Minutes from Careers Advisory Forum
Tuesday 8 December 2020: 10.30am - 12.30pm via Webex
Forum members present
- Judith Gillespie (CAF Chair)
- Maria Rogan (Parenting NI)
- Maxine Judge (Education Authority)
- Tony Carmichael (Disability Action)
- Carol Fitzsimons (Young Enterprise NI)
- Lisa Toland (SOLACE)
- Gearoid Rafferty (ETI)
- Shauna McCloy, deputising for Angela Scanlon (Ulster University)
- Julie Gorman (NIC-ICTU)
- Christopher Morrow (NI Chamber of Commerce)
- Roger Pollen (FSB)
- Shirley Moore, deputising for Claire Henderson (SERC)
- Sandra Bailie (NICVA)
- Kieran Harding (BITC)
Members unable to attend:
- Sam Davidson (CBI)
- Justin Edwards (CCEA)
Officials in attendance:
- Frances O’Hara, Careers Service (DfE)
- Raymond McAuley, Careers Service (DfE)
- Jillian Strain, Careers Service (DfE)
- Nuala McComb, Careers Service (DfE)
- Claire McClelland, 14-19 Transformation Project (DE)
- Jim Wilkinson, Director of ACVED (Apprenticeships, Careers and Vocational Education Division of DfE)
- Graeme Wilkinson, Director of Skills Strategy and Policy (DfE)
- Philip Rodgers, G7 – Strategic Engagement and Deliveryv (DfE)
- Anne McCready – Adviser – Youth Inclusion Branch (DfE)
Officials unable to attend:
- Joan Cassells (DE)
- Karen McCullough (DE)
1 Welcome
1.1 The Chair welcomed Forum members and officials to the meeting.
2 Minutes from CAF meeting 23 January 2020
2.1 The minutes from the previous CAF meeting on 23 January 2020 were agreed. It was established that the action point from the previous meeting in regard to disseminating the minutes to DE and DfE Grade 3s, could now be taken forward. GDPR queries on the format of minutes have now been resolved (see next point).
Action Point 1 - Minutes and advice log to be forwarded to DE and DfE Grade 3s.
3 Publication of minutes and privacy notice
3.1 The CAF Chair asked the forum members if they were content with the approach to publication of minutes proposed within the draft privacy notice, which had been provided to members ahead of the meeting by CAF secretariat. No objections were raised and CAF members agreed that plans for publication of minutes on the departmental website could move forward.
Action Point 2 - CAF Privacy Notice to be finalised and minutes to be published on departmental website.
4 Skills Strategy update
4.1 Graeme Wilkinson (GW), Director of DfE Skills Strategy and Policy, delivered an update on the Skills Strategy. Outlining progress to date, GW commented that the dual shocks to the economy brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic and imminent EU Exit have further underpinned investment in skills as a key departmental priority. Higher unemployment figures in NI than in the rest of the UK, the proportion of local citizens with no/low skills, high levels of economic inactivity and relatively low productivity have emerged as concerns.
GW continued that while there are significant demands for skills at Levels 3 through 5, there will also be a focus on mechanisms for assisting citizens with lower level skills to move up the skills ladder. The ongoing pandemic has highlighted the importance of being digitally conversant, both in terms of citizens accessing services and as a tool used by employers, both to recruit and develop employees. GW asserted that the OECD Skills Strategy had underscored the important roles effective career guidance and lifelong learning have to play in the skills ecosystem and outlined three key areas for further development – clear careers standards, a single careers portal for Northern Ireland and increased careers publicity and awareness raising measures.
GW also outlined plans for a National Skills Council for Northern Ireland (to be chaired by the Minister). GW commented that the current skills landscape is somewhat fragmented and that greater investment in skills would support NI’s ambitious programme of work, in line with its strengths: Life and Health Sciences; Advanced Manufacturing; Digital; and Clean Energy. GW advised that the forum would be kept informed of developments on the National Skills Council, following consultation with the Minister.
4.2 Forum members welcomed the update and expressed their views that the concept of lifelong learning should be embedded throughout the education journey, from primary school onwards. The importance of inclusivity - building on skills from Entry Level and upwards through Levels 1, 2 and beyond - was also highlighted. The significance of collaborative work between government departments, to avoid duplication, was also emphasised.
GW concurred with these viewpoints, and advised that the department has been working closely with DfC and Invest NI to deliver better outcomes for individuals. Addressing a question about the National Skills Council, GW advised that this was at an embryonic stage, though he confirmed this would be led by business and would align with economically relevant skills sectors.
4.3 The Chair thanked GW for his update and reiterated the importance of a joined up and collaborative approach. The Chair also highlighted the importance of the forum as a resource for the department, due to members’ networks and constituencies across NI. The Chair is a member of the Skills Strategic Advisory Group (SSAG), having attended two meetings so far. It was suggested that the forum could produce a paper with its views on the careers chapter of the OECD Skills Strategy NI report launched in June 2020, to help inform the new Skills Strategy. GW agreed this would be helpful.
Action Point 3 – CAF Secretariat to issue OECD Skills Strategy NI report in order for forum members to articulate their views on the development of the Skills Strategy; CAF Chair to share these views at SSAG meetings.
CAF Advice 1 – Forum members to provide advice on the OECD recommendations and Chair to share these views with SSAG. The Forum will also be invited to comment on the Skills Strategy consultation in early 2021.
5 14-19 Transformation Project update
5.1 Claire McClelland (CM) advised that the project on the transition of young people into careers has resumed following its suspension for 8 months (from March until the beginning of November). This suspension was due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to the reallocation of resources to deal with priority business issues. CM advised that the baseline paper is now almost complete, and when this has been approved by the project board, she will be happy to share with CAF members.
5.2 CM gave an indication of the results of the project’s engagement with the 14-19 group, which she stated revealed good experiences of careers advice, however, also indicated inconsistencies in careers provision across NI, for instance, in regard to accessibility of information and difficulties experienced by careers teachers in keeping up to date with developments in the labour market, suggesting further CPD opportunities would be beneficial. Forum members offered some positive examples of digital engagement opportunities, both for teachers, in regard to supporting their CPD, and in regard to virtual work experience opportunities.
5.3 In regards to work experience, CM advised that while there were lots of positive stories about work experience, inconsistencies were revealed across NI, including challenges accessing relevant work experience.
5.4 CM continued that some of the most significant findings to emerge from the 14-19 project’s engagement with young people was the impact of parental and peer influences.
5.5 In regard to sharing good practice, CM highlighted some case studies, which demonstrated effective collaboration between Careers Service advisers and school careers teams and which, she stated, provided striking examples of bridging the gap between careers education and careers advice. Forum members offered further examples of good practice they were aware of, in regards to careers provision.
5.6 CM advised that the next steps in the work of the 14-19 project will comprise agreement of the baseline paper (expected around January 2021); this will then be shared with Ministers and strategic priorities established before beginning work on the draft strategy.
Action Point 4 – CM to share 14-19 Transformation Project baseline paper with CAF members when this has been approved by the Project Board, to include examples of good practice in regard to careers provision.
6 Careers Service Delivery Update
6.1 Frances O’Hara (FOH) gave an update on developments within the Careers Service, highlighting the contingency service delivery model (SDM) for delivery of services to both adults and young people through digital channels. FOH stated the switch to contingency SDM had presented a significant challenge, however, advised that digital delivery methods offered a COVID-secure form of provision. FOH advised that feedback received thus far had indicated that many young people really like this method of delivery, though stressed that more in-depth consultation with pupils/schools is planned for the future, in order to paint a fuller picture of the both the challenges and advantages.
6.2 FOH advised that the Careers Service is keen to promote its offer and ensure awareness of the guidance available reaches as wide an audience as possible, particularly given the risk to jobs resulting from the impact of the pandemic. With this in mind, a radio advertising campaign is planned for January 2021.
6.3 FOH also advised that the Careers Service is seeking to upgrade its current client management system to a new one, likely to be based on the Scottish model. This in turn could facilitate the development of a public-facing portal, again based on what is currently available in Scotland (My World of Work). The aim of this work is to achieve, where possible, an end-to-end interfacing of the client management system with the careers website. It is envisaged that this will provide a more cohesive system for recording each client’s journey in relation to education, careers advice and engagement with work experience/employers.
6.4 The CAF Chair commended FOH on the response to the service delivery response to the pandemic and planned developments with the online offer in regards to the client management system and the careers portal.
6.5 A discussion ensued about the feasibility of the current contingency SDM as a longer term delivery medium. Advantages of digital guidance provision articulated by forum members included its accessibility.
While forum members recognised the achievements of the Careers Service contingency SDM in facilitating interventions during the results period and beginning of the new academic year, some members expressed concern that digital delivery may not always be suitable, and face-to-face guidance may be more appropriate for some clients.
A number of forum members expressed that in the long term, a blended approach may be a sensible way forward. CAF members agreed that there should be a choice of service delivery and that some clients may require face-to-face rather than digital guidance interventions. A number of forum members also highlighted the opportunities presented by digital technology, including for work experience and school-employer engagement.
6.6 Forum members concluded that the ongoing pandemic and the associated move to digital delivery methods, have given rise to both challenges and opportunities, and the CAF Chair encouraged the forum to reflect on what advice they would give to the Careers Service in this regard.
6.7 FOH advised that the Careers Service is keen to engage with more adult clients, particularly those facing redundancy, and the CAF Chair asked the forum members if they could assist in raising the profile by sharing and tagging posts on the department’s social media platforms. The forum members agreed they would like to help the Careers Service to reach as wide an audience as possible. It was advised that Careers Service updates and developments would be shared with CAF members by the secretariat via the mailbox. CAF members would then facilitate wider dissemination through their respective social media platforms.
Action Point 5 - Careers Service updates to be disseminated by CAF secretariat; forum members to share and tag departmental careers-related posts across their respective social media channels.
CAF Advice 2 - Forum members to provide advice to Careers Service on the digital provision of careers guidance services, as a longer-term delivery method.
7 Action, advice and correspondence logs
7.1 CAF secretariat noted that many of the items from the action and advice logs would be complete by the end of the meeting. Roger Pollen (RP) explained that work was ongoing with regards to the sponsored award for employers for innovative work experience opportunities. RP advised he would share an update with the forum members via the secretariat soon.
Action Point 6 - Roger Pollen to share update with Forum members in relation to FSB Sponsored Award for Employers.
7.2 Lisa Toland (LT), SOLACE representative, advised that in addition to the recent update provided to members on the Belfast Region City Deal (BRCD), other growth and city deals across NI are evolving, and undertook to provide updates on these to the forum.
Action Point 7 - Lisa Toland to provide updates to the forum on other growth and city deals via CAF secretariat.
7.3 CAF secretariat outlined the correspondence received since the last forum meeting. This included the feedback provided by CAF members to the Skills Strategy and Policy team in relation to online training courses, and the change of Ulster University representation in the forum.
8 Traineeship updates
8.1 Philip Rodgers (PR) and Anne McCready (AM) delivered presentations to forum members in relation to the upcoming changes to training, due to come into effect on a phased basis from September 2021. Traineeships will replace multiple strands of provision, including Training for Success (TfS) and current Level 2 FE provision. Recruitment for TfS programme will end in September 2021.
The full roll-out of the traineeship programme will take place in September 2022. PR and AM advised that the new traineeships had been co-designed with stakeholders, and highlighted that these will be based on structured on-the-job/project-based learning and use of technology to deliver training. Traineeships will have demonstrable progression value, resulting in the participant gaining a range of transversal skills.
8.2 The traineeship programme will have some commonalities with existing Training for Success provision, such as the inclusion of careers guidance at key touch points, including prior to entry onto the programme.
8.3 Forum members raised concerns that the new Traineeship programme was delivered in further education (FE) only and queried the lack of external disability support, training allowance and travel expenses. Forum members were keen to establish what support provision will be built into the traineeships, and how this might align or diverge from existing provision, given that traineeships will be delivered by local FE colleges and not individual training providers.
PR confirmed that support will be provided by FE colleges, which may also bring in specialist external support to best meet the needs of individual clients. A procurement exercise in regard to contracted support provision will take place in 2021.
8.4 Forum members commended the Skills for Life and Work changes and working group in regards to the person-centred, flexible approach and inclusion of Level 2 Professional and Technical elements in Traineeships.
9 Additional papers
9.1 The CAF Chair confirmed with members that the additional update papers provided in regard to the NI Direct Usability Report, the development of a new careers portal, Northern Ireland Apprenticeship Week 2020 and Apprenticeships update had been read. Forum members confirmed they did not have any further comments in relation to the papers.
10 AOB
10.1 The minutes and privacy notice papers had been agreed at the beginning of the meeting. No further issues were raised. The CAF Chair thanked the members for their participation and advised she would look forward to the next forum meeting in spring 2021.