Sharon Bonney’s Post

The Department for Education has been unveiling significant changes to the apprenticeship accountability framework, which will be rolling out through this year. 🎯 Fairer Threshold: The 250 apprentice-withdrawal threshold will be replaced with a percentage-based one, encouraging larger apprenticeship providers. 📈 Higher Standards, Better Results: From June, training providers will face a more robust monitoring process. 🌟 New Additions: For the first time, apprentice feedback will be a key metric, emphasising the importance of learner satisfaction. Providers must aim for a feedback score of 2.5 stars out of 4. What are your thoughts on it? Share it with us in the comments 💬 The official government announcement can be found on their website: (link in the comments) #UKApprenticeships #ApprenticeshipNews #UKColleges #EducationStaffBank #ConnectingPeopleInEducation

Last week we released our latest report, Next steps: What is the experience of young adult carers in education? 🎓    It uncovers the experiences and choices of young adult carers who are exploring university or an apprenticeship and includes brand-new insight from our widening participation questions introduced in 2023. Our findings show that young adult carers face significant barriers when accessing specialist support to transition into higher education and apprenticeships, with 65% of those interested in an apprenticeship not receiving support tailored to their situation. A reluctance to share their status as a young adult carer can prevent students from accessing the support they need, and female carers in particular lack the encouragement and support to make aspirational choices and see apprenticeships as a viable option.  The report, backed by the Carers Trust provides key insights to help employers and apprenticeship providers improve the experience of young adult carers 💙    Read the full report 👉 https://lnkd.in/e7xt4yeq     #WideningParticipation #CareerGuidance #Apprenticeships 

Even the wet and sleety weather cannot dampen enthusiasm as we hit day 4 of #nationalapprenticeshipweek. Today I want to highlight one of the key components of successful apprenticeships (alongside Employers and Learners). Tutors, Development Coaches, Skills Coaches - whatever name you give them, they are a pivotal part of the delivery and success of any apprenticeship. For learners they provide the support and guidance to navigate their learning journey, offering their experience to enhance the learning experience and maximise the impact for their delegates. For employers, they offer external support and resource to deliver coaching to build confidence and skills for their apprentices. Let's give a shout out to those on the front line of delivery for their efforts and work to support learners in gaining #skillsforlife through apprenticeships. If you are an apprentice or employer, please tag in comments as a shout out to any coaches (or whatever they were called!) who impacted and transformed your experience as an apprentice. #paretoapprenticeships #naw2024

This is one of those 'looks great, starts to unravel a bit' type of initiatives which apprenticeship policy seems to attract. On the surface, great news, funding band increases for 13 key apprenticeships. However, dig a little deeper.... The additional funding only kicks in at 15 starts per provider. And these on standards with a pretty low start volume last year. So what's the thinking here? Surely the aim is to widen participation through incentivising providers to do more? Take Lab Tech for example. 340 national starts last year. Pretty much means anyone with a cohort of 15 is doing well already. If you want more providers to build their numbers, surely you fund each start. Incentives only work if you can achieve them. Anyone agree, or have I missed something? #apprenticeships https://lnkd.in/eGa5GbVT

🌟 End of Week Reflection 🌟 As my week winds down and National Apprenticeship Week approaches, a time when the spotlight shines brightly on apprenticeships, I find myself reflecting on my journey so far in my new role at Nottingham College. These months have been filled with immense learning and growth in a hugely supportive working environment, reaffirming my commitment to the further education and skills sector, specifically apprenticeships. 📚 From Apprentice to Advocate 📚 Having completed a Level 5 apprenticeship myself, I understand the transformative power of learning skills in a workplace, supported by expert teaching. This personal experience fuels my passion for advocating for apprenticeships and recognising them as a transformative educational path. 🚧 Overcoming Challenges 🚧 Challenges such as employer engagement and allocating off-the-job training time are ever-present, but the mission for all should be the same - to make a difference. Improving the impact for every single apprentice is not just a goal; it's a necessity. 🎯 Focused on Quality and Support 🎯 My focus is clear – to enhance the quality and standard of the apprenticeship journey from one end right through to the other, providing support and guidance to all those involved. Our apprentices deserve the best. 💪 Proud to Represent Apprenticeships 💪 And while National Apprenticeship Week next week is an important time to celebrate and recognise apprenticeships, I am dedicated to shining the spotlight on them every other week of the year, too. Looking back at these past months, I am proud to represent apprenticeships and the further education and skills sector. It's exciting to empower, educate, and elevate the next generation of skilled professionals. I do not shy away from raising the profile of apprenticeships and will never apologise for ensuring they get equal recognition and appreciation. I will bang the drum 🥁 loud and proud. Happy Weekend Everyone! 😊 #NottinghamCollege #Apprenticeships #FurtherEducationAndSkillsSector #SkillsDevelopment #CareerJourney #EducationAdvocate #NationalApprenticeshipWeek #NAW2024 #Reflection

Have you checked out this exclusive article by Skills Minister Robert Halfon MP for #NAW2024: A big number worth celebrating Rob shares: 👉 There were fewer than half a million people doing apprenticeships in 2009/10. Those training programmes had no requirement to last at least a year, and no minimum guided learning hours. Last year over 750,000 people participated in apprenticeships 👉This academic year we’ve already seen 130,830 apprenticeship starts (August-October 2023), up 7% on the same period the previous year. 👉The number of young people under 25 starting an apprenticeship is up by 6%, at 78,960 starts, the number of achievements is up 22% so far this academic year, with 37,400 people passing their #apprenticeship Rob shares more on Social justice incl. Care-leavers, Disabled Apps and the Teacher Degree Apprenticeship ... and the Ronseal Levy (don't worry... it is not a new busy word... but Rob explains that he sees the Apprenticeship Levy as the Ronseal Levy – it does what it says on the tin)! Check it out below: https://lnkd.in/euGdspmJ #NAW2024 #NAW #NationalApprenticeshipWeek #ApprenticeshipLevy #SocialJustice #ApprenticeshipStarts #ApprenticeshipData #TDA #TeacherDegreeApprenticeships #CareLeavers #Skills #Levy

Can you spare 12 minutes for the Apprenticeship Ireland survey to help inform educators on how they can continue to deliver world class apprentices and support those who are currently completing apprentices in Ireland:

🌟 Navigating Apprenticeship Jargon: Level Up Your Knowledge! 🌟 Already familiar with basic apprenticeship terms? It’s time to dive deeper! 🚀 In Part 2 of "How to Speak Apprenticeship," we break down essential acronyms like ETPL, LEA, WIOA, and RAPIDS, plus explore the role of Apprenticeship Training Committees. Knowing these terms will help you navigate partnerships, funding opportunities, and compliance like a pro. 💼🔧 📝 Ready to expand your vocabulary? Check out the full blog to get a step ahead in your apprenticeship journey: Read More 📚 https://zurl.co/G7gd #Apprenticeships #WorkforceDevelopment #SkilledTrades #ETPL #WIOA #CareerGrowth

Another learner appreciation post 👨🏼🎓 Since the change from frameworks to standards, and the introduction of EPA, the elusive “Distinction” grade has been few and far between, within FESS. I don’t know the statistics, so won’t even pretend, but what I do know is that our “Pass” grades at Training 2000 Ltd are something to shout about, and most of our learners usually score 2/3 distinctions on EPA, but rarely the desired 3/3. So, when you do have a learner that does achieve an overall Distinction, it’s certainly something to write home about! A huge well done to Jack Nicholls from Howsons NetConnect for achieving his apprenticeship, with his Distinction. You’ll no doubt be a credit to the industry, Jack. All the very best for the future. #Training2000 #Apprenticeships #FESS #FireandSecurity

Exciting News! SIAS launches our inaugural National Advisory Committee! We are thrilled to be able to announce in National Apprenticeship Week 2024, the establishment of the SIAS National Advisory Committee, a pivotal initiative aimed at supporting strategic direction and fostering innovation within the apprenticeships and skills sectors we support. The committee includes selected members representing a diverse array of perspectives from across the skills and apprenticeships sector. The group will advise SIAS on a range of critical matters including key sector opportunities and challenges, policy development, product enhancement, and market insights. By leveraging the collective expertise of its members, the committee will play a key role in shaping SIAS's future endeavours, and in ensuring we are always aligned with evolving industry trends and future skills needs. Managing Director Steve Smith says; “This is another bold move for SIAS, and I am so pleased that we will be joined on this collaborative journey by many of our valued industry partners and stakeholders. Together, I’m looking forward to charting a course for continued growth for the benefit of employers, training providers and most importantly for apprentices. Ensuring long and rewarding careers for anyone who chooses an apprenticeship path into STEM based employment is a pivotal part of our mission, so I can’t think of a better initiative for us to be able to launch in National Apprenticeship Week 2024!" Stay tuned for updates as we gear up for our first meeting in March! #SIAS #NationalAdvisoryCommittee #SkillsDevelopment #Apprenticeships #NAW2024