1. More Than A Vision? HE-Based Workforce Development Hugh Tollyfield – HEFCE Special Adviser on Employer Engagement South London LLN Conference

2. The strategic challenge hasn’t changed: “How do we create an economy of explicit business driven demands for high skills from employers? Demands which are met by responsive, flexible, results-focused provision delivered by highly adaptive HE providers?”

3. According to many, it couldn’t be done by the HE sector.. “There’s no demand from employers” “Employers won’t pay for HE provision” “Employers don’t know what they want” “This isn’t higher education” “You’ll never persuade universities to take the risk of this untried market”

4. Stepping higher Results from CBI education and skills survey 2008 Case studies of partnership – looking at employer and HE experience 12 key issues for employers, universities and government highlighted

5. “We looked for a business school that would most closely meet our development needs” “To maintain training standards at a pinnacle for the industry, we needed to push the bar higher..” “Although we have a substantial budget for the project…our partnership with the university is providing very good VFM” “Cost, quality and business benefit are the key considerations when selecting learning and development” “As an HE provider, we have …increased the uptake by employees and employers because the programmes have been designed to meet the specific needs of the industry” “Learning should be an integral part of what people are doing in their jobs and not just a one-off training intervention”

6. Including 26 projects to transform services to employers 37 lead Universities and FE Colleges signed-Up for 08/09 UK Govt “HE At Work” Consultation Apr-July 2008 CBI/UUK/ HEFCE “Stepping Higher” Document launch 30 Oct 2008 9000 new co-funded places contracted for 08/09 Average rate of employer co-funding in 08/09 >30%

7. HEFCE’s Employer Programme 2008-11 £150m programme of action Research over 3 years: Test employer market for high level skills Stimulate new employer investment Develop new HE responses to meeting employer demand Together with: Building new and lasting capacity and capability in the HE sector.

8. Stepping higher – 12 key issues (1)Developing demand for skills (2) Infrastructure to respond (3) Right people for delivery (4) Streamlining accreditation (5) Building mutual understanding (6) Agreed objectives & measures (7) Recognising the employer as client (8) Building support (9) Adapting teaching (10) Flexibility in delivery (11) Follow through at the end of a programme (12) Funding mix

9. Stepping higher Key Issue - Demand Only 28% of employers use Universities to any extent for staff development But Over 55% of employers lack confidence that there will be sufficient highly skilled people to meet their future needs

10. Businesses which had undertaken higher level skills development* Base 438 *Survey of East Midlands businesses carried out by Centre for Enterprise. Revised results 39%

11. Know your competitors Base 153 *Survey of East Midlands businesses carried out by Centre for Enterprise. 56%

12. How important are the following when choosing your provider of higher level skills? Average scores on 1-10 scale. (base) (169) (168) (170) (169) (167) *Survey of East Midlands businesses carried out by Centre for Enterprise.

13. Stepping higher Key Issue - Demand Amongst the 72% that don’t use HE: 24% lack information about what Universities offer 23% don’t know who to contact 10% tried but felt university didn’t respond positively 42% haven’t seen a need for HE services

14. Why business should look to HE for workforce development? World class businesses succeed when their people: Possess high level skills and know how to use them Can communicate, collaborate and show Leadership Apply their intelligence to business growth and success Are able to solve problems and can apply their judgement effectively Thrive on change and develop to meet new challenges

15. Business-HE collaboration will deliver these results and more Bringing together business expertise, product and market knowledge…. With HE’s expert abilities in learning, development and knowledge exchange.. Will deliver profitable business growth and institution-wide knowledge and learning benefits.

16. But we have to make the HE sector and its offer to business more transparent so that business can connect with the vision

17. LLNs Can Add Clarity Enabling progression by promoting opportunities into and from HE Flexible learning pathways which take into account previous workplace and informal Learning and professional body requirements Support to brokers in setting up employer demand-led provision Tackling blockages in the system, e.g. credit rating and accumulation Helping providers address QA issues Collaborative approaches which draw in all HE providers in delivering flexible solutions

18. CPD programme for the Pensions, Disability and Carers’ Service – DWP “Professionalism in Decision Making and Appeals” Organisational development and performance improvement through developing professional skills Work-based learning with modules directly related to individual roles and current/future work practices Existing training in law and benefit rules accredited as part of the programme

19. Advanced Level Higher Level Foundation Level 60 credit – Grad Certificate Specialist DM and Manager 60 credit – Prof Certificate Decision Maker 30 credit – Cert Achievem’t Entry level for new staff APEL at each level plus evidence-based decision making modules

20. Collaboration with pharmaceutical industry Application of Process Analytical Technology in Biopharmaceutical processing Industrial need, driven by: Demanding new standards from regulatory bodies Limited existing industry capabilities Need for innovation and investment in new development and manufacturing processes Need to upskill the workforce with new technical and management knowledge and skills Opportunities for research collaboration and new CPD programmes in existing and new process technologies.

21. Integrated knowledge transfer programme: Longer term outputs: New undergraduate and post-graduate curricula Shorter term outputs: Collaborative research in process analytical technologies Knowledge transfer partnership Academic/industrial ‘club’ activities Continuing Professional Development Programmes Collaboration with pharmaceutical industry

22. E.mail your thoughts and questions to me: h.tollyfield@hefce.ac.uk