CHAPTER 3 Reforming vocational education and training Learning and Development

THE PURPOSE OF THE CHAPTER To explain and explore the Government’s reform of national VET, and assess implications for employers and L&D professionals. KEY THEMES Reforming schools and the 14–19 vocational education pathways Strategy for Further Education Strategy for Higher Education Opening up access to skills for life Key tasks for L&D practitioners Reaching a verdict

REFORMING SCHOOLS AND THE 14 TO 19 VOCATIONAL EDUCATION PATHWAYS The Government must ensure: a powerful integrating vision driving educational policy overall schools and business working in close partnership to ensure a relevant and engaging curriculum effective and sufficient work placements very good career advice for young people measures to drive improved standards across the whole educational system

1997: PRINCIPLES GUIDING LABOUR’S APPROACH TO EDUCATIONAL REFORM Ambitious standards Devolution of responsibility to school level Clear targets and improved data on students’ achievement Investment in teachers’ professional development Transparent accountability systems and publicly reported results More freedom for successful schools and targeted attention to turn failing schools around.

Reforming schools and vocational education pathways: THE BLAIR ADMINISTRATION’S COMMITMENT TO EMPLOYERS (2005) A demand-led system Working in partnership to redesign qualifications to deliver skills employers need Ensuring that school and colleage leavers are equipped with basic numeracy, literacy and IT skills and those needed to make them good employees Therefore placing a greater focus in the educational curriculum on skills and understanding related to the world of work

How can my organisation influence national educational policy and form mutually productive educational partnerships at local level? 1)How can HR/L&D professionals in my organisation help to shape national educational policy so that we can benefit from future employees with the right skills? 2)How can we raise the profile of our business in the local community and more widely, in relation to supporting children and young people in education? 3)What can my organisation directly offer children and young people in education or the education system itself, and how would the organisation and its employees benefit as a result of getting involved?

MAIN COMPONENTS OF THE FE SECTOR IN ENGLAND

OBSTACLES TO BETTER USE OF THE FE SYSTEM BY EMPLOYERS A funding system requiring colleges to deliver learning tied to whole, not part, qualifications, and an allowance system heavily favouring full-time courses National funding tied tightly to courses that lead to S/NVQs and skills levels related to them instead of responding flexibly to employers’ and individuals’ needs. Poor teaching standards and low completion rates of students on courses, caused by staffing problems and by colleges’ lack of ability to tailor courses better to learners’ needs and capabilities

2002: Success for All? Colleges to receive greater control over their funding provided that they meet locally agreed targets in four key areas: 1)Engaging with employers and improving course choice in order to enhance skills development in the economy 2)Achieving excellence in teaching, training and learning 3)Developing and supporting the FE workforce 4)Developing a framework for quality and success

Agenda for Change, 2005 promised that LSC would work with colleges in: helping employers to prepare the skilled employees that they need ensuring that high-quality provision is evenly spread across the FE sector ensuring a better funding process helping colleges to achieve an improved approach to data collection and learning records helping colleges to become excellent businesses helping colleges to enhance their reputation with employers

LSC PRIORITY MEASURES, Provider capacity building To support the significant expansion in Train to Gain A Training Quality Standard To aid assessment and certification by colleges and training providers Supply Chain Review To assess how providers can be supported to grow and develop a Train to Gain offer

KEY TASKS FOR THE FE SECTOR IN THE UK’S ECONOMIC CRISIS 1)Colleges to ensure that all young people leaving full- time education are as well prepared as possible for employment 2)Colleges to use their Train to Gain programme experience to teach skills to people in the workplace that will keep them in employment 3)Colleges to retrain individuals who have lost their jobs

SEVEN KEY FACTORS RAISING CHALLENGES FOR HR IN UNIVERSITIES Time Results Stakeholders Funding Technology Demographics Scope of operation

Source: L. Holbeche (2008) Leading HR for High Performance in Higher Education; London: CIPD, Fig.4, p.15

Source: L. Holbeche (2008) Leading HR for High Performance in Higher Education; London: CIPD, Fig.5, p.15

HR professionals working in the HE sector need to: increase their ability to influence senior and other stakeholders deliver their core services more effectively use business language and avoid HR jargon so that stakeholders can understand the value of what is being delivered manage stakeholder relationships more effectively use business rather than HR/L&D data and metrics to measure their outcomes of activity improve HR/L&D leadership effectiveness above all by effective decision-making and implementation of what matters both in the short and longer term

KEY HR TASKS TO BUILD SUSTAINABLE HIGH PERFORMANCE IN HE INSTITUTIONS (Holbeche, 2008) 1)Act as a catalyst to improve the institutions’ senior leadership. 2)Develop an enticing employer brand. 3)Build management capability, especially in communications. 4)Invest in succession planning and talent management. 5)Become more involved in organisational development and in measuring the effectiveness of HR practices. 6)Support business with HR strategy.

Kier Building Maintenance: REASONS FOR THE PEOPLE MANAGEMENT AWARD The programme’s uniquely successful working partnership between the three agencies involved The programme’s success in giving several hundred disadvantaged young people a start in life that they otherwise would not have had The social responsibility contribution made by the programme in improving quality for the local community The talent pipeline that the programme helped to create for the future of the company The impact made by the programme on the company’s bottom line

Further evidence to obtain about the KBM programme What were the precise triggers to KBM’s decision to develop this programme, and to the partnership it formed with the two other stakeholders? What factors explain the durability of the partnership and its perceived value for the other two stakeholders? What proportion of young people on the programme have moved into employment and remained in work subsequently? What has happened to the rest? What were the dropout rates of learners in the programme and typical reasons for these? What specific data support the claim that the programme has made a significant impact on KBM’s bottom line? Has the programme has been replicated elsewhere?