Adult Learning accountability agreement 2023/24

We will implement a new suite of programmes in Childcare, Education, Health and Social Care to adults seeking employment or to enhance current employment. A target recruitment of 120 enrolments and a target achievement of 90% for the academic year 23/24.

Later in 23/24 we will begin the development and recruitment of course offers in Business Administration, leadership and customer service.

• Jobs in Childcare, Education, Health and Social Care are all identified within the roles most in need within the Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP).
• The South East Midlands Local Enterprise Partnership (SEMLEP) Skills Briefing 2022 details that the occupational groups with highest job posting demand include Care, Health - Nursing, Education - Teaching Assistant, Childcare, Retail, Business Operations, Administration, Cleaning, Food - Front of House.
• Health and Social Care is recognised as a National Skills Priority as detailed in the DfE Accountability Agreement Guidance 23/24.
• In the March 2023 budget, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt announced a £4bn expansion of funded childcare. To ensure the capacity is available for these funded places the implementation will be phased across the next four years. These courses are designed to increase the number of qualified employees to meet this demand.
• The SEMPLEP Skills Plan 2022 details Education, Care and Business Administration as ‘increasing’ for job vacancy trend.

We will increase the enrolment and achievement of learners studying English, Maths and Digital Skills. We will target a 20% increase in enrolment for each of these areas with a targeted achievement of

+5% from the 21/22 outcome data.

• English and maths provision underpins all current local and national priorities. The Funding and Accountability Agreement 23/24 states “we want providers to offer more essential skills up to Level 2 in English, mathematics, and Level 1 for digital”.
• Skilled use of basic digital platforms appears highly as occurrences in the top 60% of job postings within the local area, for example 93% listed Microsoft Excel as a skills need, 90% for MS Office, etc… These are evidence within the LSIP.
• The SEMLEP Skills Plan 2022 states “During the preparation of this report, consultation with stakeholders stressed the increasing need and shift of focus towards ‘employability skills’ in the recruitment and development of people into and within the workforce.” Defined employability Skills include basic skills, attitudes and behaviours and core competences.
• The LSIP sets a priority for providers to work with employers to effectively develop ‘readiness for work’ and identify why ‘soft skills’ and ‘core skills’ may be required in different formats to deal with the changing workplace landscape post Covid. The LSIP includes IT / Digital within the definition of ‘soft skills’ or ‘core

skills’ alongside sufficient skill level in English and Maths.

• The ‘No Longer Optional: Employer Demand for Digital Skills’ report published in 2019 by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport evidences that ‘digital skills are near-universal requirements’ for access to employment. It also demonstrates that jobs classified as ‘low skill’ still advertise as needing digital

competence in 77% of all job postings. This raises to 83% for ‘middle skill’ level.

We will support improved integration for those with English as a second language, and increase access to the job market, by delivering a 15% increase in ESOL qualifications with a wider offer to targeted communities.

• The LSIP directly recognises the need to improve the offer of ESOL provision in order to support local business to address the current skills gap.
• Increased ESOL delivery will aim to move some of those recognised as economically inactive into further training or employment bringing both economic and wellbeing benefits.
• A report by the Lifelong Education Commission published in 2022 argues that enhancing ESOL provision in the UK could be key to tackling the national skills gaps and shortages.
• 2021 census data shows that 1.8% of residents within North Northamptonshire cannot speak English well or at all, in West Northamptonshire this increases to 2.2%. These are both significantly above the national average of 1.5%. This equates to circa 16,000 residents with limited or no ability to speak English.

We will offer a suite of short courses, developed alongside employers, that offer agile and flexible upskilling for employment with a targeted recruitment of 200 enrolments for the academic year 23/24.

• The LSIP recognised that core transferable skills were the most in demand requirement for employers within the area. For example, 100% of job postings in the top 60 occupations required skills in management and customer service. Please see appendix 1 for a copy of the LSIP recommended transferable skills.
• The LSIP also established that local employers want skills delivery that is flexible and agile. Short non- accredited qualifications were highlighted as the second most popular response from employers for preferred training provision as evidenced in the LSIP.
• Utilising the Adult Education Budget, the service is ideally placed to offer short qualifications to those both in the workplace and those furthest from the workplace aiming to reduce the number of economically inactive as well as increase opportunity for those within the workplace.

We will target a 10% increase in the number of learners who progress from Community Learning courses into further education or employment. We will continue to work with voluntary sector organisations, schools and other community partners as part of our commitment to build capacity of our learning opportunities and to engage those with barriers to learning. We will review our curriculum offer for Community Learning to ensure we are delivering to the areas of greatest need and offering value for money with demonstrable outcomes.

• There are circa 30k economically inactive 16-64 year olds across Northamptonshire. In order to actively engage those learners furthest from the job market it is important to offer access to courses that develop health and wellbeing, improve confidence and offer access to further provision.
• Supports the North Northamptonshire corporate Plan commitments to ‘Empower a thriving voluntary and community sector’ and ‘Promote better training, further education and employment opportunities’
• Supports the West Northamptonshire Corporate plan of ‘where people are proud to live, with strong sustainable communities, decent homes, a fulfilling job, and stress free travel through well connected places’.
• Meets the Adult Learning Service strategic priority of “Equality and Inclusion: Accessible learning for all, with provision targeted to those most in need, to help people live healthier, independent and fulfilled lives”.
• Aids in the Covid recovery effort of returning to economic activity. The SEMLEP Skills Plan 2022 state “The slowdown of the economy resulted in an increase in the number of job seeking claimants by a factor of 2.6 in August 2020 compared to January 2020, falling to 1.8 in November 2021. This is higher than the national increase for England at 1.6” and recognises that North and West Northamptonshire are particularly

affected.

We will further develop and enhance the impact of our Community Learning, Neighbourhood Learning and Family Learning courses to ensure that they focus on gaining learners the skills they need to support their personal development, live independent lives, and gain meaningful employment. We will increase the number of courses offered across the top 30% most deprived wards within Northamptonshire and the most rural communities.

• Wide access to high quality Family Learning provision helps to meet the North Northamptonshire corporate plan commitment to ‘ensure every child has access to a high standard of education’ and well as West Northamptonshire commitment to have ‘Healthy, Safe and Protected Children.
• Offering a wide variety and access of Community Learning opportunities including courses for personal wellbeing, as well as courses targeted to those most in need, meets the West Northamptonshire Corporate Commitment to be ‘where people are supported to live independent, self-sufficient lives and where everyone has the best life chances’
• SEMLEP Local Skills Report 2022 recognises those within areas of high social deprivation (including Wellingborough, Corby, Kettering and Northampton) as one of the most significant barriers for access to work. Offering engagement activity within these communities offer the best chance to engage residents in further education as a route to the workplace or community activity.
• SEMLEP Local Skills Report 2022 recognises key barriers for access to work including people with disabilities, mental and physical health conditions or learning difficulties, ethnic groups, returners to work with caring responsibilities, those aged 50 or over with low levels of transferable and digital skills, individuals who are homeless or in temporary accommodation and ex-offenders.
• Both North and West Northamptonshire have an above average number of residents unable to work as a result of long-term ill health. Courses are prioritised to support health and wellbeing measures with a view to supporting economic activity for those with ill health barriers.

We will grow the successful apprenticeship offer in key priority sectors expanding provision to a wide range of employers increasing delivery for learners aged 16+ from 75 learners to 300 learners over a three-year period.

• Apprenticeships are a key Government priority. With the introduction of the Apprenticeship Levy and Reforms in 2017, the council has continued to work with employers, government bodies and awarding bodies to continue the progression of the apprenticeship agenda locally.
• The apprenticeship standards delivered are employer led. This includes the introduction of new standards for Operations/Departmental managers Level 5.
• New sectors we wish to expand into include Schools under the banner of leadership and management (including finance) as well as logistics to significantly support the 800 care leavers living locally to support their secure employment for their long-term financial prosperity. As well as meet the skills need for logistics identified within the LSIP and the SEMLEP Skills Plan 2022.
• Beyond this three year plan a further five year plan is to be fully determined.