Karen Parsons Director Workforce and Skills karen.parsons@childrenslinks.uk

1. Karen Parsons Director Workforce and Skills karen.parsons@childrenslinks.org.uk www.childrenslinks.org.uk

2. 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

3. 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.

4. 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 2 • Advanced 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.

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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

9. How it works for us as an employer

10. 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

11. 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.

12. 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

13. 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.

14. Benefits • Staff retention • Responds to NEET agenda • Grow your own! • New skills and ideas brought into your organisation

15. 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

16. 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 2011 • Lifelong Learning Accounts – on line CPD advice to develop your skills • Professional 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

17. 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

18. 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

19. Further information • National Apprenticeship Service http://www.apprenticeships.org.uk/Employers Skills Funding Agency skillsfundingagency.bis.gov.uk/training City skills fund http://nds.coi.gov.uk Apprenticeships incentive funds http://nds.coi.gov.uk