Vocational progression to higher education: a partnership approach The work of the Lifelong Learning Network for Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Surrey, 2007 – 2011 www.progresssouthcentral.org.uk Foreword 2 Progress South Central: 2007 – 2011 3 Overview of our work 4 Construction and the built environment 11 Creative industries 14 Health and social care 21 Land-based industries 28 Information, advice and guidance (IAG) 32 14 –19 Diplomas 38 Progression to HE for Apprentices 40 Staff development 42 Employer engagement 47 Work-based learning 50 Research 53 Sustainability of our work 58 The team 62 Partner universities and colleges 63 contents Report compiled by Dr Emma Thomas Monitoring & Evaluation Officer, Progress South Central www.progresssouthcentral.org.uk Foreword Professor Rob Robson, Chair, Progress South Central Executive Board Welcome to the final report on the work of Progress The life of the LLN has been marked by change – South Central Lifelong Learning Network (LLN). of Government and priorities with a plethora of As Chair of the LLN’s Executive Board, I am proud reviews, strategies and plans and, more recently, of the achievements of the partnership during the economic uncertainty. Throughout the last three funded period December 2007 to July 2011 and the years, Progress South Central has demonstrated legacy of sustained embedded change. From the willingness to adapt and commitment to ensure beginning, our partner institutions demonstrated our key aims and objectives are achieved. At the a desire to work collaboratively on shared objectives heart of the LLN’s mission has been our interest to develop and support progression for vocational in the provision of an education that gives people students into and through higher education. The hard the experience and skills to build their careers work and efforts of the core team enabled Progress once they enter the labour market. We hope that South Central to build and share knowledge, skills our achievements will continue to influence those and expertise, not only in the four funded strands involved in vocational learning and progression. of activity, but also within cross-cutting themes. This report draws together the full extent of the range of projects, working within our network and reaching wider through employer engagement, information, advice and guidance providers and voluntary and community sector organisations. We have developed resources to promote the value of higher education to support apprentices in their progression and to encourage employers to upskill their workforce. 2 www.progresssouthcentral.org.uk Progress South Central: 2007–2011 Ann Stainton, Director, Progress South Central Progress South Central Lifelong Learning Network The parameters of acceptable projects were was a partnership of four universities within broad; benefits could be cross college or university Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Surrey and involve more than one institution or other and their twenty two partner colleges, stretching relevant organisations. Outcomes demonstrated from Solihull to Brockenhurst. The host institution potential benefits across the Progress South Central was the University of Reading which took a lead partnership and dissemination was a stipulated on land-based industries, supported by University requirement of the funding agreement. We have of Surrey on health and social care, Bucks New supported research projects, continuing professional University on creative industries and Oxford Brookes development (CPD) activities, workforce reform University on construction and the built environment. initiatives and linked with employers, sector skills councils, local authorities, information, advice and The agreed aims were to: guidance (IAG) services and regional partnerships. address those barriers to progression from •• In the last year, we have focused on sustainability vocational further education into and within beyond the life of the LLN and all partners have higher education that might be removed been positive in their endorsement of our work. by a better understanding of, and greater Some projects with employers have led to embedded responsiveness to, the needs of learners and change and our providers of further and higher employers and improved communication and education have created genuine collaboration, which co-operation between institutions in the region recognises the equal importance of both to the wider •• support institutions in the region to design and education agenda. deliver provision which met the needs of both We hope that some of the networks we have learners and employers in the context of lifelong created, the partnerships we have fostered and the learning through the sharing of effective and working relationships we have brokered will continue innovative practice, the brokering of relationships to flourish for the long-term benefit of vocational with regional partners and the provision of learners and their potential progression into opportunities for development. higher education. All funded projects were agreed in accordance with these aims and with HEFCE priorities as stated in their circular letter 3/2007 which emphasised: •• work-based learning (learning derived from undertaking work) •• Accreditation of Prior (Experiential) Learning AP(E)L •• enhancement and accreditation of employers’ in-house training programmes •• short courses tailored to employers’ needs •• flexible provision (at a time and place to suit employers and employees) •• e-learning, blended learning •• new types of programme that embed skills that are relevant to employers (for example HE programmes with NVQ Level 4 embedded) •• programmes designed or delivered in conjunction with employers. www.progresssouthcentral.org.uk 3 Overview of our work The scope of our work Funded projects by In April 2005, the LLN Development Group sector and timeline researched a number of discipline areas to determine Progress South Central has funded, or part-funded, the scope to develop collaborative work, with a over 160 projects at a total value of over £1 million. particular focus on vocational progression routes and 105 have been specific to one of the LLN’s four fulfilling regional skills needs. It was acknowledged funded sectors. Where a project was not specific to that discipline areas must be of interest to a number a funded sector, it will have addressed one or more of the partners and must also relate to government of our cross-cutting themes such as IAG or work- priorities in order to be pursued further. The four based learning. The total funded projects for the sectors identified were later confirmed on the basis construction and land-based sectors appear lower in of firm engagement within the network and an part because of the mechanism adopted for funding assessment of potential outcomes. these sectors: both were contracted out to partner In March 2007, HEFCE agreed the strands included universities from 2009–10 onwards. Leadership of in the Business Plan: the land-based sector in 2008–09 and in 2009–10, and of the construction sector in 2009–10, has •• creative industries been counted among the total of funded projects •• construction and the built environment shown here. health and social care •• Funded projects by sector •• land-based industries. A number of cross-cutting themes were also Sector Number of % considered and the following emerged as key for projects the network: Construction 12 7% •• employer engagement Creative industries 44 27% •• information, advice and guidance (IAG) Health and social care 40 25% •• staff development Land-based industries 9 6% best practice in work-based learning. •• Non sector-specific 57 35% As the network moved forward, two other areas Total 162 100% of work were identified in line with Government priorities and their impact on our partner institutions: The last two years of the LLN’s funding period has •• 14–19 Diplomas seen the most intense activity in terms of funded projects, with one-third of the total projects being progression for apprentices to higher education. •• funded for delivery in 2010–11 and beyond. The LLN’s Development Managers have taken a lead role in generating work in our funded sectors, most of which also addressed the cross-cutting themes. In addition, our HE/FE Liaison Officers have been key staff ‘on the ground’ in our partner institutions and have promoted and supported the work of the LLN within their own universities and their associated further education (FE) college partners. 4 www.progresssouthcentral.org.uk LLN projects by timeline Types of organisation in receipt of Progress South Central Year Number of % project funding projects 2007–08 12 7.4% Organisation type Number of organisations 2008–09 38 23.5% University 6 2009–10 52 32.1% College 15 2010–11 60 37.0% Consultancy 4 Total 162 100.0% Business-related organisation 9 Recipients of project funding have included partner e.g. EBP universities, partner colleges, sector skills councils, Local Authority 2 regional NHS Trusts and Strategic Health Authorities (SHAs), organisations with links to business such as NHS Trust 2 Education Business Partnerships and a number of Strategic Health Authority 1 sector-specific bodies including the Institution of Civil (SHA) Engineers (ICE) and The Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre at Great Missenden in Buckinghamshire. Other healthcare organisation 4 A total of 53 organisations have received project Other sector-specific body 6 funding from the LLN, some for more than one project.