Karen Parsons

Director Workforce and Skills

karen.parsons@childrenslinks.org.uk

www.childrenslinks.org.uk

Apprenticeships and training !

Over view of the Apprenticeship programme How your organisation can be involved in

Apprentices Qualification and Credit framework Qualification Funding of the future

Context:

Children’s Links is a national Children’s Charity: frontline services and infrastructure services

National Training Provider: delivering SFA funded Apprenticeships among other Workforce and Skills services, including training and qualifications.

What is an Apprenticeship?• An Apprenticeship is an excellent way of gaining qualifications

and workplace experience.

• There are over 200 different types of Apprenticeships in more than 1200 job roles including fundraising and volunteer management through SSC- Skills – Third Sector

• An employee can earn as they learn and gain practical skills from the workplace.

Apprenticeship = Level 2Advanced Apprenticeship = Level 3

• All apprenticeships have a ‘framework’ of qualifications - each apprenticeship framework is approved by the relevant sector skills council and they will set down the requirements for their specific area of work, this will include competence award, technical certificate and functional skills.

Who can access an apprenticeship?

Apprentices can be any age from 16 years +

Eligibility is determined by Skills Funding Agency Criteria

Currently 16 – 18 year old funding is 100% 19+ includes employer contribution of up to 50%, but

can be in kind All training providers have their own selection process,

but this will usually involve an application form, interview and /or induction session.

Incentive payments to hire an apprentice

Apprenticeship frameworks

Apprenticeship

An apprenticeship takes up to 15 months to complete and leads to a Level 2 Diploma / Certificate ( under the new QCF, these were previously NVQ level 2), technical certificate and functional skills (usually level 1).

There will also be the opportunity to progress to an advanced apprenticeship.

Example:Children’s Care

QCF : Level 2 Certificate for the Children and Young People’s Workforce

Functional Skills: Level 1 English Level 1 Maths

Technical Certificate Employment Rights and Responsibilities

Key skills: There may be an exemption from Key Skills if Level C or above has been achieved in GCSE, or equivalent, Maths or Literacy

Apprenticeship frameworks

Advanced Apprenticeship

As an advanced apprentice, a young person will be in full-time employment with an appropriate wage, aiming for a technical, supervisory or junior management role.

The training, which usually last up to 24 months, leads to a level 3 Diploma (previously NVQ level 3), technical certificate and functional skills (usually level 2). For many an advanced apprenticeship can be a stepping stone to university.

Example: Children’s Care

QCF: Level 3 Diploma for the Children and Young People’s Workforce

Key Skills: Level 2 English Level 2 Maths

Technical Certificate Employment Rights and Responsibilities

Key skills: There may be an exemption from Key Skills if Level C or above has been achieved in GCSE, or equivalent, Maths or Literacy

Payment? Employed status – apprentices are paid by their

employer and must have a contract of employment Minimum wage for Apprentices is £2.60 per hour Apprentices 19 years and over must move to

National Minimum wage for the age after 12 months on programme

Apprentices can be existing employees under their existing terms and conditions

How it works for us as an employer

Case Study 1

An existing employee at Children’s Links who needed to undertake CPD in order to take her desired career development

Chose to do a Level 2 Apprenticeship in Play Work, aged over 25 years old

Remained in employment and undertook a Level 3 Playwork through Train to Gain

Continues to work for Children’s Links

Case Study 2

He joined Children’s Links as a new Level 2 Playwork Apprentice, Aged 17, in one of our Kids Clubs in March 2009

Progressed on to a Level 3 Apprenticeship and finished in March 2011

He now works in our Playwork and Early Years settings in his local area.

Case Study 3

Was a Children’s Links Apprentice (employed by another employer)

Undertook Level 2 and Level 3 Playwork Apprenticeships

Later become a Peripatetic Training Officer and completed her Assessor Awards

Applied for a Training Officer post and is now an assessor, tutor and internal verifier

Is undertaking a sector relevant Degree and her Diploma in Teaching and Learning

Making the Apprenticeship model work for you Different training providers deliver different models,

finding the right one for the employer and the learner can overcome barriers

Mentoring among employees (i.e. a colleague undertaking Leadership and Management qualifications mentoring a new Apprentice)

Use the management systems you already have in place: appraisals, performance planning and target setting provide the framework for supporting an Apprentice.

Benefits

Staff retention

Responds to NEET agenda

Grow your own!

New skills and ideas brought into your organisation

Qualifications and Credit framework Began in 2008 Over 11,00 qualifications in the QCF at

Levels 1, 2, 3 &4 Qualifications are Unit based and credit

bearing Move to funding of units Public funds will focus on the funding of QCF

registered awards

Are you looking for Training? The skills Funding agency is committed to freeing the FE sector ..so the sector can maximise its contribution to economic recovery, deliver sustainable growth and broaden social inclusion and social mobility’

October 2011Lifelong Learning Accounts – on line CPD advice to develop your skillsProfessional and Career Development Loans – bank loan for 18+ that will pay for learning that can help pay for learning that either leads to work or will improve employability

Adult Entitlement to learning – all eligible adults aged 19+ chance to access a range of courses inc maths and english and L2 qualifications

Adult Skills budget - Train 2 Gain current funding until December 12

ESF funding – VCS specific programmes Workplace learning for adults employed in VCS to upskill – M&E , L1,2 and 3

City Skills Fund – to boost the skills gaps needed by local employers in 8 cities

CWDC update

Ends 31.03.2012 however many areas of work will continue wither by agencies or Gov departments

Early Years – Teaching Agency Youth – NYA Integrated working – Children's Improvement

Board Social work, foster care, residential care, Poverty,

Disability and safer recruitment are all going into the DfE

Further information

National Apprenticeship Servicehttp://www.apprenticeships.org.uk/Employers

Skills Funding Agency skillsfundingagency.bis.gov.uk/training

City skills fundhttp://nds.coi.gov.uk

Apprenticeships incentive funds http://nds.coi.gov.uk