like to focus on 2. Understanding the local context Lead strategic partner needs to collect and analyse existing local data/ research on the key prioritiies and existing traineeship activity 3. Scoping activity Lead strategic partner to conduct scoping activity with relevant local stakeholders to identify gaps and inform development/pilot activity 6. Evaluation of development/pilot activities Lead strategic partner to work with providers to evaluate pilots and share learning with wider local stakeholders 5. Development /pilot activity Lead strategic partner to work with 1-2 providers to pilot new traineeship provision or adapting existing provision to meet selected priority 4. Key Findings Lead strategic partner to analyse findings from stages 1, 2 and 3. Identify emerging themes, opportunities and potential challenges. Develop action plan for how partners can take the work forward Outcome: Increase in traineeship participation rates. 7. Sharing learning Lead strategic partner to share learning of scoping activity and pilot activity with local stakeholders 8. Widespread local delivery Local providers develop new traineeship provision/ adapt existing provision Outcome: Clearer progression pathways for young people to apprenticeships or employment linked to key local priorities. Outcome: Traineeships address key local priorities and contribute to local growth. 17

18 Scoping Having a clear understanding of how traineeships can contribute to local employment and skills activity, the current traineeship landscape, and any factors that may impinge upon prospective development activity, is essential for implementing an effective local programme. If the knowledge base does not already exist, it will be necessary to undertake fact-finding research to determine: q The scale, focus and effectiveness of current traineeship provision. q Enablers and barriers to providers development and delivery of traineeships, and any support they require to be effective. q Current and potential demand for traineeships from young people and employers. q The potential opportunities for traineeship development in relation to specific policies, sectors and priorities. A substantial part of the pilot phase in Essex, Greater Manchester, Leeds City Region and Sheffield City Region was devoted to carrying out scoping research. For Greater Manchester Combined Authority, there was a pressing need to understand how traineeships could be developed to provide pathways for young people into jobs in the digital sector, to help address growing local skills gaps. The findings of the research indicated both the scale of the labour market challenge, and some initial actions that the combined authority could take. They are now being used to design a digital traineeship model that can be embedded within its wider framework for pre-apprenticeship provision in the region. In Leeds City Region and Sheffield City Region, the LEPs did not have a clear picture of the current traineeship landscape in their respective regions, but recognised that this was necessary to inform any future development activity, and the same was true of the county council in Essex. Stakeholder engagement and consultation Involving key local stakeholders in the development of local plans for traineeships is vital not only to secure their support, but also because they are likely to have insights and wider relationships that can help to inform and strengthen the programme. Engagement and consultation can be done through existing channels such as provider network meetings, or through specially commissioned activities. Leeds City Region LEP used a meeting of its skills network, which includes colleges, independent training providers and third sector providers, to disseminate information about the pilot and engage participants in the scoping research. In Sheffield City Region, the LEP worked with L&W to facilitate a workshop with local providers and stakeholders to explore how to increase the traineeship activity in the local area. The scoping research had suggested that there was a general 18

19 willingness in principle among providers to develop provision that reflected the LEP s priorities across the region, but limited awareness in practice as to what those priorities were. Similarly, Essex County Council and L&W delivered a workshop for providers to consider how the supported traineeship model could work and to build further momentum and interest in the programme. In Birmingham, the local authority is consulting with Greater Birmingham and Solihull LEP on the contribution that the public-sector traineeship programme could make to its strategic priorities. Employer engagement is also vital at this stage, to ensure both that provision meets the needs of the local labour market and that high-quality work placements can be provided for trainees. Identifying a large employer in the digital sector to take forward the work became essential in Greater Manchester, when the multiple challenges of involving SMEs in the timeframe of the project became apparent. In Essex, developing a package of support for employers, to build their capacity to offer placements to supported traineeship learners, is recognised as being essential to the programme s success. The Birmingham pilot included a major strand of activity aimed at engaging other large public-sector employers in the city, with the result that individual trainees will be able to experience work placements with multiple organisations during the course of their traineeship. Planning and developing pilot activity Intelligence gathered through the scoping and consultation stages helps to identify where there is potential for traineeship growth, which organisations to involve, and what additional infrastructure development might be needed to support activity. Pilot activity should address issues which are important locally and therefore are likely to have wider relevance and be transferable and scalable beyond the pilot itself. The work to develop and test models of public-sector traineeships in Birmingham and Leeds City Region illustrate this, responding directly to the increased need of public-sector employers to strengthen pathways into apprenticeships as a result of national policy implementation. In Essex, the focus on developing traineeships for young people with learning difficulties and disabilities stemmed from the recognition that this could play an important part in tackling the wider objective of reducing the number of young people who are NEET. Meanwhile in Sheffield City Region and Greater Manchester, the work was underpinned by a concern to address skills gaps in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) and digital industries respectively. Detailed planning with delivery partners providers, employers and other stakeholders such as JCP and CIAG services ensures that the overall aims and objectives of the new pilot programme are understood and roles, responsibilities and actions agreed. The provider, working with an employer or employers, will be responsible for traineeship curriculum planning. Nevertheless, local strategic partners have a critical role to play in ensuring that the wider infrastructure is in place to facilitate the pilot s success and also in working with the provider to tailor the content of the programme, for example, to meet specific sector requirements. 19

20 Important areas for action include: q Disseminating information about the pilot to local partners and stakeholders, to show how it aligns with other activities and local priorities. q Mapping out a clear and coherent learner journey for the programme. This should include both effective referral mechanisms to underpin recruitment and set out progression pathway options to enable leaners to move on. It is likely to involve JCP, CIAG services, schools and colleges, public and third sector organisations in touch with learners from the target group, and employers and employer representative organisations. q Integrating information about the pilot and about traineeships more generally into existing work with learners, schools, colleges and employers that promotes local apprenticeship growth, to raise the profile and status of the programme, stimulate demand for traineeships and strengthen progression pathways for young people from traineeships to apprenticeships. q Facilitating the sharing of good and effective practice between traineeship providers, in relation to common areas of concern such as tailored / flexible delivery models; learner recruitment; employer engagement; and supporting progression. Employer engagement and work with CIAG services and other referral partners was a key feature of activity across the five pilots, as a common key priority was to link traineeship activity to apprenticeship developments locally. Pilot delivery Local strategic support is intended to create a framework within which highquality traineeship provision can flourish. It connects all those who need to be involved, and offers a clear focus for activity that addresses local priorities. Providers themselves are responsible for operational delivery, working with employers and other stakeholders to develop and deliver traineeship programmes. During the project, it became apparent in each of the local areas that more time was required for scoping and engagement activities than was anticipated when the work was conceived. For that reason, actual delivery of pilot provision was only beginning to get underway at the end of the project s timescale, so lessons learned from this phase to date are indicative rather than conclusive. It is clear, however, that providers benefit from taking a structured approach to the design and implementation of programmes, and from aligning it with their organisational priorities and existing activities. In Leeds City Region, Birmingham and Essex, pilot providers were supported by L&W to carry out rigorous programme planning and development to underpin implementation. In Leeds City Region and Birmingham, pilot activity was integrated 20

21 with providers wider employer engagement and apprenticeship work. This meant that, for example, employers offering traineeship work placements for one of the Leeds pilot providers were required to meet the same standards of quality in supporting the learning and progression of learners on placement as apprenticeship providers, and to attend an induction session where these expectations were set out and agreed. Evaluation and review Within the timeframe of the project, it is too early to report definitively on effective practice in relation to traineeship pilot activity evaluation. However, in line with established good practice, it is expected that pilot activity will be robustly evaluated and reviewed in light of the findings, so that lessons can be learned and future delivery planned to ensure that it remains responsive to local needs. Evaluation should be planned into the pilot from the outset, and will typically include the following stages: q Planning: Identify objectives and success measures; decide who needs to be involved; agree appropriate evaluation methods and how they will be applied. The main outcome measures are likely to be based on learners successful completion of the different elements of the traineeship programme, and their progression to an apprenticeship, job or further learning. However, other aspects of the work should also be evaluated, such as the delivery method and the effectiveness of learner and employer engagement processes. q Gathering evidence: Set up and test evidence collection methods; establish appropriate systems to record and store the evidence; review the evidence to identify any gaps and how to fill them. Ideally, aim to increase the robustness of the evaluation by drawing on a range of sources so that data can be triangulated to verify findings. For example, evaluation of the effectiveness of the delivery method could include collection of quantitative data on learner attendance on different elements of the programme and progression rates, and qualitative data eg feedback from learners, employers and tutors. q Interpreting evidence: Apply appropriate data analysis methods, identify patterns / findings, key messages and lessons learned; test these out with those close to the project, to sense check and refine before they are circulated more widely. At this stage, it would be appropriate for traineeship providers to share emerging findings with lead strategic stakeholders who are supporting the work. q Disseminating findings: Identify messages and learning for reporting more widely, and appropriate mechanisms for communication. Audiences could include local provider and employer networks, as well as strategic agencies and referral partners. It might be appropriate to consider how other delivery partners, particularly employers, could contribute to dissemination through their networks and potentially raise the profile of traineeships with other employers. 21

22 q Reviewing and refining delivery: use the evaluation findings to support reflection on the success of the pilot, and help with identifying any changes that need to be made to increase the effectiveness of the programme before it is repeated or extended. Evaluation of traineeship programmes often reveals the need to adjust the delivery model, for example to increase the amount of time that young people who are NEET spend on work preparation training before they commence their work placement. Ideally, a formative element will be included within the evaluation. This will enable progress to be assessed and learning from the initiative captured in an on-going way, and allow any adjustments to delivery to be made directly and quickly, as needs arise. 22

23 3. CASE STUDIES 3.1 Leeds City Region LEP Key Stakeholders West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA) & Leeds City Region (LEP) WYCA s priority for employment and skills was to take a demand-led approach to addressing employer skills shortages and supporting people to accessing employment and training opportunities, rather than by aiming to grow traineeship provision as an end in itself. The LEP wanted to gain a better understanding of the scale, scope, effectiveness of current traineeship delivery in the region, to inform future planning and development. West Yorkshire Learner Providers Network (WYLP) WYLP is a membership based organisation working to support members in the delivery of Apprenticeships, employment and skills provision. A role was also identified for the WYLP in influencing employer engagement and Careers Information Advice and Guidance (CIAG), and in promoting the sharing of effective practice among traineeship providers. The Textiles Centre of Excellence (TCoE) TCoE is a membership organisation for textile manufacturing, whose members have been willing to offer work placements with progression opportunities. TCoE has struggled to recruit young people for these work placements, due to a combination of low referral numbers and limited awareness of and interest in careers in the textile industry from young people. It wished to use the pilot primarily to develop traineeship provision that would provide a route to employment in the textile industry, and address specific local skills gaps in the sector. Wakefield College The college had previously run traineeships, it was not delivering any at the time of the project. Building on this experience, it was interested in developing its existing apprenticeship work with a single, levy-paying employer, to create a range of traineeship opportunities as pre-apprenticeship provision. It was also keen to explore how traineeships could provide a suitable bridging opportunity for current learners who were disengaged from their college course, but were not ready to progress to an apprenticeship. Local context During initial discussions with L&W, officers from the West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA) confirmed that their priority for employment and skills was to take a demand-led approach to addressing employer skills shortages and supporting people to accessing employment and training opportunities, rather than by aiming to grow traineeship provision as an end in itself. Nevertheless, the LEP/WYCA recognised that traineeships could play an important role in supporting some young people to gain entry to the workplace, and acknowledged that there was value in reviewing traineeships to understand how they might better contribute to key local strategic priorities in relation to: q Reducing the number of young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET). q Apprenticeship growth. q Addressing skills gaps in specific industries and sectors. 23

24 Scope and focus of activity LCR wished to use the project to gain a better understanding of the scale, scope and effectiveness of current traineeship delivery in the region, to inform future planning and development. It was agreed that the work would consist of two main elements. Firstly, L&W would undertake a fact-finding exercise to gather evidence on existing traineeship activity, and to identify the barriers and enablers to future development. The purpose of this work was to identify how traineeships were currently being delivered, and whether or how they were adding value to local skills and employment provision. Secondly, L&W would support a number of providers to develop their traineeship programmes, to address issues or test opportunities which the research identified as being of wider relevance for the region. Research The fact-finding research was facilitated by the LEP/WYCA. It consisted of telephone interviews with JCP managers and with a self-selecting sample of providers who had current or previous experience of delivering traineeships. The research found that: q Jobcentre Plus (JCP) already had well established systems in place with providers to run sector based work academies (sbwa s). 2 As sbwas were felt to meet the needs of both employers and participants over a relatively short timescale (between two and four weeks) they have continued to be a key element of Jobcentre Plus s mainstream offer. However, JCP has worked closely with providers to support the delivery of traineeships when a traineeship was the most appropriate option (usually dictated by the funding stream). To align with JCP s business aims and objectives, traineeships need to be relatively short, have employer support and an agreed work placement. JCP confirmed that they support referrals to traineeship programmes which meet specific criteria i.e. they are of short duration and have employer involvement and work placements in place. This appeared to be the key reason for the pattern of traineeship activity in the region to date. q Most of the traineeships programmes offered were generic. However, some providers had delivered one-off sector-focussed traineeships, and one traineeship programme was entirely focussed on warehousing and logistics to address a defined local skills gap. q Providers felt that the traineeship model was essentially a good one in principle and valued the flexibility that it offered, but most had struggled with delivery in practice and viewed further expansion as risky. Only one respondent (an FE college provider) was confident of having established an effective and sustainable programme, and was focussing its provision on year-olds. Others consistently reported that: q It was difficult to deliver traineeships costeffectively due to the highly individualised nature of the programme, in particular the work placements. q They struggled to secure referrals of suitable young people onto traineeships, and many of those referred were not, in fact, in the target group, eg likely to be able to progress to employment or an apprenticeship within a six-month period. q Engaging employers to provide high quality work placements was problematic for a range of reasons, including limited prior awareness among employers of the 24 2 sbwa s were introduced as part of the Government s Youth Contract programme and have been very successful with evaluation showing that around 80% of participants move into work following attendance on a sbwa. They have now become embedded into JCP s mainstream support for employers.

25 programme and the perceived riskiness for providers of placing individuals who were not work ready. Nevertheless, providers indicated several areas where traineeships were believed to have a potential contribution to make to local employment and skills provision: q Addressing growing demand for preapprenticeship or apprenticeship preparation programmes from learners, including unsuccessful apprenticeship applicants. q Addressing growing demand from employers for a pipeline of apprenticeship-ready young people, particularly with the introduction of the levy and the public-sector target in April q Providing suitable opportunities for young people at risk of disengaging from learning, by offering an employment-focussed alternative and progression route. A number of potential approaches were identified by providers which could capitalise on these opportunities: q Adopting more sector-focussed or employerfocussed programmes, to help achieve more efficient delivery and strengthen employer engagement. q Working specifically with levy-paying employers, to develop bespoke traineeships as pre-apprenticeship provision. Some providers felt that the LEP/WYCA could play a key strategic role in supporting these developments by; building traineeships more explicitly and consistently into the regional infrastructure that supports apprenticeship growth; and supporting the development of more consistent, coherent CIAG provision across the city region to improve referral routes. A role was also identified for the West Yorkshire Learning Providers Network (WYLP) in influencing employer engagement and Careers Information Advice and Guidance (CIAG), and in promoting the sharing of effective practice among traineeship providers. One provider, which has established a successful traineeship programme, observed that expanding their traineeship provision has increased the number of young people from BAME backgrounds who are able to progress to apprenticeships. Provider pilot activity The Textiles Centre of Excellence (TCoE) and Wakefield College took part in the research and agreed to work with L&W to develop and test new approaches to traineeship delivery. Although very different types of provider, they raised a number of common issues and challenges based on their experiences of delivering traineeships which exemplified those expressed more widely by interviewees. L&W met with senior staff at TCoE in March The organisation began delivering traineeships in September 2016, and had run three cohorts of approximately six learners each. It is a membership organisation for textile manufacturing, and members have been willing to offer work placements with progression opportunities. Building on its approach to apprenticeships, TCoE requires all participating employers to undergo an induction briefing and to commit to providing a high-quality experience and actively supporting progression. However, TCoE has struggled to recruit young people for these work placements, due to a combination of low referral numbers and limited awareness of and interest in careers in the textile industry from young people. As a result, TCoE also 25

26 engaged a wider range of employers to secure suitable work experience placements. It wished to use the pilot primarily to develop traineeship provision that would provide a route to employment in the textile industry, and address specific local skills gaps in the sector. TCoE s current approach to traineeship delivery was reviewed in depth. Development support was provided in relation to: strategic planning; optimising the delivery model; recruitment, branding and marketing; and working with and widening the range of referral partners. TCoE subsequently planned and delivered a group information session with JCP and other referral partners, with a view to beginning a fourth traineeship cohort in April. However, although the session was well-received and ten prospective learners were recruited as a result, only three attended on the first day of delivery. The course s start has consequently been deferred until May. Reflecting on its continuing difficulties with securing learners and running a viable programme, staff at TCoE stated that: q Most of the learners who were being referred - primarily via JCP and the National Careers Service had a range of additional barriers to learning and work, and high support needs. They also had low levels of motivation, which were felt to reflect their social profile. It appeared that learners were being referred to traineeships whom it had not been possible to place elsewhere, even if they did not meet the stated criteria. q Traineeship funding does not take account of the resource implications for smaller providers of adequately meeting these young people s wider support needs, to ensure that they remain motivated and engaged. It was felt that the social profile of young people engaged through local referral agencies made traineeships difficult to deliver successfully within the current model. TCoE is further reviewing its delivery model in light of these experiences and identifying ways in which it can work with partners to provide the required level of support to young people being referred. At Wakefield College, L&W met with the Principal and staff in March to review their plans for traineeship development. Although the college had previously run traineeships, it was not delivering any at the time of the project. One of its programmes had been focussed specifically on the Childcare and Early Years sector, and it had found this approach to be more efficient and cost-effective than generic programmes. Building on this experience, it was interested in developing its existing apprenticeship work with a single, levy-paying employer, to create a range of traineeship opportunities as preapprenticeship provision. Although the College identified potential to do this with private sector employers, it was felt that working with a public sector employer to develop the approach in the first instance would have a greater chance of success. It was also keen to explore how traineeships could provide a suitable bridging opportunity for current learners who were disengaged from their college course, but were not ready to progress to an apprenticeship. The college is taking the work forward through two distinct strands, integrated with its wider apprenticeship and employer engagement activity: q A traineeship programme has been established targeted principally at existing students aged 19-plus who are at risk of disengaging from their current courses of study with the college and who wish to pursue an apprenticeship. Individualised work placements have been secured with the local authority and a range of SMEs, and form the core of the programme. 26

27 q A public-sector traineeship programme will be developed and delivered in partnership with Wakefield Metropolitan District Council. The college already delivers apprenticeship provision for the council. Sixty traineeship placements will be offered by the council this year across all divisions. The first cohort of twelve learners starts after Easter Traineeships are seen as providing a route for local young people into work, and a talent pipeline for the council. It is anticipated that there will be opportunities for around half of traineeship learners to progress directly to apprenticeships or other roles within the local authority. JCP and the college itself are expected to provide the main referral routes. Outcomes and impact For the LEP The LEP/WYCA has gained a clearer understanding of the pattern, focus and challenges of traineeship activity in the region. It has been made aware of the issues facing providers, and of the role which some providers believe the LEP could play in strengthening traineeship provision by linking it more explicitly to apprenticeship growth, including through work with levy-paying organisations, and of the role that some providers would like to see the LEP play in supporting this via its employer engagement and CIAG activities. For providers WYLP has undertaken to integrate traineeships into its work on apprenticeships, including through the National Apprenticeship Service Apprenticeship Knowledge in Schools (ASK) project. Information about traineeships and local opportunities will be added to the generic NAS ASK presentation, with the aim of strengthening demand for traineeships among young people in schools. It is also developing plans to establish network meetings that will bring together traineeship stakeholders (providers, JCP and CIAG services) to increase referral agencies levels of understanding and engagement and facilitate the sharing of effective practice. Challenges and how these were addressed LCR s key motivation from the outset was to gain a better understanding of how traineeships could contribute to local employment and skills priorities. Officers from the LEP/WYCA brokered contact with providers and stakeholders for this project. L&W s ability and capacity to work directly with providers, employers and other stakeholders has therefore been critical for progressing the work. So too has developing a link with WYLP, which could potentially be a key partner in addressing the issues raised around infrastructure support for providers to successfully address employer and learner engagement. Key messages and lessons learned There is a gap in relation to pre-apprenticeship training that traineeships have the potential to help address. Linking traineeships more explicitly and consistently to activities and initiatives related to apprenticeship growth would help to raise awareness and understanding of traineeships, and provide a stepping-stone for those young people who require further support and training to become apprenticeship ready. However, policy change is needed to establish this as a clear and coherent progression pathway within the employment and skills system. It appears that smaller providers struggle to establish successful and sustainable programmes. This is primarily because they are unable to recruit and retain learners in the numbers needed to establish viable courses. Larger independent providers and colleges are 27

28 able to draw on a wider pool and higher volume of potential trainees, including existing learners or unsuccessful apprenticeship applicants. However, smaller providers can offer high-quality work placements with genuine progression opportunities, some of which are in niche local employment areas with recognised local skills gaps. Referral agencies in particular could support these opportunities more effectively. Traineeships could play an important role in enabling public-sector employers to address the challenges and opportunities presented by the introduction of the apprenticeship levy and the public-sector target. The development of a bespoke traineeship programme for a single large employer could act as a feeder route to deliver local talent into apprenticeships and other employment. Local authorities, which have a strong orientation towards providing opportunities for local young people, have the potential to lead the way in showing how this work might be developed. A strong local provider network can help to raise the profile of traineeships and to support providers. Future opportunities and next steps L&W will continue to gather feedback from the two pilot sites, in order to understand better where there is greatest potential for traineeship development in the region. Wakefield College has indicated that its work to establish an employer traineeship programme with the local authority will provide insights to inform the development of a traineeship model that could be extended to other large, levypaying employers in the area, in both the public and private sectors. The LEP/WYCA expressed interest in finding out more about how this could be developed. The college s new traineeship programme targeted at existing students who are at risk of disengaging will be reviewed in September, with a view to continuing to offer similar provision during the 2017/18 academic year. In addition, the college is looking at delivering a traineeship as a pre-apprenticeship route for learners applying directly to study an apprenticeship framework, who may not have the required skill level or where there may not yet be an opportunity or vacancy. The pilot activity in Leeds City Region provides insights into traineeship development that are likely to be of interest and relevance nationally. First, it suggests that providers could work with levy-paying employers in both the public and private sectors to explore the potential to develop bespoke traineeship programmes that help to create a pipeline of Apprenticeshipready young people. Secondly, it highlights the value that smaller providers with strong links to local employers and niche sectors can bring to the programme, by providing access points for young people to high-quality career progression pathways. However, it also suggests that providers need to ensure that they are identifying appropriate channels through which to publicise and promote their traineeship opportunities, and working with an effective range of referral partners. This includes working more closely with schools and schools engagement initiatives such as ASK, to make contact with potential traineeship learners. 28

29 3.2 Essex County Council Key Stakeholders Essex County Council One of Essex County Council s key priorities is to support young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET) into employment. The Council estimates that around 30 per cent of their young people who are NEET are learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities (LDD), and is therefore interested in exploring how traineeships could provide a suitable pathway to employment for this group. Harlow College Harlow has a strong offer for both apprenticeships and traineeships. Last year the college piloted a supported traineeship approach with a student with learning difficulties. The model worked well and achieved positive outcomes for the trainee. As a result, Harlow College is very keen to offer supported traineeships, especially for those learners with Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) but no EHCP (the cohort termed SEN support in schools). SEEVIC College The college currently offer a range of apprenticeships but have no students on traineeships. They are very interested in developing a tailored pathway for around 150 students with Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Colchester Institute The Institute offers a wide range of apprenticeships but not traineeships. A large number of students with LDD needs are currently supported across Colchester Institute; the Institute is keen to formalise its supported offers, particularly for those who do not have severe and complex needs. South Essex College Traineeships are a new offer at South Essex College. The college has over 150 learners with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) and 68 in receipt of high needs funding (there is some overlap) and has recently started formalising some of its support for learners with EHCPs, for example through targeted life skills and social skills courses. Local context One of Essex County Council s key priorities is to support young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET) into employment. The Council estimates that around 30 per cent of their young people who are NEET are learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities (LDD), and is therefore interested in exploring how traineeships could provide a suitable pathway to employment for this group. During initial discussions, the Council expressed an aspiration to offer a clear and coherent pathway of post- 16 support for young people with LDD needs as this would contribute to reducing NEET figures locally and improve the life chances of young people in the area. Essex County Council initially proposed a sector focus on the Healthcare and the IT/digital sector (as these are two of their seven priority areas of identified skills gaps). At the time of starting the project, very few colleges provided traineeships in Essex. However, colleges were aware of a cohort of young people who were applying for apprenticeships but did not have sufficient academic qualifications or work readiness to enter this pathway. Colleges tended to be encouraging young people with LDD needs onto 29

30 supported internships and private providers had high numbers of young people with LDD needs, but they were not offering any bespoke provision and did not appear to be equipped to appropriately support such learners. Scope and focus of activities Essex County Council and L&W developed a plan of activity that aimed to increase traineeship participation by young people who are NEET and have LDD needs, and strengthen support locally for traineeships from the Council, its partners and stakeholders. The work focussed on the following objectives: q Develop a model of supported traineeship delivery which could be implemented across providers in Essex - by identifying and distilling learning from providers in other parts of the country who are successfully delivering traineeships with young people with LDD needs, and working with individual providers in Essex to overcome potential barriers to delivery. q Increase the supply of traineeships for young people with LDD needs - through encouraging and enabling providers to offer supported traineeships and putting in place a system where Essex County Council works in partnership with local stakeholders and providers to ensure there is provision across all areas of Essex. q Increase uptake of supported traineeships - by connecting providers to secondary schools and agencies providing support for young people with LDD needs, assessing other potential referral routes (e.g. JCP) and developing a marketing plan with the Council and local providers. It was agreed that L&W would undertake a factfinding exercise to gather evidence on existing traineeship activity in the region, identify the barriers and enablers to development and gauge the need and appetite for developing supported traineeships to better meet the needs of young people with LDD. This element of the work was critical because the Council did not have a detailed understanding of the current traineeship landscape. Telephone interviews were undertaken with a range of local providers and with other providers throughout the country who had been identified as delivering effective traineeship programmes for young people with LDD needs. A short scoping report of the findings was prepared and discussed with Essex County Council. During the scoping research L&W identified four providers who were interested in developing supported traineeships in Essex. They are: q SEEVIC College - who currently offer a range of apprenticeships but have no students on traineeships. They are very interested in developing a tailored pathway for around 150 students with Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD). q Colchester Institute - who offer a wide range of apprenticeships but not traineeships. A large number of students with LDD needs are currently supported across Colchester Institute; the Institute is keen to formalise its supported offers, particularly for those who do not have severe and complex needs. q South Essex College - traineeships are a new offer at South Essex College. The college has over 150 learners with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) and 68 in receipt of high needs funding (there is some overlap) and has recently started formalising some of its support for learners with EHCPs, for example through targeted life skills and social skills courses. q Harlow College - Harlow has a strong offer for both apprenticeships and traineeships. Last year one student with learning difficulties enrolled on to a traineeship. The Special Educational Needs (SEN) team liaised with the course lead to develop an individual support 30

31 plan, to ensure the teaching and support staff were able to meet the young person s needs. The model worked well and achieved positive outcomes for the trainee. As a result, Harlow College is very keen to offer supported traineeships, especially for those learners with Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) but no EHCP (the cohort termed SEN support in schools). They have assessed their curriculum offer and gained SMT support to begin piloting a supported internship before Summer However, each of these providers all had similar concerns and questions about how a supported traineeship programme could work for them. These covered a range of areas including: funding; engaging employers; securing suitable referrals; supporting progression; and planning outcomes for learners. Outcomes and impact During the delivery period of the project, the following outcomes were achieved. For the local authority The Council gained greater understanding of how supported traineeships could: q Reduce its cohort of NEET young people (by better addressing the needs of young people with SEND and preventing dropping out of other academic routes) q Work in parallel with its commitment to being a Disability Confident employer (including by offering work placements within the Council) q Help to better understand the routes through education, destinations and outcomes of young people with SEND (and therefore offer support more tailored to meet their needs) q Limit the amount of higher needs funding required by providers often where young people are on inappropriate or unsupported education and employment routes. q Essex County Council teams were supported by L&W to link up in new ways (employment, skills, SEND, education, adult social care and HR) to decide how to take this work forward locally. As a result of the work, the County Council has committed to piloting supported traineeships in the next academic year. For providers Providers increased their capacity to develop and deliver supported traineeships. They gained understanding about how traineeships operate and why they might work for them. A model of supported traineeships was drawn up and shared with providers in the area. This created enthusiasm and appetite for supported traineeships as a suitable (and possibly the only) route for young people with SEND, especially the SEN support cohort who currently have no distinct offer locally. Training was delivered to Harlow College to support them to set up a supported traineeship pilot. Providers have greater understanding of how to access potential funding for supported traineeships and related activity. They were made aware of Earnings Adjustment Statement (EAS) funding stream and how they can use it. A local college was supported with evidence for a funding growth application to use the Adult Education Budget for post 19 traineeships. For local services The project presented the first picture of what current provision of traineeships in Essex is like, including highlighting the role of independent training providers. It has promoted closer working between stakeholders. For example, academies, secondary feeder schools, colleges and NAS were linked with each other to discuss how supported traineeships could be offered, and appropriate referrals made to them 31

32 Challenges and how these were addressed From the initial inception meeting, Essex County Council has been enthusiastic about the potential development of a supported traineeship model to engage young people with LDD needs. The aim and focus of the work fits very well with a number of key priorities in Essex. However, the council had not anticipated such a high level of interest amongst local providers as a result of L&W s work and became aware of the need for internal capacity to sustain the momentum after the L&W development activity was completed. To help mitigate this issue, a meeting was arranged for leads at the relevant council services to agree roles and responsibilities, and how to take supported traineeships forward across the county. This led to the Preparation for Adulthood team taking a lead on this work, with the commitment of a range of other internal stakeholders. The key challenges cited by providers were addressed by working with other providers across the country who have experience of successfully delivering supported traineeships. This included how the supported offer differs from regular traineeships; what level of outcomes are expected and how these can be achieved; how best to deliver and fund additional support; and how to offer appropriate work placements. Key messages and lessons learned The work in Essex suggests that: q Supported traineeships appear to be the best option for young people with SEND, whose needs do not require them to have an EHCP. This is a large group, and are more likely to drop out of other education routes and therefore be over-represented in NEET figures. q Supported traineeships offer the potential to be the ideal pre-apprenticeship route which is needed by a significant number of learners with LDD. q The Earnings Adjustment Statement (EAS) is a funding stream which can be used to cover the costs of additional support for this cohort. q By joining up internal stakeholders, providers and local schools, a clear pathway for young people with SEND can be established, with the Council and providers appropriately marketing this route to learners. q Employers can be supported to offer appropriate work placements for these young people, and reap the benefits of the skills these young people can bring to the workplace. Employers can evidence their commitment to their Corporate Social Responsibility by offering placements and as part of this, may which to offer travel and subsistence costs to trainees. q Sector focussed traineeships may not be suitable for this cohort, who have little knowledge of sectors or their own skill set. It is more likely that effective supported traineeships will focus predominantly on employability, and possibly offer tasters of different sectors to inform trainees future choices. Future opportunities and next steps To progress L&W s traineeship activity in Essex, a number of actions have been planned: L&W will lead a workshop with local providers (college and private) to detail supported traineeships and further explore how the model can work in Essex and build further momentum/ interest. L&W is in discussions with the National Autistic society (NAS) about a school and Enterprise Centre they are setting up in the region, and how this could feed into the supported traineeship model. 32

33 Essex County Council will work with the four providers who have expressed an interest in developing a supported traineeship model to pilot these plans and learn lessons to inform future development of supported traineeships locally. The Council will also work with employers to understand: q What are the barriers for employers to offering supported traineeships? q How best to engage businesses in a Countywide scheme? q What needs to be provided to equip/support businesses offering placements? The following issues will also need to be addressed in order to maximise the potential of the work: q Engaging a sufficient number of appropriate employers and offering a range of placements with potential progression. q Identifying how best to support progression and strengthen routes to employment. q Improving referral routes into supported traineeships. q Establishing consistent principles and values of delivery across providers (including assessment processes and implementing support). q Ensuring the sustainability of momentum and pilot activity beyond the initial period. It is worth noting that the work in Essex also has national implications, in the context of the Paul Maynard Taskforce, which in July 2016 made a series of recommendations designed to increase the number of people with learning disabilities employed as apprentices. As a key pathway to apprenticeships, an effective supported traineeship model has the potential to contribute to this government policy priority. 33

34 3.3 Sheffield City Region LEP Key Stakeholders Sheffield City Region LEP (SCR) The LEP wanted to understand the current landscape in City Region in relation to traineeships, including learner numbers, progression and outcomes, and the extent to which provision aligned with priority sectors. Alongside understanding the challenges faced by providers in light of the low recorded numbers of learners on traineeships. Sheffield Futures Sheffield Futures deliver the Talent Match programme for the City Region, and were interested to scope the potential to convert their provision which supports young people who are NEET into a wider traineeship offer following the end of Big Lottery Funding in Local context Sheffield City Region (SCR) was one of the first LEPs to be granted control of its skills budget, and was also one of the first to complete its area-based review. The area based review has led to (in the first instance) a strategic focus on STEM occupations and meeting the increased demand for STEM-qualified staff across a range of sectors. Scope and focus of activities The initial aims and objectives of the project in SCR were to: q Understand the current landscape in SCR in relation to traineeships, including learner numbers, progression and outcomes, and the extent to which provision aligned with priority sectors. q Understand the challenges faced by providers in light of the low recorded numbers of learners on traineeships. q Support providers to develop their traineeship offer to support LEP priorities around apprenticeships, employment and key priority sectors. The first phase of L&W s activity was therefore to carry out scoping research with traineeship providers and stakeholders to identify which providers were delivering traineeships, their challenges and successes, and how SCR could support more effective traineeship delivery. L&W interviewed twelve training providers across the SCR, comprised of five FE colleges and seven private training providers. The research showed that: q A low level of traineeship provision was currently being delivered, particularly by colleges. Most provision was generic in nature. Providers did have relationships with large employers, but there seemed to be little activity focussed on specific sectors or job roles, such as STEM-related employment. One example was identified in which Sheffield College and the Cutlers Company had worked together to develop a bespoke traineeship programme focussed on engineering. The initial round of delivery experienced a number of challenges, and the partners are currently reviewing it to understand what lessons can be learned, and how these might inform potential future development. q None of the FE college staff interviewed felt that they were being successful with traineeships, although most thought they were a valuable resource and were keen to develop and expand their programmes. 34

35 q There appeared to be little awareness at provider level of the economic priorities driven by the LEP, but providers appeared willing to support the LEP in setting and following strategic approaches across the SCR. Most providers recognised this as an appropriate area where the LEP could provide direction and support. q Employer engagement was generally being undertaken by providers on an ad hoc basis, and was identified as a key area where support from the LEP was needed. Emphasising the LEP s skills priorities, and encouraging those sectors to get more involved with traineeships at a strategic level would help both providers and employers. Based on the findings of the research, it was agreed that the most urgent priority was to tackle challenges experienced by providers, to increase provider confidence and support the delivery of more traineeships. Concurrently with the research, L&W also facilitated discussions with SCR and Sheffield Futures around the Talent Match programme and its future, following the end of Big Lottery Funding in L&W is working closely with Sheffield Futures to scope the potential to convert their provision which supports young people who are NEET into a wider traineeship offer. To take these strands of activity forward, L&W worked with the LEP to organise a workshop for local providers and stakeholders to explore how to increase the traineeship provision in the local area. Delegates were able to share experiences and concerns, receive information and guidance about good practice and hear about the LEPs approach to traineeships now and following devolution. Outcomes and impact For the LEP The LEP has received important research intelligence about the low level of traineeships delivery in the SCR, particularly by FE Colleges. Research evidence alerted the LEP to the need to carry out fundamental development work focussing on awareness, engagement and delivery of traineeships by providers, before attempting to grow provision of traineeships with a specialised sector focus. The LEP has strengthened its understanding of the operational challenges in relation to delivery of traineeships and how these could be reflected in AEB funding policy following devolution. For learning and skills providers Through the project, providers received a clear indication from the LEP that they are focussing on traineeships as an important part of skills delivery. The workshop engaged a number of providers in what the LEP intends to be an ongoing process of developing traineeships and strengthening their place in the training and skills landscape. Challenges and how these were addressed There were few significant challenges encountered in the project and all participants continued willingly and helpfully. There some issues around arranging interviews, as College staff, in particular, coped with the outcomes of the ABR, alongside their usual workloads. However, everyone identified by the LEP was successfully contacted and the large majority of them also attended the workshop. 35

36 Key messages and lessons learned It was important that the LEP gained a better understanding of the local landscape in relation to traineeships, as a precursor to developing meaningful interventions to support providers and employers. When the interviews revealed very low take-up by FE colleges and high levels of anxiety among independent training providers, it was clear that it would be premature to attempt a sector-focussed approach. The necessary first step was considered by the LEP to be increasing knowledge and confidence among providers of traineeships in general. While providers could see the potential value of traineeships, they were struggling to implement the approach in practice. Due to its strategic lead on skills in the region, the LEP was in a position to provide practical support by bringing providers together to share experiences and learn from each other. The traineeship model has the potential to provide sustainability for initiatives funded through other routes that provide skills and employability training for young people. Building links to the Talent Match programme, and exploring how it fits with traineeships has opened up an opportunity to continue its work with young adults not in education, employment or training. Future opportunities and next steps To progress traineeship activity in SCR in the short term, the LEP will: q Continue working with Sheffield Futures to explore how a traineeship model could support the young people they currently engage with, after their Big Lottery funding finishes in q Provide support for the sector in relation to capacity building Looking further ahead, the LEP is developing plans for integrating a new traineeship model into its skills provision as part of a more localised approach to skills planning from In doing so, it aims to address some of the current funding and delivery challenges that providers indicated currently make traineeships challenging to deliver. This work could be of wider national interest and significance, providing early indications of how it might be approached for other regions that are expecting to gain control of localised skills budgets further into the future. 36

37 3.4 Birmingham City Council Key Stakeholders Birmingham City Council Birmingham City Council has previously offered traineeship work experience placements within the authority, through a traineeship programme delivered by South and City College. They wish to develop the existing traineeship model to stimulate demand from young people, engage a range of publicsector partners and to fully utilise the programme in the context of the apprenticeship levy and the public-sector apprenticeship target. The Council also delivers a number of employment programmes for young people in the local area to support them into apprenticeships and employment. However, many of these programmes will finish in the next 12 to 18 months as they are funded over short-term (one to three year) funding cycles. Birmingham was keen to explore the potential of creating a public-sector traineeship in partnership with other local publicsector employers because of the high concentration of public-sector employment in the region. West Midlands Fire Service (WMFS) As a public-sector employer WMFS has worked with other public-sector partners to develop, and agreed to participate in a publicsector traineeship for the region. Solihull Mental Health Trust (SMHT) SMHT has worked with other public-sector partners to develop, and agreed to participate in a public-sector traineeship for the region. Local context Birmingham City Council has previously offered traineeship work experience placements within the authority, through a traineeship programme delivered by South and City College. The Council planned to recruit 100 trainees to fill work experience placements across the organisation, but only managed to recruit eight. They wish to develop the existing traineeship model to stimulate demand from young people, engage a range of public-sector partners and to fully utilise the programme in the context of the apprenticeship levy and the public-sector apprenticeship target. The Council delivers a number of employment programmes for young people in the local area to support them into apprenticeships and employment. However, many of these programmes will finish in the next 12 to 18 months as they are funded over short-term (one to three year) funding cycles. Birmingham was keen to explore the potential of creating a public-sector traineeship in partnership with other local public-sector employers because of the high concentration of public-sector employment in the region. Scope and focus of pilot activity Following an inception meeting between L&W and Birmingham City Council, it was agreed that the project would aim to: q Review and further develop traineeship provision and build capacity internally to support and extend the number of placement opportunities across a wide range of roles. q Identify opportunities to further enhance relationships with external partners to support the recruitment of young people onto the programme. 37

38 q Develop a specific public-sector traineeship programme, through engaging with a range of public-sector employers in the Birmingham area, to share experiences, enhance existing partnerships and provide a variety of work experience opportunities for young people in the area. q Agree the model of a public-sector traineeship programme by March 2017 across the publicsector partners. q Identify suitable provider partners to support the development of the traineeship programme. q Increase take up of traineeships with work experience provided by public-sector employers, thereby increasing the pipeline of apprenticeship-ready young people to fill vacancies within the council and other publicsector bodies to contribute to the publicsector apprenticeship targets. These aims were taken forward through two strands of activity. First, together L&W and the Council have led the development of a wider public-sector traineeship for the region. A range of key public-sector employers whom Birmingham City Council was keen to engage as partners in the development of the programme were contacted by L&W and invited to take part. Of these, Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health Trust and West Midlands Fire Service agreed to participate. At the group s initial meeting, agreement was reached to develop a week pilot traineeship programme consisting of: q A 1-2 week initial assessment, guidance and induction period. q Four-weekly work experience rotation across the partner organisations. A timeline for implementation was agreed, with delivery planned to begin from September Birmingham City Council will manage the process of tendering for a delivery provider, and employer partners will be fully involvement in its assessment and selection. Secondly, L&W is working with Birmingham City Council as an employer in its own right to review their current traineeship model for each stage of the traineeship journey, from recruitment and marketing to engagement, delivery, completion and progression. Support and advice has been provided to the council in a number of specific areas, including: q Learner and parental marketing leaflets. q Birmingham City Council s website access and information about traineeships. q Use of FAQs, case studies, endorsements. q Partnership working with JCP, current and other providers in the area. q Birmingham City Council supply chain opportunities. q Review and completion processes and documentation. q Traineeship cross reference to other projects and funding streams. q Traineeship agreements. q Celebrating success. q Rewards and incentives for trainees. q Models of delivery. q Direct in-house delivery opportunities. Outcomes and impact The project is well-placed to deliver a range of outcomes. For Birmingham City Council q A new public-sector traineeship is being developed with support from local delivery providers. This includes: enhanced marketing and recruitment, strengthened referral mechanisms, clearer and more diverse progression pathways to employment and training opportunities, and a range of features to build motivation and commitment for 38

39 learners on programme. Together, these elements should ensure greater demand for traineeships from young people, and strong positive outcomes from participation. The new programme will position the council as a key provider of high-quality work placements for young people in the city, and help to deliver local objectives for economic growth and social inclusion. q Reach into to other public-sector organisations has increased, stimulating their involvement in the programme. The council is effectively positioned at the centre of a network of public-sector employers that are together improving opportunities for local young people, and strengthening their employee pipelines. q Partner organisations such as JCP and CIAG services have greater awareness and understanding of traineeships. This enables them more effectively to support the council s aspirations for traineeship growth. q By developing and enhancing traineeship engagement and progression pathways, Apprenticeship recruitment opportunities have been strengthened. As a result, the council is more effectively placed to meet its commitment to achieve the 2.3 per cent public-sector apprenticeship target, and maximise its use of the levy. For the local area The expansion of traineeships contributes to the priorities of the Greater Birmingham and Solihull LEP strategic economic plan , to increase skills and reduce unemployment. The work is currently being shared with the LEP, to identify how it could support traineeship development across the wider geographical area. A clear progression pathway to careers in the public-sector has been developed for young people. With the high volume of public-sector employment in the Birmingham area, this has the potential to make an important contribution towards increasing social inclusion and labour market participation and tackling disadvantage. This is a great opportunity for public-sector bodies to get together to design a programme to meet the needs of the local community West Midlands Fire and Rescue Service Challenges and how they were addressed West Midlands Fire Service is re-structuring and will have a new team in place by late spring. They will have limited experience and knowledge of traineeships and the wider apprenticeship reforms. The risk that this could present to the pilot programme has been recognised, and to mitigate it the Service has requested additional support to advise the new team on implementing the new programmes. Despite initial and ongoing positive engagement from Birmingham City Council s Employment and Skills lead and the HR department, priorities were re-focussed and more time has been spent on managing the impact of the levy and developing recruitment strategies to meet the 2.3% public-sector target. The development of a traineeship programme within the council is seen as a positive step to meet this target and the HR department are committed to the public-sector partnership approach. Key messages and lessons learned Development activity in Birmingham suggested that: q Traineeships are seen as a positive route to apprenticeship recruitment and all the publicsector partners are aware of their 2.3 per cent apprenticeship targets and the impact of the levy. q Each partner has a wide range of experience 39

40 with referral agencies and external stakeholders and through these shared relationships recruitment to a public-sector traineeship programme can be promoted. q A clear progression pathway will encourage young people to understand the benefits of the traineeship programme and by actively promoting these opportunities with parents and/or guardians will secure buy in and commitment. q Traineeships need time to be developed, taking into account employer requirements, the age range of trainees, the length of programme and finding the right delivery partner. A comprehensive implementation plan must be produced, with clear timescales and actions. q Senior management support is crucial in ensuring a successful traineeship programme is developed; which includes commitment to staff resources to manage the programme, supporting supervisors/managers to mentor trainees, devise a work experience schedule, develop systems and process to manage and record the trainees progress and identify opportunities for progression into an apprenticeship or job role. Future opportunities and next steps The Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health Trust utilises the ESF funded Youth Promise Plus five-week programme for 18 to 29 year olds who are not in employment, education or training. Through this, they have developed an excellent relationship with the Princes Trust, which could be further developed to assist in the recruitment of trainees. Youth Promise Plus could be used as a stepping stone towards traineeships and ultimately apprenticeship progression, thereby providing a clear pathway. Other local stakeholders will be engaged to support recruitment to the pilot traineeship programme, for example YMCA, Prospects and other local youth charities/agencies. Plans are being developed to consult with the Greater Birmingham and Solihull LEP as the public-sector traineeship programme will contribute to the strategic economic plan to increase skills and reduce unemployment. Additional public-sector organisations have been invited to take part in the traineeship programme, eg West Midlands Police, Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospital NHS Trust and Birmingham Children s Hospital. These organisations were unable to attend the first meeting, but the existing partners will make contact inviting them to be part of this pilot programme. If they are unable to become involved at this initial stage, then there will be opportunities for them to become future partners and develop a second programme. Recent success with the Youth Promise Plus will enable us to use this experience to develop a traineeship programme with clear progression routes Birmingham and Solihull MHT Utilising our existing relationships with partners, for example the Princes Trust and the YMCA will support our recruitment to traineeships Birmingham and Solihull MHT The on-going Birmingham City Council traineeship development activity provides insights and lessons that could help to inform the development of public-sector traineeships nationally. Organisations across the public-sector are considering how best to meet expectations raised by the introduction of the levy and the public-sector apprenticeship target. The work in Birmingham suggests that the creation of local public-sector partnerships to provide pre-apprenticeship training and preparation opportunities for local young people could play a key role in helping employers to secure a talent pipeline while also promoting social inclusion and tackling disadvantage. 40

41 3.5 Greater Manchester Combined Key Stakeholders Greater Manchester Combined Authority GMCA wanted to explore how traineeships, either in their present form or suitably adapted, could support young people to progress towards Level 3 digital skills as required by the local digital sector. The aim of the project was to explore the potential for designing a traineeship model for the software development sub-sector within the region as part of a wider plan to establish a Digital Apprenticeships Academy. Accenture Accenture has a global Corporate Citizenship initiative called Skills to Succeed. The Skills to Succeed Academy is an innovative, online training programme designed to help young people to choose the right career and find and keep a job. There was interest in how this support offered by Accenture can be linked with the GMCA s priorities and developing a traineeship model for the digital sector. Reform Radio Is a Community radio station that has been delivering traineeships for some time, and was interested in widening its traineeship offer into other in-demand digital sub-sectors to support the GMCA s priorities. Local context The Digital Media and ICT sector is a key priority for the Greater Manchester economy, and the GMCA had recently undertaken research with local digital employers to identify sector skill gaps within the industry. They were keen to use the results of their research to inform the development of local traineeship activity. Scope and focus of activity The GMCA wanted to explore how traineeships, either in their present form or suitably adapted, could support young people to progress towards Level 3 digital skills as required by the local digital sector. The aim of the project was to explore the potential for designing a traineeship model for the software development sub-sector within the region as part of a wider plan to establish a Digital Apprenticeships Academy. At the project inception meeting, L&W, the GMCA and the Greater Manchester Learning Provider Network (GMLPN) agreed that the work would consist of two strands of activity: q Review the current landscape for traineeships and digital traineeships, and share examples of effective practice to support development activity in the second stage of the project. q To design and develop a pilot traineeship model which could support local young people to move into employment and apprenticeships in the digital sector, with a specific focus on the software development sub-sector. To take forward the review, L&W conducted interviews with training providers and employers to explore their awareness and engagement with traineeships and potential application to the digital sector in Manchester. The GMCA invited a number of training providers to take part in interviews, including 3aaa and the Skills Company. In addition, interviews were carried out with several software development companies. L&W also undertook desk research into software development opportunities, apprenticeships and traineeships both in the Greater Manchester area and elsewhere in England. 41

42 The review found that: q In recruiting new staff, employers have less regard for formal training and qualifications than for attitude and experience. Although they may specify a graduate in a job advert, they may recruit someone with few or no sector qualifications if they can demonstrate strong practical skills. Many small software development businesses are run by people with no nationally accredited qualifications. q Due to the highly competitive nature of the software development sector, smaller companies often suggest they cannot afford the time to train young people and are therefore unlikely to offer traineeship work placements. Instead they prefer to recruit staff who already have the relevant work experience, so that they merely have to induct them into their company-specific processes. Reviewing these findings, the GMCA was concerned that the potential of the digital sector to the Greater Manchester economy will be undermined if more pathways are not developed to recruit and train local people to tackle the skills shortages currently being faced. It wanted to identify both how employers could be influenced to engage with skills development at lower levels, and where work experience opportunities could be developed within the digital sector for learners below Level 3. The GMCA identified a small number of providers and employers for L&W to contact about piloting digital traineeship programmes to address the issues raised through the research. L&W identified two pilots, which were already testing a digital traineeship model, to take part in the project: q The Prince s Trust involved three areas in England, including Greater Manchester. Salford College was the main contractor and Reform Radio, a community radio station that has delivered traineeships for some time was the employer. q The Skills Company, who are a Manchesterbased training provider. These pilots are in the process of being evaluated by Prince s Trust and The Skills Company respectively; L&W will explore how the evaluation of these pilots and their findings can be shared more widely to support development of a digital traineeship model for the local area. The GMCA was also interested in exploring how large employers could be engaged in piloting a digital traineeship model, particularly via their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) function to support local young people with employment opportunities within the sector. With so many large digital corporates in the Salford area of Manchester, the GMCA suggested that this would be a fruitful avenue to pursue, particularly as the scoping research had highlighted how difficult it can be to engage local digital SMEs. L&W had an initial discussion with Accenture about the support they offer to promote digital skills. Accenture has a global Corporate Citizenship initiative called Skills to Succeed. The goal of this is to equip 3 million people with the skills to make them more employable by In the UK, they focus on unemployed young people. The Skills to Succeed Academy is an innovative, online training programme designed to help young people to choose the right career and find and keep a job. Accenture offer this as a free resource to partners that provide support to young people to improve their employability skills (e.g. DWP, ELBA, National Careers Service, etc.). L&W are currently assessing how this support offered by Accenture can be linked with the GMCA s priorities and developing a traineeship model for the digital sector. 42

43 Outcomes and impact For the GMCA The GMCA had already gathered extensive information about the nature and extent of the challenge facing the digital sectors and was at the point of needing to turn labour market information into strategy. It should be said that this is not either solely a Manchester challenge or one that has suddenly appeared on the radar. The trade body, Manchester Digital, has been cataloguing the lack of entrants to the sector for many years. The project with L&W provided a clear focus around a tangible and practical potential solution, namely, of seeking ways of providing occupational pathways for inexperienced young people to get into digital jobs through traineeships. For strategic partners The initiative being developed with Reform Radio, Salford College, Accenture and the GMCA can provide an anchor for other stakeholders to attach to. The model requires minimal change in the first instance but can absorb more stakeholders progressively. For learning and skills providers The fact that the pilot exercise is being developed through a third sector sub-contractor already delivering traineeships highlights the ability of such providers to adapt swiftly to new challenges. Hopefully, this will offer a model to other providers once it has been tested. Many smaller providers act as subcontractors, often to FE Colleges and there are learning points for some main contractors about the importance of providing continuity of funding for sub-contractors if these valuable pilots are to be successful. For local areas The digital industries are undoubtedly of key strategic importance for the Greater Manchester area. To give just one example, the business base of firms engaged in developing games software numbers in excess of 200 in the area. 3 If the seemingly intractable challenges faced by the sector lack of entry points for inexperienced people, insistence of recruiting from the existing pool of expertise, gender imbalance cannot be overcome, this will make the industry increasingly uncompetitive within its markets. There are exciting and well-paid jobs out there for the young people of Manchester if only they can gain that first step. Challenges and how these were addressed The original aim of the project, to develop and test a traineeship model to support learners up to Level 3, and address skills needs for SMEs in the software development sub-sector, proved not to be feasible within the project timescales. The challenges presented by the culture and practices of those employers with regard to training presented a substantial obstacle, and will require more concerted action by the GMCA to address. However, the project was able to refocus its activities to existing digital traineeship pilots to involve employers in the digital sector, to enable the GMCA to begin identifying how the traineeship model could support the development of the digital sector locally. Key messages and lessons learned The digital sector appears to present some distinct challenges for the development of traineeships: q Many digital SMEs lack the time and capacity to engage with skills development at lower levels, and therefore with traineeships. q Some employers in the sector suggest it is difficult to develop/offer suitable work experience for learners below Level 3, reflecting the skills required by particular digital sub-sectors. 3 Interactive map of games software developers created for NESTA 43

44 Although it was not possible to address these issues in the scope of the current project, from the GMCA s perspective, they are important challenges that will need to be resolved in order to realise the potential for growth in the digital industries, and provide pathways for local citizens into these. Future opportunities and next steps The GMCA launched its digital strategy in February 2017, and aims to develop a preapprenticeship academy for all local residents which will support them into careers into the digital sector. It plans to use the findings from L&W s pilot traineeship activity to design a digital traineeship model which can be embedded within the wider Digital Apprenticeship Academy, and for the learning to be used to inform the model design for the Digital Apprenticeship Academy to target the age group. Providers are being contacted to gather information about their existing digital traineeship models, in order to share the learning for the wider provider network and to inform the academy s development. Work is continuing with Reform Radio, to widen its traineeship offer into other in-demand digital subsectors to support the GMCA s priorities. Reform Radio s existing traineeship model includes: q Longer work experience in business sectors where trainees have expressed preferences. Some of these are in digital businesses but other areas are also included. Based on these findings Reform Radio will be participating in pilot activity whereby their next traineeship programme in May will be focussed specifically towards the wider digital industries. L&W will be providing support on marketing their traineeships to include the digital focus of the course, and engaging mainstream digital businesses to offer work experience and work with Reform Radio to ensure that these opportunities align with the needs of the programme. Digital skills alongside supporting young people in to the industry is a key priority for Greater Manchester. Creating opportunities for new entrants to the sector to gain meaningful roles and progression opportunities is essential to maximise local employment opportunities. This piece of research, exploring traineeships as an opportunity to fast track people s skills development to meet employer requirements, is an essential piece of the jigsaw as we develop our digital skills development pathways. GMCA q An intensive period of training in the full range of digital radio skills and technologies. q Work experience on programmes and other products at Reform Radio. 44

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46 4. CONCLUSION The results of this development project highlight that much traineeship activity to date has developed in a somewhat piecemeal way, led by individual providers and creating a relatively small number of opportunities for young people. Many of those delivering provision recognise the need and potential to develop traineeships in a more strategic, effective and co-ordinated way, but face a range of issues and challenges in doing so. The work undertaken for this project in five geographical areas suggests that there are benefits to be gained from adopting a more strategic approach to traineeship planning and delivery at local level, which aligns it to social, economic and labour market priorities and objectives. Such an approach has the potential to: q Target and address skills gaps and recruitment needs in specific sectors of the economy and labour market. q Target and address the needs of specific learner groups and wider local priorities. q Link traineeships more effectively to strategies for apprenticeship growth, including public-sector apprenticeships targets and the apprenticeship levy, by positioning the programme as pre-apprenticeship or apprenticeship preparation training. q Contribute to key national social inclusion priorities and targets, for example by creating pathways that will increase the proportion of apprentices from BAME backgrounds and apprentices with learning difficulties and disabilities, and tackling gender stereotyping. The strategic framework for traineeship development set out in this report is designed to help lead local employment and skills stakeholders to realise this potential. Local coordination is critical to help address the practical issues and challenges that currently hamper providers in the development and delivery of provision, particularly around the engagement of young people and employers. It would do this by: q Raising the profile and status of traineeships with young people and intermediary and referral organisations, to increase awareness and understanding of what traineeships are and how they can support young people s career development and longer term aspirations. Providing a clear line of sight for young people to further learning and desirable jobs is essential to build motivation, and for some young people traineeships can be a key part of that progression pathway. q Raising employer understanding and awareness of traineeships, to engage them in the provision of high-quality work placements and progression opportunities into apprenticeships and jobs. q Co-ordinating more effective work between the different stakeholder organisations required to deliver traineeships, including providers, employers, referral agencies, CIAG services and wider support services. Support from LEPs, combined authorities and local authorities for traineeship growth is of value to all providers, but is likely to be particularly helpful for smaller, non-college providers which appear to be experiencing the greatest challenges with traineeship delivery. The work indicates they are well-placed to reach into under-exploited sectors and build links with individual local employers which secure high- 46

47 quality placements with good career potential, so there would be gains for young people and employers if they were better supported to scale up this activity. The introduction of the apprenticeship levy and public-sector target presents a range of opportunities to harness traineeships more effectively as part of a pathway to apprenticeships. Traineeships can provide employers with a talent pipeline of apprenticeship-ready young people, and give young people themselves experience of a sector in which they are interested to assist with career planning and development. The pilots showed how local authorities as employers are exploring the scope for bespoke traineeship programmes to strengthen their apprenticeship activity, and other employers, whether in the public or other sectors, have indicated their interest in doing so. With the fall in youth unemployment, providers report that young people being referred to traineeships are often those categorised as not in education, employment or training (NEET), and often have additional barriers to learning and work. While traineeships were not originally conceived with this group of learners in mind, they represent a growing proportion of those accessing the provision. This factor contributes to the delivery challenges experienced by providers, and particularly by smaller organisations which are generally operating without a well-developed infrastructure to provide wider learner support. Yet, as recent research conducted by L&W for the Department for Education has underlined, the flexibility afforded by traineeships means that they can be an excellent way of engaging and supporting these young people and enabling them to progress. 4 More effective strategic co-ordination of local provision, and encouragement for providers to build partnerships with organisations that can help to meet learners wider needs, would therefore better support traineeship delivery and labour market participation for young people who are NEET. 4 Learning & Work Institute (2017) Developing Traineeships for Young People not in Education, Employment or Training. 47

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