World Class Skills – Implementing the Leitch Review of Skills in England
announced that the government would consult on and pilot a programme to make it easier for employers to have their own in-house training accredited through the Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF). QCA has been asked to investigate ways in which this might be achieved.
EEF were supportive of the proposed move towards accreditation of employer training. Companies invest significant sums in skills development, but not all training necessarily leads to a qualification. There are, therefore, potential benefits for both firms and individuals if this training is recognised. However, any initiative must ensure that quality is maintained and employers have confidence in the system, both from a recruitment perspective and to improve workforce skills.
QCA is interested in collecting more information about how companies train, including what customised training is offered. In addition, employers are being invited to give their views on the benefits of having their in-house training recognised within the national qualifications system and how this might best be achieved. The consultation outlines four possible models for consideration. The different models will applicable to different types on companies – depending on their in-house capabilities. QCA plan to pilot the models over the coming months.
Summary of proposed models
Model 1: An employer becomes a recognised body and meets the requisite quality assurance to develop and award.
As a recognised body an employer could design training programmes which combine units from existing vocational qualifications with its own customised provision. Third party validation would need to take place to ensure quality assurance is rigorous. It is likely that such an employer would have a mature infrastructure for training, assessment and awarding.
Model 2: An employer develops and award units to provide nationally recognised achievements for its employees.
An employer will get external help to refine its customised training and design assessments. It may use existing units of qualifications as required. The employer has the option of submitting its units to the QCF to meet quality assurance standards. Employees also have the option of ‘topping up’ these units with additional training at an external provider.
Model 3: An employer uses an existing awarding body to develop and award its own qualifications.
A company, which uses customised training, works with an awarding body to submit units to the qualifications system. The awarding body takes responsibility for quality assurance and certification thereby allowing an employer to develop, deliver and assess bespoke training with a third party providing external validation and quality assurance.
Model 4: An employer becomes a recognised body with quality assurance provided by another employer within the sector.
An employer develops training in-house, but it is delivered and assessed externally with a local provider. The employer uses another company in its sector to quality assure its training programme and outcomes. It is through this relationship that the training is validated.