Adult Learner Accounts

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Adult Learner Accounts
Jonathan Dalton
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Background

• The Government White Paper, FURTHER EDUCATION,
  RAISING SKILLS, IMPROVING LIFE CHANCES, (March
  2006) stated that
• A programme of learner accounts will be
  trialled, focused on helping people gain Level 3
  qualifications.
• We know that accounts can have a powerful
  effect in motivating learners, creating a sense
  of ownership, and attracting them back into
  learning.

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Background

• The Leitch Review of Skills Prosperity for all
  in the Global Economy World Class Skills
  (2006) recommended increasing choice and giving
  individuals real purchasing power by routing all
  public funding for adult vocational skills in
  England through Adult Learner Accounts or Train
  to Gain mechanisms

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Aims of Adult Learner Accounts

• mechanism for engaging and empowering individuals
• offering learners a wider choice of full Level 3
  learning, opening up provision to greater
  competition
• supporting learners in making the right learning
  choices by better access to information, advice
  and guidance (IAG) on learning, work and careers
• raising awareness among individuals of the
  support, costs and contributions that the state,
  employers and individuals are making through
  learner account statements.

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Benefits to learners

• For learners
• more choice with access to independent IAG
• greater understanding of the contributions of
  the state, employer and the learner
  themselves
• support with progression ALAs can be used
  to support successive periods of learning
• providers better able to respond to their
  needs
• supporting the development of a culture of
  learning and the value of training

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Benefits to providers

• For providers
• additional money within the region for L3
  learning
• competitive tendering
• support to engage and retain learners
• opportunity to help shape national policy
• well placed to learn lessons in advance of
  wider roll-out

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How ALAs will work

• Adult Learner Accounts (ALAs) are virtual
  accounts detailing the total funding paid by all
  stakeholders towards an individuals learning
• provide greater transparency and so give adult
  learners greater understanding of their funding,
  potentially empowering and energising
• funding follows the learner
• individuals will be issued regular bank style
  statements detailing the total funding and support

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How ALAs will work

• three entry routes via learndirect, nextstep or
  to learning provider
• payment will be through existing payment systems
  with additional support for providers who dont
  currently use this system
• normal funding rates for full L3

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The trials

• trials from August 2007 to July 2009
• two trial areas East Midlands and South East
  Region
• Year 1 target 4000 ALAs
• the areas chosen provide the opportunity to trial
  accounts in a range of different settings and
  targeting different categories of learners. The
  proposed areas cover different parts of the
  country and different sized areas with varying
  needs (e.g. deprived inner city and rural areas)

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Information, advice guidance

• initial eligibility checks and data capture will
  done through learndirect (eligible learners
  receive info pack and details are entered on to
  LAMs)
• most learners will be receive initial IAG through
  learndirect
• anyone who needs additional advice prior to
  choosing a course, can also use the services of
  nextstep providers
• IAG will also be offered by learning providers
  before, during (if required) and towards the end
  of the programme

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Learner Accounts Management System (LAMS)

• bespoke system - designed solely to administer
  the pilot programme
• user friendly, easily navigable, jargon free
  (accessed through LSC Provider Gateway
• comprises an IT system call centre
• record and track the funding of an individuals
  learning programme and produce their financial
  statements
• LAMS will issue ALA bank style statements on an
  individual basis between 2 and 3 times annually
  or as required

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The ALA statement

• issued 2/3 times a year (or on request)
• bank style
• details all funding contributions (LSC, Learning
  Provider Learner)
• manually triggered, but dispatched centrally

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Marketing and communications

• Target Audiences
• Adults aged 19
• Currently in learning who can progress to Level 3
• New eligible learners
• Providers
• Employers

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Marketing and communications

• letter to current Level 2 learners providing
  information on Level 3 entitlement, entitlement
  to ALAs and/or ALGs May
• website for learners, providers and employers
  May
• learner fulfilment pack, provided via learndirect
  May
• PR activity June/July
• Provider collateral material including leaflets,
  posters, postcards, e-newsletters, press ad
  templates June
• Provider workshops on-going briefings
• Employers in SE and EM

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Key measures of success

• number of ALAs opened
• increased Learner Satisfaction
• increased Provider Satisfaction
• increased Level 3 Achievement Rate
• L3 Learners - Receive better info on choice
  funding can access IAG when needed feelings of
  empowerment
• providers understand and operate the processes
  which support ALAs
• new providers come to the market at L3 and view
  ALAs as positive method of empowering individuals
  in learning
• value for money and sustainable
• LSC/DFES Robust systems operate effectively and
  efficiently and so inform future roll-out

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