Successful businesses rely on the quality of the skills and knowledge of its workforce to grow. Employers need to know that the skills and qualifications that their workforce holds are both relevant and robust and will meet the needs of the modern workplace.

The UK technical and vocational education system works with learning providers and industry to develop a quality assurance system that is built on 150 years of experience of inspection, accountability and transparency. Each learning provider is responsible for the quality of its programmes and the service to its learners, and funding for training and learning is only released to recognised providers on evidence of quality provision and of continuous quality improvement.

The UK Common Inspection Framework, which has become a European standard, has developed around a quality assurance system that focuses on benefit to learners, transition into employment, quality of teaching, leadership and student retention.

This Seminar provided delegates with a detailed insight into the UK’s approach to quality assurance in technical and vocational education and useful models for those involved in national educational reform. Find here the programme of the seminar.

Delegates had access to leading UK experts through presentations and facilitated workshops and also were able to network with decision and policy makers from around the world with an interest in quality assurance and improvement of learning provision.

The event included visits to colleges and workplace providers, so that delegates saw at first hand the role of quality assurance in education and the workplace.

The objectives of the seminar were:

• To provide first-hand insights into the benefits of quality assurance in the UK, through visits to UK colleges and input from quality assurance Managers and Inspectors
• To explore approaches, tools and systems used to improve quality in technical, vocational and skills education
• To provide participants with opportunities to network with leading UK and international experts in the field of quality assurance
• To explore how approaches in quality assurance and improvement explored during the Seminar could provide useful models for delegates’ national reform plans.

The following presentations were made at the seminar:

			Mark Novels - Programme Overview
			Mark Novels - Programme Overview Monday session
			Mark Novels - Introduction
			Simon Perks - Ofqual
			David Short - City & Guilds
			Pauline Tambling - CCSkills
			Abigail Lammas - LSIS
			Jane Rexworthy - NSA for Retail
			Kate Tetley - People1st
			Karen Adriaanse - Ofsted
			Joy Mercer - AoC
			Andrew Barlow - NAS
			Alison Halstead - Aston University
			Alison Morris - UKCES

The UK has placed the development of a skilled workforce at the heart of its strategy to encourage economic growth and reduce unemployment, particularly amongst young people.  

Employers and business have an essential role to play in ensuring that young people are developing high quality, relevant skills that will enable them to make a positive contribution to the success of their organisation and the economy. But how can employers be encouraged and supported to work with training providers and agencies in shaping the workforce of the future?

This UK Seminar, developed in partnership with the National Apprenticeship Service, explored key priorities and challenges in engaging with employers. It also provided an insight into the UK’s approach to developing an employer-focussed skills strategy based on labour market analysis, national occupational standards, national qualifications and apprenticeship programmes. Click here to view the programme.

Delegates had the opportunity to meet key organisations including the UK Commission for Employment and Skills, Sector Skills Council, awarding organisations and training providers who shared knowledge, information and best practice in the area of employer engagement, qualifications and apprenticeships.

The Seminar also provided excellent networking opportunities with decision and policy makers from around the world who share an interest in apprenticeships and employer engagement strategies and had the opportunity of exploring how UK’s models may apply to their own national strategies.

The objectives of the seminar were:

• To share knowledge, information and best practice in the area of employer engagement and apprenticeships
• To identify key priorities and challenges in engaging employers
• To review the different elements of UK apprenticeship including creating skills development strategies based on employer demand
• To provide participants with opportunities to network with leading UK and international experts in the field of apprenticeships and employer engagement
• To explore how approaches to employer engagement and apprenticeship could provide useful models for delegates’ national reform plans.

The following presentations were made at the seminar:

			Alistair Shaw - SQA
			Andrew Barlow - NAS
			Pearson - Case Studies
			Simon Perryman - UKCES
			Gail Campbell - British Council
			Martin Doel - Assocation of Colleges
			Bill Twigg - SEMTA