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careers advice provided to learners in the earlier stages of their learning. There is evidence to suggest that this extends to parental pressure to pursue A-levels as opposed to vocational routes. Further effort should be made to improve the parity of vocational routes with non-vocational learning, (especially at level 3). En- suring that teachers are fully aware of the opportunities that vocational learning can provide would go in part to improving learner perceptions and possibly improving learner engagement.
For rural institutions distance to travel is a significant barrier to engagement and can unfortunately determine which courses and subject areas learners pursue.
At a regional level the courses which are seeing declines in engagement include; Business Administration, Catering, Hair and Beauty.
Popular courses include;
Access to Nursing, Animal Care, Construction – level 1, Engineering, Hair and Beauty, Health and Social Care, IT Practitioners, Motor Vehicle, Public Services, Sports.
Learner Progression
Evidence indicates that the literacy and numeracy demands of certain courses can deter learners from progressing further. For instance, the requirement to have a GCSE rather than an alternative vocationally related numeracy and literacy qualification can prevent progression onto level 3. It is apparent that those who have not attained a GCSE in these areas struggle to address the higher skills needed for successfully completing level 3 qualifications and higher.
In some cases, there are challenges in matching a learner’s skills and attributes to a suitable course. A lack of academic ability, attitude or external encouragement to continue a different from of education are all barriers to progression. This is directly aligned to what is perceived to be the lack of aspiration and confi- dence in predominantly vocational areas from learners and parents.
It is also reported that for one institution a ‘drop-off’ generally occurs when the learner can gain employment with the qualification at a lower level.
At a regional level subject areas where this is more prevalent include;
Animal Care, Business, Health and Social Care, IT, Public Services, Sport.
Delivery Models
Every institution within the region would like to see greater flexibility in the start dates of some of the courses that they deliver. A modular approach would be beneficial; creating a ‘roll-on/off’ approach to learning. In conjunction with this many would like to see shorter and sharper delivery models which are not governed by the strict assessment windows dictated by awarding bodies. A certain degree of flexibility is provided within work-based learning but this is not extended to traditional FE provision and it should be.
Online delivery is something that institutions would like to take further advantage of, however there are limitations and until this format is improved it will continue to account for a small amount of over-all delivery. This approach could significantly increase engagement for all institutions but especially those in rural locations which may face additional barriers to engagement. Furthermore, there is demand from institutions for a more blended approach to learning, coupled with the sharing of resources between institutions.
Regional Employment & Skills Plan South West & Mid Wales Learner and Provider Consultation Analysis