The Department for Education is working in partnership with the Education and Training Foundation (ETF) to offer high-quality professional development support to teachers, trainers and leaders delivering T Levels from 2020 onwards.

Through the T Level Professional Development offer there is an opportunity for 2020, 2021 and future T Level providers to participate in sector-led, collaborative action research projects, known as Teacher Regional Improvement Projects (TRIPs).

TRIPs should aim to develop teaching practice in preparation for T Levels and ultimately ensure that learners undertaking T Levels develop the knowledge, skills, behaviours and competencies required, and understand how they are applied in the occupation they want to progress into.

50 collaborative TRIPs will be funded across England. 31 TRIPs were commissioned in June 2019. Profiles of the 31 TRIPs are available on the ETF website. 

This inviation to tender is for the remaining 19 TRIPs, which can be delivered on a national or regional level.

£45,000 will be awarded to each TRIP.

£20,000 is for project funding while the remaining £25,000 will be allocated for TRIP participants to access remission funding to allow them to participate in the wider T Level Professional Development offer.

Further information on available CPD can be found on the ETF website. Only providers who participate in TRIPs will be eligible to access remission funds. 

Each TRIP must involve a minimum of four organisations; one of which must be a 2020 T Level provider. One organisation must be appointed as the project lead.  

Each TRIP is managed and supported by one of the three Knowledge Hubs operating in their area:

• Region 1 (North West, North East, Yorkshire and Humberside) – managed by the Association of Colleges
• Region 2 (East and West Midlands, Eastern and London) – managed by Skills and Education Group
• Region 3 (South East and South West) – managed by Creative Education

For further information and to apply to deliver a TRIP, please download the following documents:

TLPD TRIP guidance to applicants – August 2019 .pdf

TLPD TRIP guidance to applicants – August 2019 .docx

The deadline to apply is 12pm Friday 11 October 2019.

Applications should be submitted to the T Level Knowledge Hub in the lead organisation’s region, using the contact details above.

If you are interested in being involved in a TRIP and would like some further guidance on delivery and sourcing project partners, please contact the T Level Knowledge Hub in your region please contact projects@aoc.co.uk

The Government Education Committee is looking into the benefits of adult skills and lifelong learning to the individual, society and the wider economy.

They are also exploring the level of support available to learners, and the role played by local authorities/combined authority areas in providing adult education.

They would like to hear your views and experiences of adult learning.

On average this survey takes around 3 minutes. Follow the link below to access the survey.

This paper summarises the research literature on three forms of work-related learning: work experience placements, job shadowing and workplace visits.

It draws together the available evidence on the effectiveness of these three activities and highlights lessons for good practice. This information may be used by schools, colleges and providers of work-related learning in order to support the programmes they deliver in these areas. 

https://www.teesvalleycareers.com/education/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2019/02/What-works-experience-of-works-Benchmark-6.pdf

Several organisations have come together to create the UK’s first universal framework for essential skills

The Essential Skills Taskforce, made up of the CIPD, The Careers & Enterprise Company, Business in the Community (BITC), the Gatsby Foundation, EY Foundation and the Skills Builder Partnership, aims to address employers’ growing need for a more rounded set of skills, such as critical thinking and creativity.

Due to launch in 2020, the framework will consist of a set of apps and online tools to provide candidates with a better idea of the skills required to succeed in a role, help employers hire the right people, and show what progression will look like for each different skill so employers can map out how to upskill or reskill workers.

The framework will also be geared towards making educators aware of the skills employers need so they can ensure students are well equipped to join the modern workforce.

Employers from a range of sectors will be consulted about the framework and it will go through several development stages. The final version is expected to be published in Spring 2020.

Chief executive of the Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA) Matthew Taylor called for a universal skills framework in his review of modern working practices in 2017.

He welcomed the creation of a new Essential Skills Taskforce: “With the nature of work continuing to evolve, it is challenging to predict exactly what technical abilities and skills will be needed in years to come. However, there’s growing recognition that the core skills, which are essentially human and behavioural, will be vital in almost all jobs and roles.”

He added: “The work of the taskforce is an important step towards achieving a common understanding of these essential skills from education right through to our workplaces. Establishing a framework and a common language for these skills is vital in creating the clarity we need to achieve more productive, high-performing workplaces that enable people whatever their backgrounds to feel engaged and empowered in their jobs.’’

John Holman, Emeritus professor of chemistry at the University of York and former STEM skills adviser to the government, will chair the Essential Skills Taskforce. He commented that despite the rise of automation at work, employees will still need specific skills that can’t be replicated by technology.

“If you ask employers what they are looking for in the people they hire, they increasingly specify essential skills like communication and teamwork. They take for granted that employees must have sound educational qualifications, and what makes the difference is the higher order essential skills which a machine cannot offer,” he said.

“By producing a universal framework of essential skills that are clear, measurable and authoritative, we will give employers a toolkit that they can use to select and train the employees they need to succeed in tomorrow’s workplace. Equally importantly, it will be a toolkit that schools, colleges and universities can use to help the students develop these skills.”

News of the framework comes as students receive their exam results. Rachael Saunders, education director at BITC, said that some of the skills needed at work are frequently overlooked by the education system.

“While the knowledge that young people will gain through their studies is vital, essential skills such as teamwork, creativity, leadership and problem solving are in danger of being forgotten. These skills are valuable now and will remain vital in the future as a balanced focus between knowledge and skills directly links to the UK’s economic development and productivity,” she said.

“Employees and students must be supported to build the skills they need now for our changing world of work, and given access to learning that will equip them to develop the skills they need for the future.”

Saunders called on employers and educators to work together to address the skills challenge in the UK. “If businesses are looking for specific essential skills, they need to work with educators using a curriculum that’s relevant to modern life. This will ensure that businesses benefit from the workforce of the future having the skills they need while leading the way in providing good and fair employment opportunities to all, regardless of background,” she said.

Hints & Tips for Your Clients

When you’re interviewing for jobs, there’s a lot of pressure to land an interview and get that final job offer.

You want something that will help you pursue your passions while also being able to meet your bills and spend a little extra money on fun activities.

The right job for you is out there, but what happens when a job offer is given with a salary that’s lower than what you were expecting?

It’s hard to realize that you can’t take a job because it pays too little, especially if it’s a job you really want to do. The good news is that there’s strategy behind working with the salary that’s initially offered with the job. You don’t necessarily have to take the first number that’s given, and most employers know that people are going to negotiate.

Not sure how to decline a job offer due to salary? Have you ever negotiated a pay raise before you’ve even been given the job? Read on to learn how to do just that without needing to shut down a future with the company you want to work for.

With the right strategy, you can get your future employer to raise your pay to what you believe you should earn, without having to give up the offer and look for employment elsewhere.

Negotiate With Facts

If you have a lengthy history in the job you’ve been offered or valuable experience that qualifies you for the job, it’s time to put that to good use. Look over your work history and figure out what points are most important to why you should be paid a higher salary.

Make a list of those experiences. Maybe you led a team to a major milestone at your old job, have years of experience in what you do or have valuable ideas and game plans that will make you an important player in office culture.

After you make that list, write down what you earn now. What would your salary be in your current or previous job that would be equal to the skills you bring to the workplace?

You can base that improved salary on the average pay for your position in your industry. An employer will be more willing to work with a competitive rate than an outrageous one.

You should also take into consideration what you’ll need to do to start your new job. Will you have to move, and how far would that move be?

On average, people who move in the US pay $2,300-$4,300 to relocate. If your potential employer has already said they can’t cover the cost of your move, mention that an increased salary will help get you there.

Know When to Stop

Decide your minimum salary as soon as you can. It should be higher than what you earned in your last position, competitive with similar roles in your industry and able to cover the cost of living where your new job should be. If your potential employer continually insists that they pay what’s below your minimum salary, it’s time to stop negotiating.

Sometimes when you stop negotiations, it gives your potential employer time to step back and reconsider how they’re willing to meet you in the middle to get you on board. This could end up being just what you need to squeeze those few extra dollars into your salary, or it could be when both parties realize that things aren’t going to work out.

Written by Productivity Theory

Ofqual statement in relation to Pearson’s decision to change the grading criteria of some of its Level 1/2 awards.

Students will receive their Level 1/2 BTEC awards on Wednesday this week. These are new versions of qualifications that are being awarded for the first time this year.

Pearson found during its awarding process that learners’ outcomes were significantly higher, and grading was more generous across the cohort, than it had predicted on the basis of students’ prior attainment. As a result, Pearson decided to make adjustments to most of its grading points.

Pearson made us aware of this situation and its response in early August. It is always challenging with new specifications to know precisely how the assessments will function and how students will perform on them. It is therefore regrettable that Pearson set out definitive grading points in its specification, and we have seen that changing these has led to understandable uncertainty and frustration.

Our priority is securing that appropriate standards are set, being fair to all students who have taken these qualifications this year, in previous years and in years to come. On the basis of the evidence we have seen, the action Pearson has taken to set standards has been appropriate at the overall, cohort level. However, the decision to publish grading points in their specification may have led some teachers and students to take different decisions than they might otherwise have done.

We understand that students, schools and colleges will be concerned about how these changes may impact them. If students or teachers have questions or concerns now, or after receiving their results, they should seek support from Pearson, which is providing information and advice.

There are significant lessons to be learned by all awarding organisations about the commitments they make in their specifications and associated materials, and how they communicate with schools and colleges when issues arise. We will be reflecting on these issues further after results are published.

The following article is by Tristram Hooley. Institute of Student Employers

How can we best develop young employees? This new research on the development of early talent from the Institute of Student Employers shares key insights.

Young people can be one of the greatest resources for employers. When you bring young talent into your organisation you’re gaining access to new ideas, enthusiasm and the latest skills from the education system, but you need to think carefully about how to manage younger workers and organise training and development in a different way from established staff. 

Many young people will never have been in a workplace before and they will often have a lot to learn about how your organisation works.

Two of the key roles for learning and development professionals is to help line managers understand the skills that their new hires have (and do not have) and to provide them with a pathway to developing these staff. 

Strengths of new hires

In the Institute of Student Employers’ Student Development Survey 2019 we asked employers to reflect on what things graduates, apprentices and school leavers were good at (and not so good at). They reported that all entry level hires were typically good at the following things: 

• IT and digital skills (including using Excel)
• Numeracy
• Presenting themselves effectively in the workplace
• Staying positive and building effective relationships with others
• Teamwork 
• Writing

For learning and development professionals this is a really strong base to start from. New hires come out of the education system with some of the key building blocks that they will need for successful careers, but they are often less clear on how to make use of these skills within the workplace. 

Helping young hires to consider how to apply the skills and knowledge they have within your business is therefore a key objective of induction and early career development programmes. 

Weaknesses of new hires

The weaknesses that employers raised with the different types of young hires are also interesting (see table for full list). Key areas of weakness included: 

• Business appropriate communications
• Commercial awareness
• Job-specific skills
• Leadership
• Resilience
• The ability to manage up

All of these weaknesses are strongly related to transitioning into the workplace environment. Where young hires struggle is in learning how to operate successfully within the workplace, to work with others (including their managers) and to deliver what is expected of them.

This requires learning and development professionals to rethink induction processes and to view them as a process of cultural acclimatisation that may go on for an extended period of time – the focus of early career training

Given that early career hires have both strengths and weaknesses, an important issue is what employers can do to develop their hires and strengthen their skills. 

On average, firms reported that they were spending £3,850 a year on each of their entry level hires. Often using the apprenticeship levy to fund some or all of this. 

The available resources should be spent on both cultural acclimatisation and on developing specific skills and knowledge that is required to perform in role and progress in career.

Employers in our survey typically invested in the same areas that they reported young hires were weak in, although areas, like presentation skills and teamworking, continue to be important for training even though entry level hires arrive relatively strong in these things. 

Activities and advice to help your clients explore career options and make it happen!

This Toolkit will help your clients:

• Work out whether it’s time for a career change 
• Explore what it is they want to change
• Think through options which match their strengths, interests and values
• Consider alternatives to a complete career change
• Work out how feasible a change would be and what is involved
• Implement specific strategies to make it happen.

https://www.jobs.ac.uk/media/pdf/careers/resources/career-change-toolkit.pdf

So many of us were raised to a subtle beat (or loud gong) that went something like this, “Get good grades. Get into a decent school. Get a solid desk job (with benefits). Be happy.”

Problem is, for some people this formula doesn’t lead to career fulfillment at all. In fact, for some, it’s a formula that ultimately makes them want to crawl out of their own skin or run screaming from that solid desk job (with benefits).

Could this be you or your clients? What are some signs that individuals may, in fact, not be cut out for a traditional, 9-to-5 job?

Here are a few signs, plus what should you do if this becomes clear to you.

1. You Feel Like a Caged Animal When You’re in the Office

Sometimes, it’s not about resenting authority at all. For some who aren’t cut out for traditional jobs, it’s the endless sea of desks that makes them want to run screaming from the building.

I remember my own first corporate job. At first, it was all like, “Oh. Sooo cool. Look at all these important-looking people in these little cubby holes.” By about six months in, I was finding any excuse possible to get out into the fresh air. (“You need someone to go pick up lunch? On it!”)

By a few years in, I’d had enough. I lasted a grand total of seven years before I’d flat-out had it. I needed freedom, and I needed space.

What to Do If You Feel Trapped

If your job truly requires you to sit in one space and stare at a computer all day (and you actually don’t mind the work), you may consider requesting the option to telecommute a couple times a week. This article includes templates and suggestions for starting that conversation.

If your role doesn’t really mandate sitting in one place every day, start planning your day (or requesting to do so) in a way that gets you out and about at least a time or two every day.

Monotony can crush even the brightest spirit. Find ways to break up yours (simple suggestions here. Or, if you know an office is simply a no-go, start investigating ways to apply to a field that has you, well, out in the field.

2. You Don’t Like Working Regimented Hours (or Having a Regimented Life)

Similar to the feeling that a cubicle may give you, being required (or nearly required) to punch in and out each day can make you feel like you have no say in your career or life. And having no say may make you want out, stat.

What to Do If You Despise Set Hours

Of course, there are many roles that simply require you cover a shift. If this is your job (and it’s making you nuts), you may want to consider a new position or line of work. Businesses that run shifts need shift workers. No getting around that.

However (and this is especially true if you’re a top performer), if the imposed hours are arbitrary—done because this is what everyone does and has always done—perhaps you could put together a proposal that shows your boss how you can achieve your goals outside of the current schedule.

Use care with this approach, of course. (Keep in mind that your boss may long for a similar scenario but be too afraid to push it with “the powers that be.”) But if you do it strategically and in a non-pushy manner, you may just find your idea is heard. And, hopefully, approved!

3. Spreadsheets Makes You Crazy

I recently worked with a client who was having a heck of a time finding a new sales role. It was a mystery to me at first, because she has so much going for her. But as we spoke, I began to realize that, while she loves selling, she hates (understatement) all the paperwork and reporting that goes along with it.

In fact, she doesn’t just hate it—she’s terrified of it. Thus, every time she gets into a conversation with a hiring manager (for another sales job), they get as far in conversation as the spreadsheets and then she’s out.

The companies she is eyeing simply don’t want a sales person who can’t or won’t also do the necessary behind-the-scenes work.

What to Do If Paperwork Makes You Pout

Whether you’re afraid of the paperwork (or the technology you need to know how to use to complete it), or simply annoyed about having to do it, here’s the reality: It’s probably not going away.

Whether you’re working for someone else or for yourself, your job will likely require at least a certain amount of reporting, documenting, data entry, or number crunching. I don’t care if you’re on Wall Street or running a landscaping crew, business is business and it requires paperwork.

That said, if you truly abhor it, consider finding ways to delegate, outsource, or get support on the stuff you simply do not want to do. If you’re weak on the technology or tools that power the paperwork, ask for training, or invest in it yourself.

If you’re at the bottom of the ladder and can’t just delegate, see if you can trade tasks with a co-worker. Maybe they hate something you don’t mind and it could be a win-win for both of you.

Few of us adore paperwork, but it’s a part of business. So, either get comfortable with it, or get it off your plate.

4. You Resent Being Told What to Do (by Anyone)

No one likes an unreasonable or overly bossy boss, but the true fish-out-of-water 9-to-5-er tends to cringe when she gets even a whiff of “authority for the sake of being the authority” going on.

If you feel a bubbling rage when asked to attend a meeting you don’t want to go to, or work on a project you don’t think is a priority, this could be a warning sign. If you don’t think you shouldn’t have to arrive at a certain time or put in a request for vacation time at all? The writing’s on the wall.

What to Do If You’re Not Having it with Authority

If you’re feeling super resentful about having to answer to anyone, it may be a clear indicator that you’re meant to be your own boss. This isn’t me saying, “March right in and quit, my friend.” Slow your roll. In many cases, this could be reckless. But if you truly despise working on someone else’s agenda, consider how you might earn a living as the one who gets to make the agenda.

No matter how forcefully or consistently people wormed into your head that the formula for success always involves a 9-to-5 job, it’s just not true.

If you’re simply not cut out for one, don’t spend years pining away for something else. Instead, find strategic, creative, or brave ways to redefine your current role, or create your own.

Life’s too short to be stuck in a job (or cubicle) that you hate. So, make it your mission to find relief, or find the door.

The Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership Skills Team have collated this employer engagement guide to help schools and colleges to develop and/or enhance their education-business links.

The purpose of this guide is to hlep schools or colleges to build long-lasting relationships with local businesses to enhance the interventions your students receive throughout thier time at your establishment. The guide offers top tips to help you engage with businesses and then sustain those relationships. It is designed as a practice guide to give you the confidence to get started.

https://www.teesvalleycareers.com/education/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2019/02/Employer-engagement-toolkit-Leicestershire.pdf