Project: Apprenticeships Redeployment Support Programme

The Skills Funding Agency in London has made £3.5 million ESF Priority 1 funding available to support apprentices who have been made redundant or have been issued with a notice of redundancy. The support will assist in finding a work-based training placement with an employer to enable them to complete their Apprenticeship Framework and enhance their opportunity to secure alternative employment.

Project feature

The Skills Funding Agency in London has made £3.5 million ESF Priority 1 funding available to support apprentices who have been made redundant or have been issued with a notice of redundancy. The support will assist in finding a work-based training placement with an employer to enable them to complete their Apprenticeship Framework and enhance their opportunity to secure alternative employment.

The successful providers are: Exemplas (contact Tony Knaggs (01707) 398181) and South London Business (Adrienne Foskett, (020) 8666 0221).

Negat Lodhi, learner services manager of Learner Services Team, covering the London East Skills Funding Agency area, and David Smale, learner services director, were interviewed for ESF-Works. Their key role is to increase the number, quality and background of people applying for Apprenticeships by developing close working relationships with key stakeholders; part of this includes supporting those learners made redundant or at risk of being made redundant.

Along with Negat, David is one of the leading figures in putting the tender specification together, marking and moderating the tendering process:

‘We became increasingly conscious nationally of the number of apprentices who had been subject to redundancy and who are unable to complete their Apprenticeships. We had been collecting data in terms of learners in construction, but not just them: other areas have been affected too. We looked to put some support in for those who have found it difficult to complete their Apprenticeship.’

Other sectors affected include engineering, but it is apparent that the issue is widespread.

David explained the problem: ‘Up until 1 August this year, redundancy was not a code available on the documentation when an apprentice left, so it was difficult to collect reliable data on numbers of apprentices affected. We have relied on data from providers, Jobcentre Plus and Connexions to give us an indication. It’s an imperfect science, but over the last ten months we know that 100 apprentices in construction have been made redundant in London. Multiply that across the other sectors.’

The programme will be established from the provider base. Publicity will be through the London Work Based Alliance and the Skills Funding Agency’s own newsletters, and the package will be rolled out.

As David says, ‘It is in the interest of providers to support those made redundant.’

The programme will help those affected by providing a package of support, delivered through Exemplas and South London Business.

Negat explained the practical support for apprentices:

‘The programme will help providers provide a package of support to complete their Apprenticeship and gain sustainable employment elsewhere. The apprentice will receive support through the provider for a training needs analysis, and via the Exemplas/South London Business, who will offer support to providers delivering Apprenticeships. Practical financial support is available through Skills Funding Agency hardship funds and also through the programme if the participant is not eligible elsewhere.’

In addition, jobsearch, support to find employment, CV-writing, post-training support and tracking will be available for participants.

Exemplas and South London Business will be expected to put all of this high-level IAG in place and to use all of their contacts with companies to facilitate permanent employment.

The target is 1,000 learners. David and Negat expect a flying start, as David explained: ‘The flexibilities announced by the government for apprentices to stay on their framework means that we have a number of providers who will have apprentices already on the framework but not employed. There are significant numbers waiting for this programme already.’

The programme is geared to get apprentices into work placements to complete their apprenticeships, but also aims for permanent employment.

Given the number of initiatives running at present, David and his team are looking to link wherever possible. Exemplas and South London Business will have detailed talks with Jobcentre Plus to make sure this happens.

Negat explained the period of support:

‘It will be up to six months, but flexible; it depends on whether the learner needs more support. Essentially, the target is around the apprentice completing the framework in that period of time, but some may be faster than indicated by the ILR [individual learner record], some may be longer, particularly given a period of redundancy.’

It is thought that although this is a national issue, and a national programme, London is the first region to reach this stage of the process.

All regions have been discussing the response to this issue collectively through the Learner Services Director meetings, and the London specification was influenced by the North East’s work in this area.

Exemplas and South London Business will be expected to work with existing Apprenticeship providers, London Work Based Learning Alliance, employer organisations, Jobcentre Plus and Connexions, and would need to demonstrate good linkages with all of these. They will have a good understanding of the landscape, the apprenticeship programmes, key players, provider network, employers and also a good track record with this type of support.

The Skills Funding Agency in London will judge success on:

• the number of learners identified and supported as a percentage of those at risk
• completed frameworks
• numbers into permanent employment
• numbers engaged on work placement
• numbers progressed to further learning.

David and Negat aim to engage all partnership teams across London in the process, but Dave added: ‘It is a step into the unknown, it is new and we may have to adjust things as we go along.’

Chrissie will report back on developments as the programme progresses.

Contact details

David Smale,
Skills Funding Agency


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