Developing an IAG Provision Framework for Learners in the Construction and Built Environment Sector/ Industry in the Black Country
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Developing an IAG Provision Framework for Learners in the Construction and Built Environment Sector/ Industry in the Black Country FINAL REPORT January 2010 For Birmingham, Black Country and Solihull Lifelong Learning Network Construction PWG Project Lead : Nidhi Shah UK Education Liaison Officer School of Engineering and the Built Environment University of Wolverhampton TABLE OF CONTENTS Title Page No. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .............................................................................................................. 3 PROJECT SUMMARY................................................................................................................... 4 1. INTRODUCTION ………………………………………………………………………………………..6 2. PROJECT OBJECTIVES .......................................................................................................... 7 3. TARGET GROUP. ..................................................................................................................... 7 4. RESOURCES………………. ...................................................................................................... 8 5. PROPOSED PROJECT ACTIVITIES ........................................................................................ 8 6. PROGRESS REPORTS ............................................................................................................ 9 7. SUMMARY OF THE PROJECT ACTIVITIES UNDERTAKEN ................................................... 9 8. DISCUSSION ……………… .................................................................................................... 11 9. FUTURE DIRECTIONS ........................................................................................................... 14 10. CONCLUDING REMARKS .................................................................................................... 14 APPENDIX 1A : PROJECT MONITORING/TRACKING DOCUMENT ........................................ 16 APPENDIX 1 B : ACTION PLAN OF ACTIVITIES TABLED AT THE CONSTRUCTION PWG MEETINGS ................................................................................................. 19 APPENDIX 2 : CONSTRUCTION PA IAG CALENDAR OF EVENTS ....................................... 23 APPENDIX 3 : CONSTRUCTION PA IAG MATERIAL................................................................ 25 APPENDIX 4: PROGRESSION FIGURES REPORT 2008 ......................................................... 26 Page 2 of 26 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank Birmingham, Black Country and Solihull Lifelong Learning Network (BBCS LLN) for funding this project. Special thanks go out to Patrick Highton, Kevin Moran, Dewi Cooke and Rebecca Pine from the LLN for supporting all my awareness raising activities associated with this project. I would also like to thank all members from our partner institutes for actively engaging and supporting all the IAG activities scheduled throughout this project including Mike Rumball, John Reynolds and Hong Xiao from Birmingham City University, Mozz Baker and his Construction and Built Environment teaching team at Stourbridge College, Philip Hinton and Karen Jabczynski from Dudley College, Kulwant Rai Gautam and Khalid Hussain from Wolverhampton City College, Andy Lees , Paul Mueller and Tim Rymond from Walsall College, Phil Hunt, Juliette Harrison, Jagdish Sihre and Surinder Virdi from South Birmingham College. Special thanks go out to the Recruitment and Lifelong Learning Unit in SEBE including Phil Harris, Peter Harris and Lulu van Greuning for helping me progress through this project and help out during all my events and activities. Many thanks to all SEBE academics for taking time out from their teaching schedules to attend all the IAG events and activities that I had organised. Page 3 of 26 PROJECT SUMMARY The project is funded by the Birmingham Black Country and Solihull Lifelong Learning Network from May 2008 – December 2009.This project is complementary to the Construction Progression Agreement Project which is also funded by the Lifelong Learning Network. The main aim of this project is to create awareness about the progression agreement and in doing so aide progression to level 4 construction and built environment courses across the Black Country region. This project is a good example of collaborative working across the Birmingham, Black Country and Solihull region, as it involves both the University of Wolverhampton and Birmingham City University – the only 2 universities falling within the remit of Birmingham, Black Country and Solihull Lifelong Learning Network which offer construction courses at Level 4 and above. The lay out of the project report is described in the ensuing paragraphs. Section 1 – Introduction: sets out the project aims and objectives of the Birmingham, Black Country and Solihull Lifelong Learning Network and looks at the purpose of the project especially the need to raise awareness of progression routes learners in the construction and built environment sector can benefit from. Section 2 – Project Objectives : details the objectives of this project which include raising awareness about the progression agreement and providing a range of information, advice and guidance services to the target audience. Section 3– Target Group: outlines the target group of learners for the information, advice and guidance activities associated with the Construction Progression Agreement. There are primarily two groups of learners who form the main focus of all events/activities, they are : 1. The ‘traditional’ learners with BTECs, HNC/Ds, Foundation Degrees and; 2. The ‘non-traditional’ learners with NVQ L3 qualifications, Advanced Apprenticeships, City and Guilds Level 3 qualifications. Section 4 – Resources: This section discusses the resources required to conduct the activities and events aimed at meeting the project objectives. The primary resource required was an IAG team comprising representatives from each of the partner institutes. Section 5 – Proposed Project Activities: This section outlines the information, advice and guidance activities that were proposed by the project lead. They included setting up a stage-specific information, advice and guidance framework for progression agreement applicants, developing an online advice and guidance process in conjunction with Aimhigher, creation and distribution of awareness raising material, conducting collaborative open days with all partner institutes, conducting training sessions on ‘what is Page 4 of 26 a progression agreement and how it works’, conducting awareness raising presentations and taster days. The over-arching principle behind the proposed activities was to offer learners in the construction sector an opportunity to progress into higher education by experiencing university life and understanding the role of progression agreements in this. Section 6 – Progress Reports: This section describes the reporting mechanism for progress made on the project. Section 7 – Description of Activities undertaken: This section contains a detailed description of the activities undertaken as part of this project. Activities included college presentations and information seminars for university and external staff; attendance at career fairs and conducting workshops for students and staff. As a result of these activities approximately 600 staff and learners have been addressed on the progression agreement and its mechanics. 60 learners have progressed on to Level 4/5 construction courses at the University of Wolverhampton for September 2009/10 start as a result of this progression agreement. Section 8 – Discussion: This section entails a discussion on the progress of the project, its strengths and weaknesses as well as the benefits accrued to the school and barriers faced during the course of the project. Section 9 – Future Directions: This section contains a brief discussion on the future of the construction progression agreement within the school of engineering and the built environment and the university as a whole. Embedding progression agreements into the university’s central processes and systems will ensure that these endeavours are sustained and continue to remain as viable options for learners to avail of whilst considering whether or not to pursue higher education. Section 10 – Concluding Remarks: This section highlights the salient features of this project , barriers faced and benefits accrued as a result of this project. Page 5 of 26 1. INTRODUCTION Studies indicate that almost 90 percent of learners progressing to HE have A-level qualifications, whereas a much smaller proportion of learners with vocational or work- based qualifications (45-50 percent) tend to progress to HE. This difference could be attributed to the ambiguity attached with vocational qualifications, often leading to complex transitional routes for learners with such qualifications1. This directly results in a restricted choice of HE programmes that vocational learners can progress on to. One of the fundamental aims of the Birmingham Black Country and Solihull Lifelong Learning Network is to address this imbalance in progression through the creation of Progression Agreements which widen participation and facilitate the progression of vocational learners into higher education using established and recognised vocational qualifications. Progression Agreements (PA) are an arrangement between universities, colleges and work-based learning providers which spell out the value of a vocational qualification to enable learners to see how to progress onto an HE programme.