IMPLEMENTATION PLAN - Skills for Life Improvement Programme ...

THE WORKFORCE STRATEGY 

FOR THE FURTHER EDUCATION SECTOR IN ENGLAND, 2007–2012 

IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

CONTENTS 

PREFACE BY DAVID HUNTER 

03 

SECTION 1: 

DEVELOPMENT OF THE WORKFORCE STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION PLAN 

04 

1.1 Policy drivers, future goals and targets: 

Contributions by national partners and stakeholders 

1.2 Future development and refinement of the Implementation Plan: 

Decisions about re-focussing and rationalisation 

1.3 Priorities for implementing the Workforce Strategy 

06 

07 

08 

SECTION 2: 

THE WORKFORCE STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION PLAN AND THE 

SECTOR SKILLS AGREEMENT FOR THE LIFELONG LEARNING SECTOR 

12 

2.1 How we hope the Implementation Plan will be used 

2.2 Actions and milestones by key partners 

16 

17 

SECTION 3: 

REVIEW AND REFRESHMENT OF THE WORKFORCE STRATEGY 

AND THE IMPLEMENTATION PLAN 

64 

3.1 Why is a review and refresh needed? 

3.2 The process of review and refresh 

3.3 Measuring impact 

3.4 Outstanding issues and challenges to be tackled and proposed actions in 2008-2009 

SECTION 4: APPENDICES 

4.1 National Partners 

65 

66 

66 

68 

72 

72 

Whilst LLUK has made every effort to 

ensure that the information contained in 

this Implementation Plan is correct at time 

of publication, further changes and 

amendments and reclassifications of 

partners’ services are inevitable. Providers 

and individuals are strongly advised to 

consult individual partners for further 

information about their current services. 

02 WORKFORCE STRATEGY FOR THE FURTHER EDUCATION SECTOR IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

PREFACE 

BY DAVID HUNTER 

I AM PLEASED THAT WE ARE NOW PUBLISHING THE 

Implementation Plan, which is the companion document to 

the first Workforce Strategy for the Further Education Sector 

in England. It has been useful for national partners to work 

together and contribute to this first plan, as workforce 

development actions by partners have never before been 

available in one document. This version of the 

Implementation Plan is intended to be a ‘mirror’ for the 

leaders of colleges and learning providers, and their 

employees, and as such it is hoped it will provide them with 

an indication of the actions that partners are taking at 

national level, and upon which individual providers can 

reflect when considering their own local developments. 

This first Implementation Plan cannot tackle everything at 

once, the collation of information from across the sector, 

which is relevant to and useful for workforce development, 

has proved a good starting point. Under each of the 

Workforce Strategy priorities, we have managed to capture 

the key actions, which partners are taking forward during 

2008-2009. This is more of a list of individual actions at this 

stage, but there are a number of key issues identified, which 

will need to be addressed through the Implementation Plan 

in due course. 

Lifelong Learning UK (LLUK) will be developing further the 

Implementation Plan, which will include actions specifically 

targeted at national partners and stakeholders. I look 

forward to some robust discussions and negotiations in the 

coming months. As always, we are delighted to receive 

comments and feedback from providers, employee 

representative bodies and from individual members of the 

workforce. Please send your comments to 

feworkforcestrategy@lluk.org 

Further updates of the Implementation Plan will be found 

on the LLUK website. 

David Hunter 

Chief Executive Officer 

Lifelong Learning UK (LLUK) 

WORKFORCE STRATEGY FOR THE FURTHER EDUCATION SECTOR IMPLEMENTATION PLAN 03

01 

?? 04 WORKFORCE STRATEGY FOR THE FURTHER EDUCATION SECTOR IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

DEVELOPMENT OF THE WORKFORCE STRATEGY 

IMPLEMENTATION PLAN 

THE FIRST WORKFORCE STRATEGY FOR THE FURTHER 

EDUCATION SECTOR PUBLISHED IN DECEMBER 2007, 

identifies four over-arching priorities for actions which are 

necessary to achieve the vision of the Strategy. This vision 

will be driven by the workforce response to learner and 

employer demand, policy direction, technological change 

and increasingly by domestic and international competition 

in a global economy. The four over-arching priorities are 

underpinned by eight themes which were refined through 

consultation with colleges and learning providers, partners 

and stakeholders. The aims and anticipated outcomes for 

each of these themes are set out in the Strategy. 

Consultation workshops with key providers, partners 

and stakeholders to agree the process for developing, 

reviewing and refreshing the Implementation Plan 

determined that the plan had to be: 

• Inclusive, by capturing the contributions and 

actions of key agencies and stakeholders which 

either support or underpin the development of the 

Further Education workforce; 

• Meaningful and useful to different groups of people in 

different parts of the Further Education system; and 

• Ensure that actions and milestones contribute to 

the outcomes outlined in the Strategy. 

The following criteria, agreed with partners and 

stakeholders, were then used to consolidate, refine 

and prioritise the contributions and actions which will 

support the achievement of the anticipated outcomes 

outlined in the Strategy; namely that: 

• The Implementation Plan must reflect the 

over-arching priorities and be written so that it is 

meaningful for individual members of the 

workforce as well as for leaders of learning 

providers; 

• The outcomes included must demonstrate benefits 

for individual members of the workforce and 

leaders of learning providers; 

• The actions leading to the outcomes should be 

explicit in how they will provide practical help to 

support the workforce in meeting new agendas by 

delivering appropriate learning and other services 

to agreed quality standards; 

• The milestones and outcomes should be 

measurable; and 

• The Implementation Plan must be inclusive both of 

the workforce and different providers in the Further 

Education Sector and reflect the roles of key 

organisations, agencies and Government 

Departments in taking the Strategy forward. 

Thus, the range of over forty anticipated outcomes outlined 

in the Strategy have been prioritised into just 14 outcomes 

in this, the first Implementation Plan to accompany the 

Workforce Strategy. Originally, a three-year Implementation 

Plan was envisaged covering the period of the three-year 

Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR) i.e. 2008-2011. 

Consultation revealed that although partners and 

stakeholders had prioritised actions for this period, they 

had not been incorporated into their respective business 

strategies with associated budgets. Therefore, it was agreed 

that for this first iteration, the Implementation Plan should 

include actions that are already underway and planned for 

the next financial year (2008-09) and which will help to 

achieve the anticipated outcomes by 2012. 

The Implementation Plan is thus a living document and 

subject to review and change. The proposed review process 

will help ensure that future iterations of the plan are 

improved and refined. 


SECTION 1: DEVELOPMENT OF THE WORKFORCE STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION PLAN 

1.1 POLICY DRIVERS, FUTURE GOALS AND 

TARGETS: CONTRIBUTIONS BY NATIONAL 

PARTNERS AND STAKEHOLDERS 

The actions by respective partners outlined in the 

Implementation Plan are all set in the context of the future goals 

and targets for the Further Education workforce, as outlined in 

Section 2.3 (Page 15) of the Workforce Strategy namely: 

• The teaching, tutoring and training workforce will be fully 

and appropriately qualified or working towards a 

qualification by 2010; 

• All teachers, tutors and trainers will be registered with 

the sector’s professional body, the Institute for Learning 

(IfL), by September 2008; 

• Every full-time teacher or trainer must complete at least 

30 hours of continuing professional development (CPD) 

each year; and 

• All new college principals must complete the Further 

Education Principals’ Qualifying Programme. 

Other key goals and aspirations include: 

• Every college and learning provider signing up to the 

Skills Pledge; 

• LLUK developing new standards and qualifications for 

key roles in the sector. This will be based on further 

analysis and extensive research from the sector skills 

agreement for the lifelong learning sector; 

• The Principals’ Qualifying Programme (PQP) becoming 

recognised as the leadership qualification for Further 

Education and all existing principals and leaders of 

learning providers opting to complete it; and 

• Ensuring that all staff are skilled, competent and able to 

make a full contribution to the success of their 

company/organisation’s business plan. 

BECAUSE THE EMPHASIS IN THIS FIRST VERSION OF THE IMPLEMENTATION PLAN IS ON 

THE PROVIDER AND EMPLOYEE PERSPECTIVE, THERE ARE SEVERAL KEY PARTNERS AND 

STAKEHOLDERS IN THE WIDER FURTHER EDUCATION SYSTEM THAT ARE NOT INCLUDED 

DIRECTLY IN THE IMPLEMENTATION PLAN, BUT WHO EITHER SET POLICY DIRECTION OR 

IMPLEMENT POLICY WHICH UNDERPIN SOME OF THE ACTIONS IN THE IMPLEMENTATION 

PLAN OR SUPPORT GROUPS OF PROVIDERS OR EMPLOYEES. THESE KEY CONTRIBUTIONS 

ARE HIGHLIGHTED BELOW. 

THE DEPARTMENT FOR INNOVATION, UNIVERSITIES AND SKILLS (DIUS) is working with key 

partners in the system to transform the sector into a more responsive one with a focus on skills, employability and 

social mobility. DIUS and other Government Departments, seek to: 

• Raise participation and attainment by young people and adults in post-16 education and learning; 

• Tackle the skills gap amongst adults, particularly equipping people with literacy and numeracy skills; and 

• Increase the supply of people particularly those with Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) skills. 

DIUS and the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) are working together on the development and 

introduction of the 14-19 Diplomas amongst other activities. 

THE LEARNING AND SKILLS COUNCIL (LSC) is another key partner in the wider Further Education 

system not directly included in the Implementation Plan’s actions and contributions. In the recent “Statement of 

Priorities – Better skills, Better jobs, Better lives” (November 2007) the LSC highlights its three national priorities as: 

• Creating demand for learning and skills; 

• Transforming the Further Education system to meet demand; and 

• Delivering better skills, better jobs and better lives. 

As the LSC raises demand for learning amongst other sector employers, adults and young people, the Further 

Education system will need to be transformed to meet this demand and workforce development is an important 

element of this transformation. 


THE LSC AIMS TO ENABLE LEARNING PROVIDERS TO ACHIEVE THIS BY: 

• Working closely with partners to drive the professional development of the Further Education system as a whole; 

• Setting out in all contracts and funding agreements with providers, the expectation that they will ensure that their 

staff are appropriately qualified and trained in accordance with new requirements, to support the achievement of 

the target that every college and provider should have a fully qualified teaching workforce by 2010; and 

• Working with key partners to support the development of leadership and capacity across the Further Education 

system, so that it is better equipped to respond to future change and challenges. 

The LSC supports the sector’s aspirations set out within the Workforce Strategy and has said that it will continue to 

work in partnership with LLUK and the other Further Education system stakeholders at national and regional level to 

ensure consistent communications on the workforce reform agenda and in respect of developing the Implementation 

Plan. Thus alongside the provider/employee actions listed in the Implementation Plan, the LSC will be working with 

LLUK to review, with the aim of reducing the number of information requests regarding the workforce which relate to 

the legislative requirements of the LSC. The LSC equality targets will contribute to achieving outcomes in respect of 

priorities 2, 3 and 4 of the Workforce Strategy. 

THE NETWORK FOR BLACK PROFESSIONALS (NBP) is another key strategic partner, with activities that 

span the over-arching priorities. It was set-up to address the under-representation of black staff in the Further Education 

Sector, particularly the small numbers of managers, senior staff and principals and its objectives centre around: 

• Raising awareness of race equality issues in the learning and skills sector; 

• Developing and supporting measures that raise the numbers of black staff at all levels in the sector, particularly at 

senior and middle management levels, and positively influence the experience of learners; and 

• Providing support and guidance to black professionals assisting them in developing their careers and support providers in 

delivering race equality including meeting their legal obligations under the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000. 

THE LEARNING AND SKILLS NETWORK (LSN) offers support to the Further Education Sector to 

develop the skills of the workforce in the UK, either directly through involvement with large scale national 

programmes such as the Vocational Learning Support Programme 14-19, Train to Gain, Subject Learning Coaches 

and the Professional Training Programme. LSN’s expertise in the area of vocational education and workforce 

development is also reflected in the publication of several research papers and information resources that have 

become valuable resources for the Further Education system. 

1.2 FUTURE DEVELOPMENT AND REFINEMENT 

OF THE IMPLEMENTATION PLAN: DECISIONS 

ABOUT RE-FOCUSSING AND RATIONALISATION 

It is widely recognised that without Further Education 

providers, the challenging targets arising out of the Lord 

Leitch report will not be achieved. The Workforce Strategy 

Review Group will periodically review policy, goals and 

targets and agree where the emphasis needs to be placed 

for future Implementation Plan actions. 

Some important decisions will need to be made about the 

future shape and direction of workforce development and the 

funding available to support such developments. If the 

Workforce Strategy priorities are to be achieved, there will 

need to be agreement within the sector about the focus for, 

and use of, limited public resources. Structural issues, 

including actual and perceived barriers which might 

constrain or restrict workforce development, will also need 

to be discussed. 

It is too early to address such issues in this Implementation 

Plan, but the development of this version of the plan has 

brought together for the first time the various partner plans 

and associated resources across the wider Further Education 

system, which has highlighted areas for future discussion. 

These include possible rationalisation and areas where 

further development is needed. Within the context of a selfregulating 

and self-governing sector, this is a significant 

strategic step forward by the sector and LLUK, as the sector 

skills council for Further Education Sector providers, expects 

to continue working with partners and stakeholders across 

the Further Education system on such strategic 

developments and to respond to providers workforce needs. 



1.3 PRIORITIES FOR IMPLEMENTING THE WORKFORCE STRATEGY 

The table below summarises the Workforce Strategy priorities, themes and anticipated outcomes by 2012 and how these have been translated into headline actions in the Implementation 

Plan for 2008-2009. The individual actions and contributions by national partners are set out in 2.2. 

TABLE 1: WORKFORCE STRATEGY PRIORITIES, THEMES AND ANTICIPATED OUTCOMES WITH HEADLINE ACTIONS INCLUDED IN THE IMPLEMENTATION PLAN FOR 2008-2009 

PRIORITY THEME ANTICIPATED OUTCOMES BY 2012 HEADLINE ACTIONS IN 2008-2009 

PRIORITY 1: 

UNDERSTANDING THE 

NATURE OF THE 

WORKFORCE 

1. Gathering robust data on the Further 

Education workforce 

1.1 There is a system in place that enables the early 

identification of workforce gaps and shortage areas, 

based on a reliable picture of key workforce 

characteristics and skills and training needs across 

all participating colleges and learning providers 

• Developing a system to fully capture 

workforce data 

• Collecting of workforce data from 

specific parts of the Further 

Education Sector 

• Supporting improved data gathering 

2. Using data to understand the Further 

Education workforce and improve 

future planning 

1.2 Colleges, learning providers and stakeholders have 

relevant information to take a planned approach to 

reduce the level of skills gaps and shortages, while 

at the same time promoting diversity within the 

workforce at all levels 

• Providing relevant workforce data to 

providers in a form that is meaningful 

and useable on the ground 

3. Using data to understand workforce 

diversity and target actions 

1.3 Accurate and timely data is used as evidence that 

colleges and learning providers are meeting their 

monitoring responsibilities with regard to race, 

disability, gender and age. There is a clear and 

quantifiable understanding of under-representation 

in relation to ethnicity, age, gender and disability 

• Producing specific data relating to 

workforce diversity 

• Supporting providers to use 

workforce data to facilitate the 

achievement of diversity 



PRIORITY 2: 

ATTRACTING AND 

RECRUITING THE 

BEST PEOPLE 

4. Recruiting the people we need 2.1 The teaching workforce is fully qualified. All teachers 

and trainers are registered with the Institute for 

Learning (IfL), as the professional body for Further 

Education 

• Putting in place the system to support 

professionalisation (qualifications etc) 

• Training programmes to support 

professionalisation 

• Promoting the professionalisation 

agenda to the Further Education 

workforce 

2.2 Shortages in key occupations and areas of vocational 

and other specialisms are significantly decreased 

• Targeted programmes to tackle current 

skills shortages and gaps 

5. Increasing the diversity of the 


2.5 The equality and diversity profile of the workforce is 

representative of the learners and communities it 

serves. Providers also benefit from an expanded 

talent pool 

• Developing guidance 

• Delivering training 

• General influencing activities 

6. Improving and selling the 

workforce image 

2.3 Joint working and career movement between further 

education, schools and higher education and other 

sectors are facilitated through the establishment of 

qualifications and systems for recognition of 

experience at national level 

• Developing systems to enable 

recognition of experience across 

different parts of the education and 

training sector 

• Provision of information, advice and 

guidance relating to career development 

2.4 A culture is established where colleges, learning 

providers, stakeholders and Government work jointly 

to improve the professional standing of the workforce 

• Developing a joined up approach to 

workforce development toward 

professionalisation 

• Communicating and consulting with 

providers 




PRIORITY 3: 

RETAINING AND 

DEVELOPING 

THE MODERN, 

PROFESSIONALISED 

WORKFORCE 

7. Professionalising the workforce from 

initial training to CPD 

3.1 A culture of CPD is established within the Further 

Education sector focused on meeting learner needs at 

provider and individual level. Colleges and learning 

providers approach their own staff development in 

similar and flexible ways, as they would for a learner, 

employer or client. The confidence and capacity of the 

workforce in understanding and using technology to 

transform education and training will be a key element 

of this culture 

• Developing a framework to support and 

embed CPD 

• Delivering training to support CPD 

• Dissemination and awareness raising 

• Development of good practice guides 

and materials 

8. Being responsive, by ensuring new 

workforce skills demands are met 

3.2 A workforce that provides the impetus for its own 

learning needs by taking action towards individual 

skills development. This outcome will be demonstrated 

by the enthusiasm of staff about the new CPD 

opportunities available and their keenness to adopt 

new technologies and engage in the latest training 

• Putting in place frameworks and models 

to support individual development 

• Engaging individual staff in professional 

development 

• Promoting leadership to create a culture 

of individual staff development 

3.3 The Further Education workforce is responsive to a 

changing learner and employer profile and its diverse 

needs, demands and skills requirements (developing 

the workforce to deliver provision for 14-19 year olds), 

responding to demand-led markets, incorporating the 

learner voice etc. New technologies are also applied 

appropriately to deliver learning “any time, any place, 

any where and at the right price” 

• Creating a Further Education system 

that enables and promotes workforce 

responsiveness 

• Support to improve employer 

engagement and responsiveness 

• Support programmes for the 14-19 


• Supporting the use of technology 

• Toolkits to support responsiveness 



PRIORITY 4: 

ENSURING EQUALITY AND 

DIVERSITY IS AT THE 

HEART OF STRATEGY, 

POLICY-MAKING, 

PLANNING AND TRAINING 

4.1 There is an inclusive and supportive working culture 

that is pro-active and flexible in recognising the 

differing and changing needs of the workforce and 

learners 

• Leadership training 

• Forums and groups 

4.2 The workforce has a broad understanding of cultural 

competencies (i.e. the ability to work across cultures), 

and equality and diversity principles, and can deliver 

learning effectively within a diverse environment 

• Cultural competency training and tools 

4.3 All providers and stakeholders have comprehensive 

equality strategies in place and constantly strive to 

reduce social barriers that inhibit the potential of both 

staff and learners 

• Embedding equality strategies through 

contracting and regulation 

• National agreements and programmes 

to support equality and diversity 


02 


THE WORKFORCE STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION PLAN 

AND THE SECTOR SKILLS AGREEMENT FOR THE 

LIFELONG LEARNING SECTOR 

ALONGSIDE THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE WORKFORCE 

Strategy for the Further Education Sector in England, LLUK 

has also been developing the sector skills agreement (SSA) 

for the lifelong learning sector in the UK and identifying 

actions relevant to the lifelong learning constituencies in 

England. Based upon extensive primary and secondary 

research, policy analysis and consultation with the wider 

lifelong learning sector, the SSA is essentially a series of 

agreements between employers - providers in this sector, 

which includes education and training providers, and those 

organisations i.e. partners and stakeholders that plan, fund or 

support education and training. 

The aim of this agreement is to reach consensus on how 

sector employers will work together with key stakeholders 

and partners and with each other in the lifelong learning 

sector to secure the necessary supply of training for their 

workforce in the future. Ten solution areas have been 

identified, along with key actions; these are outlined in the 

Sector Skills Agreement Stage 5 report (March 2008; 

available on the LLUK website). For providers and 

employees in the wider Further Education Sector, actions to 

address the SSA solutions will be largely delivered through 

the Workforce Strategy for the sector. 

All the SSA solutions and actions are based upon 

partnership working with employers, employees, partners 

and stakeholders and LLUK does not wish to imply that 

there is not already existing work and practice upon which 

actions can and should be built across the sector. This is the 

importance of on-going dialogue with all parts of the 

Further Education Sector to identify and develop relevant 

actions. Diagram 1 on the page overleaf is intended to help 

providers and their workforces understand how the SSA and 

the Further Education Workforce Strategy and its 

Implementation Plan link together. 

Running alongside the SSA, LLUK has also been doing a 

unique piece of work called the Impact Review which has 

looked at the SSAs from the other 24 sector skills councils 

with a view to understanding how their proposed solutions 

and actions will impact on learning providers. Whilst some 

issues relevant to the Further Education Sector have 

already been identified through the SSA work which fed into 

the initial development of the Further Education Workforce 

Strategy, discussions and consultation with the other sector 

skills councils will continue to be a feature of LLUK’s work 

at a strategic level and will inform future iterations of the 

Workforce Strategy. 

Further information about the SSA actions and associated 

Impact Review actions will be published shortly by LLUK 

and can be found on the LLUK website at: www.lluk.org 


SECTION 2: THE WORKFORCE STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION PLAN AND THE SECTOR SKILLS AGREEMENT 

DIAGRAM 1: THE RELATIONSHIP OF THE 

SECTOR SKILLS AGREEMENT WITH THE 

WORKFORCE STRATEGY PRIORITIES 

The diagram shown on the right is intended to help 

providers and their workforces understand how the 

sector skills agreement (SSA) and the Further 

Education Workforce Strategy and its Implementation 

Plan link together and to show the direct linkages 

between these two important areas of work. 

SSA Solution 4: 

Develop collaborative 

working across the 

lifelong learning 

sector to recognise 

and disseminate 

SSA Solution 5: good practice 

Support lifelong 

learning employers in 

the move towards more 

demand led learning and 

training opportunities 

WORKFORCE STRATEGYPRIORITY1 


Recruitment 

programmes to 

address specific 

shortages in 

the lifelong 

learning sector 



Develop sector-wide 

career pathways 


Develop the business 

case and resources to 

support the use of 

technology in the sector 


Develop a UK-wide 

leadership and 

management 

strategy 



Explore the 

options for 

'professionalising' 

all parts of the 

lifelong learning 


| 

SECTOR SKILLS AGREEMENT FOR THE LIFELONG LEARNING SECTOR ACROSS THE UK 


Development of 

an integrated CPD 

framework and 

model for the lifelong 

learning sector 

where appropriate 


Develop a knowledge bank 

for IAG professionals and 

others to support new 

entrants and existing staff 

in the sector 


Develop a 'skills 

for learning 

professionals' 

qualifications 

framework 



THE WORKFORCE STRATEGY FOR THE FURTHER EDUCATION SECTOR IN ENGLAND, 2007-2012 

PRIORITY 1: 

UNDERSTANDING 

THE NATURE OF 

THE WORKFORCE 

PRIORITY 2: 

ATTRACTING 

AND RECRUITING 

THE BEST PEOPLE 

PRIORITY 3: 

RETAINING AND 

DEVELOPING THE MODERN, 

PROFESSIONALISED 

WORKFORCE 

PRIORITY 4: 

ENSURING EQUALITY AND 

DIVERSITY IS AT THE HEART OF 

STRATEGY, POLICY-MAKING, 

PLANNING AND TRAINING 

THEMES FOR THIS PRIORITY: 

1. Gathering robust data on the 

Further Education workforce 

2. Using data to understand the 


and improve future planning 

3. Using data to understand workforce 

diversity and target actions 

ACTIONS TO SUPPORT THIS PRIORITY: 

• SIR data analysis from colleges 

• Wider Further Education workforce 

data collection 

• Membership surveys 

• Analysis and interpretation of 

surveys, research and data 

• Publication of sector data and analysis 

for use by individual providers 


4. Recruiting the people we need 

5. Increasing the diversity of the 


6. Improving and selling the 

workforce image 


• Systems in place to support 

professionalisation for both 

teaching/training staff, learning 

support staff and other staff 

• Promoting professionalisation 

• Programmes to tackle current 

skills shortages and gaps 

• Provision of Information, Advice and 

Guidance (IAG) and recognition of 

experience systems across the sector 

• Guidance and training to encourage 

a more diverse workforce 


7. Professionalising the workforce 

from initial training to CPD 

8. Being responsive by ensuring new 

workforce skills demands are met 


• Developing a framework to support 

and embed CPD 

• Development of best practice 

guides and materials 

• Dissemination and training programmes 

• Supporting individual 

professional development 

• Supporting improved employer 

engagement and responsiveness 

• Supporting improved 

personalised learning 

• Supporting the use of technology 

INCLUDED ALSO IN THE FIRST 

THREE PRIORITIES: 

• Leadership training to 

underpin an inclusive and 

supportive working culture 

• Provision of Workforce Race Advisory 

Group (WRAG) secretariat 

• Provision of Forum on Sexual 

Orientation and Gender Identity in 

Post-School Education secretariat 

• Provision of Disability Equality 

Implementation Group secretariat 

• Development of cultural 

competency training and tools 

• Embedding equality strategies 

through contracting and regulation 


SECTION 2: THE WORKFORCE STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION PLAN 

SECTION 2.1: HOW WE HOPE THE IMPLEMENTATION PLAN WILL BE USED 

In this first iteration of the Implementation Plan, 2008-2009 actions and milestones by key partners in the wider Further Education system that will contribute towards the achievement of 

outcomes are listed. It is hoped that these actions will be useful to providers as a ‘mirror’ for their own workforce development strategies and programmes and will help to reflect their 

priorities for the development of their own workforces over the coming year, as the sector responds to meeting the challenges of helping achieve economic and social goals for prosperity 

and cohesion in England. As part of the formal launch programme for the Workforce Strategy Implementation Plan, possible uses by and further refinements for use by individual 

providers of the actions and contributions will be discussed. Planning is underway for a series of regional and sub-regional launches to put the Implementation Plan into the context of the 

wider workforce development. 

The plan draws on the committed actions submitted by each of the following partner organisations: 

• Association for College Management (ACM) 

• Association of Colleges (AoC) 

• Association of National Specialist Colleges (Natspec) 

• Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL) 

• Association of Learning Providers (ALP) 

• British Educational Communications and Technology 

Agency (BECTA) 

• Centre for Excellence in Leadership (CEL) 

• Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) 

• Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills 

(DIUS) 

• Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) 

• Institute for Learning (IfL) 

• Learning and Skills Network (LSN) 

• Local Education Authority for the Education of Adults 

(LEAFEA) 

• Lifelong Learning UK (LLUK) 

• National Institute of Adult Continuing Education (NIACE) 

• National Network of Local Adult Learning Providers 

(HOLEX) 

• Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) 

• Quality Improvement Agency (QIA) 

• Ofsted 

• Training and Development Agency for Schools (TDA) 

• University and College Union (UCU) 

• UNISON 

Contact details for all contributors are listed in Section 4 as Appendix 4.1 for individual providers to find out more or access particular services or programmes. 


SECTION 2.2: ACTIONS AND MILESTONES BY KEY PARTNERS 

Each of the agreed activities for 2008-2009 is presented to show employers across the Further Education Sector what support is being provided nationally through different organisations 

and funding streams to help facilitate a culture of CPD within the Further Education Sector and plug skills gaps. Issues have been identified that still need to be tackled if we are going to 

achieve the anticipated outcomes by 2012 and are highlighted in Section 3.4. 

Within the grid, we have used codes to provide details about each action in terms of organisations’ eligibility, groups of employees targeted and the type of action (to help inform 

employers interested in finding out more or becoming involved). A list of definitions of the acronyms used is included below. 

CODES TO SHOW ELIGIBLE ORGANISATIONS CODES TO SHOW TYPE OF EMPLOYEES TARGETED CODES TO SHOW TYPE OF ACTION OR SERVICE 

A All organisations L & M Leaders and managers MS Members’ service 

L Only organisations with LSC contracts D Delivery (teachers, tutors and trainers) R Opportunity for employers to access resources 

VS Voluntary sector organisations T Technical F Opportunity for employers to access funding 

PS Private sector organisations A & C Administrative and clerical S Opportunity for employers to access support 

ISC 

Independent Specialist College (provision for 

learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities) 

F Facilities IG Information gathering to inform strategy 

and future policy 

NA Not applicable X All employees NA Not applicable 

NA 

Not applicable 



PRIORITY 1: UNDERSTANDING THE NATURE OF THE WORKFORCE 

1.1 ANTICIPATED OUTCOMES BY 2012: RATIONALE OF NEED REFLECTING EMPLOYERS’ VIEWS: 

There is a system in place that enables the early 

identification of workforce gaps and shortage 

areas, based on a reliable picture of key workforce 

characteristics and skills and training needs across 

all participating colleges and learning providers. 

There needs to be an evidence base of relevant data to identify and prioritise workforce development activities within all 

organisations that together make up the sector. The rationale for collecting data, feedback on the intelligence it yields, and the 

workforce development actions it prompts need to be communicated speedily and clearly to all Further Education colleges, 

work based learning (WBL) and adult and community learning (ACL) providers. They will be encouraged to provide data by 

strengthening the relationship between their data returns and access to relevant workforce development support. 

1.1.1 DEVELOPING A SYSTEM TO FULLY CAPTURE WORKFORCE DATA ACROSS THE WHOLE FURTHER EDUCATION SECTOR 

Partners 

Actions from April 2008 to March 2009 that will 

contribute towards achievement of outcome 

Measurable milestones to be achieved by March 

2009, including type and number of outputs 

Organisations 

eligible 

Type of employees 

targeted 

Type of action 

or service 

LLUK 

• Development and finalisation of workforce 

data collection system 

• Data collection system completed and launched 

with Further Education colleges, WBL and ACL 

providers and recognised trade unions by 

September 2008 

Only organisations 

with LSC 

contracts 

All employees 

Information 

gathering to 

inform strategy 


IfL 

• Development of the online CPD portal 

‘Reflect’, incorporating individual teacher 

needs analysis, action planning and CPD 

recording/evaluation 

• Actions for 2009: Completion of the first full 

cycle of critical reflection, needs analysis, 

CPD planning, recording and evaluation 

• ‘Reflect’ pilot commenced across 22 providers 

(April 2008) 

• ‘Reflect’ pilot completed (March 2008) 

• ‘Reflect’ launched across the entire teaching 

community (April 2008) 

• First cycle of CPD planning commences 

(September 2008) 

• First cycle of CPD completed (August 2009) 

• CPD records sampled (October 2009) 

• Detailed analysis published, incorporating CPD 

case studies, success factors and workforce 

gaps/unmet professional development needs 

(December 2009) 

All organisations 

Delivery 

(teachers, tutors 

and trainers), 

Leaders and 

managers 

Members’ service, 

Opportunity for 

employers to 

access support, 


gathering to 




1.1.2 COLLECTING OF WORKFORCE DATA FROM SPECIFIC PARTS OF THE FURTHER EDUCATION SECTOR 

Partners 



Measurable milestones to be achieved by March 2009, 

including type and number of outputs 

Organisations 

eligible 


targeted 


or service 

AoC 

• AoC Annual Recruitment and Retention 

Survey for staff and senior managers 

• AoC Further Education Workforce Strategy 

Implementation Group (“the AoC Implementation Group”) 

would be charged to gather information that is not clearly 

identified in the Staff Individualised Records (SIR) 

Further 

Education 

colleges 

All employees 

Members’ 

service 

AOC and Joint 

Trade Unions: 

UCU, UNISON, 

UNITE, GMB, 

ATL and ACM 

• AoC and joint unions survey of support staff 

terms and conditions 

• Reporting by the end of 2008: The findings will help 

benchmark support staff terms and conditions of 

employment across Further Education colleges 

Further 

Education 

colleges 

Technical, 

Administrative 

and clerical, 

Facilities 

Members’ 

service, IG 

(Refer to 

Page 17) 

LLUK 

• Collection of 2007/08 workforce data from 

LSC funded Further Education colleges, 

WBL and ACL providers during September 

to December 2008 

• Workforce data for 2007/08 collected from Further 

Education colleges, WBL and ACL providers by 

December 2008, data analysed and reported to 

providers by March 2009 

Only 

organisations 

with LSC 

contracts 

All employees 

IG (Refer to 

Page 17) 

• Analysis and interpretation of 2007/08 

Skills and Training survey conducted with a 

sample of 200 WBL and 200 ACL providers 

in July 2007 

• Key findings published and circulated to WBL and ACL 

providers by June 2008 

Only 

organisations 

with LSC 

contracts 

Leaders and 

managers 

Opportunity 

for employers 

to access 

resources 

ACM 

• Regular membership surveys: 4000 managers 

in colleges to determine their professional 

training and development priorities 

• Annual survey 

Only 

organisations 

with LSC 

contracts 

Leaders and 

managers 

Members’ 

service 

Natspec 

• Collecting data about the workforce in 

member colleges 

• A comprehensive picture of the make-up of the workforce 

ISC (Refer to 

Page 17) 

All employees 

IG (Refer to 

Page 17) 



1.1.3 SUPPORTING IMPROVED DATA GATHERING 

Partners 





Organisations 

eligible 


targeted 


or service 

LLUK 

• On-going consultation in conjunction with 

AoC, ALP, HOLEX, LEAFEA and NIACE and 

providers to promote the benefits of 

workforce data collection to Further 

Education colleges, WBL and ACL providers 

• From April 2008: Consultations and road shows to 

raise awareness of the benefits of workforce data 

collection and respond to issues raised by providers 

Only 

organisations 

with LSC 

contracts 

All employees 


gathering to 



HOLEX 

• Alert member organisations to the benefits 

to be derived from making complete, timely 

and accurate data submissions once an 

acceptable national data collection system 

has been set-up 

• On-going activity, using established HOLEX 

communication networks, liaison with other local 

adult learning provider networks, and with 

voluntary and community sector (VCS) provider 

contacts 

Only 

organisations 

with LSC 

contracts 

Leaders and 

managers 


employers to 

access support 

Joint Trade 

Unions: 

UCU, UNISON, 

UNITE, GMB, 

ATL and ACM 

• Provide the employee voice at national level 

in respect of identifying and meeting the 

occupational and professional development 

needs of individuals 

• During 2008-2009 representing members interests 

on key stakeholder bodies such as: AoC/union 

negotiating body - the National Joint Forum; 

and the DIUS Further Education Workforce 

Stakeholder Group 

• The unions will also respond to relevant 

Government consultations and lobby decision 

makers on behalf of its members 

All organisations All employees Members’ service, 


gathering to 





Colleges, learning providers and stakeholders have relevant 

information to take a planned approach to reduce the level 

of skills gaps and shortages, while at the same time 

promoting diversity within the workforce at all levels. 

Data collected from employers must be fit for purpose to inform workforce recruitment and development priorities. 

It should also be used by policy makers and commissioners to ensure that organisations have the capacity and 

skills to put policies into practice. There needs to be a greater shared understanding of how organisations can 

demonstrate their successful application of equality and diversity strategies. 

1.2.1 PROVIDING RELEVANT WORKFORCE DATA TO PROVIDERS 

Partners 





Organisations 

eligible 


targeted 


or service 

IfL 

• Development, with targeted providers, of 

mechanisms for exporting workforce CPD 

data from ‘Reflect’ into local management 

information systems (MIS) and 

management processes 

• Templates developed for exporting consolidated 

data into local MIS (July 2008) 

• Testing and trialling completed (December 2008) 


Delivery 



Leaders and 

managers 



employers to 

access support, IG 

(Refer to Page 17) 

• Individual data on subject specialism 

interrogated, cleaned and prepared for 

detailed workforce analysis 

• Existing data interrogated and cleaned, providing a 

comprehensive set of subject and related 

specialisms (April 2008) 

• Teachers update and confirm individual subject 

and subject qualification records (June 2008) 

• Updated data set used for testing and trialling of 

reporting (December 2008) 

• Detailed analysis of IfL data on subject 

specialisms and related workforce qualifications 

matched to the information contained within the 

SIR (October 2009) 


Delivery 



Leaders and 

managers 



employers to 



gathering to 






Accurate and timely data is used as evidence that colleges and learning providers are 

meeting their monitoring responsibilities with regard to race, disability, gender and age. 

There is a clear and quantifiable understanding of under-representation in relation to 

ethnicity, age, gender and disability. 

Providers would welcome the benefits that attracting and retaining a diverse workforce 

offer. Gathering data on the composition of the workforce is the starting point for identifying 

whether the make-up of the workforce reflects expectations, and for reviewing recruitment, 

promotion, succession planning and professional development. 

1.3.1 PRODUCING SPECIFIC DATA RELATING TO WORKFORCE DIVERSITY 

Partners 





Organisations 

eligible 


targeted 


or service 

LLUK • Analysis and interpretation of 2007/08 

workforce data for Further Education 

colleges to highlight diversity profile by 

ethnicity, gender, disability and age, and 

issues to be addressed 

• 2007/08 Annual Workforce Diversity Profile: An 

analysis of staff individualised record data (Further 

Education colleges in England published by March 

2009 and circulated to Further Education colleges, 

WBL and ACL providers 

Only 

organisations 

with LSC 

contracts 

All employees 


gathering to 



IfL 

• For 2009: Longitudinal study of workforce 

CPD data includes analysis of race, 

disability, gender and age 

• Published CPD report includes equality and 

diversity data for race, disability, gender and age 



Delivery 



Leaders and 

managers 



gathering to 




1.3.2 SUPPORT TO PROVIDERS TO USE WORKFORCE DATA TO FACILITATE THE ACHIEVEMENT OF DIVERSITY 

Partners 





Organisations 

eligible 


targeted 


or service 

AoC and Joint 

Trade Unions: 

UNISON, UCU, 

UNITE, GMB, 

ATL and ACM 

• AoC Equalities Working Group provides 

Joint Agreements on Guidance for the full 

range of equality legislation which can be 

accessed by its members 

• UNISON: By March 2009 successful promotion of 

agreements resulting in high-level of 

implementation by Further Education colleges 

• AoC: Equalities Working Group continues to 

provide timely and up-to-date joint agreements on 

guidance reflecting legislative requirements and 

good practice 

Only 

organisations 

with LSC 

contracts 

All employees 

Members’ service 

CEL 

• Diversity research, positive action 

programmes, succession planning for 

diversity and diversity training programmes 

will contribute and help determine how 

well colleges and providers are meeting 

statutory legal duties 

• Launched research into succession planning 

for diversity 

• Training and consultancy support to around 200 

human resources (HR) and CPD professionals on 

succession planning for diversity 

• Positive action programmes extended to disabled 

and lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) participants 

Only 

organisations 

with LSC 

contracts 

Leaders and 

managers 


employers to 



gathering to 





PRIORITY 2: ATTRACTING AND RECRUITING THE BEST PEOPLE 


The teaching workforce is fully qualified. All teachers and 

trainers are registered with the Institute for Learning (IfL), as 

the professional body for Further Education. 

The Further Education Sector needs to create a positive professional image to attract new staff at all levels. The 

sector also needs to highlight career paths and opportunities for those working wholly within the sector and those 

teaching in a part-time capacity and retaining employment in a related professional or vocational occupation. 

2.1.1 PUTTING IN PLACE THE SYSTEM TO SUPPORT PROFESSIONALISATION (QUALIFICATIONS ETC) 

Partners 





Organisations 

eligible 


targeted 


or service 

IfL 

• Rules for the conferral of Qualified Teacher 

Learning and Skills (QTLS) and Associate 

status (ATLS) through the process of 

Professional Formation approved by the IfL 

Council and DIUS 

• In 2009: It is planned that teachers 

commence Professional Formation, 

working towards the conferral of QTLS and 

ATLS status 

• Sector-wide consultation on Professional 

Formation (June 2008) 

• Guidance on Professional Formation published 

(July 2008) 

• First cohorts of newly qualified teachers and 

existing qualified teachers achieve QTLS and ATLS 

status (July 2009) 

• Teachers new to the sector register within six 

months of employment (December 2009) 


Delivery 



Leaders and 

managers 



employers to 



gathering to 



QCA 

• Teaching Qualification Framework (TQF) 

part of the Qualifications Credit Framework 

(QCF) test and trials developing and 

delivering. Preparing to teach in the 

Learning and Skills Sector (PTLLS), 

Certificate in Teaching in the Lifelong 

Learning Sector (CTLLS); Diploma in 

Teaching in the Lifelong Learning Sector 

(DTLLS) 

• Suite of unitised credit-based qualifications that 

are flexible and achievable in gradual steps 


Delivery 


and trainers) 



2.1.1 PUTTING IN PLACE THE SYSTEM TO SUPPORT PROFESSIONALISATION (QUALIFICATIONS ETC) cont. 

Partners 





Organisations 

eligible 


targeted 


or service 

IfL 

• Individual data on teaching qualifications 

interrogated, cleaned and prepared for 

detailed workforce analysis 

• Existing data interrogated and cleaned, providing a 

comprehensive set of approved qualifications 

matched to the regulations and 2010 targets 

(April 2008) 

• Data sharing across regulated providers (July 

2008) and then all providers (December 2008) to 

determine degree of compliance 


Delivery 



Leaders and 

managers 



employers to 


IG (Refer to 

Page 17) 

AOC 

• AoC model contracts of employment for 

teaching staff have been amended to include 

the requirements to attain relevant teaching 

qualifications and maintain IfL registration 

• AoC would expect all colleges to contractually 

require that all relevant staff attain qualifications 

within specified time periods 

Only 

organisations 

with LSC 

contracts 

Delivery 


and trainers) 


2.1.2 TRAINING PROGRAMMES TO SUPPORT PROFESSIONALISATION 

Partners 





Organisations 

eligible 


targeted 


or service 

CEL 

• The Principals’ Qualifying Programme (PQP) 

is close to having its first graduates. Further 

CPD work post-PQP is in planning stages 

• New governance provision will build on the 

strategic synergies between programmes 

for principals, governors and clerks 

• 80 principals through PQP 

• Series of CPD master classes for principals 

• Two pilot initiatives: Leading change and 

innovation in Further Education 

• New programmes building leadership capacity in 

governing bodies 

Leaders and 

managers 





2.1.3 PROMOTING THE PROFESSIONALISATION AGENDA TO THE FURTHER EDUCATION WORKFORCE 

Partners 





Organisations 

eligible 


targeted 


or service 

IfL 

• IfL championing the professionalisation 

agenda and professional autonomy across 

the Further Education system 

• Sector-wide marketing and 

communications programme delivered 

• Mechanisms for individual and bulk 

registration developed 

• Deadline for compliance in the regulated sector 

(April 2008) 

• Deadline for compliance in the wider sector 

(October 2008) 

• Teachers update and confirm individual 

qualification records (June 2008) 

• Updated data set used for testing and trialling of 

reporting protocols against the 2010 targets 



Delivery 



Leaders and 

managers 



employers to 



gathering to 



LLUK 

• Working with partners to communicate the 

Further Education workforce reforms and 

current initiatives to Further Education 

Sector providers 

• Further Education Sector providers aware of the 

reforms and current initiatives and understand the 

implications for their workforce by March 2009 

Only 

organisations 

with LSC 

contracts 

Delivery 


and trainers) 


employers to 

access resources, 

Facilities, S (Refer 

to Page 17) 

ALP 

• Work with the IfL to make known the 

requirements to register amongst the WBL 

sector. Join IfL board as an observer 

• Information sheet 

• Sector Connect 

• ALP conference workshop 


Leaders and 

managers, 

Delivery 


and trainers) 


Natspec 

• Natspec has actively promoted the 

professionalisation agenda to its members 

• All relevant staff registered 

ISC (Refer to 

Page 17) 

Leaders and 

managers 




Shortages in key occupations and 

areas of vocational and other 

specialisms are significantly 

decreased. 

There is increased demand (and a need to stimulate demand) for new skills and skill sets from employers, employees, young people and other 

groups of learners. There is also a demand from learners for different styles of teaching, and new locations and times for the delivery of 

provision. Meeting these new demands requires employers to recruit new professional and support staff, as well as encouraging and 

supporting existing staff in adapting to new demands. 

2.2.1 TARGETED PROGRAMMES TO TACKLE CURRENT SKILLS SHORTAGES AND GAPS 

Partners 





Organisations 

eligible 


targeted 


or service 

QIA 

• Support for individual subjects STEM, 

brought together to support the STEM 

agenda and reflecting the National 

Teaching and Learning Change Programme 

(NTLCP) principles and methodology 

Targets include: 

• Contributing to the maintenance of an evidence 

base for the Teaching and Learning Programme as 

a whole through appropriately researched and 

developed STEM activities 

• Identifying providers or groups of providers who 

have not traditionally engaged with the 

programme, and developing innovative and 

targeted engagement strategies 

• Identifying and facilitating the sharing of 

information on the use of resources, which are 

already publicly available, and identifying priority 

areas for further teaching and learning resources 

to support STEM in the Further Education system 

• Developing a menu of activities for STEM Subject 

Learning Coaches that includes the opportunity for 

knowledge transfer, professional development and 

updating in their subject areas 


Delivery 


and trainers) 


employers to 



employers to 




2.2.1 TARGETED PROGRAMMES TO TACKLE CURRENT SKILLS SHORTAGES AND GAPS cont. 

Partners 





Organisations 

eligible 


targeted 


or service 

QIA 

Targets include: 

• Working with the Subject Learning Coaches 

Programme to promote recruitment to, and 

delivery of, the Professional Training Programme 

for Subject Learning Coaches 

• Developing and managing a range of peer and 

community activities (face-to-face and web-based) 

for Subject Learning Coaches 

• Researching, developing and maintaining links and 

contacts with subject specialist organisations, 

learned societies, professional bodies and 

associations to support the programme 

• Developing and producing teaching and learning 

resources in priority areas to support STEM in the 

Further Education system 

• Facilitating the sharing of practitioner produced or 

adapted content (any materials and resources 

relevant to the teaching of those subjects) through 

QIA’s Excellence Gateway 

• Maintaining relevant areas of the programme 

website and carrying out further development to 

provide a single web presence to support the 

STEM programme 

• Developing and managing a communications plan 

which meets the needs of the STEM programme 

and aligns to the Teaching and Learning 

Programme communications strategy 


Delivery 


and trainers) 


employers to 



employers to 



2.2.1 TARGETED PROGRAMMES TO TACKLE CURRENT SKILLS SHORTAGES AND GAPS cont. 

Partners 





Organisations 

eligible 


targeted 


or service 

LLUK 

• Deliver the ‘Make a Difference’ Catalyst 

programme to encourage highly motivated 

graduate calibre individuals to pursue a 

management career in the Further 

Education Sector 

• 30 ‘Make a Difference’ participants employed by 

Further Education providers (September 2008) 

• 210 ‘Make a Difference’ participants employed by 

Further Education providers (September 2009) 

Only 

organisations 

with LSC 

contracts 

Leaders and 

managers 

Facilities, 


employers to 


• Deliver the ‘Pass on Your Skills’ Catalyst 

programme to provide opportunities for 

skilled specialists to move into teaching 

roles within the Further Education Sector 

• Marketing campaign and enquiries from circa 

7,000 interested individuals; 2,000 applications; 

250 selected; 180 on Preparing to Teach in the 

Lifelong Learning Sector (PTTLS) course; 

150 completions/awards by March 2009 

Only 

organisations 

with LSC 

contracts 

Technical 


employers to 

access resources 

• Deliver the ‘Business Talent’ Catalyst 

programme to help Further Education 

providers attract talented managers from 

other sectors 

• Advertising, targeted mail and events to raise 

awareness amongst Business Talent participants 

and to engage Further Education Sector providers 

by March 2009 

Only 

organisations 

with LSC 

contracts 

Leaders and 

managers 


employers to 



to Page 17) 

Natspec 

• Natspec is linked into the LLUK Catalyst 

programme to explore ways to address 

any skill shortages and identify 

recruitment issues 

• Programme in place to link into other related 

sectors for support and to identify improved 

recruitment procedures 

ISC (Refer to 

Page 17) 

Leaders and 

managers 


employers to 



to Page 17) 

ALP 

• Support LLUK by partnering with the 

Catalyst programme 

• Join advisory groups, boards and sub-boards to 

advise on Catalyst and represent members’ interests 

Private sector 

organisations 

Leaders and 

managers 

R, F, S (Refer to 

Page 17) 




Joint working and career movement between further education, schools and higher 

education is facilitated through the establishment of qualifications and systems for 

recognition of experience at national level. 

Stronger links need to be encouraged between schools, higher and further education to 

create attractive career paths and professional development opportunities for members of 

the workforce. 

2.3.1 DEVELOPING SYSTEMS TO ENABLE THE RECOGNITION OF EXPERIENCE ACROSS DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE EDUCATION AND TRAINING SECTOR 

Partners 





Organisations 

eligible 


targeted 


or service 

DCSF 

• Commission TDA and LLUK to explore 

different options around Qualified Teacher 

Schools (QTS)/QTLS – especially given the 

need to collaborate between the schools 

and Further Education Sector over 14-19 

• To be determined 

IfL 

• Identification and recognition of 

qualifications for schools and higher 

education against the criteria for working in 

the regulated Further Education Sector 

• For 2009: With QTLS status firmly 

established, commence negotiations with 

General Teaching Council England (GTCE), 

DIUS and DCSF for reciprocal mutual 

recognition of QTS and QTLS status. 

Movement across schools and Further 

Education improved 

• Teachers qualified to work in schools and higher 

education awarded an appropriate grade of 

membership commensurate with qualifications 

and experience (May 2008) 

• Protocol agreed with GTCE, DIUS and DCSF for 

reciprocal mutual recognition of QTS and QTLS 

(April 2009) 


Delivery 



Leaders and 

managers 



employers to 



gathering to 




2.3.2 PROVISION OF INFORMATION, ADVICE AND GUIDANCE RELATING TO CAREERS DEVELOPMENT 

Partners 





Organisations 

eligible 


targeted 


or service 

LLUK 

• Run the Information and Advice Service 

(IAS) for leaders, managers and individuals 

within Further Education colleges, WBL 

and ACL providers 

• IAS used by an increasing number of providers and 

employees 

Only 

organisations 

with LSC 

contracts 

All employees 


employers to 



employers to 


UCU, UNISON 

• Ensure members of unions and 

professional bodies are aware of the range 

of career paths open to employees in 

Further Education and the different 

development routes that they can take to 

follow a career path 

• Potential commitment either directly through 

national discussions and negotiations, or at 

organisational level through the activities of UCU 

and UNISON branches 

All organisations All employees Members’ service, 


gathering to 






A culture is established where colleges, learning providers, 

stakeholders and the Government work jointly to improve 

the professional standing of the workforce. 

This is essential if the sector is to attract and retain the best people, and must include the scoping of other roles as 

well as teaching. 

2.4.1 DEVELOPING A JOINED UP APPROACH TO WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT TOWARDS PROFESSIONALISATION 

Partners 





Organisations 

eligible 


targeted 


or service 

DWP 

• DWP Commissioning Strategy (published 

28 February 2008) commits to working with 

the sector in supporting the development of 

provider capabilities 

• DWP will develop its strategic approach to 

provider improvement (including 

capability development) during April to 


• On-going: Implementation of provider 

improvement strategy begins (September 2008) 


Facilities 

DCSF 

• Using the Children’s Workforce Strategy 

Action Plan to agree an overall agenda and 

bring all the major stakeholders across the 

entire workforce interacting with children 

and young people together to deliver it 

• See Strategy refresh All organisations Not applicable 

Ofsted 

• Recruitment of secondees to Ofsted from 

the Further Education system 

• Recruitment spring 2008 

• Secondments start September 2008 

L (Refer to 

Page 17) 

Leaders and 

managers, D 




2.4.2 COMMUNICATING AND CONSULTING WITH PROVIDERS 

Partners 





Organisations 

eligible 


targeted 


or service 

AoC 

• AoC has established networks bringing together 

practitioners, stakeholders and government 

representatives, such as: Personnel Managers 

Network (PMN) Group, Finance Directors 

Network, and Offender Learning 

• Mapping all communication networks across the 

sector to be undertaken by the AoC Implementation 

Group 

Only 

organisations 

with LSC 

contracts 

All employees 

Members’ 

service 

LLUK 

• Consult with providers/employees to identify and 

disseminate on-going and proposed actions in 

the use of the Implementation Plan for local 

workforce planning and address any issues 

identified 

• During 2008-2009: Regional launch of the 

Implementation Plan in conjunction with existing 

networks; dissemination events, 1:1 discussions 

and workshops on-going 

Only 

organisations 

with LSC 

contracts 

All employees 


gathering to 


and future 

policy 

HOLEX 

• Provide a communication channel to its 

membership (e-mail group of 119 staff 

development managers in member 

organisations), to brief on national developments 

and share information on local practice 

• On-going activity: Using established HOLEX 

communication networks, liaison with other local 

adult learning provider networks, and with the 

voluntary and community sector/provider contacts. 

There is also scope to mount consultation events 

and/or practitioner workshops 

Only 

organisations 

with LSC 

contracts 

Leaders and 

managers 

Members’ 

service 


The equality and diversity profile of the workforce is 

representative of the learners and communities it serves. 

Providers also benefit from an expanded talent pool. 

It is increasingly important for the Further Education workforce to reflect its learner base. This base is diverse and 

includes, young people aged 14–19 years, employees working in different industries and sectors, workless adults, 

members of local communities, people from a range of ethnic origins and cultures. Through the introduction of 

self-regulation, employers can take ownership of this outcome by establishing systems to self-assess how well 

their workforces reflect the diverse communities they serve. 



2.5.1 DEVELOPING GUIDANCE 

Partners 





Organisations 

eligible 


targeted 


or service 

AoC and 

recognised 

Trade Unions 

• AoC Equalities Working Group provides 

Joint Agreements on Guidance for the full 

range of equality legislation which can be 

accessed by our members 

• Unison: By March 2009, successful promotion of 

agreements resulting in high level of implementation by 

Further Education colleges 

• AoC: Equalities Working Group continues to provide 

timely and up-to-date Joint Agreements on Guidance 

reflecting legislative requirements and good practice 

Only 

organisations 

with LSC 

contracts 

All employees 

Members’ 

service, 


gathering to 



2.5.2 DELIVERING TRAINING 

Partners 





Organisations 

eligible 


targeted 


or service 

AoC 

• AoC Management Services training on a 

range of equality areas. Recently AoC have 

delivered training on: Equality Impact 

Assessments, Disability Equality and propose 

training on Sexual Orientation Equality 

• On-going activity All employees Members’ 

service 

CEL 

• CEL works through positive action 

programmes to enhance diversity and talent 

pool of leaders. Evaluations/monitoring of 

programmes, diversity research and 

succession planning for diversity programme 

will support objective 

• Black and minority ethnic (BME) research report 

launched in May 2008 

• Positive action programmes such as First Steps to 

Leadership continue, extended to LGB and disabled 

staff in the section by March 2009. Around 200 HR and 

CPD staff received training/support on succession 

planning for diversity by March 2009 

Only 

organisations 

with LSC 

contracts 

Leaders and 

managers 


employers to 

access 

resources, S, IG 

(Refer to 

Page 17) 


2.5.3 GENERAL INFLUENCING ACTIVITIES 

Partners 





Organisations 

eligible 


targeted 


or service 

UCU, UNISON 

• Ensure recruitment and development 

policies support equality and diversity in 

the workplace 

• Potential commitment either directly through national 

discussions and negotiations, or at organisational level 

through the activities of UCU and UNISON branches 

All 

organisations 

All employees 

Members’ 

service, IG (Refer 

to Page 17) 

PRIORITY 3: RETAINING AND DEVELOPING THE MODERN, PROFESSIONALISED WORKFORCE 


A culture of CPD is established within the Further Education Sector focused on 

meeting learner needs at provider and individual level. Colleges and learning 

providers approach their own staff development in similar and flexible ways, as they 

would for a learner, employer or client. The confidence and capacity of the workforce 

in understanding and using technology to transform education and training will be a 

key element of this culture. 

Within the context of delivering a complex mix of different types of provision to learners, 

together with the rapid development of new technologies, employers in the Further 

Education Sector need to update and develop all staff to ensure that they can respond 

confidently to new demands on the sector, particularly in relation to demand-led, 

personalised and 14-19 learning provision. This requirement must be sufficiently flexible to 

ensure that it doesn’t create a barrier that discourages recruits to the sector from industry. 

3.1.1 DEVELOPING A FRAMEWORK TO SUPPORT AND EMBED CPD 

Partners 





Organisations 

eligible 


targeted 


or service 

IfL 

• Establish model of professional practice at 

the very centre of the personalisation 

agenda 

• Guidance on CPD produced, communicating importance 

of personalisation (January 2008) 

All 

organisations 

D, L & M 


MS, S, IG (Refer 

to Page 17) 



3.1.1 DEVELOPING A FRAMEWORK TO SUPPORT AND EMBED CPD cont. 

Partners 





Organisations 

eligible 


targeted 


or service 

IfL 

• Ensure teachers have access to the 

resources and provider support required to 

deliver highly personalised professional 

development plans that reconcile the 

individual needs of teachers to the 

requirements of employing institutions and 

the wider sector 

For 2009: 

• Support teachers as they reflect on their 

professional practice and start to plan 

learning and development interventions 

that improve teaching and learning 

• Advise colleges, learning providers, 

stakeholders and Government in the 

development of new and innovative 

approaches to supporting highly 

personalised, individualised professional 

development 

• Online CPD portal ‘Reflect’ launched and promoted as 

the primary tool for responding to the individual needs 

of teachers (April 2008) 

• Third series of regional events held across England to 

support providers in responding to the personalised 

learning agenda for teachers (July 2008) 



• Regional events held across England (see above) 

(April 2009) 

• First cycle of CPD completed. Evidence of CPD 

negotiations within review and appraisal (August 2009) 

• CPD records sampled. Peer review evidenced through 

professional conversations and sharing of practice 


• Detailed analysis published, incorporating CPD case 

studies and sharing best practice on institutional 

support for professional development (December 2009) 

All 

organisations 

Delivery (teachers, 

tutors and 

trainers), Leaders 

and managers 

Members’ 

service, 


employers to 



gathering to 


and future 

policy 

LLUK 

• Work with partners to develop a 

professional development framework for all 

staff in the Further Education Sector 

• Professional development framework explored 

during 2008 

Only 

organisations 

with LSC 

contracts 


tutors and 

trainers) 

R, S (Refer to 

Page 17) 

• Work with partners to develop tools to 

enable Further Education providers to 

implement workforce reforms 

• Analysis and development of solutions explored by 

March 2009 

Only 

organisations 

with LSC 

contracts 

All employees 

R, S (Refer to 

Page 17) 


3.1.1 DEVELOPING A FRAMEWORK TO SUPPORT AND EMBED CPD cont. 

Partners 





Organisations 

eligible 


targeted 


or service 

AoC (working 

with the six 

major Trade 

Unions in the 

sector) 

• AoC have drafted guidelines on writing a 

CPD policy to accompany the model 

contracts of employment for teaching staff 

• Colleges adequately plan for succession using AoC 

Recruitment and Retention survey to identify shortage 

areas and investigate levels of retention if they 

become low 

Only 

organisations 

with LSC 

contracts 


tutors and 

trainers) 

Members’ 

service 

LLUK 

• Ensure the professional development 

framework has specific reference to and 

dedicated products for the support and 

delivery of Skills for Life within the sector 

• Delivery plan by July 2008. Development, testing and 

trialling on-going to March 2009 

Only 

organisations 

with LSC 

contracts 


tutors and 

trainers) 


employers to 


3.1.2 DELIVERING TRAINING TO SUPPORT CPD 

Partners 





Organisations 

eligible 


targeted 


or service 

QIA 

• QIA’s National Teaching and Learning 

change programme has been extended and 

includes support for individuals to meet, and 

evidence, their 30 hours CPD requirement 

• All programme activities will provide CPD evidence, via QIA 

certificates for all appropriate activities, for the IfL 30 hour 

(or pro rata) CPD requirement 

• Qualifying Statement: From April 2008 the QIA and CEL are 

coming together to create a new sector-owned 

improvement body. The executive of the new organisation 

will have to agree its future strategy 

All 

organisations 


tutors and 

trainers) 


employers to 

access 

resources, 


employers to 




3.1.2 DELIVERING TRAINING TO SUPPORT CPD cont. 

Partners 





Organisations 

eligible 


targeted 


or service 

CEL 

• CEL is offering a range of tailored programmes to Further Education colleges and WBL and ACL providers to support organisational development and strategic 

workforce development and talent management below: 

• Bespoke leadership consultancy. 

These programmes include both targeted 

team-based development as well as 

whole organisation development 

• 20 in-house organisation development (OD) programmes in 

Further Education colleges 

• 15 in-house coaching programmes at senior, middle and 

junior management levels in Further Education colleges 

• Two pilot BME WBL network development programmes 

Only 

organisations 

with LSC 

contracts 

Leaders and 

managers 

S, IG (Refer to 

Page 17) 

• GOLD programme: To support the 

development and implementation of the 

talent management strategy 

• Two-stage programme, available to at least 5-10 

providers in 2008/09, completed within six months and 

planned and delivered flexibly 

Only 

organisations 

with LSC 

contracts 

Leaders and 

managers 


Page 17) 

• Building Leadership programme: To 

support providers in collaboratively and 

strategically developing leadership talent at 

middle and junior levels across providers 

and sub-regions 

• Available to around 12 providers (approximately 60 

participants in three cohorts), completed within three 

months and planned and delivered flexibly 

Only 

organisations 

with LSC 

contracts 

Leaders and 

managers 


Page 17) 

• Working Together to Build Talent: To 

identify organisational leadership 

development priorities and support action 

planning, individually or in collaboration 

with other providers 

• Available to at least seven providers in 2008-2009, 

completed within two to three months and planned and 

delivered flexibly 

Only 

organisations 

with LSC 

contracts 

Leaders and 

managers 


Page 17) 



Partners 





Organisations 

eligible 


targeted 


or service 

CEL 

• Routes to Success programme: To fast 

track the development of middle managers 

with the potential to progress to senior 

management within three years 

• 60 places per year, on approximately five cohorts 

Only 

organisations 

with LSC 

contracts 

Leaders and 

managers 


Page 17) 

• From Management to Leadership: a 

development programme for WBL 

providers, will address the leadership 

challenge in the work based learning 

sector through a process of individual and 

collective learning 

• September 2008 to February 2009: 16 participants 

• January 2009 to June 2009: 16 participants 


organisations 

Leaders and 

managers 


employers to 


• One-day strategy planning seminar for 

independent providers, designed to support 

the CEO/Managing Director/Operations 

Director of independent training providers 

in planning their strategic development 

• Four programmes to run September 2008 to January 

2009, 30 per seminar (120 total) 


organisations 

Leaders and 

managers 


employers to 


• One-day development workshops for WBL 

providers to provide leaders and senior 

managers with up-to-date leadership and 

management skills that will enable them to 

maintain and grow their organisations 

• Ten one-day workshops will be developed in collaboration 

with the regional WBL networks and presented from July 

2008 with 20 participants per workshop 


organisations 

Leaders and 

managers 


employers to 





Partners 





Organisations 

eligible 


targeted 


or service 

CEL 

• Managing Better (MB) and Leading Adult 

Learners (LAL) modular programmes. 

These are now considered by the ACL 

sector as ‘industry standard’ for middle and 

senior managers and are designed 

as a progressive non-accredited 

leadership pathway 

• One MB and one LAL cohort per annum 

Only 

organisations 

with LSC 

contracts 

Leaders and 

managers 


employers to 


• Series of bespoke one-day regional 

seminars on current ‘hot’ topics for the 

sector, both open and in-house 

• Increased knowledge and competence to deliver more 

effective ACL provision 

Only 

organisations 

with LSC 

contracts 

Leaders and 

managers 


Page 17) 

• Online Toolkit launched in March 2008 for 

developing management knowledge and 

skills and count for CPD 

• Anticipate take up by at least 33% of providers 

Only 

organisations 

with LSC 

contracts 

Leaders and 

managers 


Page 17) 

• Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and 

Threats (SWOT) analysis tools for 

developing providers organisational 

competence 

• Provider undertaking SWOT to significantly increase 

leadership and management performance of their 

provision 

Only 

organisations 

with LSC 

contracts 

Leaders and 

managers 


Page 17) 

• Senior Leadership strategic seminars 

• Support senior leadership to develop ACL provision in 

changing environment 

Only 

organisations 

with LSC 

contracts 

Leaders and 

managers 


Page 17) 



Partners 





Organisations 

eligible 


targeted 


or service 

Natspec 

• Natspec offers an on-going programme of CPD and 

promotes other opportunities to its members 

• Links established with North East (NE) Centre for 

Excellence in teacher training for learners with 

learning difficulties and/or disablities (LLDD). Level 4 

course to be planned for independent special colleges 

(ISC), higher level courses being developed by Centres 

for Excellence in Teacher Training (CETT) for 2009 

• 90% of member colleges participate in CPD 

programme 

• Level 4 pilot course developed and delivered. 

Strategies for wider delivery identified 

Independent 

Specialist 

College 

(provision for 

learners with 

learning 

difficulties 

and/or 

disabilities) 

Leaders and 

managers, 


tutors and 

trainers) 

Members’ 

service 

3.1.3 DISSEMINATION AND AWARENESS RAISING 

Partners 





Organisations 

eligible 


targeted 


or service 

IfL 

• Develop an awareness across the sector and 

its constituent groups of what professional 

practice looks like and how it can be 

supported and improved through CPD 

• Embed the understanding that CPD can 

mean different things at different points in a 

teaching career, where formal and informal 

learning have equal value in professional 

standing and where the impact of new 

learning on teaching practice is the key 

measure of improvement 

• Guidance on CPD produced (January 2008) 

• Code of Professional Practice launched (April 2008) 

• Online CPD portal ‘Reflect’ launched (April 2008) 

• Third series of regional events held across England to 

deepen the understanding of CPD within maintaining 

professional standing (July 2008) 



• Regional events held across England to support leaders 

and managers in embedding ‘Reflect’ principles in 

performance management and appraisal (April 2009) 

All 

organisations 


tutors and 


and managers 

Members’ 

service, 


employers to 



gathering to 


and future 

policy 



3.1.3 DISSEMINATION AND AWARENESS RAISING cont. 

Partners 





Organisations 

eligible 


targeted 


or service 

IfL For 2009: 

• Support teachers as they reflect on their 

professional practice and start to plan 

learning and development interventions that 

improve teaching and learning 

• Advise colleges, learning providers, 

stakeholders and Government in the 

development of new and innovative 

approaches to supporting highly 

personalised, individualised professional 

development 

• First cycle of CPD completed. Evidence of CPD 

negotiations within review and appraisal (August 2009) 

• CPD records sampled. Peer review evidenced through 

professional conversations and sharing of practice 


• Detailed analysis published, including CPD case studies 

and best practice on institutional support for CPD 


All 

D, Delivery L & M(teachers, 

MS, Members’ S, IG 

organisations tutors and 

service, 

trainers), Leaders Opportunity for 

and managers employers to 



gathering to 


and future 

policy 

ALP 

ALP 

• Support agencies in communicating this 

• Support message agencies via ALP newsletters, in communicating events this and 

message conferences via ALP newsletters, events and 

conferences 

• On-going items from agencies in weekly newsletter for 

• On-going membersitems from agencies in weekly newsletter for 

• Opportunities members for agencies to exhibit and participate in 

• Opportunities ALP events and for conferences agencies to exhibit and participate in 

ALP events and conferences 

A L & M MS 

All 

Leaders and Members’ 

organisations managers 

service 

ATL, 

UNISON 

ATL, 

UNISON 

• Monitoring and promoting CPD 

• Monitoring and promoting CPD 

• During 2008-09 monitoring CPD across Further 

Education through feedback from union representatives 

• During Promoting 2008-2009 good practice monitoring at a local CPD level across in Further relation to 

CPD Education through feedback from union representatives 

• Promoting good practice at a local level in relation to 

CPD 

A X MS, IG 

All 

organisations 

All employees 

Members’ 

service, 


gathering to 


and future 

policy 


3.1.4 DEVELOPMENT OF GOOD PRACTICE GUIDES AND MATERIALS 

Partners 





Organisations 

eligible 


targeted 


or service 

Ofsted • For 2009: 

Production of Ofsted case studies of 

effective practice for CPD and induction for 

staff in the Further Education system 

• Publication summer 2009 

All 

organisations 

All employees 


employers to 

access 

resources 

ACM 

• The production of best practice guides in the 

College Manager series 

• The provision of tailor made training on an 

individual organisational basis, focused on 

quality improvement 

• The development of concise and broad 

leadership and management standards for 

members 

• The advocacy of a professional, ethical and 

learner-focused approach to service delivery 

• Publication of two new guides: a practical guide to 

managing performance and underperformance; good 

practice in employer engagement: the benefits for 

learners, employers and institutions 

Leaders and 

managers 

Members’ 

service 


A workforce that provides the impetus for its own learning needs by taking action towards 

individual skills development. This outcome will be demonstrated by the enthusiasm of staff about 

the new CPD opportunities available and their keenness to adopt new technologies and engage in 

the latest training. 

Employers recognise the importance of personalising the learning of their 

own staff. They need to take a similar approach to supporting individual 

professional development as that used to customise learning to meet 

employers’ and/or learners’ needs. 



3.2.1 PUTTING IN PLACE FRAMEWORKS AND MODELS TO SUPPORT INDIVIDUAL DEVELOPMENT 

Partners 





Organisations 

eligible 


targeted 


or service 

DWP 

• DWP Commissioning Strategy states that 

providers are expected to be pro-active in 

performance improvement and development 

of their own staff 

• DWP is working with Ofsted to develop the 

inspection framework in order to provide 

evidence in this area, which in turn will feed 

into contract management and Star Rating. 

To begin with contracts let during 2009 

• DWP Commissioning Strategy published in 

February 2008 

LLUK 

• Deliver the ‘Business Interchange’ Catalyst 

programme to give Further Education staff 

the chance to work more closely with local 

business and update their vocational skills 

• Following pilot of ‘Business Interchange’ programme, 

launch full programme by September 2008 

• Development of sustainable model for ‘Business 

Interchange’ 

Only 

organisations 

with LSC 

contracts 


tutors and 

trainers) 


employers to 


• Explore the appropriateness and feasibility 

of developing Skills Pledge Plus within the 

sector 

• Business case developed based on discussions with 

providers to identify issues and opportunities 

Only 

organisations 

with LSC 

contracts 

All employees 


gathering to 


and future 

policy 


3.2.1 PUTTING IN PLACE FRAMEWORKS AND MODELS TO SUPPORT INDIVIDUAL DEVELOPMENT cont. 

Partners 





Organisations 

eligible 


targeted 


or service 

IfL 

• Establish the principle that the teacher has 

primary responsibility for reflecting on 

practice and planning for individual and 

collective development improvement within 

a model of professionalism not 

managerialism 

• For 2009: Support teachers in developing 

their professionalism through the 

establishment and maintenance of 

communities of practice and systems for 

extending peer review into a framework for 

the regular and systematic sharing of 

professional practice 

• CPD guidance published, incorporating a 

comprehensive model for professional practice 

(January 2008) 

• Online CPD portal ‘Reflect’ launched, providing a suite 

of tools to support teachers in critical reflection, CPD 

planning and recording (January 2008) 

• Teachers, managers, leaders and sector stakeholders 

recognise that ownership of professional development 

is in the hands of teaching practitioners (April 2008) 

• Reflect portal developed to support online communities 

beyond organisational and geographic boundaries 

(January 2009) 

• CPD Champions working regionally and nationally to 

promote innovation and invention through professional 

development (April 2009) 

• Detailed analysis published, incorporating CPD case 

studies and sharing best practice on institutional 

support for professional development (December 2009) 

All 

organisations 


tutors and 


and managers 

Members’ 

service, 


employers to 



gathering to 


and future 

policy 

Natspec 

• Natspec is working closely with LLUK/ 

NIACE to develop appropriate standards for 

learning support practitioners and 

teaching staff 

• Relevant standards in place 

ISC (Refer to 

Page 17) 

Leaders and 

managers, 


tutors and 

trainers) 

Members’ 

service, R, S 

(Refer to 

Page 17) 



3.2.1 PUTTING IN PLACE FRAMEWORKS AND MODELS TO SUPPORT INDIVIDUAL DEVELOPMENT cont. 

Partners 





Organisations 

eligible 


targeted 


or service 

UNISON, CEL 

• Staff Train: Pilot project to identify colleges 

willing to take part in a scheme to provide 

training opportunities for support staff. The 

project aims to: open up career pathways 

for support staff; bring back into learning 

Further Education staff not currently 

participating or engaged in career 

development programmes; and help 

address under-representation of BME 

groups at specific levels in the workforce 

and the wider diversity challenges facing 

the sector 

• March 2009: Aim to have increased the number of 

colleges taking part in this pilot project 

Further 

Education 

colleges 

Support Staff 

Members’ 

service, 


employers to 

access 

resources, 


employers to 



gathering to 



3.2.2 ENGAGING INDIVIDUAL STAFF IN PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT 

Partners 





Organisations 

eligible 


targeted 


or service 

QIA 

• The Subject Learning Coach programme will 

provide a support service which utilises the 

Subject Learning Coach model within a 

whole organisational context 

• There are now over 4,600 individuals engaged with the 

Subject Learning Coach programme involving over 

3,425 organisations. The new programme aims to 

maintain this level of engagement 

All 

organisations 


tutors and 

trainers) 


employers to 

access 

resources, 


employers to 



3.2.2 ENGAGING INDIVIDUAL STAFF IN PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT cont. 

Partners 





Organisations 

eligible 


targeted 


or service 

QIA 

• The Subject Learning Coach programme will 

provide a support service which utilises the 

Subject Learning Coach model within a 

whole organisational context 

• Ensuring early engagement with senior managers, and 

working with QIA (and through LLUK and other bodies) 

to provide a framework for optional accreditation for 

providers. This will operate with the cascaded training 

so providers can offer optional accreditation for 

in-house training themselves 

All 

organisations 


tutors and 

trainers) 


employers to 

access 

resources, 


employers to 


UCU, UNISON 

• To value and take part in internal and 

partnership working and peer support 

activities; draw up, review and refresh 

workforce development plans; put in place 

a system for engaging staff in the 

development of individual provider’s 

workforce strategy i.e. professional 

learning committees and/or encourage the 

selection of professional learning 

champions; ensure workforce development 

is integral to Further Education Sector 

self-regulation 

• Potential commitment either directly through national 

discussions and negotiations, or at organisational level 

through the activities of UCU and UNISON branches 

All 

organisations 

All employees 

Members’ 

service, 


gathering to 


and future 

policy 



3.2.3 PROMOTING LEADERSHIP TO CREATE A CULTURE OF INDIVIDUAL STAFF DEVELOPMENT 

Partners 





Organisations 

eligible 


targeted 


or service 

BECTA 

(action also 

referenced to 

QIA, CEL, 

NCSL, LLUK) 

• Systematic national professional 

development programme, including 

updated training interventions and 

qualifications and a national leadership 

capacity-building programme 

• To have delivered a single national prospectus for 

technology focussed CPD embedded into national 

delivery by March 2009 

• To have reached the top quartile international 

performance in the deployment of technology by the 

Further Education and Skills workforce by March 2011 

All 

organisations 

All employees 


AoC 

• Promoting the skills agenda through the 

forthcoming HR conference. The aim of 

which is to encourage and promote the role 

of HR for helping to ensure a fully 

professional, expert and well trained 

modern workforce in all colleges (as per 

strategy) 

• HR Conference in April 2008 

• College senior management team (SMT) understand 

the need to ensure their staff are skilled to deliver on 

the Government’s skills agenda 

• AoC to undertake further work on employment related 

guidance on employing assessors for WBL and Train to 

Gain and associated implications 

Only 

organisations 

with LSC 

contracts 

All employees 

Members’ 

service 


The Further Education workforce is responsive to a changing learner and employer profile and its diverse needs, 

demands and skill requirements (developing the workforce to deliver provision for 14–19 year olds, responding to 

demand-led markets, incorporating the learner voice etc). New technologies are also applied appropriately to deliver 

learning ‘any time, any place, any where and at the right price’. 

The workforce needs to be confident about taking on new 

roles and responsibilities and using new technology both to 

develop their skills and understanding and also carry out 

specific roles effectively. 


3.3.1 CREATING A FURTHER EDUCATION SYSTEM THAT ENABLES AND PROMOTES WORKFORCE RESPONSIVENESS 

Partners 





Organisations 

eligible 


targeted 


or service 

DWP 

• DWP Commissioning Strategy states that it 

will let contracts on the basis of evidence 

that providers have good employer 

engagement; that they can provide 

individualised services and that they can 

evidence good partnership working at local 

level. Contracting on this basis starts 

March 2008 

• To be confirmed 

QCA 

• The unitised credit-based system QCF 

tests and trials 

• SSCs working with the LSC on priority 

qualifications to come into the QCF. SSC 

approval program (SSCs deciding what 

qualifications their sector needs) 

• For 2009: Communication of the QCF: 

1 - Capacity building; 

2 - IAG strategy; 

3 - Implementation of information 

technology (IT) to support the QCF; 

4 - Articulation with other frameworks 

• Implementation of the QCF from August 2008 

• The QCF is populated with fit for purpose qualifications 

that the sector needs and values 

• For 2009: Up and running new national framework 

underpinned by robust IT system 

All 

organisations 

Leaders and 

managers, 


tutors and 

trainers) 




3.3.2 SUPPORT TO IMPROVE EMPLOYER ENGAGEMENT AND RESPONSIVENESS 

Partners 





Organisations 

eligible 


targeted 


or service 

QIA 

• A major new programme to support the 

implementation of World Class Skills will 

help providers improve the quality of their 

work with employers and employees 

including: assisting managers to change 

the organisation culture to facilitate a 

flexible response to employers; improving 

the quality of workplace delivery; delivering 

initial assessment and individual learning 

plans; making effective use of the assesstrain-assess 

model; embedding Skills for 

Life within vocational training; using self 

assessment and development to improve 

responsiveness and provision; raising 

awareness of the implications of the 

employer as a customer; improving 

partnership development; improvements to 

gain ‘New Standard’ accreditation; work on 

sectors and progression from level 2 to 3 

and 4 and encouraging innovation and 

business support 

• A new contract is being let and targets will be agreed 

by May 2008 

• Qualifying statement: From April 2008 the Quality 

Improvement Agency (QIA) and the Centre for 

Excellence in Leadership (CEL) are coming together to 

create a new sector owned improvement body. The 

executive of the new organisation will have to agree its 

future strategy 

Only 

organisations 

with LSC 

contracts 

All employees 


employers to 

access 

resources, 


employers to 



gathering to 


and future 

policy 


3.3.3 SUPPORT PROGRAMMES FOR THE 14-19 WORKFORCE 

Partners 





Organisations 

eligible 


targeted 


or service 

QIA 

• Diploma Generic and Line Specific Support: 

Engagement of all new Diploma 

practitioners to clarify and develop 

knowledge and understanding of the key 

generic themes Personal Learning and 

Thinking Skills (PLTS), functional skills in 

the Diploma and their importance to 

successful implementation 

• Engagement of all practitioners to ensure they understand 

the employer vision for Diplomas and have a real experience 

of the occupational area and its related skill needs. Support 

for every consortium yet to be successful in the Gateway in 

robust planning for Diploma implementation. Offer includes 

learning visits for potential consortium Diploma line leads to 

gain understanding of successful strategies for Diploma 

implementation 

• Consultancy support: For unsuccessful consortia will focus 

on the areas of need identified and encourage the 

engagement of consortia, Diploma line leads and 

practitioners with the programme as they work towards 

Gateway success 

• Training and development networks: Activities to support 

members and the wider community through transfer of 

knowledge; Line of Learning networks will: be aligned with 

those in existing Vocational Learning Support Programme 

(VLSP); build upon face-to-face and bespoke training; 

disseminate effective practice; provide mentoring and peer to 

peer support; develop and share through the Virtual Learning 

Environment (VLE) emerging good practice and resources 

• Suite of high quality generic and subject specific materials 

for all practitioners at different levels; a rich bank of online 

and printed materials to support practitioners’ professional 

development, accessed when ready and convenient and in 

the most appropriate context (independent, team and/or 

facilitated) 

All 

organisations 


tutors and 


and managers 


employers to 

access 

resources, 

Facilities, 


employers to 




3.3.3 SUPPORT PROGRAMMES FOR THE 14-19 WORKFORCE cont. 

Partners 





Organisations 

eligible 


targeted 


or service 

QIA 

• VLE: A fully interactive and innovative resource 

providing online generic and subject-specific materials 

plus Virtual Practitioner Placement with ten leading 

companies. Online CPD via a vibrant VLE which will 

offer practitioners: up-to-date resources; anywhere, 

anytime access to employer settings through a virtual 

workplace (WorkplaceWorld) experience in each 

Diploma line 

All 

organisations 


tutors and 


and managers 


employers to 

access 

resources, 

Facilities, 


employers to 


QIA 

programmes 

delivered by 

LSN (working 

with LSC, 

Local 

Authority 

14-19 

co-ordinators; 

Diploma 

Development 

Partnerships) 

• Providing guidance and training for 

delivering common aspects of the Diplomas 

(i.e. collaborative provision; shared/team 

teaching, including across different sectors; 

curriculum modelling and time tabling; 

quality assurance across partnerships; 

functional skills; pre- and post-16 

citizenship and Personal Social and Health 

Education (PSHE); enterprise; work-related 

learning; assessment; careers 

options/guidance; employability skills; and 

Personal Learning and Thinking Skills 

(PLTS) 

• None identified: Need to identify target numbers of 

staff, organisations by March 2009 


tutors and 

trainers) 


employers to 

access 

resources, 


employers to 




Partners 





Organisations 

eligible 


targeted 


or service 

QIA 

programmes 

delivered 

by LSN 

• Providing guidance and training to support 

teaching and learning in the ten specific 

Diploma lines of learning (to enable 

practitioners to integrate learning across 

the principle, additional/specialist and 

generic components and promote active 

learning methods that integrate theoretical 

learning, practical application, appropriate 

pedagogical approaches and generic skills) 

• None identified: Need to identify target numbers of 

staff, organisations by March 2009 


tutors and 

trainers) 


employers to 

access 

resources, 


employers to 


CEL (in 

partnership 

with NCSL 

(National 

College for 

School 

Leadership) 

• Design and delivery of support and 

development for leaders in 14-19 

partnerships, to facilitate the successful 

implementation of 14-19 Diploma reforms 

and enhanced collaboration between 

schools, Further Education providers and 

other partners in 14-19 

• There will be a bespoke approach, which 

will be negotiated with consortium leaders, 

leading to a programme which will be 

tailored to the needs of each consortium 

and of the organisations and individuals 

within it 

• Introductory meetings with a Consortium Leadership 

Consultant (CLC) to identify needs and agree support 

April/May 2008. Follow up meetings will take place to 

review consortium needs and measure impact of support 

• Team Coaching and Organisational Development 

Consultancy to build strong collaborative ways of working 

• 1:1 coaching to develop collaborative working 

• Tailored consultancy assignments and customised 

workshops on supporting consortia to work 

collaboratively in tackling management challenges 

and collaborative planning 

All 

organisations 

Leaders and 

managers 


employers to 





Partners 





Organisations 

eligible 


targeted 


or service 

CEL (in 

partnership 

with NCSL 

(National 

College for 

School 

Leadership) 

• Workshops on specific themes to share knowledge and 

best practice amongst consortia i.e. collaborative 

leadership; collaborative quality assurance of teaching 

and learning; diversity competence; leading and 

managing change; networking skills; project or 

strategic planning skills; developing competence in 

mentoring, coaching, facilitation and training 

• VLE modules: Collaborative Leadership; Collaborative 

Quality Assurance; Diversity Competence 

• Learning from others via visits and exchanges 

All 

organisations 

Leaders and 

managers 


employers to 


LLUK (in 

partnership 

with TDA) 

• Work with the TDA to deliver a range of 

initiatives for the professional development 

of staff who will implement the new 

Diplomas for 14-19 year olds 

• Deliver pilot occupational currency courses by 

October 2008 

• Revised Training Needs Analysis (TNA) and Training 

Development Guidance (TDG) by October 2008 

• CPD framework developed by March 2009 

Only 

organisations 

with LSC 

contracts 

Leaders and 

managers, 


tutors and 

trainers) 


employers to 

access 

resources, 


employers to 


DCSF 

• Exploring options for improved occupational 

currency for school and Further Education 

teachers teaching Diplomas to 14-19 year 

olds – including options for a ‘Teach Next’ 

type of model, where industry professionals 

come into teaching for a certain period 

• To be determined 


3.3.4 SUPPORTING THE USE OF TECHNOLOGY 

Partners 





Organisations 

eligible 


targeted 


or service 

BECTA 

(action also 

referenced to 

LLUK, QIA, 

CEL and 

Ofsted) 

• Review of professional standards and 

development of new Information and 

Communication Technology (ICT) elements 

for the skills needed by practitioners and 

training providers in the effective use of 

technology in both teaching and learning 

and for efficient business processes 

• Review completed by December 2008 

• ICT is an area that is explicitly assessed for professional 

formation for qualified status by March 2009 

• Plans for new approaches are included in LLUK 

workforce standards work plans, where appropriate, 

by March 2009 

All 

organisations 

All employees 


AoC NILTA 

• Working with colleges to develop ICT within 

the sector and to promote more widespread 

use of flexible learning platforms 

• AoC Implementation Group to ensure that AoC NILTA is 

performing this role 

Only 

organisations 

with LSC 

contracts 

All employees 

Members’ 

service 

CEL 

• Leading Change for a Digital Dividend 

programme developed, supported by an 

online learning package 

• CEL elearning and technology programmes for leaders 

• Connect: To assist work based learning providers 

develop their elearning strategy; two programmes, 20 

participants each, dates to be confirmed 

• Realise: This programme builds on the work done in 

Connect, to assist work based learning providers 

embed their elearning strategy; 2 programmes, 20 


• Work based learning eXplorer: To develop the skills of 

the leaders who will be the change agents 

implementing change across their organisation to 

effectively embed elearning and technology. Two 

programmes, 15 leaders each, dates to be confirmed 

Only 

organisations 

with LSC 

contracts 

Leaders and 

managers 


employers to 

access 

resources, 


employers to 


Facilities 



3.3.4 SUPPORTING THE USE OF TECHNOLOGY cont. 

Partners 





Organisations 

eligible 


targeted 


or service 

CEL 

• eQuiP: To assist Further Education/ACL providers develop 

and embed their elearning strategy; two programmes, 20 


• Further Education/ACL eXplorer: To develop the skills of 

the leaders who will be the change agents implementing 

change across their organisation to effectively embed 

elearning and technology. Two programmes, 29 leaders 

each, dates to be confirmed 

• Leading Change for Digital Dividends: To assist leaders 

to facilitate major change across their organisation, 

identifying and measuring innovation and effective 

practice around elearning and technology and then 

transferring it to other areas to scale up the effective 

practice; one programme, 60 participants, dates to be 

confirmed 

Only 

organisations 

with LSC 

contracts 

Leaders and 

managers 


employers to 

access 

resources, 


employers to 


Facilities 

ALP 

• Encourage and accelerate the use of 

elearning and technology to enhance the 

learner experience through the use of 

Learning Innovation Grants (LIG) across the 

Further Education Sector 

• LIG phase four to be implemented during current year 

2008-2009 

• Implement LIG 4 across the Sector - £4m 

(subject to available funding) 


organisations 

Leaders and 

managers 

R, F, S (Refer to 

Page 17) 

NATSPEC 

• Natspec works closely with TechDisto to 

develop leading edge enabling technology that 

increases the accessibility of the curriculum 

and increases learner participation 

• All ISCs taking advantage of grant to increase and 

improve their use of enabling technology 

ISC (Refer to 

Page 17) 

Leaders and 

managers, 

Technical 

R,S,F (Refer to 

Page 17) 


3.3.5 TOOLKITS TO SUPPORT RESPONSIVENESS 

Partners 





Organisations 

eligible 


targeted 


or service 

IfL 

• Establish ‘Reflect’: an online space for 

members to record their CPD and reflect 

on practice, as a primary source for 

increasing individual awareness across the 

teaching profession of new approaches to 

teaching and supporting learning 

• For 2009: Increase the capacity across the 

sector for using ICT and digital technology 

to support teaching and learning 

• ‘Signposting’ developed within the ‘Reflect’ CPD portal, 

identifying key professional development opportunities 

aimed at increasing individual teacher responsiveness 


• ‘Reflect’ incorporated into all initial teacher education 

programmes (September 2008) 

• All teachers using ‘Reflect’ to support their own learning 

and development (April 2009) 

• Regional conferences to showcase the extension of 

‘Reflect’ as a teaching and learning tool (September 

2009) 

All 

organisations 


tutors and 

trainers) 

Members’ 

service, 


employers to 



gathering to 


and future 

policy 

CEL 

• Three online toolkits for WBL, ACL and ISC 

leaders developed in consultation with the 


• First toolkits launched in April 2008 

• Phase three of WBL toolkit and phase two toolkits for 

ACL and ISC 

Only 

organisations 

with LSC 

contracts (but 

specific PS, 

ISC and ACL) 

(Refer to 

Page 17) 

Leaders and 

managers 


employers to 

access 

resources, 


employers to 




PRIORITY 4: ENSURING EQUALITY AND DIVERSITY IS AT THE HEART OF STRATEGY, POLICY-MAKING, PLANNING & TRAINING 


There is an inclusive and supportive working culture that is pro-active and flexible in 

recognising the differing and changing needs of the workforce and learners. 

Employers would welcome support and examples of good practice regarding the key 

factors needed to create an inclusive and supportive working culture. 

4.1.1 LEADERSHIP TRAINING 

Partners 





Organisations 

eligible 


targeted 


or service 

CEL 

• Diversity research, use of diversity 

competencies in CEL’s leadership 

programmes, diversity research, 

consultancy and positive action 

programmes will support this objective 

• Succession Planning report launched in May 2008. 

Competencies fully mainstreamed into all CEL 

programmes by March 2009. Around 200 HR and CPD 

managers receive training and support on succession 

planning with diversity in mind 

Only 

organisations 

with LSC 

contracts 

Leaders and 

managers 

R, S, IG (Refer 

to Page 17) 

4.1.2 FORUMS AND GROUPS 

Partners 

Actions from April 2008 to March 2009 that will contribute 

towards achievement of outcome 



Organisations 

eligible 


targeted 


or service 

Commission 

for Disabled 

Staff in 

Lifelong 

Learning 

• The Commission for Disabled Staff in Lifelong Learning has 

undertaken extensive research into the barriers that 

disabled staff face in the sector. The final report will make 

key recommendations to the sector, Government and other 

key stakeholders. It has also been promoting diversity in 

the work force through its research and seminars 

• March 2008 conference and publication of 

findings 

All 

organisations 

All employees 


gathering to 

inform 

strategy and 

future policy 


4.1.2 FORUMS AND GROUPS cont. 

Partners 





Organisations 

eligible 


targeted 


or service 

LLUK 

• Provision of secretariat for the WRAG and 

monitoring of Action Plan 

• Quarterly meetings of WRAG organised. Action Plan 

monitored and progress report presented by 

March 2009 

Only 

organisations 

with LSC 

contracts 

All employees 


employers to 


• Probable provision of secretariat for the 

Disability Equality Implementation Group, 

which will oversee the implementation of 

the key recommendations of the 

Commission for Disabled Staff in Lifelong 

Learning 

• Disability Equality Implementation Group established, 

members recruited, meetings held quarterly, work plan 

agreed progress report presented by March 2009 

Only 

organisations 

with LSC 

contracts 

All employees 


employers to 


• Provision of secretariat for the Forum on 

Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity in 

Post-School Education 

• Quarterly meetings of the forum organised. 

Work Plan monitored and progress report presented 

by March 2009 

Only 

organisations 

with LSC 

contracts 

All employees 


employers to 


ATL 

• Continue to promote equality and diversity, 

and contribute to the Equalities Working 

Group of the National Joint Forum 

• On-going activity Not applicable Delivery (teachers, 

tutors and 

trainers) 

Members’ 

service 

UNISON 

• Forum on Sexual Orientation and Gender 

Identity in Post-School Education 

• Training and guidance materials produced for 

March 2009 

All 

organisations 

All employees 

Members’ 

Service, IG (Refer 

to Page 17) 




The workforce has a broad understanding of cultural competencies (i.e. the ability to 

work across cultures) and of equality and diversity principles, and can deliver learning 

effectively within a diverse environment. 

Employers are keen to understand LLUK’s expectations with regard to the development 

and implementation of equality and diversity strategies within their workforces, and how 

achievement might best be measured. 

4.2.1 CULTURAL COMPETENCY TRAINING AND TOOLS 

Partners 





Organisations 

eligible 


targeted 


or service 

Ifl 

• Equality and diversity embedded within the 

Institute’s model of professional practice 

• For 2009: Address cultural competency and 

equality and diversity awareness through 

professional development 

• Code of Professional Practice launched (April 2008) 

• Self-assessment tool within the ‘Reflect’ online CPD portal 

(April 2009) 

All 

organisations 

Delivery 


and trainers) 

MS, S, IG 

(Refer to 

Page 17) 

QIA 

• QIA develops, commissions and manages a 

range of programmes and services which 

support the workforce to improve and tailor 

the learning experience for young people 

and adults within a diverse environment 

(i.e. National Teaching and Learning 

Change Programme; Centres for 

Excellence in Teacher Training; Skills for 

Life Improvement Programme; 14-19 

Diploma Support Programme; Post-16 

Citizenship Support Programme; QIA STAR 

Awards etc) 

• QIA will shortly be publishing its Single Equality Scheme 

(SES). The SES will ensure that QIA fulfils its duties in a 

coherent and positive way, making equality and diversity an 

integral part of its organisation and programmes. QIA will 

assess its policies and programmes to ensure that they do 

not have any adverse or unintended negative impacts on 

under-represented groups and will positively target 

support where appropriate to these groups. QIA will 

develop a logo to show that its materials have been impact 

assessed for aspects of equality and diversity 

• Qualifying note: From April 2008 the Quality Improvement 

Agency (QIA) and the Centre for Excellence in Leadership 

(CEL) are coming together to create a new sector owned 

improvement body. The executive of the new organisation 

will have to agree its future strategy 

All 

organisations 


Not 

applicable 


4.2.1 CULTURAL COMPETENCY TRAINING AND TOOLS cont. 

Partners 





Organisations 

eligible 


targeted 


or service 

CEL 

• CEL’s diversity competencies and positive 

action programmes will continue to broaden 

understanding of cultural competencies and 

equality and diversity principles 

• Competencies fully mainstreamed into all CEL 

programmes by March 2009 

Only 

organisations 

with LSC 

contracts 

Leaders and 

managers 


gathering to 


and future 

policy 


All providers and stakeholders have comprehensive equality strategies in place and 

constantly strive to reduce social barriers that inhibit the potential of both staff and learners 

All employers are already required to have equality policies in place. What is lacking is a 

standard and rigorous approach to updating and monitoring the application of these policies. 

4.3.1 EMBEDDING EQUALITY STRATEGIES THROUGH CONTRACTING AND REGULATION 

Partners 





Organisations 

eligible 


targeted 


or service 

DWP 

• Equality and diversity commitments under 

legislation apply to DWP providers. DWP 

will also expect its providers to promote 

diversity and equality and will require that 

strategies are in place 

• On-going 

All 

organisations 

All employees 




4.3.1 EMBEDDING EQUALITY STRATEGIES THROUGH CONTRACTING AND REGULATION cont. 

Partners 





Organisations 

eligible 


targeted 


or service 

Ofsted 

• Ofsted to review and amend inspection 

guidance to further strengthen the focus on 

equalities including race equality 

• For 2009: New inspection guidance and 

training for inspectors will ensure 

appropriate coverage and evaluation of 

equalities policies and practices of 

providers and their impact 

• Amendments made by September 2008 

• New inspection guidance and training for inspectors by 


Only 

organisations 

with LSC 

contracts 



LLUK 

• Ensure that Equality Impact Assessments 

continue to be carried out for all LLUK led 

projects before and during delivery 

• Equality Impact Assessments carried out for all 

projects delivered during 2008-2009 

Only 

organisations 

with LSC 

contracts 

All employees 


gathering to 


and future 

policy 


4.3.2 NATIONAL AGREEMENTS AND PROGRAMMES TO SUPPORT EQUALITY AND DIVERSITY 

Partners 





Organisations 

eligible 


targeted 


or service 

AoC 

• AoC joint agreements assist as a starting 

point in the development of equality 

strategies for staff. There is a need to 

develop a comprehensive overview of good 

equality practice that is currently being 

developed within the sector 

• Identify training and development that is occurring in 

the sector 

• With LLUK, the AoC group to identify all the equality 

initiatives that are currently taking place and to identify 

what resources are available for colleges to use 

Only 

organisations 

with LSC 

contracts 

All employees 

Members’ 

service 

UCU, UNISON, 

UNITE, GMB, 

ATL and ACM 

• National agreements with the providers on 

race, disability, gender and age 

• Guidance produced around the national 

agreements on race, disability, gender 

and age 

• Work for full implementation of agreements in all 

Further Education colleges. 

• Monitor and report progress March 2009 

All 

organisations 

All employees 

MS, R, IG 

(Refer to 

Page 17) 

UNISON, UCU 

(alongside 

LSC and 

key Further 

Education 

stakeholders) 

• Supporting the specific workforce actions 

associated with the LSC Single Equality 

Scheme implementation programme 

• Programme finishes in July 2008: Work on single 

equality schemes with 45 providers across LSC regions 

including Further Education colleges, WBL, ACL 

All 

organisations 

All employees 

MS, R, IG 

(Refer to 

Page 17) 


03 


REVIEW AND REFRESHMENT OF THE WORKFORCE 

STRATEGY AND THE IMPLEMENTATION PLAN 

3.1 WHY IS A REVIEW AND REFRESH NEEDED? 

The Workforce Strategy for the Further Education Sector in 

England, and the companion Implementation Plan, are not 

intended to be static documents. As this is the first time that 

such an approach has been attempted, inevitably the first 

version of the Implementation Plan is more of a statement as 

to what is currently happening or planned. The Implementation 

Plan has been written with providers and their employees in 

mind and so some key strategic and national developments 

have been excluded by LLUK during the compilation process, 

but these have not been lost. By reviewing and refreshing the 

Workforce Strategy annually, and producing an annual 

Implementation Plan, further actions for workforce 

developments can be identified and agreed with the sector 

which reflect the current policy drivers, regulatory issues and 

environmental factors which impact upon the sector. 

There will need to be work with national partners and 

stakeholders to review gaps in workforce development 

coverage and to rationalise potential duplication of workforce 

development support. This will require discussion and 

negotiation within the wider Further Education system, under 

the impetus of refreshing the national Workforce Strategy. 

LLUK, as the sector skills council for the sector, will broker 

these discussions. There also now exists a group who have 

worked together to compile the first Workforce Strategy and 

who have expressed willingness to continue working 

together to achieve the four priorities set out in the 

Workforce Strategy. LLUK will continue to facilitate the 

refreshment of the Workforce Strategy and, through its role 

as the sector skills council, seek to lead on combined 

efforts to embed the Strategy and Implementation Plan. 

LLUK will look to the wider Further Education Stakeholder 

Group which has come together to facilitate the 

development of the Strategy to help with the annual review 

and refreshment, particularly as the sector moves towards 

self-regulation and self-governance and also continue to 

refine the Strategy and Implementation Plan through 

provider and employee consultation fora. LLUK will work 

with the partners and stakeholders across the wider 

Further Education system to explore how anticipated 

outcomes for the workforce can be achieved by 2012, i.e. 

within the lifetime of the current Workforce Strategy. In 

order to provide a full picture of workforce development in 

the sector, the Implementation Plan will need to reflect 

different types of workforce development being funded, 

commissioned and carried out by a significant number of 

partners, stakeholders, and Government Departments. 

In the longer term the Implementation Plan will need to: 

• Outline in a single place the individual planned 

actions of national partners, stakeholders and 

Government Departments across the wider 

Further Education system over a 12 month period 

that will contribute towards the achievement of 

specific outcomes; 

• Identify outstanding issues and challenges to be 

tackled (not covered by actions planned or already 

taking place); and 

• Outline agreements on further action to tackle 

outstanding issues, and agree on one or more 

specific milestones for measuring progress in doing so. 

Lead organisations for specific actions will also need to 

be identified. 

The following principles will be applied to reviewing 

and refreshing the Implementation Plan: 

• There is clarity about what is being reviewed. Milestones 

to measure progress against outcomes will be agreed as 

part of the development of each Implementation Plan; 

• Wherever possible, the process will not add to the 

administrative burden of providers and partner 

organisations; 

• The process will recognise and support the introduction 

of self-regulation and a self-governing sector; 

• The process will reflect the different types of 

providers in the sector and be of relevance for all 

different groups of employees in the sector; and 

• Relevant information will be shared by partners. 

LLUK will ensure that providers and other stakeholders are 

consulted about the process and timing of the annual review 

and refreshment of the Implementation Plan, and the 

information that they wish it to yield. Review and refreshment 

will be informed by processes and groups already in existence 

or in the process of being established. This may require 

amending the terms of reference of existing groups and/or 

widening representation within these groups. As these plans 

are ‘living documents’ they will need to be regularly updated to 

keep up with the pace of change within the sector and the new 

skills these changes will require of its workforce to ensure 

they remain relevant to the sector. A decision was taken by 

LLUK not to produce significant numbers of printed copies of 

either the Workforce Strategy or Implementation Plan, but to 

regularly update the information through the LLUK website 

and notification through LLUK e-bulletins and partner 

organisations’ communication mechanisms. It is hoped this 

will enable all information to be accurate and up-to-date. 


SECTION 3: REVIEW AND REFRESHMENT OF THE WORKFORCE STRATEGY AND THE IMPLEMENTATION PLAN 

3.2 THE PROCESS OF REVIEW AND REFRESH 

TABLE 2: ANNUAL REVIEW AND REFRESH TIME-TABLE AND ACTIONS 

Annually reviewing and refreshing a plan as complex as this 

will be challenging, but LLUK is confident that it can 

develop a dynamic and inclusive process and as the sector 

skills council for the sector, lead the review process. It is 

proposed to adopt the approach shown opposite in Table 2 

to facilitate this review. 

3.3 MEASURING IMPACT 

Alongside the review and development of the Workforce 

Strategy, some impact measures will need to be developed, 

for reasons including: 

• To understand better where impacts are being made 

(or failing to be made) and then plan strategically for 

future investment; 

• To check whether past decisions are having the 

anticipated results and to adjust plans and planning 

processes accordingly; and 

• To develop insights into the different responses and 

needs of different providers i.e. Further Education 

colleges, WBL and ACL providers and the 

implementation issues that they face. 

The overall impact of the Strategy will be measured through: 

• Quantitative measures of achievement to determine 

whether particular outcomes have been met. Some of 

these measures will relate to learner achievement and 

engagement of employers through Train to Gain; and 

• Additionally, qualitative research will be conducted 

with partners and providers to obtain feedback on 

overall impact of the Strategy. 

TIME-SCALE 

April-May 

in 2008; 

from 2009 

annually 

June-October 

November- 

December 

January 

March 

ANNUAL REVIEW AND REFRESH OF ACTIONS 

• Agree membership and terms of reference for a Further Education Workforce Strategy Review 

Group. Such a group will operate within the wider LLUK provider and stakeholder governance 

arrangements. Providers and employee representatives will be key members of the Group 

• Membership and terms of reference to be reviewed annually to maximise the impact of the 

Implementation Plan and the effectiveness of the review and refresh process 

• Meeting of Further Education Workforce Strategy Review Group 

• Identify new national workforce development initiatives and actions for the following year. 

Ensure that actions and initiatives and milestones to measure their impact are captured for the 

upcoming iteration of the Implementation Plan 

• Updating of information from national partners and stakeholders in the wider Further Education 

system to reflect changes in policy drivers, regulatory or legislative issues or environmental factors 

• Meeting of Further Education Workforce Strategy Review Group to review actions set out in 

current plan in the light of policy, regulatory and other changes and identify those national issues 

which need to be addressed and agree priorities for action in the following year 

• Refresh of Workforce Strategy (if necessary) and new iteration of the plan agreed and drawn 

together, including identification of outstanding issues that it is felt LLUK should lead in tackling 

on behalf of sector providers 

• By this stage in the review cycle it is anticipated that either the milestones have been achieved, 

are on track for achievement, have become out of date, or are no longer relevant. 

Implementation Plan for the following year to be revised accordingly 

• New Implementation Plan published by LLUK to include brief summary of progress achieved 

nationally the previous year, as well the upcoming actions of individual organisations and groups 

of partners working together led by LLUK 

• New version of the Strategy is published to reflect changes in policy drivers, regulatory or 

legislative issues or environmental factors 


TABLE 3: POTENTIAL INDICATORS AND SOURCES FOR MEASURING PROGRESS OF THE FE WORKFORCE 

PRIORITY AREAS INDICATOR/MEASURE SOURCE/REPORTING 

TABLE 4: POTENTIAL INDICATORS FOR WIDER SUCCESS 

HEADLINE AIM INDICATOR/MEASURE SOURCE/REPORTING 

FE Sector provider 

commitment 

to training 

• Proportion of Further Education Sector providers with 

a training plan 

• Number of providers signing up to the Skills Pledge 

CPD • Number of teachers having at least 30 hours a year CPD IfL 

FE, WBL, ACL Skills and 

Training Survey - LLUK 

LLUK monitoring data 

Increased learner 

success rates 

• Achievement rates 

• Learner satisfaction 

(publicly-funded 

provision) 

LSC data 

LSC data 

Leadership 

New professional 

roles 

Equality and 

Diversity 

• Quality of leadership and overall effectiveness of providers 

• Proportion of Further Education Sector providers citing 

leadership and management as a skills gap or shortage 

• Numbers of new college principals completing the 

qualifying programme, and current principals and 

leaders of other providers 

• New roles developed to deliver to highest standards for 

Leitch and 14-19 

• Increased proportion of Further Education staff 

(particularly managers) from under-represented groups 

Ofsted 

FE, WBL, ACL Skills and 

Training Survey - LLUK 

Centre for Excellence in 

Leadership (CEL) 

LLUK 

FE, WBL, ACL workforce 

data collection – LLUK 

Increased 

employer take up 

of learning 

Increased 

employment rate 

• Employer 

satisfaction 

• Participation in 

job-related 

education or 

training in the 

last 13 weeks 

(whole economy) 

• Employment rate 

LSC data 

Labour Force Survey 

DWP 

Shortages • Anticipated shortages and gaps FE, WBL, ACL Skills and 

training survey - LLUK 

Progression routes 

Colleges and 

providers 

effective human 

resources 

systems in place 

• Use of national occupational standards (NOS) to 

define job roles 

• Proportion of Further Education Sector providers 

with a training plan 

• Further Education Sector workforce participation in 

job-related education or training in the last 13 weeks 

(LLUK SIC code) 

LLUK monitoring data 

LSC 

Office of National 

Statistics (ONS) 

Increased 

participation 

16–18 

• Learner 

participation data 

DCSF 



3.4 OUTSTANDING ISSUES AND CHALLENGES TO BE TACKLED AND PROPOSED ACTIONS IN 2008-2009 

The analysis of actions by partners to achieve the anticipated outcomes highlighted some outstanding issues and challenges that need to be addressed sector-wide through appropriate actions. 

These are detailed below and will be the starting point for discussions and negotiations in the coming months. 

PRIORITY 1: UNDERSTANDING THE NATURE OF THE WORKFORCE 

ANTICIPATED OUTCOMES BY 2012 IDENTIFIED IN THE 

IMPLEMENTATION PLAN (REFERS TO SECTION 2) 

OUTSTANDING ISSUES AND CHALLENGES TO BE TACKLED PROPOSED ACTION IN 2008-2009 

PRIORITY 1: 

There is a system in place that enables the early 

identification of workforce gaps and shortage areas, 

based on a reliable picture of key workforce 

characteristics and skills and training needs across all 

participating colleges and learning providers 

• There is no standard data requirement regarding 

employees 

• There may be a need for capacity building of some 

providers in relation to workforce data collection 

• LLUK will continue to facilitate the development and 

piloting of an inclusive workforce data collection system 

to provide a robust evidence base for actions to improve 

recruitment and continuing workforce development in 

the sector 

PRIORITY 1: 

Colleges, learning providers and stakeholders have 

relevant information to take a planned approach to reduce 

the level of skills gaps and shortages, while at the same 

time promoting diversity within the workforce at all levels 

• Analysis and provision of data, including use of ICT, to 

provide providers with the information and intelligence they 

need to enable them to reduce skills gaps and shortages 

• Drawing on this data, policy makers and commissioners of 

new provision need to be encouraged to assess and help 

meet workforce development needs prior to the 

introduction of new services and learning provision 

• LLUK to facilitate further developments in this area 

PRIORITY 1: 

Accurate and timely data is used as evidence that colleges 

and learning providers are meeting their monitoring 

responsibilities with regard to race, disability, gender and 

age. There is a clear and quantifiable understanding of 

under-representation in relation to ethnicity, age, gender 

and disability 

• Under current legislation and the forthcoming Single 

Equality Bill there are a number of requirements to 

embed equality and diversity across policy, planning and 

training by monitoring and impact assessing the work that 

is being undertaken 

• To explore widening the scope of using data collection 

as evidence of meeting monitoring responsibilities with 

regard to race, disability, gender and age across all 

providers’ funded provision 


PRIORITY 2: ATTRACTING AND RECRUITING THE BEST PEOPLE 

ANTICIPATED OUTCOMES BY 2012 OUTSTANDING ISSUES AND CHALLENGES TO BE TACKLED PROPOSED ACTION IN 2008-2009 

PRIORITY 2: 

The whole workforce is appropriately qualified 

• A coherent and shared view of what is meant by a 

professional world-class workforce needs to be 

agreed by providers within the sector and the 

recognised trade unions 

• Agreement to be reached on appropriate qualifications for 

all sections of the workforce 

• Further exploration and definition of the emerging 

different types of the ‘new professional’ 

PRIORITY 2: 

Shortages in key occupations and areas of vocational and 

other specialisms are significantly decreased 

• There needs to be a widely shared understanding amongst 

all providers within the sector about the nature of specific 

occupational and vocational skills gaps 

• Current vacancies need to be reviewed regularly so as to 

inform programme delivery 

• Further discussion and analysis required 

PRIORITY 2: 

Joint working and career movement between 

Further Education and other industrial/occupation 

sectors is facilitated 

• A more cohesive approach developed at strategic level 

amongst relevant departments and agencies for 

teaching/tutoring/training and other staff 

• Identify within the sector barriers affecting the 

achievement of this outcome 

PRIORITY 2: 

The equality and diversity profile of the workforce is 

representative of the learners and communities it serves. 

Providers also benefit from an expanded talent pool 

• To explore the viability of introducing a systematic 

approach across the sector that enables providers to see 

the benefits of recruiting and retaining a diverse 

workforce and charts the achievement of individual 

organisations against employer-led and agreed measures 

• Partners and providers review and amend their 

recruitment, training, development and promotion 

practices for all staff, including ‘equality proofing’ of 

appraisal procedures, and share best practice 



PRIORITY 3: RETAINING AND DEVELOPING THE MODERN, PROFESSIONALISED WORKFORCE 


PRIORITY 3: 

A culture of CPD is established within the Further 

Education Sector focused on meeting learner needs at 

provider and individual level. Colleges and learning 

providers approach their own staff development in similar 

and flexible ways, as they would for a learner, employer 

or client 

• Very few providers have signed up to the Skills Pledge and 

as a starting point and minimum requirement, all 

providers working in the sector should do so. Funders and 

commissioners need to explore how they can ensure that 

part-time tutors and staff on lower incomes, especially 

those working in the voluntary and community sector have 

access to funding for development and relevant 

accreditation of skills 

• The confidence and capacity of the workforce in 

understanding and using technology to transform education 

and training will be a key element of this CPD culture 

• Encourage providers to prioritise staff development and 

accreditation (of prior learning if appropriate) for all 

staff without level 2 qualifications 

• Encourage providers to sign-up to the Skills Pledge as a 

minimum 

PRIORITY 3: 

A workforce that provides the impetus for its own learning 

needs by taking action towards individual skills 

development. This outcome will be demonstrated by the 

enthusiasm of staff about the new CPD opportunities 

available and their keenness to adopt new technologies and 

engage in the latest training 

• A pre-requisite for a jointly owned (employer/employee 

approach) is the creation of open clear and transparent 

policies which are part of provider’s business and workforce 

development plans and learning agreements with their staff 

• Embracing new technologies as an opportunity and 

supplement to excellent teaching and staff support functions 

and embedding their use across a providers business 

• To identify and build on existing best practice within the 

sector (working with the full range of providers and 

recognised trade unions) regarding the personalisation 

of CPD for all staff 

• To encourage the use of new technologies at a strategic 

and individual level 

PRIORITY 3: 

The Further Education workforce is responsive to a changing 

learner and employer profile and its diverse needs, demands 

and skill requirements (developing the workforce to deliver 

provision for 14 – 19 year olds, responding to demand-led 

markets, incorporating the learner voice etc). New 

technologies are also applied appropriately to deliver learning 

‘any time, any place, any where and at the right price’ 

• Partners need to work together in managing the 

introduction of the use of new technologies in ways that are 

relevant to individual employees, and ensure that the 

programme of changes to working practices take employees 

on a ‘learning journey’ rather than overwhelm them 

• To identify and build on existing best practice within the 

sector (working with the full range of providers and 

recognised trade unions) regarding the personalisation 

of CPD for all staff 

• To encourage the use of new technologies at a strategic 

and individual level 


PRIORITY 4: ENSURING EQUALITY AND DIVERSITY IS AT THE HEART OF STRATEGY, POLICY-MAKING, PLANNING AND TRAINING 


PRIORITY 4: 

There is an inclusive and supportive working culture that is 

pro-active and flexible in recognising the differing and 

changing needs of the workforce and learners 

• Draw on best practice initiatives to develop guidance and 

good practice examples in this area 

• Identify best practice examples 

PRIORITY 4: 

The workforce has a broad understanding of cultural 

competencies (i.e. the ability to work across cultures), 

and of equality and diversity principles, and can deliver 

learning effectively within a diverse environment 

• There needs to be a much wider understanding of what is 

meant by cultural competencies with agreed standards for 

the sector against which achievement can be measured 

• Drawing on work already undertaken and best practice, 

work with key partners and providers, to develop a set of 

standards by which cultural competencies could be 

measured 

PRIORITY 4: 

All providers and stakeholders have comprehensive 

equality strategies in place and constantly strive to reduce 

social barriers that inhibit the potential of both staff and 

learners 

• Further embedding of the Race Equality in Employment 

Standard (REES) and rigorous approach to updating and 

monitoring the application of equality policies 

• Encourage providers to embed and share best practice 

in monitoring equality policies 



4.1 NATIONAL PARTNERS 

ORGANISATION OVERVIEW OF ORGANISATION CONTACT DETAILS 

The Association of Colleges (AoC) aims to promote the 

interests of Further Education colleges in England and 

Wales. It provides a broad range of services to its subscribers 

and represents their interests locally, regionally, nationally 

and internationally. 

AoC 

2-5 Stedham Place 

London, WC1A 1HU 

020 7034 9900 

www.aoc.co.uk 

The Association of College Management (ACM) is a TUC 

affiliated trade union and professional association which 

represents managers of post-16 education and training. The 

primary purpose of the association is to support the interests, 

values and views of education and training managers. 

ACM 

35 The Point, Market Harborough 

Leicestershire, LE16 7QU 

01858 411 540 

www.acm.uk.com 

The purpose of the Association of Learning Providers (ALP) is 

to influence the education and training agenda in order to: 

influence and secure a national skills strategy; secure the 14- 

19 learning curriculum opportunities for learning throughout 

life and demonstrate a Government-supported learning 

market open to all providers offering high quality learning. 

ALP 

Colenso House, 46 Bath Hill 

Keynsham, Bristol 

BS31 1HG 

0117 986 5389 

www.learningproviders.org.uk 

The Association of National Specialist Colleges (NATSPEC) 

works in partnership with others to promote the provision of 

a wide choice of innovative, high quality, cost-effective 

education and training to meet the needs of people with 

learning difficulties and/or disabilities. 

NATSPEC 

17 Lynn Way, Kings Worthy 

Winchester, Hampshire, SO23 7TG 

0117 923 2830 

www.natspec.org.uk 



The Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL) is the 

professional organisation and trade union for teachers and 

lecturers in Further Education across the UK. It promotes 

and protects the interests of its members and champions 

good practice across the sector. 

ATL (London Office) 

7 Northumberland Street 

London, WC2N 5RD 

020 7930 6441 

www.atl.org.uk 

The British Educational Communications and Technology 

Agency (BECTA) is the Government’s lead agency for 

Information and Communications Technology (ICT) in 

education covering the UK. It leads the national drive for the 

effective and innovative use of technology throughout learning. 

BECTA 

Millburn Hill Road, Science Park 

Coventry, CV4 7JJ 

024 7641 6994 

www.becta.org.uk 

The Centre for Excellence in Leadership (CEL)* is a national 

agency working with sector partners to ensure world-class 

leadership within the learning and skills sector. It serves the 

existing and future leaders of all providers within the Further 

Education system, including Further Education colleges, 

training and work based learning providers, adult and 

community learning providers, offender learning, specialist 

colleges and voluntary organisations. 

CEL 

4th floor 

47 Mark Lane 

London 

EC3R 7QQ 

0870 060 3278 

www.centreforexcellence.org.uk 

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is here to 

promote opportunity and independence for all through modern, 

customer-focused services. They help people to achieve their 

potential through employment, so that they are able to provide 

for their children and to work and save for secure retirement. 

DWP 

Caxton House, 4th Floor 

Tothill Street 

London, SW1 

www.dwp.gov.uk 



4.1 NATIONAL PARTNERS cont. 


The Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) is 

one of three new Government departments set up by the Prime 

Minister in June 2007. It focuses on raising standards so that 

more children and young people reach expected levels, lifting 

more children out of poverty and re-engaging disaffected young 

people. In addition to its direct responsibilities, DCSF leads work 

across Government to improve outcomes for children, including 

work on children’s health and child poverty. 

DCSF 

Sanctuary Buildings, 

Great Smith Street 

London, SW1P 3BT 

0870 000 2288 

www.dfes.gov.uk 

The Department for Innovation, Universities & Skills (DIUS) is 

one of three Government departments set up by the Prime 

Minister in June 2007. Some of its responsibilities include 

raising participation and attainment by young people and 

adults in post-16 education and learning and tackling the 

skills gap amongst adults, particularly equipping people with 

basic literacy and numeracy. 

DIUS 

66-74 Victoria Street, 

Kingsgate House 

London, SW1E 6SW 

020 7215 5555 

www.dius.gov.uk 

HOLEX exists to facilitate network and information sharing 

between member organisations; to offer briefings and 

information updates to members; to represent the views of 

members to national and regional bodies involved in the 

oversight of learning and skills provision in England. 

HOLEX (National Office) 

P O Box 145 

Childswickham 

Broadway, WR12 7ZQ 

0138 644 3550 

The Institute for Learning (IfL) is the professional body for 

teachers, trainers, tutors and student teachers in the 

learning and skills sector. It supports the needs of its 

members to continue to raise the status of teaching 

practitioners across the sector. 

Institute for Learning 

Bracton House, 34-36 High Holborn 

London, WC1V 6AE 

0844 815 3202 

www.ifl.ac.uk 



The Local Education Authority Forum for the Education of 

Adults (LEAFEA) is the national network of local authority 

adult learning officers and represents the local authority 

voice in national forums. It plays a key role in identifying the 

workforce issues of local authority adult learning provision. 

LEAFEA 

c/o Municipal Buildings 

Church Road 

Stockton, TS18 1XE 

01642 526422 

The Learning Skills Council (LSC) is a non-departmental public 

body which aims to improve the skills of England’s young people 

and adults to ensure we have a workforce of world-class 

standard. They are responsible for planning and funding high 

quality education and training for everyone in England other 

than those in universities. 

LSC 

Cheylesmore House, Quinton Road 

Coventry, CV1 2WT 

0870 900 6800 

www.lsc.gov.uk 

The Learning and Skills Network (LSN) is an independent 

not-for-profit organisation committed to making a difference 

to education and training. They aim to do this by delivering 

quality improvement and staff development programmes that 

support specific Government initiatives, through research, 

training and consultancy and by supplying services directly to 

schools, colleges and training organisations. 

Learning & Skills Network 

Fifth Floor, Holborn Centre 

120 Holborn 

London, EC1N 2AD 

0845 071 0800 

www.lsneducation.org.uk 

The National Institute of Adult Continuing Education (NIACE) 

is a non-Governmental organisation aiming to increase the 

number of adults in formal and informal learning and to 

improve opportunities and widen access to learning for those 

communities under-represented in current provision. 

NIACE 

Renaissance House 

20 Princess Road West 

Leicester, LE1 6TP 

0116 204 4200 

www.niace.org.uk 



4.1 NATIONAL PARTNERS cont. 


The Network for Black Professionals’ (NBP) purpose is to 

address the under-representation of Black Staff in the 

Further Education Sector, particularly the small numbers of 

managers, senior staff and principals. 

NBP 

Wolverhampton Science Park 

Wolverhampton, WV10 9RU 

01902 715309 

www.nbp.org.uk 

The Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted) is the 

Government Department responsible for reviewing and 

monitoring the standards of education and training. 

OFSTED 

Royal Exchange Buildings, St Ann's Square 

Manchester, M2 7LA 

08456 404045 

www.ofsted.gov.uk 

The Qualifications and Curriculum (QCA) is involved in the 

progress of standards in education and training. They work 

with others to maintain and develop the school curriculum 

and associated assessments and to accredit and monitor 

qualifications in schools, colleges and in the workplace. 

QCA 

83 Piccadilly 

London, W1J 8QA 

020 7509 5555 

www.qca.org.uk 

The Quality Improvement Agency (QIA)* works across the 

Learning and Skills sector to improve performance, aiming to 

build the sector’s capacity for self-improvement, help the 

sector respond to strategic reforms and lead the sector 

quality improvement strategy. 

Quality Improvement Agency 

Friars House 

Manor House Drive 

Coventry, CV1 2TE 

0870 162 0632 

www.qia.org.uk 



All Sixth Form Colleges are members of the Sixth Form 

Colleges Forum (SFCF). It lobbies on behalf of Sixth Form 

Colleges’ interests and provides them with advice and 

information. 

SFCF 

Local Government House, Smith Square, London, SW1P 3HZ 

020 7187 7349 

www.sfcf.lge.gov.uk 

Training and Development 

Agency for Schools (TDA) 

The Training and Development Agency for Schools (TDA) was 

established to raise standards in schools by attracting able 

and committed people to teaching and improving the 

effectiveness of the school workforce. 

TDA 

Buckingham Palace Road, London, SW1W 9SZ 

0845 6000 991 

www.tda.gov.uk 

Largest public service trade union representing support staff 

working in Further Education and Sixth Form Colleges 

throughout the UK. 

UNISON 

1 Mabledon Place, London, WC1H 9AJ 

0845 355 0845 

www.unison.org.uk 

Universities Council for 

Education of Teachers (UCET) 

The Universities’ Council for Education of Teachers (UCET) acts 

as a national forum for the discussion of matters relating to 

the education of teachers and professional educators, and to 

the study of education in the university sector and contributes 

to the formulation of policy in these fields. Its members are 

UK universities involved in teacher education, and a number 

of colleges of higher education in the university sector. 

UCET 

Whittington House, 19-30 Alfred Place 

London, WC1E 7EA 

020 7580 8000 

www.ucet.ac.uk 

The University and College Union (UCU) is the largest trade 

union and professional association for academics, lecturers, 

trainers, researchers, and academic-related staff working in 

further and higher education throughout the UK. 

UCU 

27 Britannia Street 

London, WC1X 9JP 

020 7837 3636 

www.ucu.org.uk 

* From June 2008 the Centre for Excellence in Leadership (CEL) and the Quality Improvement Agency (QIA) are coming together to create a new sector owned improvement body. 


THE WORKFORCE STRATEGY 

FOR THE FURTHER EDUCATION SECTOR IN ENGLAND, 2007–2012 

IMPLEMENTATION PLAN 

Skills for Learning Professionals 

Lifelong Learning UK (LLUK), Fifth Floor, St Andrew’s House, 18–20 St Andrew Street, London, EC4A 3AY 

Call: 08707 577 890 Fax: 08707 577 889 Email: enquires@lluk.org or log on to www.lluk.org.uk 

Additional copies of this publication can also be obtained from: 

Lifelong Learning UK (LLUK), Fifth Floor, St Andrew's House, 18–20 St Andrew Street, London, EC4A 3AY 

Or alternatively, you can download this publication at: 

www.lluk.org/3263.htm 

Reference Date: 

April 2008

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