Vice Chair Geoff Mount

Minutes of the North East Learning Providers’ meeting held on Thursday 23 March 2017 in the Holiday Inn, Washington commencing at 10.00am

1. Present

Chair – Malcolm Armstrong

Vice chair – Geoff Mount

Treasurer – Denise Wilson

Secretary – David Baker

Representatives from the following member organisations:

Access Training

Babcock Training

Baltic Training

Barnardos

Derwentside College

Group Horizon

Hays Travel

Key Training

KF Training

LearnDirect

Mesma

Milltech

MTC (Sunderland University)

NEETA

Release Potential

ROVE

SETA

Springboard Sunderland

TESDA

TyneNorth Training

NELP

Guests

AELP – Cheryl Swales

AOC – Gillian Miller & Ray Snowden

DEP – Bernie Topham

NE LEP – Denis Heaney

SFA – Becky Cooper (for Paul Johnson)

2. Apologies for Absence

Miriam Jamieson (UXL); Carole Winter (NHS Assessment Centre); Simon Bowker (Pearson); Kevin Brennan (BL Training); Carolyn Mount (NYA); Allan McNaught (TTS); Sharon Staindby (Catch-22)

3. Chair’s Welcome

The Chair (Malcolm Armstrong) welcomed all to this meeting of North East Learning Providers with a particular welcome to any visitors. Malcolm commented that since the last meeting we have had the publication of the Register of Apprenticeship Training Organisations. Obviously there’s some controversy over who has not got through, and in some cases who did. For those NELP members who didn’t get onto the register Malcolm offered his support if he can help in any way and would hope that other members would do likewise. Alison Washbourne of Group Horizon also offered her support.

However, Malcom considered that the most important (and perhaps most worrying) aspect is the effect on actual allocations for non-levy provision and he’s concerned that this has been delayed. £440 million was to be allocated – not sure if the SFA will want to allocate this when there could be 100s more providers added to the register in the next few weeks! Even with 25% of providers not getting through (and he expects most to go through in this next round), we already have a big increase in providers able to deliver apprenticeships.

It will also be very interesting to see what Ofsted’s approach will be to the many new providers (including employer providers) who will be operating from next month. Ofsted is also concerned.

As the meeting is going to devote some time to the apprenticeship reforms Malcolm did not add anything more at this point.

Also since the last meeting the Network will also have members submitting tenders to deliver the Adult Education Budget. Hopefully it won’t be as problematic as apprenticeships and our members will get the news they want when decisions are made in May.

4. Minutes of the last meeting held on 12 January and Matters arising

The meeting accepted the minutes of the meeting held on 12 January.

Matters arising:

· AGE grant – to continue with the maximum available £2.5k

5. Levy and New funding arrangements – Carole Loader (MESMA)

Carole reviewed the information presently available, (copy of presentation attached):

· Co-investment with employers – less than 50 employees

o 16-18 – 100% co-investment by government

§ All employers and providers get extra £1000 (2 stages 3 & 12 months)

o Over 50 employees co-investment with employers – 90%:10%

· 20% off-the-job (does not include training outside of paid hours)

o Teaching of theory

o Practical learning

o Learning support

· Subcontracting

· Transition to new system – no just tinkering

o Standards; invoicing arrangements; assessment organisations; employer agreement

· Carole offered 2 webinar sessions before the end of March

Questions?

· Are members anticipating changes in employer profile/type from May?

o 1.3% of all employers are levy payers – anticipate more work and briefings for employers

o Add value to apprenticeships – employers will want value for money!!

· Employer agreement – prepared to share with members?

o Access – Malcolm Armstrong

o Group Horizon – Alison Washbourne

· Capturing evidence of 20% OTJ training requirement?

o Capturing off-work time as well (for Ofsted)

· Encourage members to share information

o Subsequently suggested that for our next meeting we consider pricing, invoicing, payment plans, etc – they are also big changes for providers.

6. SFA Update – Becky Cooper

Becky provided an update:

· RoATP and ITT

o ITT delayed – new updated timetable on Bravo

o Unsuccessful register applications precludes a provider from accessing ITT funds in the current round

o £440M allocated

o RoATP opened on a quarterly basis

· Follow a review of the presentation – questions to Becky Cooper.

7. DWP Update – Bernie Topham

Bernie provided an update presentation, (copy of presentation attached):

· Nationally 74.6% in work;

o But long term health issues 42%; disability issues 18% in work

· Aim is to support 1.2M people with long-term health & disability issues

· DWP and DoH formed a joint working high level strategy group

· Key consultation themes – joining up health and job readiness work

· Going forward:

o Enhanced Support Offer with JC+ offering work coaches, focussed job programmes

o 13 measures to help people into work (see attached)

o Commissioning of activities for the Districts – Northumberland, Tyne & Wear, Durham and Tees Valley

· Opportunity for providers to post offer on the DWP website – Dynamic Purchasing System

8. NE LEP Update – Denis Heaney

Denis provided an update:

· Skills focus of the LEP:

o Upskilling & developing the over 50 workforce

o Schools

o Careers education

o Apprentice provision & uptake (AGP)

· LEP hosting a number of employer focused events on Apprenticeships in conjunction with the 7 LA’s – Northumberland, Durham and South Tyne yet to happen

9. AELP Update – Cheryl Swales

Cheryl provided an update presentation, (copy of presentation attached):

· Restructure of organisation

· New offices

· New logo

· Strengthen links with regional networks

o Two way communication

o Regional meetings – North with NW, Lancashire, Cumbria and NE

· New member benefits

o Schools Week and FE Week digital subscriptions

o Partnership with Nick Linford and LSect

· Model contract

· Policy Successes

o 10% cash contribution

o Genuine subcontracting can continue

o All types of provider can offer technical certificates

· Future Apprenticeship Support Programme

o To continue with tweeks to content

o Delivering Apprenticeship Standards workshop via Tees Valley on 27 April

§ Scenario planning

§ Delivery planning, peer-to-peer

§ Venue - Darlington or Middlesbrough

10. NELEP Skills Board – David Barker

· Employment and Skills Board meeting focus:

o Skills agenda

§ High end technical skills

§ All levels of education considered

§ Finding funds to replace ESF

§ Apprenticeship reform

10. AOC 14-19 Collaborative Outreach programme – Gillian Miller

· NE – NE and TV LEP areas

· Disadvantaged young people into HE and Higher level Apprenticeships

· NE – 5 universities coordinate school outreach programme

o Newcastle University (lead) – funding agreement with HEFCE

· New College Durham lead college for funding purposes

· Awarded £7.7 M from January 2017 – December 2018

o Governed by a Strategy Group and Management Group

o Named person at all 19 colleges in the region

10. Network Business

· Unpaid membership fees

· Reminder of weekly e-mail digest published from website

Date of Next Meeting

The next meeting will be held on Thursday 18 May 2017 in the Beamish Suite, Holiday Inn, Washington, NE37 1LB (Tel: 0871 942 9084).

Annex 1

Dear David/Caroline,

As promised at the meeting on Thursday could you please send the attached information out to the NELP members.

JCP School Advisers

Jobcentre Plus (JCP) support for schools was a manifesto commitment and announced in the 2015 Summer Budget. It is intended to assist schools in England to deliver their statutory duty to provide high quality, independent and impartial careers advice to pupils aged from 12/13 up to 17/18 (school years 8 to 13).

It is aimed at facilitating an effective transition from school to work, training or further study and we anticipate will add value in three broad areas:

· Providing advice on routes into traineeships and Apprenticeships;

· Help in sourcing – and advising on – work experience opportunities, using JCP’s extensive network of employers; and

· Providing advice on the local labour market (including ‘soft skills’ employers value, such as team working and commitment).

Northumberland Tyne and Wear District

Elaine Bell - 0191 5543053 , responsible for Sunderland LA Area and South Tyneside

Wendy Thompson - 0191 2208037 , responsible for North Tyneside and Northumberland

Richard Tickell - 07500 890228 , responsible for Newcastle and Gateshead

Team Manager Joe Lowery 07966 339819

Durham and Tees Valley District

Team Manager Ted Wilson 01642 413323

Wendy Gosling - 01642 398065 /

Alison Elliott - 01642 398880

Elizabeth Sinclair - 01388 646450

Julia Chard - 07500121859

Many Thanks Bernie

Bernadette Topham