What is the “Sector Compact”?
The sector compact is a non-contractual agreement between the Business, Innovation and Skills, the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) and Engineering Construction Industry Training Board (ECITB) to work collaboratively to drive up demand for skills across England through Train to Gain.
The sector compact sets out the specific offer to employers in the sector within Train to Gain and makes a reality of Lord Leitch’s report on skills. In return for additional flexibilities in Train to Gain secured through the sector compact, the ECITB will work with Train to Gain to stimulate demand for higher volume of skills in their sector. The LSC then undertakes to deliver the flexibilities agreed in the compact consistently across England.
The compact sets out the detail of this agreement including the ambition and volumes of increased demand, the specific flexibilities needed to deliver this demand and the phasing of this delivery. The compact covers a period of up to three years and is an integrated part of the Train to Gain offer to employers, not a separate programme.
Why have Sector Compacts?
Train to Gain Plan for Growth (published by the Learning and Skills Council in November 2007 sets out a series of “flexibilities” to ensure that Train to Gain evolves and continues to respond to the feedback from employers. One of those flexibilities was to create sector compacts, aiming to identify the key changes needed by employers in a specific sector within Train to Gain in order to deliver increased volumes of learners and meet their specific skills challenges.
How long does a Sector Compact last?
Each sector compact will be different, and elements in each sector compact may run for different lengths of time. They are partnerships in which we and the sector can learn how best to drive up demand for skills and then build on what works best. This starts with the plan that each sector compact will run for three years, as from October 2008
What is the desired outcome from the sector compact?
Within Train to Gain the ECITB compact is an agreement that will make it easier for the employer and individual learners to find information to support their skills development and competence assurance and increase productivity
The Sector Compact therefore provides employers in a sector with three key additional benefits within Train to Gain:
- The commitment to a set of flexibilities over a three year period;
- Access to support for second and repeat qualifications at Level 3; and,
- Access to these flexibilities for all employers within a sector, regardless of size
In addition to the support already available through Train to Gain, employers in the sector will now be able to access:
- Up to 2,725 Apprenticeships
- 200 Skills Pledge commitments
- 1650 Level two qualifications of which 80% will be first achievements and 20% second achievements
- 3810 Level three qualifications of which 80% will be first achievements and 20% second achievements
- 300 Management and Leadership outcomes
- The ECITB is examining ways at supporting up to 1500 potential apprenticeship candidates to obtain high quality work experience leading to employment with in the sector
The compact gives special flexibility for key vocational qualifications to be available for the first time through Train to Gain as repeat qualifications – i.e. employees who have already achieved a full Level 2 or 3 qualifications can now be supported to achieve a second full Level 2 or 3 qualification.
It will also present a coherent and sector-specific set of skills solutions to employers, through the brokerage service, and will increase the level of sector engagement with Train to Gain.