Minutes from Careers Advisory Forum
Wednesday 23 June 2021: 10.00am - 12.00pm via Webex
Forum members present
- Judith Gillespie (CAF Chair)
- Charlene Brooks, (Parenting NI, interim member)
- Maxine Judge (Education Authority)
- Carol Fitzsimons (Young Enterprise NI)
- Lisa Toland (SOLACE)
- Gearoid Rafferty (ETI)
- Angela Scanlon (Ulster University)
- Julie Gorman (NIC-ICTU)
- Paula Leathem (NI Chamber of Commerce)
- FSB representative (deputising for Roger Pollen, FSB)
- Shirley Moore (deputising for Claire Henderson, SERC)
- Sandra Bailie (NICVA)
- Kieran Harding (BITC)
- Esther Martin (CCEA, interim member)
Members unable to attend
- Sam Davidson (CBI)
- Tony Carmichael (Disability Action)
- Roger Pollen (FSB)
Officials in attendance
- Frances O’Hara (Careers Service, DfE)
- Raymond McAuley (Careers Service, DfE)
- Jillian Strain (Careers Service, DfE)
- Nuala McComb (DfE)
- Karen Dougherty (DfE)
- Claire McClelland (Transition of Young People into Careers [14-19] Project)
- Clement Athanasiou (Director of ACVED [Apprenticeships, Careers and Vocational Education Division], DfE)
- Raymond Kelly (Skills Initiatives, DfE)
- Michael Harris (Apprenticeships Development and Marketing, DfE)
- Emma Annett (Traineeships, DfE)
- Sarah Cassidy (Traineeships, DfE)
- Kathryn McCamley (Youth Inclusion, DfE)
- Gareth Edge (DE)
- Karen McCullough (DE)
1. Welcome
1.1 The Chair greeted Forum members and officials, extending a warm welcome to the Forum’s three new members – Paula Leathem, (NICCI) who replaces Christopher Morrow, Charlene Brooks, (Parenting NI) interim replacement for Maria Rogan, and Esther Martin, (CCEA) interim replacement for Justin Edwards – as well as new officials Clement Athanasiou (DfE), Karen McCullough (DE) and Gareth Edge (DE). The Chair also extended thanks to the outgoing CAF members for their contributions. The Chair noted that the meeting takes place at a significant juncture, following the consultation launch of Skills Strategy for Northern Ireland: Skills for a 10X Economy.
2. Skills Strategy update
2.1 Raymond Kelly (RK), Skills Initiatives, presented an update on the DfE Skills Strategy. The CAF Chair asked the members to reflect, during the presentation, about the advice they would give, as the strategy develops. RK advised work on the Skills Strategy had been ongoing since 2018, with the consultation launched by the Minister on 26 May. This will run for 12 weeks until 19 August and comprises 34 policy commitments across three areas, aiming to promote growth in priority sectors, including AMME, Digital, Life and Health Sciences and Clean Energy (these sectors also underpinned the economic recovery response to the COVID-19 pandemic). A series of stakeholder events will be held, the first of which on 1 July. It is envisaged that the strategy will launch in autumn 2021. RK noted that during a meeting with the Minister on 21 June, he indicated his view of the key role of careers and was keen to reinforce the need for continued independence of the Careers Service and how it should develop its work with employers.
2.2 RK summarised the consultation document in highlighting the emphasis on lifelong learning and ensuring the workforce has the appropriate skills for the post-COVID context. This will require skills imbalances to be addressed and the creation of a digital spine in the education system.
2.3 RK informed the Forum that, of the 34 proposed commitments, three relate directly to Careers:
- developing a portal
- enhancing engagement between employers and the education sector
- addressing issues such as lifelong learning and adult education.
RK advised that a Flexible Skills Fund will be introduced, building on the work of the Skills Intervention programme. Slides were provided to Forum members, to supplement RK’s verbal update.
2.4 The CAF Chair thanked RK for his presentation, asking for clarification on the consultation event. RK confirmed that it will take the format of a webinar on 1 July, with a second planned for the summer, which it is hoped, will involve young people’s views. The Chair noted that there is an opportunity for CAF to provide input now, or at one of the future consultation events, and asked RK to clarify what input he would like from the CAF. RK referred to the third strategy commitment, which relates to how careers can better engage with employers, and, in particular, the area of adult education. RK noted that the main skills gaps are within the post-school leavers age group and that advice on how the Skills Strategy can best support them to re-skill or upskill would be welcomed.
2.5 The Chair invited comments and questions from the Forum members in regard to engagement with employers and upskilling. A Forum member noted a decrease in spending (slide 5 shows most of the reduction taken from apprenticeships) and enquired as to the reasons for said juxtaposition (reduction, as opposed to investment). RK responded that, last year, £50m was added to the Skills budget – mostly as a result of the COVID pandemic. RK noted that the department currently has a one year budget programme, as opposed to a multi-year budget, and is seeking additional funding.
It was noted that the CAF can play a role in supporting the department in putting this ask forward to Ministers and that a multi-year funding commitment is needed for future programmes. The CAF Chair commented that one of the commitments from the Minister is a three year flexible skills fund and that the CAF would advise of the need for the department to take a strategic, long- term approach, in regard to planning the Skills Strategy implementation.
CAF Advice 1 – It is essential for officials to have the ability to plan strategically and for the long term, rather than on a year-to-year basis. Multi-year funding is important to secure this, and CAF strongly supports this.
2.6 A Forum member enquired about the extent of the alignment between the Skills Strategy and the UK government’s plans, in respect of the UK Community Renewal Fund. RK noted that while there is ongoing engagement and consultation with colleagues in the rest of the UK, the aims of the UK Community Renewal Fund do not align with Northern Ireland’s goals.
The CAF Chair commented that it is essential that the goals of the Fund and the Skills Strategy harmonise, in order to optimise the outcomes from the UK government funding. RK responded that he hoped the bids for the fund would align with the department’s plans.
CAF Advice 2 – Funding bids should be aligned in order to optimise the opportunity that UK funding presents.
2.7 The CAF Chair enquired if the Forum wished to share any advice in relation to engagement, particularly the hard-to-reach cohort and those who have just left education. Forum members agreed that funding made available to NI companies from Invest NI or others, should be predicated on a built-in, systemic commitment to skills – embedding the commitment to lifelong learning into funding offers needs to be a key action.
CAF Advice 3 – Funding to NI companies should be allocated on the premise of commitment to workforce skills development, to encourage investment in lifelong learning.
2.8 A discussion ensued regarding the potential for monitoring/tracking learning outcomes through school and beyond. RK advised that this is being looked into. A Forum member commented that previous attempts to link NI numbers and learner numbers had been unsuccessful. The CAF Chair noted that there is a commitment in the Skills Strategy to measure outcomes and impose quality standards, commenting that at this critical juncture, there is now an opportunity to implement this. Karen McCullough (KM) advised that she had heard of LEO – longitudinal educational outcomes. Frances O’Hara (FOH) advised that these monitor strategically, rather than individually.
CAF Advice 4 - As citizens move from education through to employment, it is essential to have in place a means of digitally tracking and measuring outcomes and progress.
2.9 The CAF Chair thanked members for their feedback on the Skills Strategy update.
3. Apprenticeships update
3.1 Michael Harris (MH), Apprenticeships Development and Marketing Branch (ADMB) began his update by providing an overview of the activities which took place during Northern Ireland Apprentice Week (NIAW) 2021.
MH advised that the NIAW 2021 and awards ceremony took place virtually in April this year, providing both opportunities and challenges. Forum members were informed that NIAW 2021 included events targeted at specific audiences, including females (e.g. Transport Training Services – Women in Wheels initiative) and people with disabilities. A paper was provided to members with further details on NIAW 2021.
MH stated that ADMB is keen to receive feedback from any CAF members who attended or were involved in organising events for the week, with a view to planning themes for next year and what aspects could be improved. MH advised he will update the CAF when the evaluation is complete.
Action Point 1 – MH to update CAF when the evaluation of NIAW 2021 is complete.
3.2 MH advised that the current apprenticeship programme ends shortly, with the new Apprenticeships NI 2021 programme beginning in September. Forum members were informed that the Apprenticeship Recovery Incentives comprise two key elements – a Return/Retain/Result incentive for furloughed employees and Recruit, for new apprentices. An upturn in recruitment of apprentices is anticipated as a result of these initiatives. MH provided a paper to CAF members to supplement his verbal update on Apprenticeship programmes.
3.3 MH recognised that the NI apprentice cohort comprises a smaller proportion of females than males and commented that all-age apprentices are one way in which it is envisaged that female uptake of apprenticeships will be augmented. MH acknowledged that in addition to the initiatives undertaken by ADMB, Careers Service COIU bulletins serve as a means of raising awareness, particularly in regard to the gender balance of apprenticeships.
3.4 MH welcomed comments from the Forum regarding his update, including members’ awareness of the apprenticeship incentives/their views of same, and their advice regarding making apprenticeships more attractive to females.
3.5 A Forum member commented that grade inflation in respect of examination results may impact the recruitment of apprentices, in that more young people may choose to remain in school. MH commented that the Strategic Advisory Forum (SAF) has a communications sub-group, which has made a number of recommendations, including the need to better market apprenticeships as a career progression route.
3.6 A discussion ensued regarding the apprenticeships update. The investment in apprenticeships was welcomed, particularly from a small business perspective, however, concerns were raised in relation to long-term sustainability. It was acknowledged that current budgetary conditions are challenging and that a longer-term approach is required.
3.7 There was consensus that it was positive to see parents being recognised as key influencers in the marketing of apprenticeships. Forum members concurred that the focus on redressing the gender imbalance and widening the eligibility criteria to make apprenticeships accessible to all ages, were positive steps. Additionally, it was felt that raising awareness of apprenticeships at an earlier stage of the education journey, i.e. from primary school upwards, is required.
3.8 The CAF Chair thanked Forum members for their contributions to the discussion around apprenticeships.
CAF Advice 5 - Public sector apprenticeships have several potential positive benefits including enabling females to upskill/reskill. They enable the exploration of a wider range of apprenticeships and could also positively increase the parity of esteem of the apprenticeship route.
CAF Advice 6 - Awareness of apprenticeships and careers in general should be expanded to include the primary school cohort upwards. Stereotypes need to be broken earlier and parents assisted to help with choices.
CAF Advice 7 - It is critical that gender and age-related issues areconsidered and woven into apprenticeships as they are developed, rather than included latterly as “add-ons” or enhancements.
4. Transition of Young People into Careers (14-19) Project update
4.1 Claire McClelland (CM), project manager of the Transition of Young People into Careers (14-19) Project, provided an update in regard to actions and next steps. CM noted that there has been much progress since the last CAF meeting and that a strategic framework is being developed, with a short, medium and long-term action plan. CM commented that it will be important to ensure that the action plan dovetails with the Independent Review of Education.
4.2 CM advised that workshops were held in May/June and were attended by some Forum members. These focused on what actions could be taken to address key challenges. Feedback was positive and actions were set in the context of six strategic outcomes, which are currently going through internal quality review. These outcomes pertain to a possible legislative requirement (to ensure young people are given access to a full range of options); work experience (including a model/programme to ensure equity of provision for all – CAF papers were considered in this); CPD for careers teachers (suggestion this should be introduced); inspection of careers; employer engagement (suggestion of employer toolkit) and parental engagement.
4.3 CM advised that the Transition of Young People into Careers (14-19) Project team will continue to refine the action plan, reverting to the project board for sign-off and followed by Ministerial approval.
4.4 The CAF Chair thanked CM for her presentation, noting that many of the issues discussed have been regularly debated in previous CAF meetings.
4.5 Forum members commented that it is very encouraging to see parents recognised as key influencers within the Transition of Young People into Careers (14-19) Project outcomes. Forum members also felt it was useful to see both academic and alternative routes being attended to within the project.
4.6 Lisa Toland (LT), SOLACE, commented that work on the Belfast City Deal is advancing quite well in regards to developing labour market partnerships and that there is a recognition of the importance of careers advice provision throughout the life span. The challenge is optimising local labour market partnerships in conjunction with government departments, without adding additional layers of bureaucracy.
4.5 A Forum member remarked that it will be important to avoid duplication, highlighting that language/terminology used is of particular importance - consistent embedding of positive language regarding qualification levels is key. It was also commented that making the most of the year-to-year budget will require careful strategic planning, to optimise opportunities and investments.
4.6 CM responded that there is an action regarding the alignment of language within the Transformation of Young People into Careers (14-19) Project next steps, however, commented that there is a process for implementing this and it will need to be appropriately resourced.
4.7 The CAF Chair commented that it is encouraging to see a plan for tangible short, medium and long-term actions in regards to the project’s next steps.
CAF Advice 8 - An encouraging degree of development across current strategy work. It will be important to ensure there is no duplication as solutions are developed and it will also be important to develop consistent language at each stage, for example, in the description of levels of education.
5. Traineeships update
5.1 Emma Annett (EA) provided a concise update in regards to traineeships, explaining that this brand new programme is due to start in September 2021, beginning with 22 occupational areas in the new academic year and reaching full roll-out with 38 occupational areas in September 2022. The new traineeships will offer a two year programme, comprising a full Level 2 outcome equivalent to five GCSEs, and will include a vocational education as well as literacy/numeracy and transversal skills (communication, teamwork, citizenship, etc.)
5.2 Sarah Cassidy (SC), Traineeships Senior Information Officer, provided an update with regards to marketing, advising that the campaign will consist of two separate marketing drives, one this summer (June-August 2021), and another in January 2022 (tbc). These will comprise advertisements aimed at three stakeholder groups – young people, influencers (e.g. parents/carers) and employers. Slides were provided to Forum members to supplement EA’s and SC’s verbal updates.
5.3 The CAF Chair thanked EA and SC for their updates in regard to the traineeship roll-out and marketing approach.
6. Entry Level/ Level 1 provision update
6.1 Kathryn McCamley (KMcC) delivered an update on Entry Level/Level 1 provision, summarising the background in regards to the timelines for implementation of the new Entry Level (EL)/Level 1(L1) Skills for Life and Work programme.
The new interim EL/L1 programme will roll out in September 2021, with the procurement process currently ongoing. It is envisaged that the future fully reformed EL/L1 programme will have a greater emphasis on approaches to personal, social and employability skills development. A framework has been drafted to capture key aspects of participant support, e.g. support relationship, personal/social/employability skills development. The focus will be on increased personalisation and progression with strengthened careers education in-programme, e.g. relevance/quality of world of work activities. Slides were provided to Forum members to supplement KMcC’S verbal update.
6.2 The CAF Chair thanked KMcC for her update. KMcC noted that she and colleagues, EA and SC, would share web links in regard to the updates to training. Forum members agreed they would disseminate these links with their respective stakeholders, as appropriate.
Action Point 2 - CAF Members to share web links on updates to Training provided by DfE Training colleagues, as appropriate.
7. Action, Advice and Correspondence logs
7.1 The CAF Chair summarised the aforementioned logs, noting that DE had provided updates in relation to the inclusion of a principal in the Forum, as well as in regard to ETI evaluations with reference to Careers. In reference to the action point concerning principal inclusion in the Forum, GE advised that DE will nominate a suitable representative, subject to Ministerial approval. GE also advised that DE has recently engaged with ETI to progress a schedule of work that is noted in the DfE/ DE joint action plan.
Further progress on the above action points will be provided at the next CAF meeting.
7.2 The CAF Chair noted that two action points are outstanding, in relation to the sponsored award for employers, and the update regarding City Deals, respectively.
7.3 The Chair asked the FSB representative, deputising for Roger Pollen (RP), if they were aware of any updates on this point. The FSB deputy advised that they were not, however, undertook to follow up with RP.
7.4 LT provided an update with regards to City Deals, noting that the work is being finalised on the Belfast Region City Deal document, including the skills proposition – the indicative submission date for the deal document is August 2021. The skills section is part of an overall proposition covering innovation and digital, tourism and regeneration and infrastructure. The other City Deals are also progressing, however, they started later than the Belfast City Deal.
7.5 LT elaborated on the “Labour Market Partnerships” referenced earlier in the meeting, advising that these are a new construct in conjunction with DE/DfE and have been established in each council area with the aim of bringing together employability provision to improve outcomes. Each of the 11 councils will be required to submit an action plan for review by DfC –initially an 18 month plan, subsequently developing into three year plans.
LT noted that careers advice and guidance have been a significant focus of the discussions to date in Belfast. LT advised that Belfast City Council is working towards the submission of its first plan to DfC at the end of June, and undertook to update the Forum on outcomes arising from this at the next CAF meeting, as well as labour market partnerships and possible targeted DfC interventions.
7.6 The CAF Chair thanked LT for the update and remarked that there needs to be synergy between City Deals, labour market partnerships and measures to develop school employer engagement, in order to maximise outcomes.
CAF Advice 9 – There needs to be synergy between City Deals, labour market partnerships and measures to develop school/employer engagement, to maximise outcomes.
Action Point 3 - LT to provide update on labour market partnerships at the next CAF meeting.
Action Point 4 - LT to provide update on labour market partnerships and possible targeted DfC interventions at the next CAF meeting.
8. Joint Careers Action Plan
8.1 FOH referred to the draft joint careers strategy action plan, which had been shared with Forum members. FOH explained that the former five-year joint careers strategy, Preparing for Success (PfS), had ended in 2020, and that both departments agreed it would be prudent to await outcomes from ongoing strategy work (Skills Strategy; Transition of Young People into Careers (14-19) Project), prior to commencing the development of a new five-year strategy.
It is therefore envisaged that, following CAF advice and discussion with Ministers, this interim strategy will act as a bridge, covering the next 12 months. In the meantime, a self-evaluation of achievement throughout PfS 2015-20 is required and FOH noted that ETI is providing a framework to assist with this. FOH also commented that outcomes and client feedback are continuously reviewed and monitored.
8.2 FOH noted that the SBRI project is due to come to market toward the end of the business year. In terms of the portal, work is being progressed by the same team handling the updated Client Management System. This will ensure continuity in the look and feel of the portal.
8.3 FOH advised that work is ongoing to provide guidance to those in the Year 12 cohort to ensure that positive destinations are identified. The CAF Chair enquired about the adult guidance target; FOH advised that this is unchanged and is in line with the ministerial target.
8.4 GE commented that the feasibility of Xello being rolled out for primary schools is currently being explored and that a potential pilot around this is being discussed.
8.5 The CAF Chair thanked GE and FOH for the update in relation to the draft joint action plan, and acknowledged the one year interim plan as a bridge to future policy direction. CAF members were invited to share their views.
8.6 A Forum member commented that the effectiveness of careers provision in schools and through area learning communities (ALCs), including employer engagement, should form part of inspection measures. A discussion ensued around the importance of work experience in the development of young people and the potential for ALCs to deliver cross-school experience, was noted. To avoid duplication, it was proposed that DE explore the link between ALCs and labour market partnerships.
Action Point 5 – DE to explore the link between ALCs and Labour Market Partnerships, to avoid duplication.
8.7 A Forum member commented that they would have concerns about the software interface in regards to age appropriateness. GE assured the Forum that the extension of careers software into primary schools would take into account the need for an age-appropriate platform and wouldn’t have the same look as the post-primary interface. Teacher training will be necessary as part of any future roll-out.
9. AOB
The CAF Chair thanked everyone for their participation in the meeting. No further matters were raised for discussion. It was agreed that the next CAF meeting would take place in autumn/winter 2021.