Monthly Bulletin

Monthly Bulletin April 2019 Inside this issue... New PAGE 3 - Apprenticeships Apprenticeships logo Here is a copy of the new Apprenticeships PAGE 4 logo. - Apprenticeship Reform National Apprenticeship Week 2019 – PAGE 5 - Education and Skills Funding Blaze a Trail Agency The 12th annual National Apprenticeship Week ran from 4 to 8 March 2019. - WorldSkills It was a hectic week for our members during National Apprenticeship week, - Lancashire Enterprise please find below just some of the activities that took place during the week. Partnership Themis at Burnley College PAGE 6 - Lancs Forum Updates This year’s activities for Themis at Burnley College included creating an outdoor library in Simonstone - LAAN (see picture) and a day-long programme of fun activities at Burnley Boys’ Club. Page 7 - ASK - Quality Improvement Sub Blackburn College Group A number of high profile businesses attended Commercial and Business Development PAGE 8 Corporate Lunch. The Event was publicised - Useful resources via live tweeting and retweets by NCW and businesses. A news story about the event was - Training Provider News also published on the college website. - Dates for your Diary Nelson & Colne College It was a busy week of celebrations last week at Nelson and Colne College, as we marked National Apprenticeship Week and National Careers week with an array of activities at the College and within the community. Here’s a snapshot of the activities that took place... Event attendance Our Apprenticeship Team were out and about, spreading the word about our range of Apprenticeships and talking to aspiring Apprentices about their options. During the week, The Apprenticeship Team attended lunch time drop ins at Fishermore RC High School, Unity College and Park High School as well as Accrington and Rossendale College and Nelson and Colne College’s Apprenticeships and Careers Expo. Apprenticeships and Careers Expo Our Apprenticeships and Careers Expo took place on Thursday 7 March, 12pm - 4pm for internal students and 5pm - 7.30pm for members of the public. We had over 40 employers, volunteering organisations and universities exhibiting throughout the day and saw over 800 internal students and 112 members of the 1 www.lancsforum.co.uk public registering at the event. “It was a super day and I particular enjoyed meeting your super students. I hope by engaging with some of them they will consider careers in the Banking and Financial services sector.” - Yorkshire Bank “We saw some fantastic questions from students who had thought about what they wanted to see from a company. Another brilliant event at NCC” - BCW Manufacturing Life as a local MP A Level History and Government and Politics students had the chance to become ‘Apprentice MPs’ for the day when Pendle MP Andrew Stephenson visited Nelson and Colne College. They gained an insight into what life was really like as a local MP and what his role entails on a daily basis, and take part in a Q&A session. Back to the Floor for Vice Principal Alison Rushton and Principal Amanda Melton Vice Principal Alison Rushton went ‘back to the floor’ at Panaz Fabrics, where she was given a tour of the facility and an opportunity to speak to current Nelson and Colne College Apprentices and their managers. Principal Amanda Melton visited Accrington and Rossendale Apprentice Oliver Shipston at his place of work - Rosslee Construction. Also in attendance on the day was Gary Clarkson, Managing Director of the company. Apprenticeships and Training Manager Debbie Howard also visited one of Accrington and Rossendale College’s employers - Freddie’s Hair Salon in Rawtenstall. She gained an insight into the day to day activities that Apprentices Katie Higginbottom and Katie Rushton undertake throughout their Hairdressing Apprenticeships. Myerscough College continue to Blaze a Trail for National Apprenticeship Week 2019 National Apprenticeship Week 2019 was again a week of celebration for all things Apprenticeships at Myerscough College. This year saw a raft of press releases with the Principal even spending a day in the life of an Apprentice Greenkeeper at Longridge Golf Club to help promote the specialist programmes on offer. Hits to the Colleges website were 88% up year on year and on social media the @My- Apprentice account saw a massive reach score of 1.18 Million across the 5 days. Myerscough also rebranded its Apprenticeship pages and social accounts in line with the national theme and their branding guidelines of ‘Blaze a Trail’. Here are some highlights New look and new logo all in line with Apprenticeships branding guidelines. Day 1 – Myerscough College Day 3 - Equine apprenticeships Principal makes the cut as neigh problem for Myerscough Vice greenkeeping apprentice Principal Link to story Link to story Day 4 - Myerscough College apprenticeships are pitch perfect at Blackburn Rovers Football Club Day 2 - Alex is a shoe-in for Link to story his farriery apprenticeship Link to story Day 5 - Engineering apprenticeships are on the right track at Myerscough College Link to story 2 www.lancsforum.co.uk Apprenticeships General National Apprenticeship Awards 2019 The National Apprenticeship Awards will be launching at the end of April 2019. Funding policy updates from the 1st April 2019 From 1 April 2019, government funding will cover 95% of the maximum funding band rate for all new apprenticeship starts. Employers will pay the remaining 5% co-investment payment direct to the training provider. Where the negotiated price for the apprenticeship exceeds the funding band, the employer is responsible for paying the amount above the funding band maximum, direct to the training provider. For further details about apprenticeship funding are available on GOV.UK and in the employer guide to apprenticeships. The document on the link below sets out the policy for apprenticeship funding in England from 1st April 2019. It updates the policy that has been in place since August 2018. Since the introduction of apprenticeship reforms, we have received feedback from employers, training providers and interested groups. This document setting out the funding policy is supported by: • Published funding bands for individual frameworks and standards. • The full funding rules that set out more detail on how this funding policy will work in practice and our expectations of employers and providers. Link: https://www.gov.uk/topic/further-education-skills/apprenticeships/latest Recognition of Prior learning guidance now published The ESFA have published new guidance on GOV.UK for training providers, employers and apprentices about the need for, and importance of recognition of prior learning The apprenticeship funding rules state that the training provider must assess the individual’s prior learning (education, training, qualifications and work experience) prior to the start of the apprenticeship. The content, duration and price of the apprenticeship must be reduced to reflect relevant prior learning. The provider must document prior learning in the apprentice’s evidence pack and commitment statement. Initial assessment is subject to audit checks and funds may be recovered where initial assessment has not taken place, has not been evidenced or a price reduction has not been made. The new guidance provides additional support and guidance to the apprenticeship funding rules. New leader board to celebrate top apprenticeship employers Top employers who are helping to lead the ‘apprenticeship revolution’, get more people into skilled jobs and boost British business will be celebrated through a new leader board and quality mark, Education Secretary Damian Hinds announced today. To mark National Apprenticeship Week (4 -8 March), an annual celebration of the transformative effect high-quality apprenticeships can have on people’s lives, the Education Secretary announced plans to create: • A new leader board of top apprenticeship employers – the new rankings will be independently judged and published annually and are expected to rate the Top 100 large apprentice employers as well as the top 50 SMEs; and • A new quality mark for apprenticeships – developed in partnership with Community Interest Company ‘Investors in People’ to shine a light on high-quality apprentice employers. Read more here HSE approach in respect from government funded programmes Register of apprenticeship training providers - subcontractors The ESFA have said that all organisations wanting to access ESFA funding to deliver apprenticeship training must now be on the register of apprenticeship training providers (RoATP). This includes subcontractors delivering less than £100,000 of apprenticeship training a year. All subcontractors must be listed on the RoATP from August 2019. 3 www.lancsforum.co.uk All organisations wanting to deliver apprenticeship training as a subcontractor from August 2019, that are not already listed on the RoATP, should apply by the end of April 2019 to be confident of being admitted to the register prior to August. Lead providers will need to make sure that their subcontractors are aware of this if they wish to continue to partner with them from August 2019 onwards. ESFA list of qualifications approved for funding 14 to 19 (formerly known as section 96) The title of the section 96 website has changed to the ESFA list of qualifications approved for funding 14 to 19. This website shows which qualifications are approved for funding for students who are at least aged 14 but are not yet 19 and which age ranges the qualification has been approved for. National Audit office report - Apprenticeships Follow the link to the outcome of the National Audit Office report on the apprenticeships programme. Safeguarding – Suspicious Package Advice We have been made aware that there are reports of suspicious packages being found at Glasgow and Essex Universities. CT policing have issued the attached advice note – please note the instructions contained within it for reporting any suspicious packages or activity (Members of the public should always remain alert to the danger of terrorism and report any suspicious activity to the police on 999 or via the confidential hotline: 0800 789 321).

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