| | |  | End of Year Round-up | Foreword | As we end another challenging year for our sector, I want to applaud the amazing FE & Skills organisations we represent and support across Yorkshire for your continued commitment to delivering high quality, life changing education and training to the communities you serve. This has been an exponentially busy year for the team at Yorkshire Learning Providers & I cannot thank them enough for all their hard work, commitment, and ongoing dedication to provide quality services to our members & the wider sector this year. We commenced 2022 with our company rebrand and relaunch as we evolved to become Yorkshire Learning Providers and represent FE & Skills organisations across the entirety of our wonderful county. We have seen the number of members joining the network double over the past 18 months and we couldn’t be prouder of the direction our company is taking as we enter 2023. Our revised vision is to be a partnership with purpose, dedicated to developing, promoting & enhancing the education & skills landscape across Yorkshire. With our core values promoting:
Skills Development Accountability Integrity Innovation Celebration Empathy
The business functions we continue to develop and grow include – The Network Support Services Contracts, research & projects Conferences & Events |
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| We have continued to develop and grow our relationships, representation and reputation with key partners and stakeholders such as DfE, IFATE, Chambers of Commerce, Local Authorities, MCAs & LEPs, Ofsted, AoC plus many more to ensure our members voices are heard and their challenges and opportunities are advocated. We are seen as the go-to organisation for FE & Skills updates, who provide honest and reliable consultation and place integrity at the heart of all we do to ensure the skills system locally and across the North is impactful. Whilst representing our members across many boards, groups and bodies, I have also taken the extra responsibility for being the co-chair of the Northern Skills Network this year, a role that has been challenging and rewarding in equal measures but one that we are immensely proud to continue to develop the NSN and the regional networks as the voice for skills across the North. I hope you enjoy reading through our end of year report and join us to celebrate our achievements and continue to support us in finding solutions to the sector frustrations as we enter into 2023. I look forward to continuing working with our members and partners and representing you at local, regional and Northern level and I wish you a lovely relaxing festive break and a happy new year. Alex Miles Managing Director, YLP | The Network | In 2022 we welcomed our 100th member to the network and we couldn’t be happier that so many organisations have joined us over the past 18 months. We operate the single largest employment and skills network in the Yorkshire region and one of the largest and most prominent in the country and we are committed to representing our members locally, regionally, and nationally to bring the latest updates, developments, advice and guidance on all things FE & Skills. |
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| We are actively involved in advocating for improvements, challenging misconceptions and ensuring our members voices are heard. To do this we work with a range of partners and sit on a number of boards & Groups so we can be an active part of the conversation on key issues and policy developments. We always encourage our members to feed into the work we are doing, share their thoughts on topical issues and contribute to our strategic voice. Our members are represented on the following groups / boards Northern Skills Network Board & Co-chair WYCA Employment & Skills panel & Skills Network WY Mayor Green jobs Taskforce Northern Powerhouse Skills Taskforce CEC Education Leaders Group North Yorks County Council UKSPF Partnership Board WY UKPSF local partnership advisory panel HEY LEP Skills Network SYMCA Apprenticeship task & finish group York Council Apprenticeship Provider Group Leeds 14-19 NEET Group Bradford Careers & Technical Education Board Kirklees Skills Partnership Calderdale Employment & Skills Group Wakefield Step Up Partnership WNY Chamber of Commerce Leadership Group Northern Powerhouse Partners Programme Army Cadet Apprenticeship development Group ETF Safeguarding & Prevent Strategic Group DfE Apprenticeship Service Strategic group The Armed Forces Covenant Huddersfield Sustainable Town Group Y&H Apprenticeship Ambassador Network CBI People & Skills Group Y&H & NW AoC Equality, Diversity & Inclusion national working group
| This year we have returned to face-to-face engagements and conferences, as well as continuing our webinars and remote meetings and have launched a number of new approaches to supporting members, sharing practice and discussing key topics. These new approaches include: Monthly Practitioner Exchange Prison Apprenticeship Forum DfE Roundtables covering a range of themes Green & Sustainable Development working group & champions network
| Our members receive regular communication updates, networking & partnership building opportunities, marketing and promotion to schools, employers and parents via our apprenticeship directory & Skills Matrix and on-going advice, guidance, and support. For the 10th year running we have developed an apprenticeship directory for West Yorkshire which showcases our members standards, contact details and the latest information on apprenticeships and in 2022 we also launched the York, North Yorkshire & East Riding Apprenticeship Directory in partnership with the apprenticeship hub. Please visit our website to see the latest version of the directories at https://www.wylp.org.uk/apprenticeship-directory/ |  | We have used our directory to promote members apprenticeship offer to the schools, teachers and parents we engage with, as well as local job centres, careers services and employers. So far over 5000 people have interacted with our directories either remotely or by obtaining a physical copy at the many careers and apprenticeships events we attend. We continue to work with over 150 schools to promote local opportunities and issue a monthly vacancies & updates padlet to all career’s advisors across West Yorkshire. We have continued to develop video content for schools that spotlight different sectors and standards and have content created and shared with the Army, Princes Trust and this year developed a video on the new L5 learning & skills teacher standard. | In September 2022 we launched our membership evaluation and received a great response and feedback – please see some of our highlights below
97% of members agree YLP has an excellent reputation in partnership and collaborative working 100% of Members value the work undertaken by YLP on their behalf in respect of the represented groups and partners it meets with 100% of members agree YLP encourages its members to share good practice and enables members to meet other colleagues through network meetings and other events” 100% of members agree 96% of members agree YLP conferences focus well on identifying & communicating key messages that affect members & identify guest speakers who are current and relevant
| “YLP are a vital organisation in the FE sector, they always go above and beyond in bringing providers together, sharing information and providing second to none support services. They represent their members effectively and have been essential in raising awareness of important issues facing the sector. They are the voice for the FE sector in Yorkshire and surrounding areas” – Marios Chrysostomouo, MD Talented Training & YLP Board Director |  |
| Patron Member for 2022
“We joined Yorkshire Learning Providers as a patron as there is a strong alignment between their members, their agenda and our aims to the skills and training industry. We were also struck by their personal enthusiasm and commitment to the sector” - Bud Systems |  |
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| Contracts, research & projects | We are committed to supporting our members and key themes that promote and grow the post-16 education system locally. To do this we access or launch projects and initiatives that support our values and lead to greater integration of skills. We also work with the Education & Training Foundation to ensure funding for practitioner development is impactful and reaches a wider audience. Projects include Pride in FE, Developing Outstanding Apprenticeship Training Plans, Mentoring Skills, Improving Teaching & Learning interventions, Responding to English & maths needs, peer to peer practitioner development. We are committed to supporting local businesses, communities and sectors in developing & enhancing their take up and engagement with skills provision. Especially when looking at social mobility & inclusion. We therefore complete ongoing research and analyses into skills gaps, needs and targeted promotion of education pathways and in 2022 we launched our research into apprenticeship needs across York, North Yorkshire & East Riding which was commissioned by the Apprenticeship Hub. You can read the full research on our website at http://www.wylp.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/The-Apprenticeship-Hub-Apprenticeships-Gap-Analysis.pdf |
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| ASK - We continue to deliver the ASK project, which for the past 7 years as enabled us to have greater engagement with schools, parents and teachers. This year has been another great year for engagements to promote the benefits of apprenticeships and myth bust misconceptions. Over the past year we have engaged with: | Skills Connect - This year we were awarded gainshare funding from the mayors office, through the skills connect programme. We were successful in the Health & Social Care lot to provide short, modular and impactful skills development courses that impact the recruitment and upskilling crisis within the health care system. We are working with a range of our members to deliver these courses and liaising with local health care professionals to identify their needs and skills gaps. We have started our HSC forum, which brings together sector experts, training providers, NHS and stakeholders to discuss the training needs and identify courses. So far, we have supported 256 people through the courses, covering themes inc – HSC passport into work First time managers for the hospice sector Advanced Skills for Carers Volunteer Pathway to Care Nurses to GP Practice
We have lots more courses going live in the New Year and lots more opportunity for our members to get involved. The programme runs until December 2024. Contact Kelly.townend@wylp.org.uk for more information | SME Engagement Project – In October 2022 we were successful in obtaining funding from DfE to support greater SME engagement into apprenticeships. This project acts as a pathfinder for the DfE to help identify the challenges with engagement and onboarding smaller businesses and to encourage greater understanding and take up of apprenticeship standards. The project runs for 2 years, with a possible additional year extension, and we will be working across 8 local authority areas in WY & SY. We will be targeting businesses from construction, adult social care, engineering & manufacturing and any business interested in digital apprenticeships. We are working with a range of partners to engage with businesses such as the chambers of commerce, CBI, CITB, FSB, NFRC & our provider base. So far we have engaged with 8 businesses, onboarded 3 and had 1 apprentice start. We will have a launch event in February 2023, for each of the regions so in Bradford for WY and Doncaster for SY. To find out more or to get engaged please contact megan.graves@wylp.org.uk | We also work on specific initiatives that raise awareness to issues that affect providers or learners, that help make an impact locally and provide lobbying and communication with local MP’s. Some of the projects we are currently running include:
Green & Sustainable Development AMBITION – We launched a Green & Sustainable Development Ambition for FE & Skills providers across Yorkshire and a supporting Green Skills working & champions group to review, share & develop support for responding to and raise awareness of the Green / Net zero agenda. We are using this ambition to work with providers to encourage greater response to a greener curriculum and ensuring as many FE sector learners have access to the knowledge and understanding to live more sustainably aware. We have 35 organisations signed up to the ambition & the work we have been completing has led to being a guest speaker at the Yorkshire Climate Change summit and for WYLP leading the Northern green curriculum developments and northern conference
LGBTQ Awareness & Pride in FE – we support schools, colleges & providers to understand & support the community and embed support into the curriculum. We have launched our Pride in FE programme training organisations to develop LGBTQ champions that support not only learners but practitioners & their pastoral arrangements. So far we have 25 training organisations who have signed up to our charter and the charter has led to the development of the national People of Pride collective, which Kelly now chairs.
Prison Support Forum – in 2022 we set up our prison support forum to better align education and offender support and in light of the apprenticeship changes that came into effect in Oct 22. Our prison forum is attended by local prison staff, community support organisations, DfE & members and has already started building great local relationships and better support for ex-offenders locally. | Support Services | Our support services not only provide our members with ongoing CPD, webinars and support but we also engage with the wider sector and have a reputation of providing, honest, open and developmental support.
In 2022 we worked with a number of other regional networks to provide their members with quality & compliance support, these include Greater Manchester, Greater Merseyside, Western Provider Network and Tees Valley network.
Kelly has led 9 practitioner exchanges this year, to share updates & developments on quality and wherever possible brings in guest speakers to support the discussions. Guest speakers included FIN, Virtual College, Cognassist, The Good Things Foundation and Career Map with sharing for good practice and research findings to shape programmes as we as latest updates in regards to inspection, CPD and deadlines for the month ahead. Next year we have more guest speakers poised ready to provide those much needed insights and updates including Bud, Ascentis and Cognassist, so make sure to sign up – Kelly.townend@wylp.org.uk
We have continued to deliver a robust offer of CPD support to our members, all free of charge and included in the membership fee, these include areas such as –
Safeguarding and Prevent Refresher Inspection Refresh Webinar Funding Rules & Accountability Framework webinar Audit & Compliance Workshop
Plus much more, and we have supported over 460 people throughout the year over 18 different sessions.
We have a wide & robust offer to members & non-members and can support on site, remote, through workshops, at your team away or development days or at our offices. We offer a quality and reputable service with more details on our website - https://www.wylp.org.uk/support-services/ |
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| “During the last year Alex and the team conducted an excellent training day for the cross group apprenticeship team at Luminate Education Group. The training was so good that individual departments also asked Alex to tailor the training for the individual sector areas to help prepare for “the call”. This training really did prepare the teams for the Ofsted visit in March - Thanks again to Alex and the team” - Lee Pryor, Director of Apprenticeships & Business Engagement, Luminate Education Group |  |
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We cannot wait to continue working with our members and key partners in 2023 and beyond, and next December is a very special time for the company as we turn 20 years old!! So watch out for the announcements of our celebrations, and until then, keep in touch, continue to share, join and participate in making our Network the best in the country, providing quality services to the communities we serve.
Thank you again all and happy new year – from all at Yorkshire Learning Providers |  | | |
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