Guidance on effective college-employer relations

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Page 1

Successful Engagement

Guidance for colleges and providers on effective

employer engagement in post 16 learning

Maria Hughes

Page 2

Published by the Learning and Skills Development Agency.

This Learning and Skills Development Agency guide results from research

commissioned by the Learning and Skills Council.

LSDA is grateful to the members of the Employer Engagement Stakeholder

Group, which includes the Association of Colleges (AoC), the British Chamber

of Commerce (BCC), the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) and the

Department of Education and Skills (DfES), for their advice during the

production of this guide. We are also grateful to the Sixth Form Colleges’

Employers’ Forum (SFCEF) for their helpful comments. Thanks also to the

colleges and providers who provided the examples of employer engagement.

Geoff Stanton advised on the development of this guide.

http://www.lsda.org.uk/

Feedback should be sent to:

Information Services

Learning and Skills Development Agency

Regent Arcade House

19-25 Argyll Street

London W1F 7LS

Tel 020 7297 9144

Fax 020 7297 9242

enquiries@LSDA.org.uk

Registered with the Charity Commissioners.

You are welcome to copy this publication for internal use within your

organisation. Otherwise, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored

in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic,

electrical, chemical, optical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior

written permission of the copyright owner.

Further information

For further information on the issues discussed in this publication please

contact:

Maria Hughes, Research Manager

Learning and Skills Development Agency

Regent Arcade House

19-25 Argyll Street

London W1F 7LS

Tel 020 7297 9118

mhughes@LSDA.org.uk

Page 3

Contents

Page

About the guide

Section 1

Rationale for employer engagement

Section 2

Implications for the FE sector

Section 3

Examples of employer engagement

Headline improvement target A

Headline improvement target B

Appendix 1 Dimensions of the ‘colleges for business’

Appendix 2 Headline improvement targets for employer engagement

Page 4

About the guide

This guide provides ideas on how to effectively engage employers in post 16

learning. It gives examples of how colleges and providers are currently

responding to the needs of employers and their employees, with suggestions

for extending this practice. It should be of interest to LSC funded colleges and

providers and local Learning and Skills Councils when considering and

agreeing headline improvement targets for employer engagement in response

to Success for All

The guide has three sections:

· Section One considers the rationale for securing effective employer

engagement and the role of the FE sector in bringing this about

· Section Two discusses the implications of increased employer engagement

for the FE sector.

· Section Three suggests how headline improvement targets for employer

engagement could be interpreted by providing examples of what achieving

these might mean in practice.

Employer engagement and skills for productivity

Employer engagement is seen as vital to the development of skills for

productivity. While the term is useful shorthand, what underpins it is the need

to secure employers’ involvement in the design, development, management

and delivery of post 16 learning. Provision that is responsive to the skill needs

of employers and the workforce will support the increased productivity,

competitiveness and efficiency of individual organisations and the wider

economy.

Individual employers may be important leaders in the promotion of learning, but

a wide range of people within companies also need to be engaged in learning

or its promotion. Different priorities and modes of operating might exist within

the same firm between, for instance, the Training Manager and the Production

Manager. The most effective access point in some companies may be the

Human Resources Director, training manager, site supervisor or union learning

representative. In the case of very small firms or partnerships, there may be no

“employer” as such. The terms ‘employer’, ‘company’ and ‘firm’ are therefore

used as appropriate throughout this guide.

Relevance to mission

LSC has emphasised that the headline improvement target for employer

engagement should be relevant to a college or provider’s individual mission and

the nature of their provision. While some colleges or providers may have very

little direct provision of services to employers, all must be concerned with the

increased employability and work readiness of their learners. Not all learners

will enter the workforce directly from their current course, but awareness of the

demands of the workplace and insight into how to apply knowledge and skills in

See DfES (2002). Success for all: reforming further education and training. Department for Education

and Skills and LSC Circulars 03/01 and 03/02 Success for All – Implementation of the framework for

quality and success. The final version of the Circular and Guidance on the Preparation of 3 year

Development Plans are published on the Success for All website - www.successforall.gov.uk/.

Page 5

practice are valuable to all. Employers, and the economy generally, will also

benefit from recruits who are better prepared for the world of work. All post 16

providers within the LSC’s remit should therefore consider employer

engagement targets as relevant to them. The guide reflects the different forms

of engagement that may be pursued, to take account of the individual missions

of colleges and providers.

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SECTION ONE:

RATIONALE FOR EMPLOYER ENGAGEMENT

All change together

The policy emphasis during the first decade of college incorporation was on

securing participation and quality in the education and training of individual

learners, and full-time 16-19 year olds in particular. Despite many difficulties,

great strides were made in terms of increased efficiency, widening participation,

and improved achievement and retention. Provision for adults in general was

not neglected, but it could be argued that workforce development came some

way down the agenda. This emphasis was reflected not only in the policies and

systems of individual colleges, but also in the design of qualifications, the

inspection framework, the funding methodology, and performance indicators

used to measure the effectiveness of providers.

The national agenda has now moved on for companies and for colleges and

providers. The contribution of the FE sector in delivering the skills and

knowledge required for the current workforce and the workforce of the future is

now explicitly acknowledged within, and intrinsic to the success of, government

policy. At the same time, the pace of change in some occupational sectors is

breathtaking, and in almost all cases, expectations of performance in the

workplace are higher than ever. Dialogue and exchange of ideas between FE

and its customers – employers, employees and individuals - is even more

important if the match between expectations and what is delivered is to be more

exact. This is hard enough to do when needs remain stable, and extremely

demanding during periods of change or when trying to anticipate future skill

needs. Effective employer engagement in post-16 learning therefore needs to

be seen as a central part of the FE sector’s mission, rather than a marginal and

optional activity.

Both DfES and LSC recognise the importance of the post 16 learning and skills

sector in securing skills for productivity. The Success for All strategy, will give

colleges and providers the incentives and support to form much closer

relationships with employers. These include:

· expanding the Centres of Vocational Excellence (CoVE) network to 400 by

2006

· raising the profile of college responsiveness to employer needs in the

inspection process

· ensuring the pattern of provision matches the local needs of individuals and

employers through Strategic Area Reviews

· colleges signing up to headline improvement targets for employer

engagement as part of their three year funding and development plans.

The forthcoming Government Skills Strategy

will build on these themes and

include proposals to strengthen the capacity of colleges and providers to

respond to employers' skill needs.

New markets for FE

Even without this policy change, many colleges have realised that, although

much of their growth in the recent past came from full-time provision for 16-19

year olds, this market is now saturated and in many areas of the country one

provider will now only grow at the expense of another.

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Although employer engagement is about more than providing customised

training for companies, such work can be rewarding in both financial and

developmental terms. Many medium-sized and large companies now see the

benefit of developing their workforce in order to become more competitive.

There are opportunities for large-scale contracts, involving a significant

proportion of the workforce, to upgrade the skills of existing staff and develop

unskilled employees who may also have basic skills needs

. Providers can also

develop services to support in-company training, such as help with diagnosis of

needs and the administration of qualifications. Meeting the needs of micro,

small and medium sized companies is clearly more taxing, but many colleges

have formed productive relationships with small firms, or groups of them, and

have found mutually advantageous ways of working together.

However, all this work requires flexible approaches and a ‘can-do’ attitude, and

may have implications for the way the whole college operates.

Change driven by legislation and licenses to operate

Changes to company practice are increasingly driven by legislation or voluntary

arrangements developed by sectors to provide a ‘license to operate’. For

instance, the rail, construction and security industries need to demonstrate that

their workers are appropriately qualified, and in some sectors, legislation may

require whole sections of the workforce to become better qualified. This

already applies to staff in care homes for example. In the context of small care

home, the need for staff to secure qualifications may place significant pressure

on the time and financial resources of the organisation. In many cases,

employees may be starting from a modest base in terms of their qualifications

and experience of formal learning. The FE sector needs to adapt their practice

to take account of these differing circumstances, so becoming a valuable

resource for employers who are required to up skill their workforce.

Demand for skills

It is recognised that in order to enhance the performance of the UK workforce,

the demand for skills, as well as supply, must be improved. As the Cabinet

Office’s Strategy Unit notes

, employers see training as a derived demand

emerging from their need to achieve other objectives, such as improved

productivity, or the development of new markets or products. However, supply

can influence demand; the provision of learning programmes and qualifications

that are demonstrably fit for purpose could also have the effect of driving up

demand.

An important role for colleges

Success for All reiterated the increased level of importance placed on the role

of colleges in working with companies to meet the nation’s skills needs.

Colleges and major providers are seen as significant players in promoting

employer involvement in learning. Many colleges and providers have made

great efforts to develop effective employer engagement despite a background

of competing priorities. The CoVe programme demonstrates how high quality

The LSC’s sector and employer training pilots will be providing useful examples of this kind of activity.

“In Demand: Adult skills in the 21

century – part 2” Cabinet Office 2002

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provision can be developed, and it is important that this good work is built upon

and integrated across institutions.

The headline improvement targets

Success for All suggested that colleges and providers should develop

employer engagement in relation to their distinctive mission and context. The

LSC consultation on this concluded that providers would be asked to specify

and deliver on one of two possible headline improvement targets in relation to:

a) The development of improved services direct to employers; or,

b) Increased employability or work readiness of learners.

Many colleges will already be actively engaged in both of these areas of

activity, and will want to continue this work. For others, employer engagement

targets may require a significant shift of emphasis. While the targets in

themselves are extremely important, some colleges will wish to go beyond them

and consider more fundamental changes to what they do. Interim findings

from recent research undertaken by ECOTEC

reported that most colleges see

the importance of employer engagement and are keen to extend this aspect of

their mission. Also, the areas for development implied in the headline

improvement target - improved services for employers or improved work

readiness and employability - should not be seen as mutually exclusive. LSDA

research suggests that activity in one of these areas will re-enforce the other,

and will also enhance the demand for training.

“Provider responsiveness to employers” Research undertaken by ECOTEC research and

consulting for the DfES 2003

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SECTION TWO: IMPLICATIONS FOR THE FE SECTOR

As described in Section One of this guide, employer demand for skills is likely

to be stimulated by provision that supports business success and organisational

performance. Also, the development of more responsive provision requires the

engagement of employers. This raises a number of issues for both the

development of the infrastructure of the FE sector, and of the provider network.

Qualifications Framework and Funding Flexibility

The Skills Strategy will set out plans for creating funding incentives for the

development of the effective working relationships between employers and

providers. This will remove barriers to responsive provision in the funding

system, and ensure that the qualifications framework is flexible enough to

encourage employers to invest in vocational qualifications. The Qualification

Curriculum Authority (QCA), Sector Skills Development Agency (SSDA) and

LSC have been looking at developing a more flexible qualifications system,

and QCA have been asked to put in place a unitised qualifications framework.

This should make it much easier for provision to be customised to meet

employers’ specific needs, and to get this provision accredited.

An individual company record

Yet other developments may be needed. For instance, although there is now

an individual learner record to encompass all post-16 learners wherever they

are located, there is not yet an equivalent record of employers as customers of

the LSC sector. Most colleges and providers will have records of companies

with whom they have links, but often several such databases exist, with severe

problems of co-ordination and updating. Local LSCs are also producing such

databases, and there is work to be done on linking them to the records kept by

providers so that both can inform the other.

Towards an employer charter

Colleges have been encouraged to produce student charters, which outline

expectations and responsibilities of colleges in respect to provision for

individual learners. The criteria for the ‘college for business’, provided as an

appendix to this guide, could form the basis of an employers’ charter, which

would make explicit the provider’s level of service and so inform employers’

expectations.

Implications for the development of colleges and providers

Almost all the principals consulted by ECOTEC

believed that their college

should become more responsive to employers’ needs and over half saw the

need to become a lot more responsive. Many general FE colleges have a

Business Development Unit. These ‘units’ have various titles, but usually their

core business is to provide bespoke courses for local companies at full cost.

However, in order to make a full contribution to improving the skills of the

nation’s workforce, and to the development of the local and regional economy,

it is important that the focus on employer engagement permeates the

mainstream activities of the college or provider. By definition this has

implications for the mission, leadership and systems of the college or provider.

Op cit

Page 10

Planning for employer engagement

If promoting employer involvement is to be more than a cosmetic exercise,

colleges and providers will need to consider radical changes to their mission

and purpose. The extent of this will vary, but as a minimum it may be useful to

consider:

· The development of a mission that recognises employers as customers

analogous to the approach taken with individual students

· The creation of appropriate databases, allowing a single checkpoint on

contact history, and the nature of the company

· The enhancement of MIS systems to provide timely and ongoing data on the

extent and type of employer engagement

· An employer related strand to staff development programmes

· A policy on the costing and pricing of provision for companies (including

provision of support)

· A system of regularly updated surveys of employer need and satisfaction

(analogous to learner and staff surveys that may already be undertaken)

· A "reception" system such as a dedicated help-line and contact point.

Questions to consider in planning for employer engagement

The planning and delivery of the post 16 curriculum will need to informed by

consideration of a number of important questions, including:

· Strategically, is the need to meet local and regional skills needs reflected in

the college or provider mission?

· Operationally, has the college or provider:

o identified local skills needs and plan to meet them?

o identified a clear role for itself in relation to meeting skills needs

and engaging employers?

· Do managers and curriculum leaders ensure that strategies and

mechanisms to promote employer engagement are core activities across

the college or provider?

· Are employers involved in:

o the design and delivery of learning programmes?

o the assessment and monitoring of learning?

· Does the college or provider monitor the impact of their work with

employers?

o Is feedback from employers systematically collected and acted

upon?

o Are there means of ensuring that feedback from employers

influence teaching, training and learning, and the learning

programmes on offer meet the needs of employers and their

employees?

· Are specific needs of employers accommodated? What activities and

services do the college or provider offer to meet individual employers’

training and business needs?

In the production of the Three-Year Development Plan, colleges and providers

will agree their specific headline improvement target for employer engagement

in discussion with their local LSC. Working through this list of questions should

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support the identification an appropriately challenging target, measure and

performance indicator(s) – see Section Three of this Guidance for examples of

activity and Appendix 2 for a suggested range of measures and performance

indicators.

Employer engagement as a core purpose

Success for All suggests that colleges and providers should be clear about

their mission and focus on their strengths. For some colleges this could mean

going beyond the headline improvement targets. LSDA has been developing

the ‘college for business’

model for colleges that see their core purpose as

meeting the needs of the economy, employers and employees, as distinct from

those with a primary mission to serve the needs of the community, or to prepare

young people for higher education. The model is now being implemented in all

the general FE colleges in the Sussex LSC area, but all providers may find

some aspects of it useful when considering how to develop employer

engagement.

Distinctive dimensions of activity are suggested as core activities within the

‘college for business’. These fall into two categories, according to whether they

are about supply or demand.

An effective supply side needs to provide:

· A gateway to the workplace - where initial knowledge and skills will be

developed. This may be defined by age i.e. for 14-19 year olds, but could

also include HE graduates and returners to the workforce

· adaptation and updating – where the current workforce will be provided

with training to acquire new processes and helped to adapt to new

technologies

To stimulate demand colleges or providers should be involved in:

· problem solving and innovation – where services to accelerate

innovation, or solve business problems, will be developed

· support networks for SMEs – which will promote the exchange of ideas

and good practice

In addition, the mission and infrastructure of the college or provider will need

to be developed in order to support the implementation of the model, and the

colleges for business criteria suggest what changes may need to be made.

Links between the dimensions of the ‘college of business’ model

Although each of the dimensions of activity is valuable in itself, they can also

reinforce each other and come together to enhance the capacity of the college

or provider to serve the needs of business. There may also be benefits across

all provision, for example,

· there may be a correlation between the involvement of staff working with

companies and success rates of full-time learners: although some staff may

feel that time spent working with companies risks damaging the interests of

A model for the ‘college for business’ is described in “Developing the ‘College for Business’ in Sussex”

LSDA. June 2003

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their other learners, the experience gained and learning materials produced

can result in more relevant mainstream provision, so improving retention

and achievement.

· staff who undertake development work with companies not only increase the

likelihood of employers seeing the need for workforce development, but also

gain staff development and updating for themselves

· if colleges or providers help to establish or maintain networks of SMEs this

may result in the creation of consortia to secure cost-effective training, or

enable groups of firms to collaborate in providing Modern Apprenticeships

· while monitoring work-experience placements for full-time students, staff

may also identify other training from which existing employees could benefit.

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SECTION THREE: EXAMPLES OF EMPLOYER ENGAGEMENT

Setting, defining and agreeing targets

A key challenge to colleges and providers is to play their part in the substantial

improvement in the skills of the current and future workforce necessary to

support the UK’s competitiveness

. It is important that this work is recognised

in the targets that are set, without these leading to unnecessary bureaucracy or

becoming ends in themselves.

Each college/provider should choose, in negotiation with their local LSC, one

of two possible headline targets in relation to:

- the development of improved services direct to employers

- increased employability or work readiness of learners.

The measures set by colleges and providers should reflect skills needs across

their local area or region and identify their role in meeting these needs with

performance indicators that demonstrate progress towards meeting the target.

However, there is no single measure of employer engagement, and qualitative

or quantitative measures may be appropriate according to the providers’

mission and local circumstances.

The measures and performance indicators for employer engagement can relate

to many aspects of a college or provider’s work and should be seen as an

important aspect of the three-year development plan. A range of possible

performance indicators / evidence are suggested by the LSC in “Guidance on

the Preparation of 3 Year Development Plans” at Annex 3

. These are

reproduced in this guide at Appendix 2. As with the examples provided in this

guide, these are not intended to be either comprehensive or prescriptive but to

form the basis for discussion between local LSCs and their colleges and

providers.

Starting points

A central concern of the target setting process is to move current good practice

into a strategic framework. Securing employer engagement needs to become

an acknowledged aim of all colleges and providers.

Consideration should be given to:

· what employers should expect a college or provider to offer, as a minimum

standard of service

(perhaps articulated in an employer charter)

· relevant strategic priorities of the LSC and local and regional economy as

identified in the LSC Local Strategic Plan or the region’s Framework for

Regional Employment and Skills Action Plan

The government estimates that one million adults in the workforce need to achieve level 2

qualifications between 2003 and 2006. The employer engagement target will also support the

Public Service Agreement target to reduce by at least 40% the number of adults in the

workforce who lack NVQ Level 2 or equivalent qualification by 2010.

Many colleges will of course undertake activities relevant to both targets

See the Success for All website - www.successforall.gov.uk/.

“Developing the ‘college for business’ in Sussex” (op cit), provides a useful audit tool and a

set of criteria that may help colleges articulate the levels of service provided for employers.

Page 14

· the extent of the current match with the above and what is on offer, and

what employers take up

· existing good work in securing effective employer engagement and how this

can be extended

· identifying urgent or strategic gaps in employer engagement, for instance in

some key sectors, which may be revealed in the outcomes of local strategic

area reviews.

Diversity as strength

Providers and colleges will naturally wish to set challenging, but realistic,

targets. For example, a small general college in a rural area may have a

different role to play than an inner-city college with a Centre of Vocational

Excellence (CoVE) in Metatronics. This diversity should be seen as a strength,

given that employers are not a homogenous group and will need customised

approaches.

This section of the guide provides examples of how particular circumstances

can be accommodated within the employer engagement measures being

pursued by colleges. The examples are intended to illustrate the varied ways in

which employer engagement can be promoted. Replicating the examples is not

necessarily the way forward, as circumstances are likely to be different from the

original context. Further consideration of the key issues implicit in the

examples, and how the ideas may be taken forward, may be more useful.

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Headline improvement target A

The development of improved services direct to employers

Employers may be deterred from securing professional qualifications for

staff by administration and bureaucracy

☼ Good practice point

Providers should offer a dedicated service for employers seeking to accredit

their in-company learning schemes

Examples of current practice

The London College of Fashion, which has a CoVE, has two bespoke

professional development awards, validated by Edexcel, which address the

needs of niche markets. A number of companies, including Clarks shoes are

interested in helping with the development of these awards. Clarks have an

internal company diploma, which is not nationally validated, and the intention is

to enable employees to obtain a nationally recognised qualification. At the

same time, Clarks’ employees will contribute to the teaching on the London

College of Fashion’s courses.

Ñ Key issues

· Helping companies to overcome the bureaucracy associated with learning

or qualifications may stimulate their participation

Taking it further…

A possible measure in relation to the above could aim to:

Increase the number of candidates (by x%

) converting the internal

company diploma to a nationally accredited qualification

Performance indicators could include:

- Identification of potential in-company schemes to convert to

national qualifications

- Numbers of candidates

- Employer and employee satisfaction

Employers can reasonably expect public funds to provide a potential

workforce with good basic skills and some preliminary vocational learning.

However, employers should pay for specific updating or services directly

relating to their company’s competitiveness.

☼ Good practice point

Colleges should work with employers to ensure that the training they offer

relates to the company’s success, and is therefore a good investment.

If quantitative measures are appropriate

Page 16

Examples of current practice

Sandwell College provides intensive training programmes for companies such

as Cadburys, and has provided a successful in-house commercial training

programme in NVQ Digital Imaging to HSBC

Telford College has established Learning Centres located within local

companies, and significant dedicated resources to support in-company work.

This work has resulted from the strategic vision of the college and shared

purpose with other key players involved in local economic regeneration.

West Cheshire College is working with a large multinational company to

upskill its operators in four of its UK manufacturing plants. After lengthy

consultations and conducting training needs analyses with hundreds of

employees, the college drew up a comprehensive training plan. A third of the

operators have now been trained, and the company has quantified major

savings in downtime and maintenance costs. A similar scheme for the

company's engineers is about to get underway.

Ñ Key Issues

- Imaginative use of existing expertise and resources can support

the development of customise provision

- Taking provision to or near the workplace can increase in-

company training

- Installing learning workshops in the workplace will significantly

improve participation

Taking it further…

A possible measure in relation to the above could aim to:

Secure repeat business in the same companies and extend the number of

companies buying similar provision.

Performance indicators could include:

· Increased numbers of commercial programmes requested by a

wider range of companies

· Increased income from customised provision

· Employer satisfaction

In some cases, employers’ contributions may be ‘in-kind’, helping to update

college staff and provision as well as providing additional resources.

Contributions may be in return for technical support, field-testing or expert

advice for company development.

☼ Good practice point

Colleges should be close to the relevant industries in relation to their

provision, so that companies have an interest in supporting provision,

and trust college staff to be able to offer good quality advice.

Leeds College of Technology print media centre helped local companies by

testing printing plates designed for inks that were water-based as opposed to

solvent-based. This transition was important in reducing pollution, but meant

that the number and nature of the microdots making up photographs had to be

Page 17

reviewed. In return for pre-field-testing the new plates the companies donated

samples of them to the college for teaching purposes. The college has also

developed online teaching materials in partnership with employers in the Print

industry, who have been involved in the research and development of the

materials.

Wigan and Leigh College is providing ongoing technical support for a small

engineering company that is designing and producing innovative couplings for

high-pressure hoses, such as those used in the fire-service. The owner-

manager of the company creates the new designs, but needs occasional

support in terms of working drawings, technical calculations, and testing of

materials. This support is paid for at commercial rates. The couplings are now

being used by fire-services in many countries, and other couplings are in use by

an America aircraft manufacturer.

Many land-based colleges receive supplies from seed companies in return for

reports on the performance of new varieties, and existing varieties in different

conditions. For students, conducting such trials is a valuable learning

experience, and involves them in working to industry standards.

NESCOT has considerable expertise in digital imaging and found that other

organisations considering the purchase of equipment are prepared to pay

consultancy rates for the advice of its staff. This also involves some analysis of

the organisations’ systems and aims, in order to identify needs. Other colleges

have found a similar demand for advice on CAD-CAM software.

Ñ Key issues

- Companies may have an interest in providing colleges with

equipment and supplies, where this contributes to the training of their

current or future employees.

- An offer of action research or product testing services may be more

welcome to some companies than courses in the first instance,

though this may well lead to a need for training later on. Joint work of

mutual benefit to companies and colleges is likely to be found in most

industries.

Taking it further…

A possible measure in relation to this work could aim to:

· Increase employer awareness and take-up of the range of business-

related services that the college provides (by x%

)

Performance indicators could include:

- Diversity in employer contributions

- Capital investment from employers

For other examples see “Further Supporting Business.” LSDA (May 2003)

If quantitative measures are appropriate

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There needs to be a critical mass of employers who see colleges and

providers as the first port of call when seeking a business or training

solution.

☼ Good practice point

A sector or geographical focus for engaging companies may prove to be

successful

Examples of current practice

Plymouth College has a group of ‘business rehearsal’ clients who are planning

to set up enterprises, and offer them support through its SME Technical

Support and Learning Centre. This can include up to five days of on-site

consultancy.

Bishop Auckland College, in partnership with IBM, the local

District Council and a training provider, established a Digital Factory in a local

industrial park. This provides companies with training, consultancy and support

services in leading-edge software based design technology. It also provides

opportunities for learners to develop higher level of technology skills required by

local companies. Its training and consultancy services focus on the evaluation

and viability of new products, new product design and development,

development of existing products for new markets as well as 2D and 3D

training. The Digital Factory is liasing closely with the Regional Development

Agency to support new companies during their incubation period as well as

providing accommodation for young companies requiring access to design and

development resources. These services will help to develop local

competitiveness by increasing the skills of the workforce and providing access

to the latest technologies.

Bishop Burton College is setting up a Rural Enterprise Network, to enable

rural businesses of various kinds, varying from smallholders to people offering

bed-and-breakfast, to meet together for mutual support. The college plans to

convene the meetings and provide input with technical and business-planning

advice and associated training, as required.

The Management Centre at Wigan & Leigh College, in partnership with the

North West Development Agency, has established the Leigh Business

Academy. Supported and guided by local business, the Academy makes

available to businesses and agencies a range of nationally accredited courses

that develop managers, team leaders and supervisors in their occupational

roles as well as ensuring an effective understanding of Health and Safety

issues and basic IT. This provision is delivered locally using supporters’ own

premises, so that companies in Leigh can access high-quality staff

development programmes on their own doorstep.

Ñ Key issues

- convenience and easy access to good facilities is a selling point

- services to business may not just be about training

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Taking it further…

A possible measure in relation to this work could aim to:

· Engage with a targeted group of newly developing SMEs by providing

relevant services in convenient locations

Performance indicators could include:

· Sector penetration

· Delivery of a range of business solutions to start-up companies.

Collaborative working may increase employer participation

☼ Good practice point

Collaboration between colleges and different types of provider can increase

the value of provision and provide a one-stop shop for employers

Examples of current practice

26 colleges in the North West are part of a group of organisations, which also

includes 6 Higher Education Institutions, 6 training providers, and 30 Employer

Groups. One benefit of this is that colleges approached by a local employer

may make contact, on their behalf, with another college with more appropriate

expertise or facilities

The City of Wolverhampton College and Sandwell College are working with

companies in the creative industries to develop highly trained professionals for

the industry. They provide training to both local SMEs as well as larger

corporate clients. Spin-offs from this work have included:

· Sponsorship arrangements with Ilford Photographic, Wolverhampton City

Centre Company, Black Country Chamber of Commerce and Business

Link and Jessops Photographic have been established, with the latter

sponsoring the end-of-year HNC Photography exhibition at City of

Wolverhampton College.

· Further employer links have been established with a wide range of

regional newspapers across the greater Midlands, along with the BBC

WM, Heartzart (special occasion cards), Beacon Radio and WCR

Radio. An employers' forum has been established to engage further

businesses and practitioners in curriculum design and assessment and

also creating a broader programme of work placement opportunities

· Equipment manufacturers have supported both colleges over the years,

and so kept them informed of technological advances within the industry

The ELITE consortium of land-based colleges (Myerscough, Hartpury,

Bishop Burton and Sparsholt Colleges) won a DEFRA contract to establish

and manage a pilot scheme that aims to test the effectiveness of different types

of demonstration farms (and associated activities) in improving the

performance. The aim is to enhance both economic and environmental

performance, and to integrate farms into the food chain and the rural economy

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Ñ Key Issues

· Partnership working could dramatically increase employer involvement

· Sharing expertise and resources may improve the range and availability

of the provision on offer

Taking it further…

Setting measures for such arrangements may be more complicated, but the

benefits may outweigh the difficulties. A possible measure may be to:

· Enhance the availability and breadth of provision for employers

by establishing a consortia of providers.

Performance indicators could include:

· increased volume of activity from a wider range of firms

· increased employer satisfaction

· repeat business

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Headline improvement target B

Increased employability or work readiness of learners

Colleges and providers play a major role in developing the capacity of young

people entering the workforce and returners to the workforce.

☼ Good practice point

Colleges and providers should regularly consult with their local, or sector,

employer community on the relevance of their provision for 16-19 year olds.

Examples of current practice

Newcastle under Lyme College has established a partnership group to build

upon existing relationships with companies involved in the high tech electrical

and electronics industry. The group consist of senior representatives from

seven companies, plus a representative from Advantage West Midlands (RDA),

Staffordshire LSC, Newcastle under Lyme and Leek Colleges.

The group makes key decisions on equipment purchases and sets priorities to

ensure that the curriculum and its delivery match current and predicted

requirements in the industry. They provide advice on finding specific expertise

to meet short-term training requirements and assist with interviewing the

Colleges’ technical and teaching staff.

At Derby College part-time professional instrumentalists are employed to work

with full-time Performing Arts students on an individual basis to help them

improve their instrumental confidence and competence. The manager of a

recording studio, the co-ordinator of Derby Arts in Education, and a member of

staff from Derby University have all been used as judges in competitions run by

the college. These professionals are keen to help the college develop its

provision further. Visiting professionals will continue to be used on a regular

basis to enhance the standard of teaching. Visits from the Prince’s Trust and

the Musicians Union are already booked.

All college teams at West Cheshire College are including action to engage

employers in their annual development plans, focusing on contributions that

have direct impact on students, such as:

engaging more employers as visiting speakers

increasing student visits to company premises

providing more work experience placements,

greater employer contribution to course design,

increasing work based assessment

exploring sponsorship opportunities.

The annual employers survey is being used as a vehicle as a means of gauging

willingness to be more involved with curriculum teams and students as well as

measuring employer satisfaction with provision.

Designs on Britain is a collaboration between 14-19 year old students and

some of the UK’s top architects to produce alternative designs for some of the

most high-profile current building projects in London. Architects on projects in

the Borough of Lewisham presented students with a real-life professional brief.

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Students from Christ the King Sixth Form College produced a scale model

and plan for Convoys Wharf, with murals, sculptures and a design for a bridge

across the Thames. The students presented master plans, scale models,

murals and architectural designs for three urban regeneration projects at an

exhibition on Lewisham Town Hall.

Ñ Key issues

- Colleges and providers should build on existing relationships

- Clear tasks should be set for employers’ providing advice

- Professionals from the industry should set the benchmark for performance

Taking it further…

A possible measure related to the above could aim to:

· Increase employer involvement in the development of the curriculum

in three subject areas

Performance indicators could include:

· Increased number of employers taking part in such activity (from a

wider range of size of firms)

· Mention of the involvement with the college in the company’s annual

report

· Increased number of work placements in the company

· More students recruited to the company on completion of their course

Employability and work readiness are important aspects of the curriculum

for 16-19 year olds

☼ Good practice point

Opportunities for the development of employability and work readiness

should be integral aspects of the curriculum for young learners.

Examples of current practice

Theatre Studies and Media students at Coulsdon College completed a joint

media and film project: in which two professional directors gave students a

synopsis from which to write a script. The students and professionals in

collaboration then made this into a film. Drama students were the actors and

Media students took on the production role.

Theatre Studies students also took a production to the Edinburgh Festival.

Students liased with Festival organisers and arranged the publicity and venue,

booking street space.

Employability skills and the work-related curriculum are developed at Newham

Sixth Form College (NewVic) by means of:

- Work experience and work shadowing: Vocational students have work

experience built into their programmes and A-level students are encouraged

These areas should relate to LSC strategic priorities, or extend from an established base in

these to different areas of the curriculum.

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and supported to undertake work shadowing during holidays. Student

apprenticeships - where students apply for vacancies and attend a work

placement one day a week – are increasing.

- Employability skills accreditation: students gather evidence of careers

research, attendance at employability workshops run by employers or

outside agencies, additional work-related qualifications such as the British

Tourist Board’s Welcome qualifications and the BBC’s ‘Webwise’ IT

qualification, work experience and part time employment to claim the

NewVIc college diploma. Award ceremonies for diplomas, sponsored by

local business, are held annually.

- Young Enterprise: Approximately 50 students participate in this national

scheme, forming and running real companies with mentors from local firms.

Team-based curriculum developments: Local employers participate in full

time courses across all curriculum areas. Activities range from visits from

employers, visits to companies, student presentations to employers and

research projects or commissioned work in response to employers’

requests.

Careers education and guidance: all students complete a careers

assignment to develop careers-research skills. A careers service to students

is available throughout the year, which provides interviews, group sessions

and part-time/summer job clubs with a local employment agency.

Ñ Key issues

- Opportunities to develop work readiness and employability may occur

naturally within the mainstream curriculum

- The development of these skills is likely to contribute to maturation and

motivation

Taking it further…

A possible measure related to the above could aim to:

· Increase in the number of full-time courses that include work

readiness or employability preparation

Performance indicators could include:

Destination data demonstrates increased numbers of learners

progressing into employment related to their training

Increased employer satisfaction with the work readiness of trainees from

the college

Employers often complain that college provision is out of date

☼ Good Practice point

Involving employers in the development of provision may increase their level

of satisfaction with it.

Examples of current practice

SEEVIC College has established links with a wide range of employers. These

were enhanced by a breakfast conference to consider the college's application

for CoVE status with delegates from the Sport and Leisure industry, head

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teachers, representatives from other local employers and education providers.

This proved to be extremely successful and initiated a series of meetings with

various parties that enabled further links and learner requirements to be

identified. Productive working relationships are maintained through regular

meetings with key employers and by collaborative activities. Employers have a

history of supporting the college by providing access to resources, provision of

work placements, advice on curriculum design and visits to brief learners on

industry issues.

City College, Manchester is leading a consortium of colleges developing

training in logistics – and area where there is a lack of relevant pre-service and

updating provision. A curriculum development advisory panel has been set up

which includes employers. The panel meets regularly. Given the historical lack

of credible specialist provision and the previous reluctance on the part of this

industry to provide training, it is important to network very closely with the

industry in order to create the confidence needed for the future. The

consortium also has the support of the TUC, trades unions, Basic Skills

Agency, Jobcentre Plus and the National Training Organisation.

Cornwall College’s work based training department has been working with

Pendennis Shipyard in Falmouth to tackle a skills shortage. A unique modern

apprenticeship package was tailored to the needs of the company and aimed to

develop both a skilled workforce in the short-term and supervisors and

managers for the future. A multi-skilled workforce has been created which

contributes to the success of the company and to the local economy.

Ñ Key Issues

- Sector based developments may secure more active employer engagement,

and encourage collaboration between employers

- Other agencies have an interest in securing employer engagement and may

welcome participation by the college or provider in their initiatives

Taking it further…

A possible measure in relation to such work could be to:

· Develop training based on industry requirements and pilot this in

three companies, with a view to extending the provision over the

next three years

Performance indicators could include:

- an increased focus on local skills and employer priorities

- Increased number/range of employers involved in design and development

activity

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Local and sector specific skills shortages that emerge need speedy action if

they are not to damage aspects of the economy

☼ Good Practice point

Colleges should be in touch with local and sector needs and adapt their

provision to meet emerging difficulties

New College, Durham is working with several major travel retailers to develop

the future workforce’s skills to meet identified shortages. The college has

developed customised training to fulfil the local LSC’s requirements to meet

skills gaps of young people entering the travel business. Work placements are

provided for learners, and the college is liasing closely with its LSC to identify

the skills and knowledge needed by the local economy to ensure these are

reflected in the curriculum.

Retail, hospitality and tourism is one of the key employment sectors in

Newham, East London. Newham Sixth Form College has worked with

employers to provide customer service training in a variety of ways, such as full

time short courses for unemployed adults linked directly to future jobs in a local

national retailer, and setting up work based learning using several local

companies to provide the placements.

Ñ Key issues

· Develop credibility with the industry or sector by finding out about

what they do and about their needs

· Work in partnership with other players, such as trades unions or

SSCs, who have a common interest in learning

· Find mutual benefits from activities, such as work placements

Taking it further…

A possible measure in relation this work could aim to:

· Develop young people with appropriate skills to meet identified

shortages in key sectors of the local economy

Performance indicators could include:

· employer involvement in the design of programmes

· take-up of provision

Employers engaged in work based learning programmes may need to be

kept up to date with developments on WBL programmes and require

specific support for their trainees

☼ Good practice point

· Providers should support employers by providing general advice and

support for specific activities that they find difficult to undertake alone

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Examples of current practice

The training company, ITS, which is a pathfinder CoVE, has produced a CD for

employer induction to develop awareness of Health and Safety and Equal

opportunities issues.

YMCA Training, Croydon conducts an annual self-assessment process from

which they devise development plans. The process involves seeking the views

of employers by means of Employer Questionnaires and by inviting employers

to attend programme review meetings. The views of employers and input into

the review are seen to be very important in improving the service.

Employers are also involved in the review meetings for trainees at their

placement, which take place every 12 to 16 weeks. These meetings, which

involve the training adviser-the employer and the trainee, enable all parties to

play an active role in the training process and discuss progress and concerns.

YMCA staff also keep employer contact logs so that they are able to monitor all

liaison with employers.

Ñ Key Issues

· Relationship marketing is a key ingredient in gaining employer

involvement in post 16 learning

· Busy employers value succinct information about new developments in

education and training

Taking it further…

A possible measure in relation to employer engagement in work-based learning

could be to:

· Contact employers periodically to investigate their projected

requirements for trainees

Performance indicators could include:

· Increased numbers of trainee placements

· Willingness of employers to take on more trainees

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Appendix 1

The dimensions of a ‘college for business’ are described below.

· gateway to the workplace

This dimension encompasses provision that develops initial knowledge and

skills. It could be defined by age of the learners, i.e. for 14–19 year olds, or by

life stages, i.e. entrants to the labour market, such as HE graduates and

returners to the workforce. This dimension focuses on providing a robust

grounding in the basic principles of a subject or vocational area, together with

the development of personal attributes and interpersonal skills, and an

awareness of the demands of the world of work. It provides a bedrock on which

the capacity to cope with changing demands can develop. Provision in this area

could include college or work-based programmes, and increasingly may involve

partnerships with schools, as pre-vocational provision and work experience for

14–16 year olds develops as a result of the proposals in Success for all.

To support this capacity, the college for business should provide:

· informed advice and guidance, facilitating appropriate choice and/or

change of direction

· good induction and (re)orientation to the world of work

· diagnostic assessment related to vocational programmes and support for

learning

· broad, accessible vocational curriculum, facilitated by expert

practitioners, informed by needs of the economy and local labour market

· college-based and work-based routes to learning

· rigorous development of theory and its practical application

· planned and purposeful work experience

· Enterprise education and the development of business acumen

· careers guidance and placement service

· access to recruitment and job seeking services

· suitably qualified potential entrants to the workforce at a time that meets

industry’s demands

· progression (articulation) agreements with HE institutions to a range of

HE provision, including foundation degrees

· advice on possibilities for further study

· opportunities for further study/flexible completion while at work.

· adaptation and updating

This dimension is concerned with the provision of training and learning

opportunities for the current workforce to enable them to adapt to new

processes and new technologies. In previous attempts to develop a more

industry-focused FE service, this dimension may have been viewed as marginal

and separate from the rest of the college. In the ‘college for business’ model,

adaptation and updating is a core function of the college, with an impact on

college infrastructure and administrative procedures.

The college for business should support updating and adaptation by

providing:

· identification of training and/or development needs services for companies

· information, advice and guidance on education and training provision for

individuals and employers

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· diagnostic assessment of company and individuals’ skills gaps

· easy access to vendor training and qualifications, such as Cisco Academy

Training and Microsoft MOUS

· customisation/tailoring and packaging learning programmes

· unit accreditation/progressionflexible timing and location of training –

24/7/52 anywhere a range of flexible delivery methods

· services to small businesses, e.g. start-up, expansion, recruitment,

diversification, in cooperation with others, such as the Small Business

Service, LSCs, other providers, etc

· workforce development firmly linked to employers’ business support needs

· support for progression and development for individuals in the workforce

· support for the development of basic skills in the workforce

· support for companies to develop their in-house training capacity

· management training, contextualised to particular businesses.

· Problem-solving and innovation

This dimension is concerned with the development of services to accelerate

innovation or solve business problems. This activity should be interpreted

broadly to encompass a range of services, other than training and training

needs analysis, that help businesses to innovate and to improve performance

through the application of research and existing knowledge. This dimension is

critically dependant on the expertise of subject specialists in colleges and their

ability to work with companies through action research and development.

The college for business would support problem-solving and innovation

in companies by providing services which:

· are based on problem-solving and action research

· emphasise the practical application of research findings

· produce timely and quick results at reasonable cost to the employer

· where appropriate, involve collaboration with others, such as professional

bodies or HE institutions

· are used to inform the curriculum in the gateway and adaptation phases, to

ensure it reflects current and future practice

· lead to demonstrable impact on the business

· provide support for testing or choosing equipment.

· Support networks for SMEs

The college for business should be aware of the important role of small and

medium-sized businesses to the local and national economy. This dimension

would enable the college to play a vital role in supporting the exchange of ideas

and good practice between small companies. This may be coordinated across

the LSC area, and will necessarily involve collaboration with other providers of

support.

To be effective in supporting networks of ‘learning’ companies, the

college for business will need to demonstrate:

· knowledge of companies and their needs within the college’s vicinity

· awareness of the work and contribution of other providers of support

· good relationships with other supporters of businesses

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· active participation in the business community, e.g. through membership,

active participation in Small Business Clubs, Chambers, networks, etc

· dissemination of ‘best practice’ through peer support and opinion formers

· provision of information and impartial advice, e.g. arranging ‘seeing is

believing’ visits, shadowing, mentoring, etc.

· Underpinning mission and infrastructure

The college for business needs to have an underpinning mission and

infrastructure that support the implementation of the other dimensions. This will

require attention to:

· mission and strategy

· the range and quality of staff

· administrative procedures, resources and accommodation

· learner support

· progression

· partnerships

· employer links

· transforming and extending partnerships.

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Appendix 2

Headline Improvement Target for Employer

Engagement.

The guiding principle adopted is that agreement of a headline improvement

target for employer engagement should:

· be based on an understanding of the local and regional skills needs of

employers and employees;

· identify the role of colleges and providers in meeting these needs;

· agree a headline improvement target that supports this; and

· agree a measure and performance indicator(s) / evidence that

demonstrates progress to meeting this target.

The employer engagement target will also support the Public Service

Agreement target to reduce by at least 40% the number of adults in the

workforce who lack NVQ Level 2 or equivalent qualification by 2010. To support

this it is estimated that one million adults in the workforce need to achieve level

2 qualifications between 2003 and 2006, which presents a key challenge for

colleges and providers of further education across the learning and skills sector.

Local LSCs will work with colleges and providers to help them determine a

headline improvement target to drive up the responsiveness of provision to the

skill needs of employers and employees. The headline improvement target

agreed should be relevant to the individual college or provider’s mission and the

nature of their provision. Whilst colleges and providers may be committed to

activity across both headline targets and a range of the measures and

performance indicators, there is no requirement for any more than one headline

improvement target and measure to be chosen and included in the

development plan. We would anticipate that the headline improvement target

and measure chosen might relate to either:

Ø Area A: the development of improved services direct to employers; OR

Ø Area B: increased employability or work readiness of learners.

The table below sets out a range of possible measures for different types of

college and provider. A range of possible performance indicators / evidence is

also suggested. The examples are not intended to be either comprehensive or

prescriptive but to form the basis for discussion between local LSCs and

colleges and providers. Whichever measure is chosen, it should, however, be

institution-wide.

We have also included on the Success for All website

www.successforall.gov.uk/, a Good Practice Guide to employer engagement

which the Learning and Skills Development Agency have completed on behalf

of the Council.

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Table: headline improvement targets for employer engagement

Note: colleges and providers agree with their local LSC a measure and appropriate performance indicators/evidence (this may be

one or a mix of several) to demonstrate progress in ONE area, either:

the development of improved services and provision direct to employers, or

increased employability or work readiness of learners.

Headline improvement target – Area A: Improved services direct to employers

Examples of possible measures:

Examples of performance indicators / supporting evidence to demonstrate progress:

Delivery of a range of business solutions

to employers

Development of tailored business solutions

Number of employers taking-up college

provision

Collaborative activity between providers in

response to needs of employers

Improved industry or technical expertise of

teaching staff

Repeat business in the same company, or

extension of similar to new companies

Engagement with groups of SMEs

· Fee income generation from employers

· % increase of overall college funding from employers

· Diversity of employer contributions (i.e. number and/or type of firms)

· Capital investment from employers (including in-kind contributions)

· Payment for tutor expertise

· Customer feedback (Did the employer get value for money? Can increased

satisfaction be demonstrated?)

· Repeat business

· Focus on local skill and employer priorities

· Industrial secondments (two-way for example)

· Identifying sector needs and developing courses appropriately

· Revamping existing courses to meet employer needs

· Business solutions tailored to the needs of employers

· Training needs analysis conducted

· Number of Employer sponsored learners / employed individuals taking part in

learning

· No. of Employers engaged in college / provider activity

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Headline improvement target – Area A: Improved services direct to employers

Examples of possible measures:

Examples of performance indicators / supporting evidence to demonstrate progress:

· Sector penetration

· Differential Targets (e.g. x large employers and y SMEs taking part in staff

development)

· Employer involvement in the design, development and assessment of curriculum

· Identifying sector needs and developing courses to meet those needs

· Delivery of a range of business solution to employers

· Collaborative working with other colleges / providers to meet needs of local

employers

· Flexible delivery mechanisms (time, location, use of ICT etc)

· Work with intermediaries such as Business Link, Chambers, SSCs, Trade

Organisations to identify needs and develop solutions

· Business promotion activities – information and marketing, business breakfasts,

etc

· Involvement in employer forums/networks

· New (and type) of college activities delivered to meet employer needs

· Number of employers engaged with (as a percentage of the total in the local area)

· Sector specific employers

· Focus on local skill and employer priorities

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Headline improvement target – AREA B: Improved work-readiness or employability of learners

Example of possible measures:

Examples of performance indicator / supporting evidence to demonstrate

progress

Work-experience placements

Education-business links

Enterprise opportunities

Employer Days / Careers Fairs

Work readiness programmes

Employer involvement in the design,

development and assessment of curriculum

Training developed based on industry

requirements, evaluation and mainstreaming

Developing young people to match identified

skills shortages

Customer feedback from both employers and learners (i.e. evaluation

exercises)

Increase in activity – e.g. number of extra placements, events etc

Focus on local skill and employer priorities – e.g. placements to key industries

etc

Feedback from Inspection findings

Increased number / range of employers involved in design and development

activity

Destination data demonstrates increased numbers of learners into employment

Employers taking on increased numbers of trainees