New Standard for Employer Responsiveness

Rachael FidlerHTP

Aims of the New Standard• The 2006 FE Reform White Paper mandated a New

Standard that could accredit:• Responsiveness to business needs• Excellence in delivering vocational training• A commitment to continuous improvement• Accrediting specialisation

• The aim is to bring clarity to the market- 1badge that can be nationally promoted, by bringing together all the other marks.

• Part A is about individual employers and how your organisation relates/interacts with their employers

• Part B is about the SECTOR and groups of employers and the outcomes are about how your specialism affects change in your sector specialism

• Part B is a whole new application

Action for Business

• Initial readiness check & mystery shop findings

• HTPs adopted approach• Highlighted evidence• Identified areas for action• Critical success factors• Concerns

Initial Readiness Check

• Initial WBL trial site• Mystery shop report:

√ Contacts were polite and helpful√ Levels of information, advice and guidance were

good√ Staff appeared very knowledgeable

< Systematic gathering of LMI< A knowledge of WBL terminology was, in some

instances, assumed

Initial Readiness Check

• In 8 areas HTP met over 50% of the indicators, in 3 areas all indicators were fully met

• In the remaining 4 areas less than 50% of indicators were not evidenced at the readiness check

Initial Readiness Check

• Key strengths

– All staff were aware of company’s mission & targeted occupational sectors

– A wide range of LMI is collected at all levels– Employers are engaged in all stages of the delivery

process– Delivery of training assessment is highly flexible– Annual employer surveys are conducted and

inform planning– H&S & EO have a high profile

Initial Readiness Check

Key strengths

– All staff participate in an annual appraisal and CPD is supported

– Training facilities are excellent– All reception staff have undergone appropriate

training– Regular reviews highlight employers not currently

engaged in training and actions are evidenced– The organisation actively seeks and promotes

partnership and networking

Initial Readiness Check

Areas for development

– Some employer data is paper based making market analysis and strategic marketing difficult

– Clearer Service Standards must be set and monitored across the company

– Employer targets must be explicit across all areas of the business

– Marketing plans and budgets require formalising– Dissemination of HTPs pricing policy across all

products requires wider dissemination

HTPs ApproachImprove Employer Engagement

Benchmark against A4B standards

Identification of evidence and gaps

Generate options

Evaluateagainst

objective

Implementation Plan

Implement

Review progress

Key Action Areas• Ensure visibility and dissemination of

the overarching annual planning cycle

• Formalise marketing activity and improve the analysis marketing activity

• Extend commercial development plans to inform long term business strategy

Critical Success Factors

• Systematic gathering of LMI

• Effectively tracking the employer journey

• Ensuring the ethos and culture of employer engagement is embedded and sustained across the organisation

Concerns• Validity and costs of LMI data

• Creating/sourcing and costs of a CRMS

• Ensuring systems are adhered to

The story so far• Asked if we would like to Test the NS• Went through testing• Unofficially told we would have passed

including section 5 due to the marks• Decided to Fast Track• Wrote and submitted application, couldn’t

do Part B

Assessment• 2 assessors • 3 days, 4 centres staff individually and in

groups all levels• Evidence• Employer validation- we prepared our

employers!• Key area section 5, 300 points

Submission• HTP submission for The New Standard was a very

comprehensive and credible document that covered all aspects of their business.

• In presenting the submission HTP provided many examples of both process and specific illustrations of practice.

• Through the document and on the verification visit they were able to substantiate the rigour of their procedures and the extent to which they are embed in the ethos of the business.

Strategy • The relationship with employers is

recognised as the foundation of the business and their ability to maintain their reputation.

Fundamentals• The selection and skill set of employees is good and the

organisational structure creates clear links across the employer journey whilst maintaining a high degree of interaction between teams supported by structured meetings/reviews.

Respond• The TNA approach is well defined and does focus on the

employer and their business needs and then compares this to existing staff skills and abilities. There is evidence of long term TNA planning for their major clients.

• Information systems are well developed in the business providing for issues to be addressed at an early stage and for activities to be undertaken concurrently so speeding up responsiveness and flexibility.

deliver• The delivery activity is integrated into the define/propose

activity to ensure a seamless experience for the employer and the learner and feedback is obtained and acted on at all stages.

Relate• Extensive interaction with employers is evident and

feedback approaches result in an extensive range of data to

inform planning and improvement activity.

Perform• Performance measurement is mapped well across the

indicators of the New Standard and demonstrates a well embedded approach. Feedback measures are in place and provide a ready and direct source of information.

• Outcomes are assessed on a case by case basis with a scoring system incorporated into the review that provided both qualitative and quantitative data for reviews.

Improve• Extensive interaction with employers is evident and

feedback approaches result in an extensive range of data to inform planning and improvement activity.