Employer engagement – making a reality of policy
Deian Hopkin
Chair, Universities UK Skills Task Group
Main themes
1. Understanding the demand
2. What are the challenges generally?
3. How does the sector respond?
HEFCE strategy
involvement of HE with the sector skills agenda and regional skills infrastructure and brokerage
co-funding of HE provision between HEFCE and employers
measures to support greater flexibility in provision quality assurance issues concerning customized and
workplace learning supporting increasing employer and workforce needs for
continuing professional development at higher levels the costs associated with workplace learning; and the
contribution of e-learning and technology more widely.
HEFCE May 2006
Current engagement
HEIF Knowledge Transfer Partnerships Contract research and consultancy CPD Sponsored programmes Sandwich degrees Advisory Boards
1. Understanding the Demand
Some recent evidence
Experian survey for London Skills and Employment Board, 2007
CIPD Learning and Development Survey, 2006 National Employers Skills Surveys, LSC, 2007 Federation of Small business survey CBI Business-Links annual survey Council for Industry and Higher Education
publications
What the evidence tells us…
Less interest generally in qualification than in specific training. Large companies four times more likely to deal with HEIs than
small companies (64%-15%) Only 1/3 of small companies offer any training and only 14%
training to qualification Only 14% of part-time students at HEIs have fees paid by
employer.......... and only 1% of full-time students Low level of understanding of what HEIs can offer employers
directly Dissatisfaction with the location and the price of HE provision And relatively low level of engagement between HEIs and Sector
Skills Councils
Example: What do London’s employers think?
2051 employers surveyed by Experian Representative of sectors and size Weighted for size Quantitative as well as qualitative survey
Experian study of employers 2007
Q. Which of the following sources does your organisation use to provide training and development?
Q. How satisfied were you with the quality of the training and development services you received?
Q. How important are the following type of qualification and skill for your organisation?
2. The challenges
For HE
Locating the employer and understanding the real demand
Negotiating provision to meet the demand Estimating cost and agreeing price Developing and delivering appropriate
provision Measuring effectiveness Ensuring sustainability
For the Employer
Understanding the offer from HE Navigating the complex funding
arrangements Locating the appropriate provider Overcoming a distrust of the public sector Finding a product which meets the demand Getting the right delivery in the right location Resisting the temptation to import skills
15
DIUSNational
Regional
Local
DWP HMTDBERR
HEFCE Jobcentre Plus
SBSLSC
London Skills and Employment Board
GLA
LDA
LSC
JobcentrePlus
HEFCE
Sector Skills Councils
Local Authorities FE colleges
National Target Frameworks
• Complicated funding and target framework across many layers• Fragmented brokerage arrangements for individuals and businesses
Private providers
VCSSixth Form
CollegesAcademies Nat Skills Academies
Broker
Broker
Broker
Universities
3. Responses – national, regional, local
HEFCE Strategy Regional Responses Institutional responses An employer case study
Regional Case study: London Higher Level Skills Project
A strategic approach towards employer engagement in London
Partners: London First, London Higher, Learning and Skills Network.
Funder: HEFCE SDF grant.
Guided by London Higher Skills Board (LHSB), comprising business and HE partners (plus HEFCE Observers)
3 current research strands:
(i) understanding the demand from employers for higher level skills (HLS) in London;
(ii) understanding the supply of HLS provision in London; (iii) strategic solutions to the issues identified in (i) and (ii).
Institutional case study:An Employer Engagement Unit
Revenue grant from HEFCE over 3 years Additional Student Numbers 50% employer co-funded Initially targeted at specific sectors linked to
existing core academic provision Partnership with individual employers Aligns with long-term institutional strategy.
Staff Development
Teaching and
Learning
Quality
Information Services
Research and
Business Development
Faculties
Student Services
Incl. Job Shop
Admissions
Employer Engagement
Unit
The key elements in the relationship
EMPLOYERS
Employer Case Study: Transport for London
Major developments agreed including Olympics, Cross Rail, European links, London Underground developments
Age profile of engineers problematic Shortage in specific, highly technical areas. Diminishing supply from schools and colleges
Source:- OGC 2006
UK Construction Output(Source OGC/ Experian 2006)
0
20000
40000
60000
80000
100000
120000
£ M
illio
ns
(2
00
0 P
ric
es
)
All UK New Works Maintenance/ Refurb etc
Future demand in transport construction and maintenance
2007
0
5000
10000
15000
20000
25000
30000
1988
2004
Chartered Engineers – Age Profile 1988-2005
Over 60in 2005
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
6000
7000
No
s o
f P
eo
ple
(F
TE
)
05/06 06/07 07/08 08/09 09/10
5 yr Total TfL Resource Demand - Railincludes LUL (PPP's and PFI's), London Rail & DLR - excludes Crossrail
Safety & SecurityEngineering
Assurance Engineering
Premises Engineering
Fire Engineering**
Systems Engineering**
E & M Engineering**
CommunicationsEngineering
Pow er Engineering**
Signals Engineering**
Rolling StockEngineering**
Civils & StructuresEngineering
Track Engineering**
Commercial Management
Project Management
The growth in demand
Transport for London – Potential Skills Shortages
Streets, Surface CongestionCharging and Major Projects
Traffic Signalling Engineers CCTV Engineers Communication engineers Certain types of IT engineers Traffic engineering skills in general Project Managers/ Engineering
Project Managers Network Assessment Engineers Environmental teams Transport Planning and modelling Behavioural response modelling Revenue and timetable modelling Land use planning Case management skills associated
with TWA bills etc
London Underground, Crossrail and Major Projects
Specialist Tunnelling Resource Permanent Way Engineers Project Managers/ Engineering Project
Managers Signalling Engineers Line Upgrade Engineers Communication Engineers Power Engineers Rolling Stock Engineers Systems Engineers Fire Engineers M&E Engineers Specialist Tramway engineering and
operations resource
Meeting the challenge – short and long term
Improved Advice and Guidance Raise aspirations e.g. Aim Higher; Lifelong Learning networks;
London Engineering Programme (HEFCE) New progression routes to HE for younger students e.g. 14-19 Diploma; Apprenticeships Foundation Degrees and Work-based learning Enhanced CPD in the workplace Specific employer co-funded programmes
Some exemplar programmes
Derby and Rolls Royce (Motor Engineering) Southampton and the Institution of Civil Engineers (Civil
Engineering) Kingston and KLM (Aircraft Engineering) Liverpool John Moores and United Utilities LSBU and EDF Energy (Electrical Eng.) Pathfinder Brokerage agreements (e.g. North West) Business Link (Hertfordshire)
….and many more
What next?
Learn the lessons of Train to Gain Pathfinder projects
Engage with Sector Skills Councils and the SS Agreements
In particular engage with the 14-19 Diploma consortia and Apprenticeships
Develop Foundation Degrees portfolio Expand CPD Make access to HE provision simpler
What policy drivers can help?
Expand enterprise programmes including KTP and HEIF
Reward wider engagement with business and industry including work with SMEs
Ensure HE involvement in re-licensed SSC Extend the Skills Pledge to level 4 and above Incentivise employers to invest in HE
capacity Learn from each other.
The internal challenge
Costing and pricing Determining the employer contribution Harmonising different services – academic and
support/professional Developing new approaches to the curriculum in the
light of demand New modular ladders to progression consistent with
quality Providing the right incentives and rewards Changing the culture?
‘…all HE institutions need to grow their capacity to engage on a large scale with employers in ways adapted to their different profiles and missions’
Leitch Implementation Plan, 2007
Thank You
Questions and discussion
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