[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"doc-seo-582417-105":3,"detail-sidebar-cat-0-en-105":81,"doc-detail-582417-en":130},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"ok",{"site_id":7,"language":8,"slug":9,"title":10,"keywords":11,"description":12,"schema_data":13,"social_meta":74,"head_meta":76,"extra_data":78,"updated_unix":80},105,"en","skope-issues-paper-34-february-2016","SKOPE Issues Paper 34 - February, 2016","","SKOPE Issues Paper 34 examines how the expansion of independent training providers (ITPs) in vocational education and training (VET) is expected to increase employer engagement, even as employer investment in education and training declines. It argues that the effectiveness of outsourcing VET depends on management and that key success factors for organisations engaging ITPs are not well understood. The paper highlights areas needing closer investigation to inform best practice and public policy development.",{"@graph":14,"@context":73},[15,34,56],{"@type":16,"itemListElement":17},"BreadcrumbList",[18,23,27,31],{"item":19,"name":20,"@type":21,"position":22},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",1,{"item":24,"name":25,"@type":21,"position":26},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/","Document",2,{"item":28,"name":29,"@type":21,"position":30},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/research-report/","Research & 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VET?","Question",{"text":63,"@type":64},"The government has supported ITP growth to drive up employer engagement in formal vocational education and training schemes, amid falling employer investment.","Answer",{"name":66,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":67},"What determines whether outsourcing VET to ITPs succeeds?",{"text":68,"@type":64},"Success depends on how outsourcing VET is managed, and the factors affecting engagement with ITPs are described as poorly understood.",{"name":70,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":71},"What funding reforms for apprenticeships are discussed and why do they raise concerns?",{"text":72,"@type":64},"The paper discusses shifting more funding burden onto employers, including proposals for an employer apprenticeship levy, noting serious concerns already being raised and that the stimulus for more apprenticeships remains 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education and training  \n– wider considerations for employers and policy makers  \nGary Morris, CBE  \nSKOPE, University of Oxford  \nSummary  \nAgainst a background of falling employer investment in education and training the Government has supported the growth of independent training providers (ITPs) in the hope that this will drive up employer engagement in formal vocational education and training (VET) schemes. The case for doing so is, on the face of it, persuasive but when account is taken of the variable impact that outsourcing VET can have on organisations it becomes clear that this is dependent on how well it is managed. The factors that affect the success with which organisations engage ITPs appear to be poorly understood but this short paper highlights some of the associated areas that need to be looked at more closely to inform the development of best practice and public policy.  \nIntroduction  \nThe employer benefits arising from the direct participation of employees in learning at work are clear: apart from developing the requisite skills and abilities to be productive , both task discretion and organisational participation are significantly related to better quality training (Inanc et al, 2015) . Yet over the last 20 years the amount that UK employers have invested in the education and training of their employees has been falling (HM Treasury & BIS, 2015 , UKCES, 2014b) . Many have relied on the Government remaining wedded to an industrial policy of funding investment in skills supply, which has been pursued not only to meet employer demand but in the belief that this will drive up productivity , stimulate further economic growth and improve international competitiveness (Keep and Mayhew, 2014a, 2014b) .  \nThe challenge for the Government’s qualifications-based approach to skills development is to ensure that national qualifications remain aligned to the needs of employers , no more so than in the intermediate skills area of apprenticeships , the Government’s flagship VET scheme. Current efforts to ensure that the content, standards and assessment of apprenticeships are rigorous and relevant to the needs of employers continue to follow the Richard (2012) recommendations through“Trailblazer” activity and related developments. Despite these efforts, it remains difficult to raise employer engagement in the formal schemes , prompting the Government and CBI to back the establishment, this year, of the “5% Club”1 as an organisation that employers should aspire to belong to.  \n1 5% refers to the percentage of a company’s overall headcount on an apprenticeship, sponsored student and/or graduate programme. Further details are at: [http://www.5percentclub.org.uk](http://www.5percentclub.org.uk)  \nThe Government has become increasingly determined that employers (in particular) and individuals should share more of the funding burden as pressure on budgets has increased. However, given that demand is weak to begin with, it follows that Government efforts to stimulate employer engagement through changes to funding policy are problematic. Previous efforts to shift the apprenticeship funding burden onto employers have involved progressive funding restrictions , according to age criteria and by limiting eligibility to those seeking to gain their first full qualifications at that level. Whilst focused effort to get more low achieving school leavers into skilled employment is laudable , it is inevitable that some employers have simply elected to train from this funded cohort rather than take up the strain within the wider workingage population , with negative consequences for the up-skilling and re-skilling of older workers. Nonetheless, the Government is clear on the need for further reform in order to meet its target of an additional 3 million apprentices within the current Parliament, in response to the predicted demand for another 3.6 m","cbCaiuqaLhquM976","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaiuqaLhquM976","pdf",387354,"English","# Summary\n# Introduction\n# Government qualifications-based approach\n# Apprenticeships, employer engagement, and funding reforms\n# Independent Training Providers in VET","[{\"question\":\"Why has the government supported the growth of independent training providers (ITPs) in VET?\",\"answer\":\"The government has supported ITP growth to drive up employer engagement in formal vocational education and training schemes, amid falling employer investment.\"},{\"question\":\"What determines whether outsourcing VET to ITPs succeeds?\",\"answer\":\"Success depends on how outsourcing VET is managed, and the factors affecting engagement with ITPs are described as poorly understood.\"},{\"question\":\"What funding reforms for apprenticeships are discussed and why do they raise concerns?\",\"answer\":\"The paper discusses shifting more funding burden onto employers, including proposals for an employer apprenticeship levy, noting serious concerns already being raised and that the stimulus for more apprenticeships remains uncertain.\"}]","SKOPE Issues Paper 34 - February, 2016 | PDF",1792043271,23]