Learning & Skills Policy Update

Learning & Skills Policy Update November 2012  Introduction

1

 Apprenticeships

1

 Skills for a green economy

3

Apprenticeships

 24+ Advanced Learning Loans

4

Richard Review

 Employer Ownership pilot

4

 Improving pathways for the technician class 5  Youth unemployment

6

 Equality and diversity

6

 Sector Skills Councils

7

 Review of professionalism in FE

7

 Right to request time to train

7

 Skills Utilisation

8

 Union learning research

8

Introduction This newsletter is intended to keep you abreast of policy developments in learning and skills as well as keeping you up-to-date on a range of union learning initiatives. If you have any suggestions about either the content or the design of the newsletter, please contact Iain Murray: imurray@tuc.org.uk. The newsletter, and policy briefings providing more information on specific issues, are available on the unionlearn website (www.unionlearn.org.uk) and also the main TUC website (www.tuc.org.uk). Please note that you can

register for email alerts on either or both of these websites.

In June the government appointed Doug Richard to lead an independent review into the future of apprenticeships. The remit of the review was to: take a medium-long term look at the future of apprenticeships in England; identify best practice and ensure that going forward, apprenticeships meet the needs of the changing economy; deliver the qualifications and skills which employers need, to world class benchmarks; and ensure that government is maximising the impact of public investment in apprenticeships. The key themes of the TUC submission to the Richard Review were as follows:  There is an urgent need to drive up the quality of all apprenticeship programmes and to tackle exploitation and poor quality by strengthening regulation and enforcement, in particular as regards minimum pay rates, duration of apprenticeships, time off for training, progression, and employer funding contributions  Apprenticeships should be delivered via a social partnership model as is the case in those European countries where extensive access to high quality apprenticeships is a central feature of their labour market and 1

Learning & Skills Policy Update

where active industrial policies are more closely integrated with skills policies  Employer engagement in apprenticeships should be boosted through the introduction of a number of measures, including more proactive use of procurement by government, requirements on supply chains, targeted tax relief, binding sectoral and sub-sectoral agreements by social partners and human capital reporting requirements in annual reports  Urgent action by government is required to tackle the major equality and diversity challenges affecting the apprenticeship programme, with women, BME groups and disabled people facing significant barriers to accessing high quality provision.

A full copy of the TUC submission is available at: www.tuc.org.uk/tucfiles/369/Richard%20Revie w%20submission.pdf .

The final report of the Richard Review was published on 27th November and the TUC welcomed the focus in the report on the urgent need to improve the quality of apprenticeships.

However, the TUC did also highlight that the challenge will be to ensure that the Review's call to raise quality also puts a stop to the shocking situation of poverty pay for young apprentices, where one in five apprentices are not getting the statutory minimum wage. The TUC press release is available at: www.tuc.org.uk/economy/tuc-21711-f0.cfm.

Unionlearn will shortly be publishing a more detailed briefing on the final report of the Richard Review.

BIS Select Committee Inquiry The Business, Innovation and Skills Select Committee reported on their inquiry into apprenticeships on 6th November. The report called for urgent reform to the apprenticeship

programme and stated that standards need to be improved and programmes need to be better monitored in order to provide the skills needed to boost economic growth. The report recommends a number of reforms, including a clearer government policy on the purpose and goal of apprenticeships and closer monitoring of their funding and effectiveness. It also recommends that the National Apprenticeship Service (NAS) have a statutory responsibility to raise awareness of apprenticeships for students within schools.

Unionlearn welcomed the general thrust of the report, including the emphasis that the quality of apprenticeships must be of equal priority to expanding the number of apprentices. All too often unionlearn is made aware of poor quality apprenticeships and this is confirmed by findings from the latest BIS apprenticeship survey (e.g. 20% of apprentices not receiving any recognised training). Unionlearn is continuing to campaign on the right of all apprentices to receive the pay and the training they deserve (see below for more information about our pay campaign).

Unionlearn also supported the recommendation in the report about ensuring that careers advice services for young people give the vocational route the same prominence as the academic route. We agree that giving NAS a statutory role for promoting apprenticeships in schools would help to achieve this. However, unionlearn does not agree with the report's support for the Apprentice Training Agency (ATA) model. In too many instances, ATAs are offering poor quality apprenticeships with low pay and temporary work because the model undermines the employer’s direct responsibility for the apprentice. The Select Committee report is available at: http://www.parliament.uk/business/committee s/committees-a-z/commons-select/business2

Learning & Skills Policy Update

innovation-and-skills/news/apprenticeshipschairs-comments/ Apprentice Pay Campaign Unionlearn launched a new campaign at The Skills Show in Birmingham with the aim of ensuring that all apprentices are paid at least the legal minimum. Called ‘I’m an apprentice – value me!’, the campaign is aimed at ensuring that apprentices know what they are entitled to, that employers are aware of what they should be paying and that the government is properly enforcing the apprentice minimum wage.

Unionlearn are launching this campaign in anticipation of the government launching a new Apprentice Pay Survey in 2013. Results from the last survey (undertaken by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills in 2011) showed that nearly one in five apprentices were not being paid the legal minimum and 5% were not being paid at all. More information about the campaign is available on the unionlearn website.

Apprenticeships Toolkit and Rights Guide Unionlearn have developed two publications that are available to support union engagement with apprenticeships – the “Apprenticeship Toolkit” and “Your rights as an apprentice” guide. These publications have been produced jointly with the National Apprenticeship Service.

The toolkit is aimed at union reps and ULRs who are negotiating with employers on Apprenticeships or who are approaching an employer to discuss the possibility of taking on apprentices. The factsheets provide concise information on a range of topics related to Apprenticeships including Pay, Health and Safety, Equality and Diversity, Time off to Study, Mentoring and Apprenticeship Frameworks and Levels. The toolkit also contains a case studies booklet which highlights the positive impact that unions are having in boosting the number

of high quality apprenticeships. A limited number of copies of the toolkit (maximum of 10) can be ordered from the unionlearn website for free.

The rights guide is designed for union reps to hand directly to apprentices to highlight what they should expect from an apprenticeship and also to encourage them to join a union. The rights guide can be redesigned, at a small cost, for a tailored version for individual unions.

The contact details for the unionlearn apprenticeship team (Fred Grindrod and Graham Randle) are as follows: apprenticeships@tuc.org.uk or 0207 079 6932.

Skills for a green economy Unionlearn hosted a major dissemination event for trade unions in November 2012 entitled ‘Union Learning and the Green Economy’. The event received keynote speeches from former GMB General Secretary and Aldersgate Group member - John Edmonds - and also Capacity Global Director, Maria Adebowale (author of unionlearn’s ‘Stewarding the Green Skills Agenda’ report).

There was a facilitated panel session examining the activity and success of the ‘Green Skills Partnership for London’ which unionlearn has successfully co-ordinated to bring the interests of trade unions, employers, colleges and the voluntary sector together. There were also presentations from UCATT and FDA on their ULF green skills programmes at Wakefield District Housing and Euston Tower respectively. UCU presented on its efforts to ‘green’ curriculums in further and higher education and Prospect presented on the ‘Environmental Science Competition’ which it has co-ordinated as a competitive event in World Skills competitions.

The event also received the welcome news that two union backed initiatives at Lewisham and 3

Learning & Skills Policy Update

South Thames College received ‘Green Gown Awards’ from the Environmental Association of Universities and Colleges. All the contributions were filmed and can be accessed at the following webpage: http://www.unionlearn.org.uk/our-work-andprojects/skills-investment/skills-greeneconomy In other news, unionlearn board member and Prospect Head of Research, Sue Ferns, is representing the trade union movement on a new group reporting to the Green Economy Council that will investigate and recommend to government how to improve upon the skills needed across sectors to successfully deliver a green economy.

Please contact Richard Blakeley (rblakeley@tuc.org.uk) for any further information.

24+ Advanced Learning Loans The student loans company is to extend loans to adults of 24+ years of age to study at levels 3 and 4 (A level and diploma equivalent) to assist with the increased cost of study, following the government’s decision to cease subsidies for this age group. Unions should note that this policy is also applicable to the formal education element of advanced and higher apprenticeships for 24+ years participants.

Loans will be available from April 2013 for students who wish to undertake study from August 2013 and the student will not need to pay anything back until they are earning a minimum of £21,000 a year: the rate of repayment increases with salaries. The government has announced concessions with regard to a £50 million bursary for disadvantaged groups and writing off loans for ‘Access to higher education courses’ when a higher education course has been completed: more details to follow.

Unionlearn has developed further information on 24+ Advanced Learning Loans at http://www.unionlearn.org.uk/our-work-andprojects/skills-investment/governmentfunding-and-regulation/guide-24-advancedlearning. This policy is expected to impact upon participation rates at levels 3 and 4 and unionlearn will be working with trade unions to find ways to address this.

Please contact Richard Blakeley (rblakely@tuc.org.uk)urther information.

Employer Ownership pilot The Employer Ownership of Skills pilot is currently testing out major changes to the skills funding regime by examining the impact of changing the routing of government skills subsidy for apprenticeships and other workplace training. This is being achieved by offering employers the opportunity to bid for direct access to up to £250 million of public investment over the next two years to design and deliver their own training solutions (compared to the normal distribution of skills funding direct to colleges and training providers). The pilot is jointly overseen by the UK Commission for Employment and Skills (UKCES), the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) and the Department for Education (DfE).

The TUC is represented on an advisory stakeholder group convened by the government and the UKCES with regard to the planning and implementation of the pilot. In addition, trade union commissioners on the UKCES have had the opportunity to input their views about the ongoing development of the pilot. There are a range of issues that the TUC and trade union commissioners have highlighted both about the pilot itself and any moves to extend these funding arrangements over the longer term. A key concern relates to the importance of giving 4

Learning & Skills Policy Update

unions and employees a proper voice in the pilot and any reformed funding system over the longer-term, especially through the development of social partnership arrangements like those found in other European countries. A unionlearn policy briefing about the pilot is available at: www.tuc.org.uk/industrial/tuc-21259-f0.cfm

This two year project will aim to promote the professional standing of technicians, recognising the valuable contribution they make both to the economy and to our lives more broadly. Unionlearn will be working in partnership with professional bodies and other organisations to develop the technician registration agenda.

The Government announced the successful bids for the first round of pilots in early October and unionlearn welcomed union involvement.

Unionlearn Director Tom Wilson said: 'We are delighted that the Government continues to recognise the essential role that unions play in promoting training and skills to both members and employers. It is absolutely vital these projects are undertaken in a collaborative way with trade unions working closely with employers, their members, FE Colleges and other training providers to ensure the best quality training.' More details about the latest developments with the pilot, including the recent announcement about Round 2, are available on the UKCES website at: www.ukces.org.uk/ourwork/employerownership.

Registration with a professional body enables technicians to demonstrate to employers and peers that they meet industry standards.

Registration provides a benchmark, setting clear expectations about what is required of a technician, and of the knowledge and skills that are assessed. For some, technician registration will be the first step on a career ladder that can go all the way to ‘Charted Status’; for others, it will be recognition of their achievements in a worthwhile and satisfying occupation.

Please contact Iain Murray (imurray@tuc.org.uk) for any further information.

 Increased career prospects

Improving pathways for the technician class Unionlearn are pleased to be a part of a new project aimed at boosting the status and skills of technicians working in Science, Engineering and Technology. A recent review has revealed an alarming skills gap between the number of technicians in the UK and the 450,000 higher skilled jobs that will be needed by 2020. The expansion of the technician class is therefore vital to boost growth in the economy, and to ensure that the UK remains competitive in the global market.

Technicians who register with a professional body benefit from:  Improved training  Recognised transferable skills  Greater earning potential  Greater opportunities for professional development.

Unions provide an unrivalled reach to millions of workers across all sectors. Unions are in a unique position to be able to promote the benefits of technician registration to their members and the wider workforce, through union reps and Union Learning Reps (ULRs).

Unionlearn will help unions build relationships with professional bodies and form social partnerships with other key organisations. We will also be developing a toolkit for Union Learning Representatives (ULRs) about workplace support for registration. The toolkit will include best practice case studies of how 5

Learning & Skills Policy Update

unions and professional bodies can work together to help technicians become registered. In addition, we will be working to aid the development of progression routes from apprenticeships to registered technician status.

If you are interested in registration and the work of technicians and would like to feed into the project, we’d love to hear from you. To get involved, or if you would like further information, please contact the project officer Lauren Usher on: lusher@tuc.org.uk.

Youth unemployment In early October unionlearn commissioned the Industrial Relations Research Unit at Warwick University to conduct some research into the obstacles facing the young unemployed. The initial findings have revealed that unions are adopting innovative strategies to develop collective agreements with employers aimed at increasing youth employment. The research is aiming to put forward policy proposals which have not received a great deal of previous attention, including HR recruitment and selection strategies, use of procurement policies and how the government is supporting entrepreneurial activity amongst young people.

The research is firmly rooted in reality. Many of the findings will be based upon the discussions and feedback from focus groups made up of young unemployed people with firsthand experience of an inaccessible labour market.

The findings of the research will feed into aunionlearn event - “Tackling Youth Unemployment” - that will take place on March 27th 2013.

Unionlearn has also recently been involved in a joint project assisting young offenders at Glen Parva Young Offenders Institute. Working with partners such as Skills for Logistics and GMB we are aiming to facilitate young offenders to make the transition into work. Young offenders

are being given the opportunity to undertake pre-apprenticeships, the content of which will also count towards apprenticeships at a later date. Officials from other prisons have been in touch to see whether the project can be rolled out in their prisons with qualifications relevant to other sectors such as food and drink manufacturing.

Over the coming weeks unionlearn will be prioritising the following areas of work with regard to youth unemployment:  Identifying positive examples of unions putting in place strategies to assist the young unemployed  Developing a work experience model agreement and guidance for union reps to use as a negotiating aid with employers  Developing the unionlearn website to promote our findings, union toolkits and external organisations who share our values  promoting, amongst union reps, the work of organisations such as Future First and Inspiring the Future (organisations that actively engage young people in state schools in particular, and give them a valuable insight into the workplace).

Please contact Matthew Creagh (mcreach@tuc.org.uk) for any further information.

Equality and diversity In September unionlearn hosted a seminar involving academics, a ULF project manager and a former ULR (now on the unionlearn staff), exploring the role of skills in overcoming inequality at the workplace. A number of themes were explored, but one in particular resonated with the majority of the audience, and will be followed up with further work by unionlearn in conjunction with the TUC Equality 6

Learning & Skills Policy Update

and Employment Rights Department. This is based on a theory put forward by Tom Schuller that whereas “employees [men] tend to rise to their level of incompetence” (the Peter Principle, Peter and Hull, 1969) “working women stay at levels below their competence” (www.paulaprinciple.com). This theory links to the work that unionlearn is doing on skills utilisation, specifically the under-utilisation of women’s skills, and is the catalyst for a short online survey being released by unionlearn this month.

The new unionlearn blog (http://ulvoices.org/) has a section on Equality and Diversity, where a more detailed account of the seminar can be found.

Sector Skills Councils Union representation on the boards of SSCs is now in place on 20 out of the 21 SSCs. Sally Kosky, the Unite National Officer for the Community and Not for Profit Voluntary Sector has recently taken up a seat on the Asset Skills board (the SSC for facilities management, housing associations and parking). Unionlearn has also nominated Diana Holland (Unite Assistant General Secretary) to a position on the board of Improve, the SSC for food and drink manufacturing.

Unionlearn and affiliated unions continue to be involved in joint projects with SSCs. Recently we have worked closely with Asset Skills and facilitated access to union learning centres in this sector to boost learning opportunities whilst also providing organising opportunities for the relevant unions. We have rejuvenated the employer and union collaboration supported by the Manufacturing for Skills Alliance (involving three SSCs: Cogent, Improve, and SEMTA). Unionlearn is also continuing to work closely with Skills for Health and Skills for Logistics on a number of initiatives such as a

memorandum of understanding aimed at promoting training for bands 1-4 in the health sector and improving the compulsory training module that drivers must undertake before September 2014. Please contact Matthew Creagh (mcreach@tuc.org.uk) for any further information.

Review of professionalism in FE Unionlearn welcomed proposals in a government report produced by Lord Lingfield for a new professional body for further education lecturers to be known as the FE Guild and a new 'covenant' between colleges and their staff regarding professional development.

Unionlearn will be working with affiliates to ensure that the new FE Guild is responsive to the voices of teaching staff and learners and the proposed 'covenant' between trade unions and employers reflects a renewed commitment to professionalism in the further education sector.

Unionlearn co-ordinated responses from further education staff and union learning representatives to a consultation on professionalism in the further education sector during the summer of 2012. Research found that 9 out of 10 wanted to maintain the national minimum qualification level for teachers in further education and consistent support for a negotiated settlement between employers, unions and government with regard to continued professional development in the sector. Please contact Richard Blakeley (rblakeley@tuc.org.uk) for any further information.

Right to request time to train To gauge the extent to which unions have engaged with the right to request time to train, unionlearn conducted a survey in 2012 and found that:  43 per cent of union learning representatives 7

Learning & Skills Policy Update

had raised policy and procedural matters relating to the right with their employer  40 per cent of union learning representatives said that they had supported at least one trade union member to formally exercise their right to request time to train  Between 60 and 70 per cent of requests are resulting in either positive approval of the learning proposal or some reasonable compromise.

These results show that whilst more needs to be done to embed the right in all workplaces, it is producing positive results where it is being exercised and supported by unions, especially through the efforts of union learning reps.

A number of employer organisations continue to call for complete abolition of the right, often as an element of wider campaigns focused on promoting greater employment deregulation. To date the government has held firm to its commitment to evaluate the right in time for the 2015 election. The TUC has previously expressed disappointment that the Right to Request Time to Train would not be extended to people working for employers with less than 250 employees, as had been intended in the original legislation.

For more information, please visit the following webpage www.unionlearn.org.uk/our-work-andprojects/skills-investment/right-request-timetraincontact or contact Richard Blakeley (rblakeley@tuc.org.uk).

Skills Utilisation Over recent years there has been an increasing awareness among policy makers that greater consideration needs to be given to ensuring that skills are effectively utilised in the workplace in order to maximise the benefits for employers and employees. In order to support the union role in this particular area, unionlearn

commissioned the Involvement and Participation Association (IPA) to undertake research highlighting best practice in relation to union engagement in skills utilisation strategies and to use this to develop new guidance for union reps. This project delivered two key outcomes earlier this year:  a research report detailing case studies of best practice in both the private and public sectors, set in the context of wider recommendations for building union capacity in this area (Making Skills Work); and  a new guide on skills utilisation (Making the Most of Skills) aimed at all union reps.

These two reports are available on the unionlearn website at: http://www.unionlearn.org.uk/our-work-andprojects/skills-investment/skills-utilisation.

Please contact Iain Murray (imurray@tuc.org.uk) for any further information.

Union learning research A useful summary of the range of research reports on union learning commissioned by unionlearn since its inception was published earlier this year. The report – The Role and

Impact of Unions on Learning and Skills Policy and Practice: a review of the research – was written by Bert Clough who recently retired from his post as unionlearn’s Research & Strategy Manager. The review looks at the key findings coming out of unionlearn’s research paper series as well as other significant academic papers on union learning. The report and the complete series of research reports are available at: www.unionlearn.org.uk/about/research-intounion-learning.

Please contact Ann Joss (joss@tuc.org.uk) for any further information.

8