Equality of opportunity is under the spotlight in this weeks work-based learning provider reports.

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Prospect Training Services (Gloucester) Ltd

Effectiveness of provision Good: Grade 2

Capacity to improve Good: Grade 2

Achievement and standards Satisfactory: Grade 3

Quality of provision Good: Grade 2

Leadership and management Good: Grade 2

Equality of opportunity Contributory grade: Good: Grade 2

Sector subject area:-

Employability skills Good: Grade 2

Prospect Training Services (PTS) is a private training provider based in Gloucester. At the time of inspection, there were 20 learners were on constructionprogrammes, 16 on childcare programmes, six learners on a course foryoung mothers to be, 10 learners on health and social care programmes, and 11 on programmes in hair and beauty.

PTS scored mostly Grade 2 in its recent Ofsted report. The inspectors found that management and leadership are very good. Learners made good progress in their employability skills and special mention was made of the good standards achieved by construction learners in realistic working environments and their involvement of the creation of the new Building Skills Academy. However the construction course was also criticised for the poor targets set for learners.

The report noted that links with external organisations and employers are strong. The course for young mothers to be, for example, has excellent contact with the midwife and health visiting service and with local children’s centres.

Doosan Babcock

Effectiveness of provision Good: Grade 2

Capacity to improve Good: Grade 2

Achievement and standards Good: Grade 2

Quality of provision Good: Grade 2

Leadership and management Good: Grade 2

Equality of opportunity Contributory grade: Satisfactory: Grade 3

Sector subject area:-

Engineering and manufacturing technologies Good: Grade 2

Doosan Babcock is a mechanical engineering company. At the time of inspection there were 204 learners on the company’s training schemes which include NVQs, advanced apprenticeships and Train to Gain.

The company scored Grade 2 (good) in all areas except equality of opportunity which scored satisfactory; Ofsted noted that training for staff in equality of opportunity was insufficient and that no equalities training has been carried out since the previous inspection.

Elsewhere Ofsted found that achievement and standards, the quality of provision and leadership and management are all good. Provision in engineering and manufacturing technologies were also deemed to be good.

Overall success rates are high and tutors at the training centre in Tipton help learners to quickly develop a range of useful skills which they apply effectively on-site. The skills and knowledge gained by learners helps them to function more effectively as skilled craft workers.

Learners have well-managed flexible training in the workplace. Theycope well with the requirement to travel and live away from home for severalweeks at a time and become increasingly self-reliant.

EDF Energy

Effectiveness of provision Satisfactory: Grade 3

Capacity to improve Good: Grade 2

EDF Energy has 41 apprentices on their work based advanced apprenticeships in electrical engineering and 123 learners within its customer branch

Overall EDF scored satisfactory in its recent Ofsted report. Success rates and achievement on its electrical engineering apprenticeships is good with apprentices developing specialist skills in off-the-job training and their practical work. Apprentices use their experience of working in different settings well to develop the communication skills required to work effectively with customers.

However Ofsted found that the progress of some apprentices was slow with very few achieving the framework within the planned timescale.

Resources are good and workshops well-equipped. Apprentices participate in a wide range of additional training and enrichment activities. For example, most apprentices who hold a UK driving licence take atow trailer course and test. Other additional training includes first aid, winching,tunnel entry, scaffolding training, pole-top rescue and manual handling.

Assessment and progress reviews were found to be satisfactory. With regards to leadership and management, Ofsted also awarded a grade 3 (satisfactory). Health and safety was good; financial management was good but the monitoring and use of data was deemed to be insufficient and the promotion and monitoring of equality of opportunity was inadequate. Initiatives to widen participation to includemore women and more apprentices from minority ethnic groups have beenlargely unsuccessful. Some staff are dismissiveof equality of opportunity or use inappropriate terminology. This is not monitoredadequately. The company has identified this development need and has recentlyapproved a business case for a diversity action plan.