Training Managers: Benefits from and barriers to WorldSkills UK participation Dr Stephanie Wilde DuVE Oxford University Department of Education 11 th September

Research Questions What are the key elements of the training manager (TM) role, as perceived by the TMs? What are the main benefits of participation in WorldSkills UK for TMs? What are the main barriers and difficulties faced by TMs?

Research Participants TMs interviewed: 36 of 38 TMs in post for the two-year training cycle preparing competitors for WorldSkills 2015 in São Paolo, Brazil. Gender: 30 out of 36 TMs were male. Ethnicity: All of the TMs interviewed were white British/Irish.

Research Participants Working context: Thirteen were full-time lecturers in further education (FE), nine were self-employed, nine were retired, and five were industry-employed. Length of time in post: 15 TMs took up the post between 2005 and 2010, 15 between 2011 and 2014, 3 had been in post since before 2000, and 3 started in 2014.

Methodology Semi-structured interviews held with TMs, face-to-face and individually. Interviews lasted between 40 minutes and 90 minutes. Venues included the place of work of the TMs, the SKOPE research office and public areas such as cafes and hotels.

Methodology All interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed in full. Respondents were guaranteed anonymity. Therefore, there is no mention of the respective skill area or of the geographical area in the analysis.

Analysis In the first stage of analysis, the transcripts were coded to produce initial thematic areas for inclusion. In the next stages, comparative analysis amongst the interview transcripts took place, as well as detailed close reading to identify salient arguments and quotes for inclusion in the report.

Presentation of the findings The findings will be presented following the pattern of the research questions introduced at the beginning. This will not cover all the findings and recommendations included in the report, which is available to download from the SKOPE vocational excellence website.

Key perceptions of the TM role Training the competitors is the main focus, as well as attending competitions. TMs also perform a range of organisational and administrative tasks, and liaise with colleges and employers on behalf of competitors. The role is unremunerated, although a daily rate of £150 may be applied for in certain circumstances and expenses are reimbursed.

Benefits of the TM role Professional benefits: Maintaining and developing cutting-edge skills and knowledge Networking opportunities Personal benefits: The ‘addictive’ nature of WorldSkills Being part of the competitors’ ‘journey’

Benefits: The ‘buzz’ of WorldSkills, in the words of a TM To see youngsters go through this process is a massive buzz. For anybody that’s involved, I'd be very surprised if they don’t get an adrenaline rush to see these youngsters doing well and when you see ceremonies and people getting medals, it’s fantastic. (TM)

Benefits: Upskilling young people It makes me feel good; it’s really humbling to know that I’m making a difference to these young people, and I feel that I’m able to upskill them and I’m able to give them more confidence. (TM)

Benefits: Bringing new knowledge back I think the biggest benefits for me are what I'm able to bring back to my own teaching practices and share around here. (TM)

Benefits: The WorldSkills family I use the analogy of a WorldSkills family, but you do, you make friends, you make acquaintances around the globe; the fellow training managers, we are extremely close. (TM)

Barriers faced by TMs Intense time commitment. Pressures of balancing their ‘day jobs’ with the challenges of the TM role. Lack of structured handover arrangements. Perceived lack of recognition, and under- appreciation of the TM role.

Barriers: Time commitment It’s the time commitment that’s the number one issue, trying to find that time around the day job which is also a full-time job. (TM)

Barriers: Handover arrangements I'd like to hand it over properly, to show them the nuts and bolts of the job, this is how you go through the processes, but sort of more so with the training, it’s developing the training plans. (TM)

Barriers: Starting out as a TM The main difficulties, being completely new to the system: designing test projects, designing marking schemes, there's no guidance on it. Because I literally had no involvement before at WorldSkills level at all, I'm sort of flying in the dark and making this stuff up as I go along. I would have appreciated probably a bit of assistance there with that, just even to put my own mind at rest to know that I was doing something right. (TM)

UK TM participation in WorldSkills TMs achieve medals and medallions of excellence with their competitors despite the problems inherent in the UK VET system and the barriers they mentioned in the course of this research. This also opens up the important discussion about the wider benefits of WSC for VET in the UK.

Selected recommendations Design a comprehensive induction programme for new TMs, ideally including an official handover period from the previous TM. Improve and expand the information on the website, with specific content geared to colleges and employers about WorldSkills. Review the TM role to ensure that it remains attractive to people with high level skills and teaching expertise.

Thank you for your interest!