Apprenticeship Workforce Development programme launches with sector-wide survey

Today, a major training needs analysis survey is being launched, giving those involved in the delivery of apprenticeships the opportunity to shape the support they will be offered through the Apprenticeship Workforce Development (AWD) programme.

Funded by the Department for Education (DfE), the AWD programme is being delivered by the Education and Training Foundation (ETF) in partnership with the Association of Colleges (AoC), Association of Employment and Learning Providers (AELP), Strategic Development Network (SDN), and the University Vocational Awards Council (UVAC), supported by SQW as an independent evaluation partner.

The DfE-funded AWD programme initially launched in 2021 to support staff at all levels and roles delivering apprenticeships across Further and Higher Education settings.

This second phase of the programme extends support to employers involved in apprenticeship delivery. It has been commissioned as a key part of the DfE’s strategy to drive quality improvement across apprenticeships.

The continuous professional development (CPD) offered through the AWD programme is being developed in partnership with the sector to ensure its training needs are met.

From today, apprenticeship providers, managers/leaders, teaching/training staff, employers, and apprentices are invited to share their views on training needs by completing the newly launched survey.

Survey participants, and others from across the sector, will also be invited to participate in focus groups as a further opportunity to share their specific training needs, insights, and experiences to help shape the AWD offer.

Based on the insights gained, a comprehensive package of industry-relevant CPD will be developed for apprenticeship providers, employers, and their workforces. This CPD will enable the delivery of high-quality teaching and training that equips apprentices with the knowledge, skills, and behaviours required for occupational competence.

Working with the sector to shape this programme, and to determine how this significant investment in the workforce is spent, will help tackle current challenges including apprentice retention and raising achievement rates.

Teresa Frith, Senior Skills Policy Manager at AoC said: “We are pleased to be involved in this important programme, working collaboratively with partners. Past programmes have focused heavily on teaching and learning, and we now want to support the broader swathe of the apprenticeship delivery team, recognising that successful apprenticeships rely on much more than great teaching.

We hope that any individual engaged in any aspect of apprenticeship delivery will take a few minutes to complete the survey and help us to produce a comprehensive programme to support the sector.”