Barriers to Apprenticeships Estyn Thematic Review

Vanessa MorganAdditional Inspector

Who are Estyn?

• Estyn is the office of Her Majesty's Inspectorate for Education and Training in Wales. We are independent of, but funded by, the National Assembly for Wales.

• The purpose of Estyn is to inspect quality and standards in education and training in Wales

Thematic Report – Barriers to Apprenticeships

• Two year review – barriers arising from any difficulties experienced by learners from black and minority ethnic groups and those with disabilities when entering apprenticeship programmes.

• First report published November 2014

Year 1 Findings

• Lack of awareness of apprenticeships by parents, employers and learners themselves

• Few apprenticeship role models from the BME communities or from disabled groups

• Difficulties in finding suitable work placements, especially where employers believe there will be a need to provide additional support for learners

• Real or perceived discrimination

• Language difficulties for students for whom English is an additional language and cultural difficulties

• Available support for learners not being accessed or fully utilised

• Parental anxiety that the young people may not be able to cope

• Insufficient co-ordination between schools, employers, WBL providers and local community organisations to provide apprenticeships

Year 2

• Build upon the work undertaken in Year 1

• Identify examples of good practice of diversity in apprenticeships

• Good practice examples of providers, employers and communities working together to achieve diversity in apprenticeships

Perceived BarriersLearning Disability Wales, July 2014 – “What works in Wales”Real Conversation, Llandudo, March 2015Action on Hearing Loss Cymru, 2015

• Job related (location, transport, lack of appropriateness, competition)• Employer related (lack of understanding/poor perception, inaccessible

recruitment processes, lack of understanding of financial support available)

• Employee related (low level of self-belief/lack of aspiration, low skills levels, lack of knowledge of support available, lack of parent/carers aspirations, poor previous experience)

• Support related (complicated benefits system, inaccessible JobCentre services)

What’s being done in Wales to break down these perceived barriers?

Some good practice examples

Transitions and Employment Service - RNIB

• Supports blind and partially sighted people across Wales to develop employability skills and apply for work

• Organise work placements• Ensure organisations and employers receive

appropriate training and are equipped to work with blind an partially sighted people

Learner A

• Third and final year of psychology degree at Swansea University

• Met with transitions officer and expressed interest in working with police forensic department

• One-week placement in scientific investigation team based at Neath police station

• Risk assessment by transitions officer – Guide Dogs for the Blind helped with mobility routes

Learner A’s week

• Health and Safety induction• Tour of the department and intro to team• Overview of high profile cases and gathering of

evidence for these cases• Work Shadowing:

Photographs and DNA swabs at scenes of crime

Gathering of evidence Completion of paperwork

Cardiff and ValeUniversity Health Board (UHB)• Partnership with private training provider and JobCentre Plus• Apprentice-style programme to provide pathways for

disadvantaged groups• 6-month programme to develop the skills and knowledge to

become a Health Care Support Worker Complete the UHB’s corporate and clinical induction

programme Achievement of Level 2 Health and Social Care Diploma

knowledge and competence units • Completion gives employment history and references• Which can lead to a job or an apprenticeship