The 14-19 Agenda and Lifelong Learning in the Financial and Professional Services

The 14-19 agenda can at times be complex and confusing but the GMSA has supported an event to increase understanding of the impact the 14-19 agenda will have on lifelong learning within Greater Manchester, with a particular focus on the finance and professional services sectors. 

Under the stewardship of Joe Townsley from MMU and Bob Barrett from the University of Bolton, the event was a success with presentations heard from a variety of speakers across the 14-19 agenda in the finance and professional services sector.

“Higher education must become better at attracting non traditional students…and must respond to the emerging 14-19 qualifications framework,” according to Rick Crowshaw, Progression Manager at the GMSA, who provided an overview of the evolving 14-19 changes and their impact. Rick presented a snapshot of the work done by GMSA to address these changes, including its collaborative work with Aimhigher. This is even more necessary as the nation bears witness to a shrinking student demographic from now until 2020. Put into context, the reduction of school leavers could be as significant as 70,000 unfilled university places, comparative to 6 universities!

 

The GMSA has and continues to address this situation, working in collaboration with Aimhigher through a joint 14-19 Progression to HE Forum. The common goal of the Forum is to bridge the (mis)information gap and promote progression for the Advanced Diploma. Future work will include the development of a progression framework and a parent/carer guide. For more information on the work of the 14-19 Progression to HE Forum please contact rick.crowshaw@gmsa.ac.uk.

 

Another way that the GMSA is addressing the 14-19 changes is through GMSA Pathways. GMSA Pathways provides non traditional Level 3 learners with a range of higher education learning opportunities that are available to them in Greater Manchester. To access GMSA Pathways please visit www.pathways.gmsa.ac.uk.

 

GMSA Pathways is now developing the system to work for Advanced Apprentices looking to progress to higher education in the Business Administration and Construction sectors. This is in line with the current drive to increase the numbers on Advanced Apprenticeship programmes. “There are hundreds of Advanced Apprenticeship learners in this sector within Greater Manchester and the overwhelming majority [more than 95%] do not attend higher education” said Rick. There is an opportunity here for higher education to ‘tap in’ to this market.

 

The work-based learning route can make a significant contribution to higher education, according to Karen Hudson, Acting Manager for the Greater Manchester Learning Provider Network (GMLPN). However, higher education opportunities have not been sufficiently promoted to work-based learners until recently and a priority for the GMLPN is to increase the level and scope of higher education related IAG that its members provide to their apprentices/school children and their parents and teachers. Karen commented that although there are many difficulties, solutions like GMSA Pathways can certainly help overcome these.

 

There are numerous work-based learning providers of Finance and Professional Services qualifications in Greater Manchester. For more information on these and the work of the GMLPN contact karen.h@gmlpn.co.uk.

 

Skills Solutions is the largest work-based learning provider in Greater Manchester and Su Lawson and Nicole Isselbaecher provided attendees at the conference with an overview of their Professional Apprenticeship in Management that is helping supervisors, team leaders and managers progress to higher education. The award consists of an Advanced Apprenticeship in Management undertaken over two years, and a Foundation Degree in Management delivered over three years, accredited by the University of Bolton.

 

Angela Hall, Personal Account Manager at Arden Packaging, said she is thoroughly enjoying the programme and feels it has helped build her confidence. Angela is fully supported by her Manager, who said: “Angela continues to learn from her experiences and apply what she has learnt on the programme to her work.”

 

Kim Kershaw, Licensing Officer with Tameside Borough Council, who also undertook the Professional Apprenticeship in Management said: “The programme was at no cost to me or my company and therefore I felt it was something I’d really like to achieve”. Moreover, Kim is “finding the course really challenging and learning lots of new aspects within the Foundation degree modules.”

 

For further details on the Professional Apprenticeship please contact nicole.isselbaecher@skills-solutions.org.uk or su.lawson@skills-solutions.org.uk.

 

The foundation degree qualification is an appropriate route for some learners in the financial services to progress into higher education, according to the National Skills Academy for Financial Services (NSAFS). Belinda Ryan, Director of the NSAFS, presented the foundation degree model currently being developed for the academy.

 

It is a 2 year model with 8 modules per year worth 15 credits each and learners can receive Accreditation of Prior and Experiential Learning (APEL). What has to be considered carefully is how this fits with similar programmes that are delivered in or around Greater Manchester (particularly the more generic Fd in Financial Services delivered by The Manchester College and MMU as well as the Fd in Finance and Law delivered by Blackburn College and the University of Lancaster). The intention is that this Fd model can be tailored to the individual needs of employers or a group of employers. For more information on the foundation degree model please contact belinda.ryan@nsafs.co.uk. 

 

The final presentation of the event was delivered by Mags Bradbury, the Co-operative Group’s specialist schools national project manager. Mags provided a description of the Finance and Business Specialist School Academy that is currently under construction at Higher Blackley.

 

This academy is one of six sector academies being developed in Greater Manchester. The exciting vision of this academy is to work with the local community to deliver world class finance and business skills in Greater Manchester. The academy is currently under construction to transform a run-down, tired school into a vibrant academy that works with and for the local community.

 

The academy is due to open in September 2010 and it is now at the stage where it needs to develop its curriculum. With a principal designate now in place, now is the ideal time for providers to engage with the development of this curriculum. The Finance and Professional Services SDG demonstrated its intent on supporting this agenda and would very much welcome the opportunity to meet further with representatives from the academy.  For more information on the work of the finance and business specialist schools academy please contact mags.bradbury@co-operative.coop.

 

In the discussions that surrounded these energetic and fresh presentations a number of issues and solutions were discussed.

 

The key issue was that in this sector people are being made redundant and that this may affect employer commitment to workforce training. A number of solutions were put forward:

-          Look carefully at the cost of provision to employers – if there is an increase in a recession then more employers will be put off.

-          For regulators to provide greater incentive for employers to engage in higher education workforce development. Sector Skills Councils were seen as key to providing the regulation incentives. Paul McCraith from the FSSC agreed with this statement – and used the example of the Retail Distribution Review in which one of the proposals is for practitioners in the financial advice sector to hold a level 4 qualification.

-          Recent research conducted by the CfE shows that it is not the financial cost that is the issue but the loss in staff time - the replacement cost for staff, the loss of productivity, and the sometimes unavoidable requirement to have staff ‘in the office’ are factors that outweigh the issue of course fees. Perhaps controlled distance learning could be utilised more.

-          There are working models of where employer commitment is there and that these need to be shared more. For example, the Bank of New York is supporting Advanced Apprenticeships within its workforce to obtain a higher education qualification.

 

Overall, the event was enjoyable and it was clear from the list of attendees from all environments and the lengthy discussion that was had that there is great cross-sector support for developing lifelong learning opportunities in the finance and professional services sector. There is now an obligation for this sector to look at how this develops post-LLN funding.