Workforce Learning and Development Network (WfL&D)

10th March2010

Minutes

Present

Name / Authority
Karen Beeson / Derbyshire County Council
June Haines / Harborough District Council
Eric Palmer / Leicester City Council
Moira Hunt / LGEM
John Day / Lincolnshire County Council
Anne Cotterill / Rushcliffe Borough Council
Jo Symanowski / Rutland County Council

Apologies

Name / Authority
Jacqui Mansell / Ashfield District Council
Jenny Rodriguez / Bassetlaw District Council
Julie Fish / Broxtowe Borough Council
Simon Hann / Derby City Council
SteveCapes / DerbyshireDalesDistrict Council
Helen Sinclair-Ross / IDeA
Jan Mehmet / Lincolnshire County Council
Lorraine Powney / Mansfield District Council
Mike Williamson / Northampton Borough Council
Brian Fairchild / Nottinghamshire County Council
Sandra Cook / Nottinghamshire County Council
Loyd Baker / South Derbyshire District Council
Stephanie Cowell / South Northamptonshire Council
Gavin McCann / Unison

1.Welcome

Eric welcomed the group and members introduced themselves.

2.Notes of the Last Meeting 26thNovember2009

The minutes were agreed as a true record.

3Initiatives with Potential

East Midlands Local Authorities Apprenticeship Agency – Chris Allison (was Item 5)

Chris delivered a presentation about the East Midlands Local Authorities Apprenticeship Agency (EMLAAA), a new initiative from the East Midlands Regional Improvement & Efficiency Partnership, working with Unionlearn, the National Apprenticeship Service and Local Government East Midlands.

The initial target for EMLAAA is to place 300 young people, aged 16 to 18 years, who have the potential to become apprentices within Local Authorities, Schools &Children'sServices, and the five Fire Authorities.The commitment of these organisations is to host Apprentices for suitable employment and training, pay at least the national minimum Apprenticeship wage i.e. £95 per week, and support the training programmes funded by the National Apprenticeship Service (NAS) and delivered by the accredited training provider.

The planned starts include 20% from Black Minority Ethnic Groups and 5% from those identified as being part of the PSA 16* category.

EMLAAA will play a role in coordinating quality assured training providers who will be fully funded by the NAS to provideApprenticeship training for 16 to 18 year olds (the NAS does not pay wage or other costs). The duration of the Apprenticeship programme depends on the type and level of apprenticeship, the average duration for a Level 2 is 15 months and for a Level 3 is 25 months. There are almost 190 Apprenticeship frameworks at Levels 2, 3 and 4.

The project has the potential to help Local Authorities and partners:

  • Deliver employment and educational obligations under the LAA/MAA
  • Meet the Apprenticeship entitlement for 16 year olds
  • Meet the Apprenticeship growth target aspiration for 1 in 5 16 to18 year olds to be in an Apprenticeship by 2020, currently 1 in 11
  • Address under-represented groups because 25% of the recruits will be ring fenced for the BME community and client groups within PSA 16 category
  • Provide the opportunity to engage with an Apprenticeship Training Agency, removing the risks associated with direct employment, yet bringing the potential to discuss the move from agency to permanent employment

EMLAAA is to be launched on 30th March 2010, at which they will be promoting good case studies to include Nottingham City Homes, Leicester City Council and City of Lincoln Council.A copy of the EMLAAA prospectus is attached.

A copy of Chris’s presentation is attached for information.

*PSA 16 = Care leavers, adult offenders under probation supervision, adults in contact with secondary mental health services, adults with moderate to severe learning difficulties.

4Nominations for New Chair and Vice Chair for 2010/2011 (was Item 3)

In accordance with the terms of reference for the network, Eric’s term of office as Chair of the network is about to come to an end, therefore there will be a need for a new Chair Vice Chair.. As there were only a small number of attendees at the network, it was agreed that nominations should be made via email to either Becky or Moira.

  1. Learning Management Systems (was Item 4)

Network Discussion

Eric explained the rationale of this item i.e. do any authorities have an effective mechanism for pulling together development needs at a strategic level with the development needs at an operational level? What software do network members use to compile development needs through the appraisal process?

Karen reported that Derbyshire County Council (DCC) are going to add a SAP HR system (to include personnel and administration) to the LDS training system already, to address strategic, operational and individual levels. The idea to undertake this resulted from a DCC visit to Warburtons (Bakery) who are using this system effectively.

Karen said that she would be happy to discuss this in more detail at a future event.

  1. Initiatives with Potential (was Item 5)

National Apprenticeship Service – Tracey Waterfield

Apprenticeship Training Agency – Giles Holmes, NAS

Tracey Waterfield, Employer Services Manager, National Apprenticeship Service (NAS)delivered a presentation on the National Apprenticeship Service, highlighting Apprenticeships and the Public Sector. Tracey is the NAS Public Sector sub regional lead for Leicestershire.

There are currently 190 apprenticeship frameworks in existence available at Levels 2, 3 and 4, across 80 sectors.

Examples of which included:-

  • Accounting
  • Active Leisure and Learning
  • Advice and Guidance
  • Business and Administration
  • Children’s care, Learning and Development
  • Community Development
  • Community Justice
  • Construction

Tracey informed the network about the Public Sector Targets of 21,000 apprenticeship places and about the activity within Leicestershire.

Tracey is contactable via e-mail.

A copy of Tracey’s presentation is attached for information.

More information can be found on the NAS website:

Giles Holmes,Employer Services Manager, National Apprenticeship Service (NAS)outlined the aims and how the Apprenticeship Training Agency (ATA) at Leicester College will work. The role of the ATA is to raise awareness and participation in apprenticeships with host employers and young adults.

Leicester College will act as recruitment and HR consultancy, fully employ the apprentices, pay them a weekly wage of £95 per week and manage their terms and conditions. The apprentice will then be seconded to the host employer. The host employer can try an apprentice without incurring any of the HR and recruitment costs, which is in effect a risk free way of employing a young person. The host employers will be charged £104.50 per week for the apprentice. The host employer’s responsibility will be to:-

  • Ensure the apprentice has a job induction;
  • Assigned a supervisor;
  • Designate work tasks;
  • Ensure they attend apprentice’s training;
  • Maintain contact with Leicester College;
  • Set aside time to review the apprentice’s progress.

Leicester College are hoping to get 160 starts by the end of July 2010 within Leicestershire.

The person to contact at Leicester College is: Matthew Green, Head of the Apprenticeship Training Agency.

Matthew’s contact details are:

E-mail address:-

Tel No: (0116) 2295521

A copy of Giles’ presentation is attached for information.

6.Any Other Business

June Haines asked if anyone had taken part in any of the Total Place pilots.

“A whole area approach to public services sets out a new direction for local public services and significant new freedoms from central control.It is based on extensive work over the last year by 63 local authorities, 34 primary care trusts, 13 police authorities and other partners, with more than 70 other local areas engaged in similar it is an Learning and Development pilot.”

It was suggested that an authority who had been involved in one of the pilots could attend a future meeting to talk on this subject. Moira to action.

More information can be found at :

Moira advised the group that she had attended a Train the Trainer for Workforce Planning, from which the training materials have been made available on the IDeA ‘Workforce Matters’ CoP.

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Please click on the hyperlink below for access to the training materials:

7.Date of Next Meeting

The next Workforce Learning and Development Network meeting is scheduled forWednesday 23 June2010 at 10am, in the East Midlands Councils Conference Room, Melton Mowbray.

Future Meeting Dates:

Wednesday 23 June 2010

Thursday 16 September 2010

Thursday 25 November 2010