1. AELP Regional Network Update July 2017 AELP Regional Network Update
January 2017

2. Support to deliver apprenticeships

3. Future Apprenticeships – the offer so far
The programme has focused on:
delivering apprenticeship standards and end-point assessment;
building on new and developing existing relationships with employers;
understanding the systems and processes necessary to deliver high quality apprenticeships.
Workshops have allowed lots of networking opportunities with providers coming together to discuss changes arising from the transition of frameworks to standards and also to consider whether to apply to be an EPA organisation
The programme so far has consisted of:
1. Employer Engagement and Business Development
2. Organisational action planning and change management
3. Delivering Apprenticeships standards - specific industry standards
4. Provider Readiness Groups (PRGs) which are self-managed groups to come together to discuss delivery of specific apprenticeship standards
5. Information sharing including:
A series of webinars covering key policy updates
The Future Apprenticeships portal which includes current information including end-point assessment and links to courses and further resources
The Future Apprenticeships provider toolkit
A one day workshop on ‘Everything that you need to know about apprenticeships’

4. Impact
Phase 1 supported a total of 638 providers and 2,757 individuals up until March Phase 2
95%
Good or Excellent satisfaction rating
1,600
Supported individuals on face to face courses
In addition to this:
A total number of 165 providers / organisations engaged in Task and Finish Groups
Total number of Provider Readiness Group unique members: 520 and a total number of members is 1,626 which includes members that are part of multiple groups.
2,600
Supported through webinars

5. Future Apprenticeships – Phase 3
Support for:
Delivery of the on-programme parts of apprenticeships
Individuals to become end point assessors
Organisations to become end point assessment organisations
Equality, diversity and inclusion in apprenticeships.
Phase 3 will provide a range of support, information workshops, online CPD, larger events and resources for practitioners and managers in both large and small organisation and will disseminate relevant materials such as plans, resources.
Following slides will go into more detail on the areas of support that are available

6. Understanding apprenticeships, requirements, systems, delivery and capacity
Workshops
Webinars
Online training
Toolkit
Understand apprenticeships, requirements, systems, delivery and capacity.
Support will be provided through webinars, provider network presentations, workshops for new providers and updates to the Future Apprenticeships Toolkit.
Support transition and planning for delivery of standards.
Support will be delivered through two one-day workshops: ‘An introduction to curriculum planning for apprenticeship standards’, and ‘Building your business: Delivering apprenticeship standards’
Organisational specific support
Tailored package of consultancy support specific to your organisation (3 days face to face, 2 days remote)

7. Webinars Higher Apprenticeships effective practice
ESFA policy update 1 – putting policy into practice: 20% off the job and other issues
ESFA policy update 2 – putting policy into practice: back to policy basics
COST - £25 per webinar
Booking:
Audience: Policy and Delivery engagement for providers.

8. The basics of apprenticeship policy and delivery (1 Day)
Overview of Apprenticeship Policy
Impact on staffing
Differences in curriculum planning
Simple costing template (to work on in the workshop)
Share best practice
Train the Trainers approach (cascade into your organisation)
Cost: £100 per delegate (£85 for SET members)
Booking:
Audience: Staff members new to apprenticeships, Organisations new to apprenticeships &
Staff who require an apprenticeship knowledge refresh
Register interest for rest of country:

9. Transition and delivery planning

10. An introduction to curriculum planning for apprenticeship standards (1 day)
Differences between frameworks and standards
Assessment plans, end-point assessment and liaison strategies with Apprenticeship Assessment Organisations
How to involve employers and others in the design of the apprenticeship
Delivery model options including blended learning
Monitoring/tracking apprentice progress
Cost: £200 per delegate (£170 for SET members)
Booking:
Audience: You must be responsible for taking forward curriculum planning and design for apprenticeships. The workshop is aimed at providers who are new to apprenticeships, those who are not yet ready to deliver standards and those who are ready to deliver standards but have no starts yet.  
Register interest for rest of country:

11. Building your business: delivery of apprenticeship standards (1 day)
Optimising internal sales processes, including the use of the online apprenticeship service
Developing differentiated sales strategies
Building strategic relationships with employers of all sizes
Differentiating the offer according to market segments
Developing robust business processes including contracts and policies
Increasing capacity for rapid business growth whilst maintaining quality
Cost: £200 per delegate (£170 for SET members)
Booking:
Audience: You should be responsible for apprenticeship business development at a strategic level and should be accountable for engaging with employers, partners, stakeholders and other agencies.
Register interest for rest of country:

12. Organisation Specific Support (3 days F2F; 2 days remote)
If you are new to delivering standards:
understand what you need to do to begin your delivery of standards or
If you are already delivering standards:
agree an action plan to show you how to meet your aims as a provider of high quality standards
be able to target specific areas of your business to receive support
understand effective approaches to successful delivery of standards
Cost: £2200 per consultancy
Audience: This is whole organisation support. It can also be tailored to small groups of providers as long as you have common delivery models and agree to share processes. You will be expected to commit to working with the person providing support and to agree specific targets to be achieved by the end of the support
Register your interest:

13. Delivery of apprenticeship standards

14. Starting the delivery of apprenticeship standards – 1 day Workshop details
Digital
Engineering and Manufacture
Customer Services and Business Admin
Construction and Maintenance
Warehousing and Logistics
Adult Care
Healthcare & Dental
Hair and Beauty
Leadership and Management
TBC
To help providers to be able to start delivery of specific apprenticeship standards, will include tools and resources to support the development of a practical, robust implementation plan
Target Audience: this workshop is aimed at curriculum managers, quality leads and those with an influencing role within their organisation for existing or planned apprenticeship delivery
Cost: £200 per delegate (£170 for SET members)

15. Accelerating the delivery of apprenticeship standards – 2 day Workshop
Accountancy and Finance
Digital
Adult care, Healthcare and Dental
Engineering and Manufacturing
Construction and Maintenance
Retail
Customer Service
Team Leading and Management
For providers who have moved on to starting preparation to delivery (or already deliver) apprenticeship standards, have identified standards to deliver in the short-term and/or have an idea of standards to delivery in the longer-term, including any areas for development and growth
Target Audience:
Leading (or have an overview of) the apprenticeship delivery of sector specific standards in your team/organization
Know ‘the wiring’ of your organization – who leads different teams; how they can be brought together
Be able to cascade lea4ning from the workshops and question planning and delivery decisions
Be able to commit to both face-to-face workshops
Cost £350 per delegate ( for SET members)

16. Improving the delivery of apprenticeship standards….
Two ‘Advanced approaches for delivering apprenticeship standards’ one-day seminars with key speakers and workshops on a range of topics including innovative curriculum planning and working with employers to deliver apprenticeship standards
The outcomes of these seminars will be to help providers:
Put innovative delivery approaches into place
Differentiate their offer to employers
Add value to their apprenticeship offer
Offer cost effective training packages
Design apprenticeship programmes that secure the best outcomes for learners
Target audience: suitable for all staff responsible for planning the delivery and design of apprenticeships
Dates:
20th July (Coventry)
27th September (Manchester)

17. ….Breakout Workshops Delivering apprenticeship standards
Supporting SEND learners into apprenticeships delivery
Innovative curriculum planning
Building your business
Preparing apprentices for gateway
Teach Too/Outstanding Teaching, Learning and Assessment
Working with employers to deliver apprenticeship standards
The digital apprentice
Cost: £100 per delegate (£85 for SET members)
Booking for Coventry event:   
Register interest for Manchester:

18. End Point Assessment

19. Support for Assessors To help understand what makes a good assessor
3 large scale events featuring key note speakers, plenary and workshop sessions
Opportunity to meet AAOs and understand their requirements
Access to online self-assessment to identify CPD needs and help you choose workshop sessions to attend
Support for Assessors:
3 large scale events – Kick-start your preparations and CPD as an End Point Assessor
Bookings available from July 2017 ( to register your interest)

20. Support for Organisations
One day workshops to equip you to make practical preparations for your organisation’s involvement in EPA
Self-assessment decision making tool and action plan template to map the process of either:
Becoming an Apprenticeship Assessment Organisation (AAO), or
Collaborating with others to deliver End Point Assessment (EPA)
Cost: £200 per delegate (£170 for SET members)
Audience:
Packages will support organisations who are considering getting involved in end-point assessment.
You should be a leader or manager from an organisation aiming to be involved in the end-point-assessment of apprenticeship standards.
For example: Awarding organisations; Universities; Independent apprenticeship and training providers; Further Education Colleges; Employers; Local Authorities; Third Sector Providers.
You should be in a leadership position that will allow you take decisions on the implementation of your organisation's end-point-assessment strategy.
You will use a self-assessment decision-making tool and action plan, to map the process of either becoming an Apprenticeship Assessment Organisation (AAO), or collaborating with others to deliver end-point assessment.

21. In House Support Events
All courses advertised through Future Apprenticeships can be delivered on a provider’s premises
2 day packages of support can be condensed into one day
Provider would be responsible for sourcing the venue and all catering arrangements
Comprehensive pack of training materials is provided for each delegate
Please for further information and prices

22. Bursary Support for ITPs
ETF bursary fund targeted at small ITPs who may face barriers to accessing CPD support.
Designed to improve access by offering discounts on course fees, reducing the cost of travel and, in some circumstances, paying for overnight accommodation
ITPs must be on the ROTO and have 250 (or fewer) learners in training)
Please click here for complete details and on-line application form
ITPs who meet the eligibility criteria will be able to apply for a discount (up to a maximum of £ per person) on any course offered by ETF between June 2017 and the end of October 2017.  They will also be able to request support with travel and accommodation (the amount of funding made available for this will be decided on a case by case basis at the point of application).  No more than two people from a single organisation will be able to apply for the support within each financial year.  

23. Equality Diversity and Inclusion
A free 2-hour course for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion for apprenticeship providers is available.
Following the new apprentice journey through 7 core modules.
Includes in-depth modules on mental health in apprenticeships:
Building awareness, capacity & capability of practitioners;
Effective models and examples of accessible and inclusive apprenticeships
The programme offers support in equality, diversity and inclusion in apprenticeship delivery. This is available now.
A free two hour course which has been developed to helps teachers and trainers to work through equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) considerations at all stages of apprenticeship delivery – from marketing and business development, to employer engagement, induction, on-programme training, assessment and progression.
Starting with a self-assessment ‘confidence audit’, participants work through seven core modules reflecting the apprenticeship journey. Each module helps participants consider the prominent EDI barriers for apprentices and how these can be overcome. The course allows participants to complete the confidence audit again at the end, to assess how their understanding and confidence has grown.
There will be particular in-depth modules on mental health in apprenticeships and an element of this work will include developing case studies to show effective models of practice.

24. Future Apprenticeships Toolkit.
Lots of free resources developed throughout the FA programme to use within your organisations – continually updated

25. List of partners involved in the FA Project – AELP Lead

26. Contact details
Access support through courses, the provider toolkit, webinars, resources and information through the portal:

27. Apprenticeship Reforms

28. Anne Milton – First speech to the sector at the AELP National Conference
Six key announcements:
1) A guidance document has now been published regarding examples of 20% off-the-job training delivery.
2) Providers who made business cases following non-levy allocations will receive a written response - 42 providers will have increased allocations.
3) Non-levy growth requests would begin in July 2017.
4) The non-levy tender, currently paused will be scrapped, in favour of -
5) The introduction of a new non-levy tender in July 2017, for contracts and allocations from January 2018-April However, this will only be available to those already on the Register of Apprenticeship Training Providers. (We await further details on this.)
6) There will be another opportunity to apply to be on RoATP, but it will be limited to levy-funded provision only.
Access Anne’s speech in full including Q&A

29. ESFA Publish AEB Funding Rules
ESFA have published version 1 of the Adult Education Budget funding rules 2017 to 2018, which are available here.  Please note this version does not contain the performance management rules, which will be published in version 2 when procurement results have been announced.
Notifications of contract award will now be made at the end July As a result, the ESFA will now be extending the existing 2016/2017 contracts for Adult Education Budget (AEB) services for a three-month period, until 31st October 2017 (see note below)
This extension reinstates the original time period scheduled to occur between the result notification and contract start date, and means that contracts awarded through this AEB procurement exercise will now be for an initial nine-month period only, running from 1 November 2017 to 31st July 2018, with possible extensions for up to two 12 month periods at the ESFA’s discretion. The ESFA will shortly be writing to existing AEB providers to confirm the details of these arrangements.

30. IfA begin recruitment of Route Panels
The Institute wishes to recruit up to 150 new panel members.  This is a great opportunity for Employers and experts from across different industries to take an active role in shaping apprenticeships across England. The application details can be found on this link with a closing date for applications of midday on the 4th of August 2017.
The press release announcing the exercise can be found here. 
Route panels are employer-led groups formed of experts from within a particular industry sector, and are a key part of the new technical and professional education reforms. The Institute for Apprenticeships oversees 15 route panels in total, each covering different sectors such as agriculture, social care or legal and finance. Their aim is to review the quality of standards for apprenticeships and make sure they provide the right basis for future employment.

31. Apprenticeship Recruitment Survey
AELP and GetMyFirstJob have launched a survey to get a snapshot view of the recruitment market for apprentices following the levy’s introduction.   Aimed at AELP members and training providers across the UK, this survey will give an insight into the key challenges facing training providers in recruiting new apprentices for employers. The Survey should only take a few minutes to complete and can be accessed via

32. AELP Regional Network Activity - Update
Initial meetings now held with North, Central, South and London East and quarterly meeting dates have now been agreed for the next 12 months. An opportunity for the AELP Senior Management Team to give and receive information directly to and from local regional networks Chairs and management Meetings will be attended by Mark Dawe, Jane Hickie or CPO Simon Ashworth with secretariat support from an AELP representative. If you would like further information on this please speak to your local network Chair.

33. Recent AELP Publications
Warwick research confirms government needs to act fast on sharply falling apprenticeship numbers: research-confirms-government-needs-to-act/ The Impacts of the Apprenticeship Levy: Findings from the employer survey: the-apprenticeship-levy-findings-fr/ AELP Briefing Paper No 47 Apprenticeship Levy: Questions and Answers (May 2017 Update) briefing-paper-no-47-apprenticeship-levy-ques/
See for full list of publications