Making Funding Work for You: AELP Workshop, 30 August, London

In the last few months AELP has run a number of workshops and webinars on the subject of the 20% Off the Job Training rules. At every event providers are still concerned about how they can interpret the rules and how employers are still concerned about the issues.

In effect the 20% OTJT rules are still a barrier to apprenticeship starts. The feedback we get is that the short workshops are useful but providers need more time to talk through the issues and to share with other providers how they can use the flexibilities that we believe remain in the rules.

The question is how will the ESFA (and indeed Ofsted) interpret those same rules when the auditors arrive.

AELP has produced a useful guidance document that has been agreed with the ESFA so we know that many providers are feeling more confident about managing the rules and working with employers to get them comfortable.

As a result AELP will be running this full day workshop to develop that confidence and to help providers understand how they can make the rules work for them. The workshop, “Making Funding Work for You“, is being held on Thursday, 30 August 2018 in London.

Providers also say that there are a number of other issues that arise from the Funding Rules for 2018/19 including:

• Subcontracting,
• Review of funding bands and
• What can and can’t be funded as part of the apprenticeship

All of these issues are still contentious and we want to ensure providers get a chance to share how other providers are dealing with the issues. As the number of apprenticeship starts continues to drift the government will have to look at adjusting the incentives or the employer contributions so this will also be a chance to discuss what should be the priorities to get the numbers of starts back to where they should be.

Although we are in a long hot summer it is really key that the focus on getting the funding rules right and ensuring we get a flexible interpretation of the rules is more important than ever and we hope this workshop will be a step in the right direction.

Overview

Facilitated by Stewart Segal, we will look at all of the key funding issues following the release of the Funding Rules for 2018/19. We will focus on the key issue of 20% Off the Job training which is still seen as one of the key barriers to increasing apprenticeship starts. We will explore ways in which you can make these rules work for employers and apprentices and look at examples of using the flexibilities in the rules.

We will also look at other funding issues such as;

• Subcontracting and how you can still make it work
• What can be funded as part of apprenticeships
• Funding of English and maths
• Collecting employer contributions effectively
• The review of funding bands by the IfA.

We will ensure that the event is interactive and this is a chance to ensure your views are heard by AELP and can influence the development of AELP policy.

We will ensure all your questions are heard and as many answered as we can through discussion and table discussions.

We will raise the issues discussed with the ESFA, IfA and the EPA organisations.

Who is this for?

This session is for any provider involved in Apprenticeship delivery, colleges and Independents, leads and subcontractors. Providers will get a view about the issues raised in the sector and the opportunity to develop solutions that are right for their organisations. Book now here.