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Adult Education

Bridging the skills gap amid a global pandemic
Adult Education  ·  Business Growth  ·  Skills agenda  ·  The Progress Group
Bridging the skills gap amid a global pandemic

With unemployment rates in the UK soaring, and the global pandemic having exposed some of the fundamental inequalities in our society, it’s no surprise that the Government has placed so much emphasis on the skills agenda in order to help rebuild our country and economy. But the question for so many is will this come quickly enough to support businesses with the skills divide that they are facing in their organisation right now?

A recent article by McKinsey states that 87% of companies said that they have skill gaps, or expect to within a few years. In the same article, 53% of executives stated that they believed that re-skilling existing employees is the best way to close these gaps [1]. But as we see light at the end of this dark tunnel with the hope of vaccinations for all by Autumn, what can businesses do to survive in the short-term, whilst planning to thrive in the long?

Like many, I welcomed the Government’s announcement last Autumn which placed skills at the heart of the COVID-19 recovery plan [2]. £2.5 billion has been pledged through the National Skills Fund to help get people working again after COVID, as well as helping those already employed to up-skill or re-train. With this also came a commitment to invest £8 million for digital skills boot camps and a plan to expand these into areas such as construction and engineering from next year. All of this sounds very positive indeed, but does it go far enough?

As an employer who, across our organisation, employs around 120 people, we have had many conversations around the skills requirements of our business both today and in the future. There’s no denying that for an employer, this is a challenge. As reported by McKinsey, retraining is our first choice, but this cannot always happen at the pace that is required by a business. Like so many other businesses out there, our Group evolved our digital capabilities within a matter of weeks during the first lockdown last year; but we know that there is much more to be done in this area.

And in all this, we cannot forget that our national skills gaps go way beyond digital technologies. We have heard about the shortages in the public sector, struggles with attracting young talent into health and social care, and the boom in green energy initiatives to help meet the Governments Net Zero target. So, at a time of great challenge for many, I also see great opportunity, if we all plan now for the next normal.  

So, what is the solution that will enable us to achieve our plans? Long-term, perhaps it lies with the likes of T-Levels, which were launched last year as a next step after GCSEs. These offer a mixture of classroom learning and ‘on-the-job’ experience, with these qualifications having been developed in collaboration with employers and businesses to meet the demand of industry. But in the short-term, we need a solution that provides flexibility, agility, and sustainability for individuals and business. That’s where I believe that through further investment and flex in the Adult Education Budget, and greater development of initiatives such as Kickstart and apprenticeships, we can meet the short terms needs of industry and individuals. Whether it is re-skilling or up-skilling that’s needed by businesses, by creating flexible and accessible pathways into sustainable employment and training, will enable individuals and industry to meet the skills demands of today, whilst planning for the future.

The Progress Group welcomes new Financial Controller
Adult Education  ·  Business Growth  ·  Skills agenda  ·  The Progress Group
The Progress Group appoints Ian Green as MD of their Workforce Development Division

National education and training specialists, The Progress Group, have recently appointed Ian Green as Managing Director of their Workforce Development Division. A post that will see Ian lead on the strategic development of the Group’s adult skills agenda.

Ian, who has been CEO of adult education training provider Innovative Alliance since November 2018, was previously head of operations at a national training provider, delivering training and apprenticeships to schools throughout the UK. Prior to that Ian held senior leadership positions at large colleges within the North West.

His new role will see him work in the Senior Leadership Team of The Progress Group to drive the growth plans of the Group’s adult skills arm, which includes Innovative Alliance and Complete Training Solutions, a specialist health and safety training company for the renewable and construction industries.

Talking of his appointment, Ian said;

“The adult skills agenda will be key to helping our country to recover after the pandemic. We have already seen the Government pledge £2.5 billion through the Lifetime Skills Guarantee to help get people working again after COVID, and with the introduction of the Restart and Kickstart programmes, there will be a huge emphasis placed on up-skilling and re-skilling individuals to help get them back into employment. As an agile and flexible skills provider, we will be responding to the needs of the economy to drive our curriculum and support people back into sustainable employment.

The Progress Group delivers careers advice and guidance, education and training to individuals between the ages of 8 and 60 throughout England. In 2018-19, as a collective Group, they worked with over 15,000 individuals

Talking of Ian’s appointment, Group CEO Jayne Worthington said;

“As a Group we pride ourselves on our agile and flexible approach to education and training, and this is championed through our divisional make-up. Each division has its own core market in which they specialise in, allowing us to be at the forefront of industry and society trends, and adapt to meet the needs of these.

“Ian’s appointment is the latest strategic appointment that we have made, which will see our Group strengthen our position within the market and ultimately help us to achieve our mission statement which is to change lives through the power and education and training.

“We all know that times are tough for many, but even during tough times, it’s important to plan for the next stage and we know that education and skills will be key to this for our country. I am delighted to have Ian in this new role, as it will enable us to really lead on driving forward the skills agenda both in the North West and nationally.”

The Progress Group welcomes new Financial Controller
Adult Education  ·  Business Growth  ·  Skills agenda  ·  The Progress Group
The Progress Group welcomes new Financial Controller

Specialist education and training provider, The Progress Group, have recently welcomed Sam Toothill to their Senior Leadership Team. Sam takes up the role of Financial Controller within the Group, bringing with him a wealth of experience and from his previous role at Grant Thornton.

Sam, who had been with Grant Thornton since his placement year in 2012, studied Accounting & Finance at Leeds University before passing his Chartered Accountant exams in 2016. Since then he has worked with a range of clients across the hospitality, technology & education industries, including the likes of City of Liverpool College and the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine. In 2017, he achieved his ACA qualification, one of the most advanced learning and professional development programmes available for financial professionals.

More recently, Sam has had a split role at Grant Thornton, specialising in data analytics. This role saw him drive forward management reporting and business efficiencies using software such as PowerBI.

Sam joins The Progress Group at a time of growth after the Group secured investment from Bankers Life Insurance Company (BLIC) earlier in 2020. This investment has been a catalyst for growth, which has seen the Group acquire specialist Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance provider CareersInc. But the investment doesn’t stop there. Earlier this year, the Group also invested in a new Business Development Team, appointing Tom Whitlock to the role of Director of Business Development. Tom moved from Progress Schools to work for the Group after successfully securing numerous tenders with local authorities across the country. These successes have helped Progress Schools to expand to now have 11 alternative schools across England within the space of five years. Tom is now applying his vast knowledge of the education and training sector to the wider Group growth strategy.

Talking of his appointment Sam said;

“I instantly felt that The Progress Group was the right fit for me. Not only does this sector genuinely make a positive change to the lives of the individuals, but working for a business who is so committed to achieving their mission statement to change lives through the power and education and training was really inspirational.

“To join a business where I will have a real opportunity to shape its future success is a huge motivation for me, and I can’t wait to get stuck in!”

Jayne Worthington, Group CEO said;

“We are delighted to welcome Sam to the team. His extensive prior financial experience and specialism in data analytics makes him a great addition to the team. As we continue to drive forward our innovation and growth strategy, Sam’s expertise will be invaluable.”

The Progress Group is made up of five education and training providers who work with individuals aged from 11 -65. They operate nationally, often supporting some of the most vulnerable in society to positively engage in education and training, with the ultimate goal of helping them to achieve their potential.

Times are tough, but Innovative Alliance are here to support job seekers into employment
Adult Education  ·  Innovative Alliance  ·  Skills agenda  ·  The Progress Group
Times are tough, but Innovative Alliance are here to support job seekers into employment

Supporting adults into employment through education and training is what Innovative Alliance are all about. As the recent challenges of the COVID 19 pandemic continue to impact our economy, it’s perhaps never been more important for individuals to take advantage of the services offered by Innovative Alliance.

It seems as though everywhere we turn during these difficult times, people are facing redundancies and businesses are struggling to retain staff due to financial difficulties caused by the impact of the pandemic. Thousands of individuals from some of the UK’s largest employers including Tui, Airbus and Rolls Royce, are now amongst the competition of people who are currently searching for work.

With that said, Innovative Alliance are using this as an opportunity to equip those whose need it with the skills and confidence they need to get back into employment. This could be anything from learning new skills to pursue a new career, or brushing up on pre-employability training that includes the likes of CV writing, cover letters and sharing interview tips.

Depending on eligibility, courses delivered by Innovative Alliance are fully-funded, therefore there’s no need to worry about costs of training. Whilst some courses are now returning to face-to-face delivery, there are a range of courses still available to study online. Qualifications can be achieved in a matter of weeks, at which point the tutors at Innovative Alliance will help to guide learners onto their next steps wherever possible. This could include further training or employment.

Employers and recruiters from across the North West are working with Innovative Alliance to provide support and opportunities for employment or further training.

Ian Green, CEO at Innovative Alliance spoke to us about how he felt the pandemic had affected the skills demand in the North West and what the training company are doing to help. He said,

“Employers have been asking us for a solution to finding candidates who have basic ICT skills and Business Admin qualifications, so we’ve put together an ICT course and a Business Admin qualification. Employers from the Warehousing and Construction industries have approached us for support in finding candidates with the right knowledge and qualifications to help fill the current skills gap, so we developed our industry-led skills solution.

“I truly believe that we are doing everything we can to support employers to recruit a skilled workforce, but also we’re continuing to lift people back up onto their feet and put them on the right track towards a successful future.”

Innovative Alliance specialise in providing adult education in the North West. Individuals can achieve fully-funded qualifications to support their next steps into employment in industries including; Customer Service, Warehousing and Storage, Construction, Health and Social Care, Business Administration, and Hospitality and Catering. Explore their upcoming courses on their website.

Building local partnerships to support even more people in to work
Adult Education  ·  Innovative Alliance  ·  Skills agenda  ·  The Progress Group
Building local partnerships to support even more people into work

With their extensive network of partners, Innovative Alliance (IA) supports individuals to take their first steps into employment.  Their latest partnership with recruitment specialist LFUK Recruitment Services Limited is set to open even more doors of opportunity for their participants, ultimately supporting them to secure employment or further training at the end of their course with IA.

LFUK are one of Merseyside’s leading recruitment consultancies, specialising in recruitment for industries including; driving, industrial, commercial, and event services. For Innovative Alliance, this means that individuals wanting to progress into roles such as Forklift Drivers, Warehousing Operatives, Stock controllers, and Warehousing shift leaders or similar, can be supported with their job search. LFUK and Innovative Alliance will work together to find employment opportunities for the learner once they have gained their qualification.

Since the outbreak of the pandemic, Innovative Alliance have adjusted their delivery to incorporate online training. This has enabled individuals to access the various training courses available via IA Online. This includes the Level 2 Principles of Warehousing and Storage course which is now available via online and face-to-face delivery. LFUK will support Innovative Alliance to work with individuals who complete these qualifications to progress into employment.

CEO at Innovative Alliance, Ian Green was delighted to form the local partnership. He said,

“One of the reasons we are looking forward to working with LFUK is because they share a similar ethos to ourselves in that they are passionate about opening doors for people who are looking to get into work.

“Their reputation for providing a high-quality service has led them to provide the recruitment solution for some of the North West’s top businesses. With that said, the opportunities that they will be able to provide for our learners are vital to help rebuild the economy and support even more people back into work, whilst providing employers with a skilled workforce.”

Innovative Alliance have supported hundreds of individuals over the years in securing positive destinations at the end of their training. They hope that partnerships such as this will only help to boost this number, helping all individuals to achieve their potential and secure a brighter future.

Nurturing personal purpose at a time of change
Adult Education  ·  CareersInc  ·  Complete Training Solutions  ·  Innovative Alliance  ·  Prepare to Achieve  ·  Progress Schools  ·  Skills agenda  ·  The Progress Group
Nurturing personal purpose at a time of change

Changing lives through education and training is something that resonates with me personally and is a purpose that naturally runs throughout The Progress Group.

The world pressed pause for a while and we took the time to reflect, regroup and restructure. As a business, it’s given us the opportunity to focus on our shared values across our three distinct divisions, as we start a new chapter with our new brand and ambitions.

Having a clear purpose as an organisation is of course important – but at a time when many people are looking for new direction, reassurance and support, the significance of helping to nurture an individual’s sense of purpose is crucial too.

With rapidly rising unemployment, a skills gap threatening to widen and ‘new normal’ ways of living and working to navigate, our sector needs to be there to help people develop the skills and confidence to succeed and thrive.

Today is the UN’s World Youth Skills Day, which makes it more poignant that under 25s are being hit particularly hard in the current jobs market.  The government’s latest employment statistics shows the 16 to 24 age group were the only age group to show an annual decrease in employment – down by 25,000.

It’s a similar story when we look at those not in education, employment or training (NEETS), with official figures for early 2020 showing an increase to 771,000 young people across the UK.

This is before we see the full impact of Covid-19 on the jobs market as a whole, but what’s already clear is the need to keep levelling the skills playing field in our society.

The government’s announcement last week to support young people, particularly those on universal credit, is a step in the right direction.

A personal journey

I remember the moment aged 12 when I started on my own journey to finding my personal purpose and the self-belief I needed to achieve it. Growing up on a council estate in Birmingham – on the 17th floor of a tower block for the first seven years – I desperately wanted to achieve my dream of working in the media, but my teachers at the time dismissed the idea.

It wasn’t until a local arts worker called Harry took the time teach me to how to take photographs that I really started to value myself. Learning this new skill taught me how to think about the world around me, how people are shaped and the breadth of choice and opportunity out there. It gave me the confidence to go to college and polytechnic, and secure an internship at the BBC. Although I moved away from a media career, it gave me skills, as well as a passion for education and training, which has set me on the path to the role I’m in today.

I was lucky to have had support developing my direction and resolve at a young age. Every young person deserves this, so we need to be there for those who don’t – to help people build resilience and strength and provide empathy and understanding to nurture purpose at an individual level.

Where next?

Everyone has their own personal story, whether that’s a child who’s falling behind at school, someone who has lost their job, struggling to get into work or coming out of the justice system. Sometimes they need that extra helping hand of support.

Our teams have been busy keeping education and training services running throughout the pandemic, critically supporting both youth and adult learning. For many the future can often feel uncertain, even more so now than ever before.

But this challenging time brings with it the opportunity to do things differently and harness the changes and opportunities to support the next generation to find their own successful path for the future.

This is something me and the fantastic Progress Group team are committed to delivering on a daily basis – using the power of education and training to change lives.

Achieving the first steps in to a career in construction
Adult Education  ·  Innovative Alliance  ·  The Progress Group
Achieving the first steps in to a career in construction

With the annual growth set to increase by a further 3.3% in the next five years, according to IBISWorld, a career in the construction industry holds a promising future.

Adrian Robinson has recently taken his first steps towards achieving his career goals in the sector. He completed the Level 1 Introduction to Construction course with Innovative Alliance. Whilst on the course, Adrian successfully gained his CSCS card. This opportunity allows most principal contractors and major house builders to work on site.

Completing the course in February 2020, Adrian wanted to continue to gain qualifications that would help him to stand out from the crowd. Updating his CV and seeking assistance with his interview skills helped him achieve this. After being unemployed for some time, he knew that the qualifications and experience he would gain on the course would be valuable to both himself and his future employer. Eagar to progress further, Adrian has already signed up to a future course in Traffic Management. Ray became Adrians tutor to assist him in his progression.

“We get learners from various types of backgrounds and their mixed personalities really shine through.” -Ray

Ray, who has a vast amount of experience in the sector and dealing with people from all walks of life, said:

“I love working in adult education, we get learners from various types of backgrounds and their mixed personalities really shine through during the course.

Adrian stood out within his group as someone who was determined to succeed. I was thrilled that he’d enjoyed the course so much so that he wanted to do another one with us. The aim now is to help him complete the next course and support him on his way in to employment.”

When speaking about his experience on the course, Adrian said:

“Ray was a great tutor. When explaining to us, he was clear and always positive. Because of my positive experience, I would recommend the course to anyone. I’m looking forward to starting the next course after enjoying every minute on this one.”

Once he has successfully completed the Traffic Management course, Adrian will continue to be supported by the team at Innovative Alliance. Their extensive network in the sector will assist Adrian with his progression into employment.

Innovative Alliance offer construction courses that are ideal for those who have little or no experience within the sector. For more information about this course, contact info@innovativealliance.co.uk or call 0151 433 7171.

Innovative Alliance Adult Education Training Provider Liverpool
Adult Education  ·  Innovative Alliance  ·  The Progress Group
Series of free online videos to support home-schooling and skill development

At the start of the COVID-19 outbreak and subsequent nation-wide lockdown, the team at Innovative Alliance knew that they had to do something to try and support others. Understanding the demands being placed on parents to support with home-schooling, the team set about developing a series of bite-sized English and maths videos.

The adult education training provider, who is based in Liverpool, utilised the skills of their none-furloughed tutors to develop the bite-sized videos. These free resources demonstrated how English and maths could be embedded in to everyday tasks, such as working out how much paint was needed to decorate a room, how to write persuasively and how to burn calories.

Talking of the initiative, CEO Ian Green said;

“It is part of our ethos to give back and support others, and that’s just what these resources help us to do. We wanted to create some simple, easily accessible bite-size tools that would appeal to people of all maths and English abilities, and that’s just what we did. Our team of tutors worked on the project, putting their vocational knowledge and skills to good use. They had a lot of fun deciding on which theme to do next, with the video about burning calories going down a storm!”

All videos have been published on the training provider’s website as a free resource, and shared across their social media channels. Colleagues who have been home-schooling their children have commented how handy it was to have access to such resources.

But the resources also had another purpose. The team also wanted to support individuals to improve their numeracy and literacy skills during this time, in lieu of being able to support them face-to-face. By making these resources free and open to all, IA have given individuals from all social-economic backgrounds the opportunity to develop themselves. It is hoped that these resources will help to provide new knowledge and skills relating to English and maths, which individuals can then apply within the workplace (or to support them in gaining employment) once the lockdown measures are lifted.

There have been eight video resources created to date, all of which are available here.

Adult Education  ·  Innovative Alliance  ·  The Progress Group
Opening new doors to women in construction

In an industry that creates a perception of a male dominated environment, Cheryl Ali is helping to rebalance the gender gap, after completing her training with Innovative Alliance.

Before starting her training with Innovative Alliance, Cheryl was unemployed, but knew she wanted to pursue a career in Industrial Cleaning. She enrolled on a Building and Construction course to obtain her CSCS card that would allow her to progress on her career journey.

However, whilst completing the course, she realised that there were various opportunities within the sector that she had never considered before. The course has opened new doors to a wide variety of career paths available to her.

She said, “I found the support from the Tutors excellent as well as the fun and engaging work atmosphere. I would highly recommend this course to people from all walks of life.”

Cheryl is now receiving the support she needs from Innovative Alliance and their extensive network of employers within the industry, to decide which career path is right for her.

Her tutor Ray said: “Cheryl has worked very hard to achieve her Level 1 Introduction to Construction and CSCS card. She has the motivation to go far and do well. I’m very proud of Cheryl.

“Sometimes it’s hard to open your eyes to other possibilities that are available to you when you’ve had your heart focused on something for so long. So, it’s great that the course has helped her to branch out and consider new opportunities.”

Innovative Alliance offer construction courses that are ideal for those who have little or no experience within the sector. For more information about this course, contact info@innovativealliance.co.uk or call 0151 433 7171.



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