Scottish Modern Apprenticeships Sarah Hart, Scottish Government Jane Duffy, Skills Development Scotland 19th March 2015

Overview of Modern Apprenticeship Policy Scottish Government Scotland’s Economic Strategy Programme for Government Developing the Young Workforce: Scotland’s Youth Employment Strategy

Modern Apprenticeship Group Responsible for the approval and de-approval of all Scottish apprenticeship frameworks. Members of the group are drawn from the following organisations: Scottish Government (Chair) Skills Development Scotland (SDS) Scottish Qualification Authority (SQA) Accreditation College Development Network Scottish Training Federation Scottish Trades Union Congress Sector Skills Councils/ Standards Setting Organisations

What are the priorities for Modern and Higher Level Apprenticeships? To meet the demands of the economy, employers and the needs of individuals Help individual employees gain invaluable skills and industry recognised qualifications To improve participation, retention and achievement rates To take account of the needs of key industries /sectors and STEM skills To address market failure To contribute to productivity and employment and demonstrate value for money To facilitate progression in the workplace To contribute to improving Scotland’s skills base Guided by Govt policy Maximise jobs with training opportunities for 16-24 year olds, with priority given to 16 to 19 year olds; because of the level of youth unemployment and the life long legacy that unemployment at and early stage leaves Funding for the 25+ age group is prioritise towards certain sectors, including key sectors and growth sectors. Key and growth sectors are those sectors with the potential to deliver increased sustainable growth and employment opportunities Level 3 and above is where we want to see most of the opportunities. Research by various bodies has show that Level 3 is where benefits to the economy and to individuals start to impact in terms of salary and career progression. Also want to encourage higher level Apprenticeships for the same reasons, as well as providing a viable alternative to higher education Level 2 MAs are very important for certain sectors, as an entry route for young people and also because that levels reflects the jobs in some sectors

Levels of Apprenticeships in Scotland Modern Apprenticeship at SCQF level 5 (National 5s) Modern Apprenticeship at SCQF level 6/7 (Highers/ HNCs) Technical Apprenticeship at SCQF level 8/9 (HND - Ordinary Degree) Professional Apprenticeship at SCQF level 10+ (Honours Degree - Masters Degree) Over 80 frameworks in diverse industries, everything from Construction to Wind Turbines to Youth Work Qualifications in brackets are intended to show where other qualifications sit on the SCQF, to get an idea of the level of learning involved and not to give a direct equivalence. Higher Level apprenticeships were rebadged in 2012 in response to employer feedback. The key differences are: more flexibility for the mandatory qualification and the introduction of career skills instead of core skills for higher levels. Changes were only for new frameworks submitted from August 2012 onwards.

Content of a Scottish Modern Apprenticeship Remember – it’s slightly different for higher level apprenticeships – the differences are the mandatory qualification and the career skills

Technical and Professional Apprenticeships The key differences are: Greater flexibility for the mandatory qualification Scottish Vocational Qualification/ Competency Based Qualification/ HN/ Professional qualification/ any other NOS based qualification at SCQF Level 8+ Career Skills Pan sector units covering areas like Finance for non Financial Managers, Risk Assessment etc. Reflects the work based requirements at higher levels

Content of a Higher Level Apprenticeship in Scotland

MA Framework Submission Process Note: The submission date for new and revised frameworks is 5 weeks before the MAG meeting, to allow the sub group to review and give feedback to the SSC and give the SSC sufficient time to make amendments.

MAG Submission Process – Points to consider UKCES Contract completion dates – majority of submissions are December – February Late submissions - MAG submission dates are set each year. Submitting to sub-group first is essential to pick up quality issues. Quality of submissions –poor spelling, grammar, format, incomplete information, demand not quantified and articulated, core skills mapping where needed etc. Consultation - not representative of the sector, focus on needs of larger employers, poor response rate from employers, lack of involvement of trade unions etc. Scottish system is different – but the end result is still a fully trained and competent individual

What role does SDS play? Considers demand evidence for Apprenticeships using: SSC estimates of demand Information and intelligence from industry, employers and training providers Government information and policy direction Prepares Contracting Strategy to reflect funding priorities Procures MA places Contracting Strategy published on Public Contracts Scotland Accepts bids, evaluates bids and makes allocations Disburses public funding Makes financial contribution towards training Standard contribution table based on complexity of framework and contribution to the Scottish economy Employers are encouraged to fund Apprenticeships themselves SDS only pays a contribution to the cost of training - typically between £500 and £9,000 per person SDS contribution is commensurate with the level of training provided and industry supported SDS contribution for different age groups reflects Scottish Government priorities Funding is usually linked to milestones achieved and generally to the overall achievement of an MA (output based funding model)

Contribution Rates Contribution rates are based on: Age group banding (16 to 19), (20 to 24) and (25 plus) Level of VQ in framework Formal, taught learning as defined in the MA framework Administration costs including registration, certification and CTS Core skills or Career Skills for higher levels Assessment costs Key and growth sector-related frameworks

Commission for Developing Scotland's Young Workforce MAs should be aligned with the skills for economic growth Focus on progression opportunities Industry-led quality improvement regime Potential to increase MA starts focused on Level 3 and above (new target of 30,000 starts by 2020) Increasing focus on STEM skills Opportunity to deliver vocational qualifications in senior phase, including of-the-job components for MAs Greater focus on equalities

Or in the delivery of the qualifications in the framework? Equality Issues Promotion of Apprenticeships to BME individuals and employers Uptake for people with disabilities is low Gender segregation in different occupations How can you support equality of access and opportunity in your frameworks? Or in the delivery of the qualifications in the framework?