Collaborative Approaches to 14-19 Provision - Communities and ...

14-19 PATHFINDERS: THE SECOND YEARwork-based learning route post-16 (the coordinators who reported ‘more than expected’ or ‘asexpected’ progress on this theme mainly referred to 14-16 developments).149. Some pathfinders reported links with E2E projects. One coordinator stated that therehad been no funding for E2E but the partners had set up their own provision. Severalcoordinators commented that there were insufficient E2E placements and some complainedabout the poor quality of some placements. Rural pathfinders reported the absence of largeemployers and training providers who could provide work-based learning placements.150. The notable exception to this neglect of work-based learning in 14-19 Pathfinderinitiative is the Tower Hamlets Pathfinder which is strongly focused on the work-based route.This pathfinder aims to deliver “new employability opportunities” to 45 young people fromdisadvantaged London boroughs. The focus is upon the retail sector and the aim is toprovider retailers with a “stream of young recruits who have the skills, qualifications andpractical experience required for entry-level jobs in the sector”. We hope to haveopportunities to explore this approach in some detail as part of the evaluation of the third yearof pathfinders. An independent evaluation report from the National Foundation forEducational Research can be accessed through the Tower Hamlets Pathfinder website(http://www.skills4industry.org/index.cfm?p_id=149).Enterprise learning151. This theme has not figured strongly in the 14-19 Pathfinders. Reported progress was:More than expected As expected Less than expected Not applicable5 6 2 18Good progress was reported by the great majority of those who were pursuing it but thesewere fewer than half of all the pathfinders. Virtually all pathfinders which reported progresson this theme referred to links with Enterprise Pathfinders and Enterprise Advisors. TheNottingham Pathfinder, for example, reported:49