November/December 2009

Welcome to the combined November / December issue of Skills Update. The year is speeding to an end - we hope your open days are going well with plenty of prospective learners coming along, keen to learn new skills and move their lives forward. No doubt many of you took part in Colleges Week – you’ll find more on that later in this issue.

As always there is a host of useful FREE collateral, branding and campaign tools available on the Campaign Resources Site for you to use for your own marketing activity.

New for download on the Campaign Resources Site is a refreshed version of the Guide to the Careers Advice Service National Learning Directory (NLD) which includes testimonials from colleges on how the tool is useful and gives details on why it’s essential to keep the directory up to date using the course manager system.

In this month’s Skills Update, you’ll find:

• Details of forthcoming national marketing activity promoting the benefits of skills and how to get involved, broken down by the weeks and months to come
• Links to starter packs, toolkits, information, guidance and relevant collateral
• Updates on recent national campaign activity
• Up and coming key dates

You may be aware that from April 2010, the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) will be transforming into several different organisations. More information on that transition follows later in this issue.

This is our last issue for 2009 and we’d like to thank you for supporting the Skills Campaign this year – the next issue of Skills Update for 2010 will be with you towards the end of February. From the Skills Campaign team, a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you all.

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In the coming weeks...

So what’s coming up these next few weeks?

• During December, the Skills for Life Get On campaign will be partnering with www.goodtoknow.co.uk. This website is an aggregated online hub for readers of several women’s consumer lifestyle titles, including Pick Me Up, Chat, Now and What’s On TV. The site features editorial content, banners, skyscrapers and sponsorship of the Christmas Turkey Timer!
• The Skills for Life Get On Football Chant Competition is still drumming up entries by using footage on Youtube to get football fans thinking about their own new chants. Entry cards can be ordered from the Campaign Office or entries can be uploaded to www.direct.gov.uk/geton.
• In December and January, the Adult Learning Grant (ALG) team will be approaching local media with case studies featuring inspiring stories of people who’ve taken up the grant and moved their lives on.
• By the end of December, the ‘Our future. It’s in our hands.’ web content will migrate fully to the Careers Advice Service (CAS) website. If your website currently carries a link to the CONSUMER area of the ‘Our future. It’s in our hands.’ website, you will need to redirect your link to http://www.careersadvice.direct.gov.uk/ourhands accordingly. This does not affect you if you link to the EMPLOYER/Skills Pledge page/s.
• Yesterday, the Careers Advice Service (CAS) team released a national news story entitled ‘Good to Talk’ focusing on how discussing career plans with friends and family can be beneficial. The release looks at how people say they feel better when they’ve talked to someone about their worries. However, the survey results show that people rarely talk about things that distress them and that they find it difficult to ask for help because they feel too shy or embarrassed.
• Free Childcare for Training and Learning for Work is being promoted on the radio in December. A week of targeted radio advertising is just finishing and an audio feature of Suzanne Shaw talking about the benefits of the scheme is also being broadcast to raise awareness of the support available to eligible parents who may be considering enrolling on a course in the New Year. The Free Childcare promotional video is now available at www.direct.gov.uk/freechildcareforlearning.
• Digital display ads will continue until March, targeting adults interested in Professional and Career Development Loans. The campaign will run on MSN, Prospects and ad network Specific Media with online keyword search activity continuing on Google.

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Planning ahead

Here’s what’s happening in the months to come:

• Throughout January and February, online advertising for Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) will appear on a range of websites popular with young people including those not in education, employment or training.
• From January-March 2010, a national marketing campaign for nextstep, the face to face adult careers advice service, will be taking place. The campaign aims to increase awareness and boost demand of nextstep services. The generic nextstep leaflet will be updated in January.
• Building on this year’s targeted Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) poster advertising campaign in schools, a further wave highlighting to pupils and teachers the range of courses a young person can take and receive EMA for is planned for 1-14 February 2010.
• For a week from 4 January, there will be further radio advertising for Free Childcare for Training and Learning for Work across areas identified as having the greatest number of potential recipients.
• In January, Skills for Life will be running radio adverts as part of the Get On campaign. The adverts will run towards the end of January across a range of radio stations in England. We will also be utilising the Black and minority ethnic (BME) radio adverts that were created earlier this year on specific ethnic radio stations.
• From 4 January, a two week burst of radio advertising will promote the Careers Advice Service (CAS). Broadcast across the country, the campaign is timed to capitalise on the optimism that the New Year brings and will signpost people to the service to help them stick to resolutions about their career!

VQ Day 2010
Plans are underway for the third annual celebration of vocational achievement. Led by independent education foundation Edge, VQ (Vocational Qualifications) Day will take place on 23 June 2010. Since its inception in 2008, VQ Day has been supported by over 140 politicians and a raft of education bodies including the Association of Colleges, Association of Learning Providers, employer organisations and exam boards. Colleges, learning providers, employers and schools can sign up for further information and updates at www.vqday.org.

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Updates and news

In this section, catch up with campaign news and updates:

• The Careers Advice Service (CAS) Facebook page and Twitter page are now live. To find out more and to sign up, log on to either, http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/pages/Careers-Advice-Service/202088201941 or http://twitter.com/careers_advice1 The CAS social media press room (SMPR) went live at the end of November at http://newmediaroom.careers-advice.org/ and will host press releases, podcasts, videos and webchats – and partners who download the CAS ‘widget’ will have their sites updated automatically with new content from the Careers Advice Service.
• Marketing collateral for nextstep has recently been revised. The colour poster has been amended and reference to the age restriction removed to reflect the current offer. The leaflet for use with Jobcentre Plus customers within the Integrated Employment and Skills (IES) trial areas has now been reproduced for use with Jobcentre Plus customers in the five IES non trial areas. This leaflet contains nextstep regional contact details and the Careers Advice Service dedicated Jobcentre Plus telephone number. Artwork for the leaflets and poster can be found on the Campaign Resources Site.
• A poster campaign promoting Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) in schools finished on 15 November. 400 posters were displayed in school corridors, stairwells, canteens and school entrances to maintain awareness of the financial support available to young people.
• It’s a busy time for Free Childcare for Training and Learning for Work. A door drop campaign, targeted in areas where there are the greatest numbers of eligible parents, finished in mid November. An online toolkit including web banner, button and the promotional video featuring well-known mum Suzanne Shaw and a learner is now available on the Free Childcare web resources section of the Campaign Resources Site. The free kit enables partners and providers to promote Free Childcare on their own websites.
• In launching “Skills for Growth – the National Skills Strategy”, Lord Mandelson announced the fifth competitive bidding round of the National Skills Academy programme. The prospectus has now been published and is available to download on the National Skills Academy website: http://www.nationalskillsacademy.co.uk/. Meanwhile, the National Skills Academy for IT has had its business plan approved and has moved into the active stage - the 14th Skills Academy to do so. The National Skills Academy for Nuclear and the National Skills Academy for Creative & Cultural Skills have both recently received capital funding. These unique developments will bring Further Education (FE) Colleges, private delivery partners and key employers in these industries together to develop and promote the skills and training for young people at the pre-employment stage, professional development for the sectors’ workforces and skills development for those requiring retraining and re-skilling.
• In response to feedback received during the year from training providers and website users, a major refresh of the Skills Accounts website took place during November. Users will find new and improved functionalities and services at www.direct.gov.uk/skillsaccounts Meanwhile the Skills Accounts learner leaflet was launched in November and is now available to order from Granby by emailing lsc@granbymarketing.com and quoting LSC-P-NAT-090170. Finally, to celebrate the Skills Account website’s 1st anniversary in December, November’s e-Bulletin was a Special Edition featuring some of the key FAQs asked by providers and users this year.
• Meanwhile, the Skills for Life Get On campaign phase 4 tracking is now complete and shows encouraging findings. Research was carried out amongst adults aged 16-64 without formal Maths or English qualifications or who require help with basic Maths skills. Results show that recognition of the Get On campaign remains high with two thirds of respondents recognising the TV ads and approximately a quarter aware of the radio campaign. A quarter said they would consider finding out more information after seeing all the advertising and there has been an increase in those who said they would take up a course as a result of exposure to the advertising (26% compared to 25% in the last round of research). The number of people who see the overall value of having better Maths skills remains high, with 83% agreeing that ‘better Maths can make a real difference to people’s lives’.
• The Skills Pledge team issued a press release to HR, regional and business media in November to mark 20,000 employers making the Skills Pledge, a major skills investment milestone for England. Over 7 million people are now benefiting from new training opportunities and a culture change in the workplace as a result of their employers’ public commitment to develop employees’ skills. Employees at Blackpool’s Pleasure Beach Resort join the millions of workers who have benefited from the Skills Pledge with the resort now fully committed to investing in its employees’ skills. The company already offered a huge variety of training to its 200 core staff and 800 seasonal staff, but wanted to formalise and develop its training courses by making the Skills Pledge. Find out more at: http://readingroom.lsc.gov.uk/lsc/national/20,000_employers_make_the_skills_pledge_in_first_two_years.pdf
• The first wave of support materials from the Skills Pledge toolkit went live on the Campaign Resources Site this month. This toolkit is designed to support employers as they promote and implement their Skills Pledge commitment, as well as helping Business Link Advisers and training providers understand and explain the benefits of making the Skills Pledge. Information on how to develop Skills Pledge case studies and a sample copy of the certificate organisations receive once they’ve made the Skills Pledge are now available. Shortly to be added will be a case study template, new case studies, key facts, PR guidelines, updated FAQs leaflet and ‘how to’ leaflet focussing on the different ways that employers can make the Skills Pledge. Latest statistics on Skills Pledge show that:
  • 21,771 employers have made the Skills Pledge covering 7,096,497 employees to the end of September 2009. These Skills Pledges represent 81% of all live referrals
  • 84% of NHS employers (349 pledges) have made the Skills Pledge, covering just over 1,040,000 employees which include 90% of Strategic Health Authorities
  • 49% of Councils and Local Authorities have made the Skills Pledge (174 pledges), covering just over 1,145,000 employees
• The Skills Pledge team is particularly keen to source and develop case study organisations that have made the Skills Pledge and as a result, promoted Informal Adult Learning within the workplace. Please contact shagufta.mustafa@lsc.gov.uk with any suggestions.
• The Train to Gain team is looking to hear from organisations that have used training effectively within their organisation and in particular those companies that have partly funded or fully funded their training programme. If you know of a great example that could be used as a case study, please contact nighat.mashhadi@lsc.gov.uk.

Colleges Week
Between 9-15 November, over 200 colleges took part in Colleges Week 2009 to celebrate the opportunities colleges create for individuals, businesses and Britain. The week - the biggest colleges celebration ever - began with a visit by Lord Mandelson to students at Westminster Kingsway College in London’s King Cross, while FE Minister Kevin Brennan officially opened the new main building at St Helens College’s Town Centre campus. Minister for students Lord Young also visited Tower Hamlets Colleges during the week to show his support.

Throughout the week, colleges took part in a wide range of activities across the country including open days, taster sessions, workshops, roadshows and business breakfasts. Colleges invited their local communities to join the celebrations by setting up events where they could experience the wide range of opportunities colleges offer. Photos of the visits and college activity can be found at www.collegesweek.org.

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National Apprenticeship Service

Apprenticeship Week
Apprenticeship Week will take place from 1-5 February 2010. The Week, which is organised by the National Apprenticeship Service (NAS), will celebrate the talents and skills of apprentices. It will see apprentices, employers, providers and all those involved with Apprenticeship programmes come together to celebrate the value of Apprenticeships.

National and regional activities will take place on each day and will have a different focus. Anyone involved with Apprenticeships is invited to take part and if you’re already planning activity, then NAS would love to hear from you. Please get in touch by emailing the relevant NAS marketing contact.

The NAS team have also developed a ‘hub’ of versatile tools and practical support to assist your organisation in planning activities, events and media opportunities to promote Apprenticeships. To see how the hub can help your activity, please visit: http://www.apprenticeships.org.uk/About-Us/Apprenticeship-Week-2010/The-Hub.aspx.

Apprenticeship Awards
More than 234,000 people in England began an Apprenticeship in 2009 – an increase of 34% over the last three years. The Awards celebrate these starters and all of England’s apprentices, along with the businesses that employ them.

If you know an apprentice or organisation that employs one go to apprenticeships.org.uk/awards.

• Young Apprentice of the Year
• Apprentice of the Year
• Advanced Apprentice of the Year
• Micro Employer of the Year
• Small Employer of the Year
• Medium Employer of the Year
• Large Employer of the Year
• Macro Employer of the Year

Entries close on 26 February with regional and national ceremonies taking place from April – July 2010.

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Learning and Skills Council (LSC) Transition

The Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Act received Royal Assent on 12 November.

This is an important milestone in the reform of the institutional structures of learning and skills. The Act of Parliament paves the way for the dissolution of the LSC and the creation of the Young People’s Learning Agency and the Skills Funding Agency; both of which will become fully operational in April 2010.

The Young People’s Learning Agency will be an enabling body, designed to support local authorities in fulfilling their new 16-19 learner duties. It will also fund and performance manage Academies and provide support for learners, in particular the Education Maintenance Allowance for 16-19 year olds. It will be a non-departmental public body (NDPB) sponsored by the Department for Children, Schools and Families.

The Skills Funding Agency is a new agency created by the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills which will be responsible for all publicly funded adult skills training in England. Its main function will be to enable people and businesses to access the skills training they need to succeed and play their part in economic growth. It will achieve this by issuing funding that enables Further Education to operate flexibly at a local level to respond to current and future skills requirements of learners and employers. By ensuring that people have the skills that employers need and can enter and progress in work, the Skills Funding Agency will work towards creating a skilled nation.

From April 2010, responsibility for securing sufficient education and training provision for all young people, including those aged 16-19, and 19-25 year olds being assessed for a learning difficulty and / or disability as well as juveniles in custody, will pass from the LSC to local authorities.

We will update you on our future campaigns and how and who they will be delivered by over the coming months. If you no longer wish to hear about these campaigns please unsubscribe and we will remove you from our circulation list.

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Our mailing address is: Skills Campaign, c/o Band & Brown Communications,
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Our telephone: 020 7419 7335

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Key dates:

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