Widening participation to HE: opportunities and challenges for the work-based route

1. Widening participation to HE: opportunities and challenges for the work-based route Researching and Evaluating Widening Participation – Mature and part-time students: Accessing and succeeding in HE SRHE UALL seminar13 April 2015 Professor Alison Fuller a.fuller@ioe.ac.uk

2. Longstanding concern intermediate (L3/4/5) achievement (OECD 2013) – ‘hourglass’ skills profile (competitiveness) Policy support for WP via expansion of work-based/vocational route (eg LLNs, equivalence concept) Growing political interest in ‘alternatives’: “So our fourth national goal is that as many young people leaving school should be able to do apprenticeships as currently go to university.” Ed Milliband Labour conference Sept 2014 “Degree Apprenticeships will give people a great head start, combining a full degree with the real practical skills gained in work and the financial security of a regular pay packet.” David Cameron, 12 March 2015 Policy Background

3. Cont. • EU push to increase LM flexibility and mobility – EQF, increasing emphasis on ‘permeability’ and progression • Dynamic interplay between policies creates ‘interesting’ outcomes eg • ‘fall in top A-level applicants gives BTEC entrants a boost’ (THE 25 Sept 2014) • ABB+ entrants fall by 3% • BTEC ABB+ equivalent entrants rise by 16%

4. Rethinking Progression • ‘Broken Promise’ – ‘Talent War’ (Brown et al 2011) • ‘Reverse Transfer’ (Wilson 2009, Moodie 2004, Bethune 1977) • Doppel-Qualification (Pilz 2009) • ‘Hybrid qualifications’ (Deissinger et al 2013) • Apprenticeship as route to progression

5. Apprenticeship in numbers (ILR) Starts 2012-13 2013-14 Under 19 114,500 119,800 19-24 165,400 159,100 25+ 230,300 161,600 All 510,200 440,400 Registrations down overall but especially for 25+ • 25+ starts as % of all starts down from 45% to 37% • 24 and under up from 54% to 63%

6. Age and Level (13-14) U19 19-24 25+ All Int L2 83,400 97,000 106,100 286,500 Adv L3 35,600 59,300 49,800 144,700 Higher L4+ 700 2,900 5,600 9,200 Total 119,800 159,100 161,600 440,400 30% of all U19 registrations are in AA 37% of all 19-24 starts, AA 34% of all 25+ starts, AA 33% of all-age starts, AA

7. Gender: starts 2012/13 Older age groups, starts more likely to be female • 25+ - 61% female • 50+ - 64% female Youngest age group, starts more like to be male • Under 19 - 45% female • 19-24 - 52% female Although overall gender balance good, it’s still very poor in male/female dominated sectors

8. Top 10 framework sectors, all age registrations

9. Level and Sector Framework Top 5 Top 5 Sectors AA Sectors HA H & S care 25,090 Care L&M 3,450 CCLD 15,280 Management 1,850 Bus Admin 13,450 Accountancy 1,280 Engineering 12,610 IT&Telecoms Prof 660 Management 10,560 Bus Admin 520

10. Complexity and progression • Diversity in VQ type, size, structure, mode of delivery – qualifications/frameworks positioned as L3 but limited standardisation • Intensity, duration, assessment methods, qualification currency • Often unclear articulation/credit recognition, currency for University entrance (FD vs bachelor) • Many L3 VQs not in UCAS tariff -QCF low L3 thresholdand academic qualifications not in it • Variable use (ability to do real work tasks) and exchange value (transparent currency for achieving external progression)

11. Types of labour market • Recruitment and selection traditions and practices vary by LM type • Relationship between LM type and education, training & career pathways • Portability of qualifications • Relationship between regulation and registration and education, training & career pathways

13. Expansive Platform for Progression • Technician, associate professional level roles require knowledgable, skilled and qualified practitioners • Potential to develop higher level vocational provision – importance of partnerships • Importance of transparent articulation with professional qualification ladders and registration, HEQ framework • Value of ‘hybrid’ programmes with currency for access to bachelor degrees, and skilled employment • High use and exchange value provides an expansive platform for progression • Some L3 examples…

14. Aeronautical engineering • Min 240 QCF credits required to complete framework – way more than 37 credit QCF threshold • Various qualification options generate the credits required to complete framework – use value • But only one qualification ‘BTEC L3 Diploma’ generates UCAS points (range 80-280) – exchange value

15. GDC approved curricula and qualifications include BTEC Extended Dip (L3) FT/PT routes, fully equipped dental workshop, dual professional tutors Qualification accrues significant UCAS pts Work placement (FT) or employment (PT) in registered dental lab essential Dental Technician: Pathway to progression

16. Dental Technicians: established currency • In family of occupations regulated by GDC, statutory register, protected title • Title has strong resonance linked to distinctive occupational identity • Pathway & outcomes lead to registration, licence to practise, qual. portability • Strong platform for progression to HE & career progression and portability • High use and exchange value

17. L3 qualifications e.g. Diploma in Maternity and Paediatric Support, NVQ3 Ability of work-based route to prepare for higher level study Competing for places against applicants with A levels Weak platform for progression to degree (no UCAS points), inc. those approved for clinical registration Creates more restrictive platform for progression Healthcare support: Pathway to progression?

18. Healthcare Support: pathway or cul de sac? • Unregistered (non-statutory) occupation- no standard qualification for ‘getting in’ or ‘getting on’ • Locally (employer) determined job role & band, & level of training & qualifications required in workplace • Framework L3 quals have limited exchange value for HE & career progression – hurdle of crossing non-registered/registered divide • High use value, low exchange value

19. Emerging Issues • Labour market type barriers to and opportunities for development of higher level vocational provision • Challenges of getting in and getting on in (David Marsden’s 2007/10 ‘entry tournaments’) - linked to decoupling of learning outcomes from qualifications • Ongoing tensions between individuals’ and employers’ priorities, general versus specific attainment (Alison Wolf 1997) • Continued separation of educational providers from certification and qualification (socio-political imperative?) • The quest for currency in times of mass HE participation and globalised economy

20. Challenges for widening participation • Quality: extent to which work-based/apprenticeship as a WP route provides a secure platform for access to HE, professional qualification ladders and registration • Creating programmes with currency for access to bachelor degrees, and skilled employment • Age: decline in older participants in apprenticeship route, reduces WP mature student pool

21. References Bethune, S. (1977) Retooling the college graduate. Community College Review, 4: 36–40. Brown, P., Lauder, H. and Ashton, D. (2011) The global auction. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Deissinger, T., Aff, J. Fuller, A. and Helmensen, CH (2013) Hybrid qualifications: structures and problems in the context of European vet policy, Zurich: Peter Lang Fuller, A. and Unwin, L. (2012) Banging on the door of the university: The Complexities of Progression from Apprenticeship and other Vocational Programmes in England, Monograph 14, Oxford: SKOPE Fuller, A. and Unwin, L. (2004) Expansive Learning Environments: Integrating Organisational and Personal Development, pp. 126-144, 2004, in H. Rainbird, A. Fuller and A. Munro (eds) Workplace Learning in Context, London: Routledge Fuller, A., Turbin, J., Unwin, L., Guile, D. and Wintrup, J. (2013) Technician and Intermediate Roles in the Healthcare Sector, London: Gatsby Charitable Foundation Fuller, A., and Unwin, L. (2013) Apprenticeship and the concept of occupation, London: Gatsby Foundation Pilz, M. (2009) Why Abiturienten do an apprenticeship before going to university: The role of 'double qualifications' in Germany. Oxford Review of Education, 35(2): 187–204 Turbin, J., Fuller, A. and Wintrup, J. (2014) Apprenticeship and progression in the healthcare sector: can labour market theory illuminate barriers and opportunities in contrasting occupations?, Journal of Vocational Education and Training, 66, 2, 156-174 Wilson, D.N. (2009) ‘Reverse transfer’ constraints upon planning post-secondary programs in Ontario, Canada. in L. R. Raby and E. J. Valeau (Eds), Community college models. Dordrecht: Springer.