The Training Quality Standard Our Journey so far

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The Training Quality Standard Our Journey (so
far!)
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• Background
• Brief outline of our journey so far
• What is TQS?
• What is the application process?
• Our experience of the process
• What were the key challenges for us?
• Some points to consider if you are thinking of
  applying
• Questions

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• Background
• Services to Business at Wakefield College
• Employer Responsive Team
• Trained 6,500 employees in 2007/08
• Responsible for leading TQS achievement
• Involved in New Standard Pilot
• Achieved Part A accreditation last year
• Currently waiting for first Part B result

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• What is the Training Quality Standard?
• A quality assessment framework for all
  organisations involved in the delivery of
  training and development solutions to employers
• An improvement tool to support organisations to
  better understand their capability and
  performance in relation to employer
  responsiveness
• Offers accreditation, to recognise and celebrate
  the best among training providers
• A national standard, introduced by the LSC in
  response to the 2006 FE Reform White Paper

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• What is the Training Quality Standard?
• Split into two parts
• Part A looks generally at strategy, systems and
  processes to support employer engagement
• Part B evaluates particular areas of delivery
  expertise, and is led by Sector Skills Councils
• Assesses an organisations ability to effectively
  respond to employers needs
• Open to training providers of all kinds and
  employers

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• The Process
• Application Form
• Desk based marking
• Assessment visit
• Employer/Customer Survey
• Validation Panel
• Result

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• The Purpose
• For employers
• For providers
• For stakeholders

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• Our Experience
• General
• Challenging and difficult to achieve
• Extremely time consuming
• Good framework to evaluate and challenge practice
  
• Holistic
• Strategic planning is key
• Customer First helped
• Highlighted areas where systems werent designed
  for employer responsive activity
• Timely
• Positive

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• Our Experience
• The Application
• One person to write it
• Tell a Story
• Use case studies
• Assume no prior knowledge
• Dont write too much
• Allow lots of time
• Put together a development plan not a timetable
  for achieving the standard

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• Our Experience
• Employer Survey
• Consider definition carefully
• Check contacts
• Consider writing to employers first

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• Our Experience
• Verification Visit
• Two assessors for two days
• A very intense experience
• We were told who they wanted to meet
• Need someone to co-ordinate the visit throughout
• Brief and de-brief
• Evidence
• Strategic plan and quality assessment

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• Our Experience
• Timetable
• Applied in July 07
• Assessment visit in Oct 07
• Employer Survey Nov 07
• Notified in Dec 07
• Feedback Dec 07

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• Key Challenges
• Part A is conditional
• Results
• Impact
• Benchmarking
• Strategic Planning

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• Outcomes
• Internally very positive
• Positive impact on Framework for Excellence
• Stakeholder response has been good
• Need to be proactive with employers
• Not clear yet about impact on referrals

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• Some Things to Consider
• Are you ready for it now development plan?
• Do you have senior management buy in?
• Do you have time?
• Who will lead it and what aspects of provision
  will be included?
• Will you be able to capitalise on the benefits?
• Will it offer good value for money for your
  organisation?
• Future strategy How many Part Bs?