This National Apprenticeship Week (6 to 12 February), the Education and Training Foundation (ETF), alongside delivery partners AoC, AELP, SDN and UVAC, would like to extend our warmest thanks to all those who have been helping to shape the Apprenticeship Workforce Development (AWD) programme.
Funded by the Department for Education, AWD initially launched in 2021 to support staff at all levels and roles delivering apprenticeships across Further and Higher Education settings. The second phase of AWD is now underway, with an analysis of apprenticeship workforce training needs being conducted to inform the development of new CPD.
One key part of the sector training needs analysis was the AWD survey, conducted in November and December 2022. Anyone involved in apprenticeship delivery was invited to complete the survey, which assessed training needs for the delivery of apprenticeships to all ages and at all levels – from intermediate to higher and degree level apprenticeships. We’re pleased to announce that the survey received more than 1,400 responses in just over two weeks.
Responses came from a range of participants from diverse organisation types, job roles and regions. Presented with priority areas for training, respondents highlighted the value of all areas, from compliance and governance and leadership, through to working with employers and progress reviews, to name just a few. As an example, our rose diagrams show how some of the organisation types surveyed valued each priority.
The results of the survey are being reviewed as part of a broader process of training needs analysis, which involves focus groups, sector research, and that draws on the expert knowledge of all delivery partners. In combination, these training needs analysis activities will enable the development of CPD that will respond to the needs of all those delivering apprenticeships across diverse settings.
Cerian Ayres, National Head of Technical Education at the ETF, commented: “National Apprenticeship Week is a time for us to come together to celebrate the achievement of apprenticeships across the country, and the positive impact apprenticeships have on the lives of individuals, businesses, and the wider economy.
“This week is also a great opportunity for us as a consortium of partners delivering the Apprenticeship Workforce Development programme to extend our thanks to those have contributed to our current AWD offer and those who have been, and are, contributing to the design of the new offer that will support providers with improving the quality of apprenticeship delivery. Equipping apprenticeship providers with the tools they need is a vital way to ensure successful outcomes for apprenticeships for all ages and at all levels across the country.”
Stay up to date with the latest AWD resources and find out more about upcoming CPD on our AWD webpage.