Post 16 Strategy

Key objective

Feb-22

Nov-22

Key objective 1 –Ensuring that Jersey has a highly skilled workforce that will maintain and boost its future economy

We will drive change and identify future skill needs, and will review and develop provision to meet those needs

The Labour Market tool established just before the pandemic – MyInsights – has allowed for initial identification of future skills needs. This data helped inform the course selection by Highlands College and the Digital Jersey Academy for the Retrain fiscal stimulus fund. This LMI system is being developed to strengthen skills analysis of the needs of the Jersey workforce (current and future) during 2022.

CYPES has increased industry engagement via the Jersey Employer Groups and other industry groups to ensure ongoing review and development of needs and provisions.

Skills directorate working closely with the department for the Economy on the Future Economic Plan as well as strengthening links with this department and AOLs with regular meetings to exchange information and coordinate actions.

CYPES is a key partner in the new Government of Jersey (GoJ) Labour Shortages Task Force and is leading on the improvement of labour market skills data. Along with the Chief Economist and the Director of Statistics and Analytics, CYPES are engaging with the University of Ulster to establish the formulas and data needed to create a Skills Barometer for Jersey to aid the prediction of future skills gaps.

Skills Jersey has continued working closely with the Jersey Employers Group to review the 10 skills identified in the strategic workforce, as well as engaging with the Chamber of Commerce on the results of their skills survey and the Institute of Directors on the skills lead internship initiative. Skills and other GoJ departments have also engaged with Jersey Finance throughout the year to identify the industries demands and needs and establish a strategy to tackle these. This paper is currently in a first draft.

Ensure that future skills requirements for the public sector are recognised and met

The Skills directorate are collaborating with People Services to analyse skills needs based on MyInsights data and customised research (e.g. procurement academy needs.) This collaboration led to the creation of new internships and apprenticeship pathways (e.g. Cyber security and Commercial and Procurement) for the public sector.

Skills continues to work with People Services on the delivery specific apprenticeship pathways and the following research has been commissioned in 2022:

On-Island psychology pathways Feasibility of pan-island HE provisions

BA (Hons) Social Work redevelopment and apprenticeship route, in partnership with the University of Plymouth

BSc (Hons) Accounting and Finance, in partnership with the University of Plymouth and the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales

Jersey Youth service the apprenticeship level programme

Ensure opportunities for updating skills, retraining in new skills and lifelong learning

The Retrain fiscal stimulus fund provided a successful example of how to deliver relevant upskilling and allowed lifelong learning to flourish. The analysis of LMI and the delivery of relevant training provisions relating to these needs by Highlands College and the Digital Jersey Academy modelled how Jersey could promote and enable lifelong learning.

The extension of the Retrain model through the use of Economic Recovery funding has enabled further upskilling, retraining in new skills and lifelong learning. The Q3 report on this initiative is appendix 1.

This initiative continues into Q1 2023 and provides a test bed for any proposed Jersey Skills Fund.

Highlands College has also refreshed and revamped their Adult Community Education provision to ignite lifelong learning in Jersey.

Encourage and develop apprenticeships as an integral pillar of post-16 provision

The apprenticeship funding model was reviewed and after public consultation and more equitable model was designed to allow more individuals to access subsidised from GoJ. This model is scheduled to be launched in 2022.

The launch of the model was paused due to the change in the economic environment and the 2022 change of assembly. Apprenticeship funding form parts of the upcoming FE and Skills white paper.

We will encourage University College Jersey and other providers to work with government departments and other public sector bodies to identify needs that are not being met or new needs that will be required in the future, and to develop provision to meet these needs

Highlands College and University College Jersey offer a responsive portfolio of programmes to meet the needs of islanders and industry across almost all sectors. Recently the College has re-enforced its commissioning model to ensure it recovers costs of development. Recent developments include:

BA Social Work in partnership with Health and Social Services

BEng Engineering in partnership with the channel island group of professional engineers

Level 3 & Level 5 Residential childcare in partnership with Health and Social Services

58 Fiscal stimulus funded programmes across a range of sectors – 600 students enrolled

The International Qualification in Skills for the Future in partnership with the Edge Foundation

Design, Engineer, Construct in partnership with Garenne

Programmes to support the carbon neutral road map such as Electric vehicle maintenance

A NEET mitigation programme

Several other developments are also within the scoping or design phases prior to formal launch.

The Institute of Education – design phase (entry, mid and late phase teacher development)

Jersey Apprenticeships in public services – scoping phase (GoJ organisation development)

Fiscal social recovery approximately 20 programmes – launch phase

Jersey identity / Heritage – scoping phase – 3rd sector, Construction and Tourism

Higher Education apprenticeship pathways are being researched in partnership with Highlands College and University College Jersey (UCJ) :

On-Island psychology pathways Feasibility of pan-island HE provisions

BA (Hons) Social Work redevelopment and apprenticeship route, in partnership with the University of Plymouth

BSc (Hons) Accounting and Finance, in partnership with the University of Plymouth and the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales

Jersey Youth service the apprenticeship level programme

 UCJ, Jersey International Centre of Advanced Studies (JICAS), the Digital Jersey Academy and the Institute of Law have established a higher education forum where they can communicate and work together.

It is important to distinguish the College’s role is to meet the education and training needs, we could lead on anticipating future demand, should additional resources be made available.

Ensure that Highlands College and, within Highlands, University College Jersey are enabled to respond flexibly and rapidly to needs as they arise. In order to do so we will need to ensure that the funding and governance of Highlands College is sufficiently flexible.

The Education Reform Programme has gone some way to address long standing funding deficits. However, key provision such as apprenticeships, English, Maths and student support does not currently cover costs and are internally cross-subsidised. This leaves limited room for investment in infrastructure, curriculum development, resources and the College’s dated estate. Governance arrangements have been reviewed and found to be fit for purpose following the addition of several new sector specific governors. The Chair and Principal have instigated a recruitment campaign targeting representation from wider cultural backgrounds.

The FE and Skills actionable agenda (due to be published circa Q4 2022) includes related actions.

Key objective 2 –Providing access to tertiary education for all through widening participation, equality of opportunity and improving educational and employment outcomes

Ensure that all islanders– whatever their age, gender or ability –maximise their educational potential

Careers event such as the Skills Show, virtual Q&A’s with employers and careers support workshops (eg CV and interview skills) have been opened up to all Islanders by the improvement and embracing of technology such as Teams.

The Skills Show website has been developed to be an all year-round careers tool providing not only school students and staff to access careers insights and tools but also promoted to and target at all Islanders to use.

As well as a continuation of the above events, the Skills directorate is working with various industry and employer groups to create a central calendar to increase and simplify the promotion of lifelong learning events and initiatives. Jersey Library are a key partner in this 2023 initiative and are working closely with Skills.

Ensure that students receive good advice and guidance on future direction and careers

As well as the above, Careers Guidance 121s for year 11s have been increased and the % of jersey secondary schools receiving direct employer contact/insights (Trident excluded) via Skills Jersey has increased. See Appendix 2

The next update on the above figures will be end of 2022.

Ensure that more vulnerable people are supported to participate in post-16 education and to enter meaningful careers

Skills Jersey’s Careers guidance team have created a bespoke careers programme for Mont à L’Abbéincluding careers 121s work insights and experience.

Increased allocation of Skills Coaching to support transitions with 77% of students engaged in coaching achieving a positive destinations.

People Services have created an apprenticeship care leavers guarantee.

Highlands College performs exceptionally well in this area and it’s important that it does so as the most inclusive educational institution in Jersey. The College routinely monitors distinct groups and leaders intervene as required. As a result no significant gaps in performance exist, during 2020/21:

Gender +/- 2% performance gap

Disadvantage (JPP) +/- 1% performance gap

Students with difficulties or disabilities (LLDD) +/- 4% performance gap Second language learners (EAL) +/- 1% performance gap

At the end of study 92% of students will progress to positive next steps within 2 months. This figure has fallen to 85% following the impact of the pandemic. The College has been responsive in launching a NEET mitigation programme to respond the 7% differential.

This work is ongoing.

We need to ensure there is sufficient information about the options for post-16 education available to young people and they have the means to access these, including logistics of accessing such provision, for example transport.

Highlands College has explored this in some detail recently conducting ‘blind’ student and parent focus groups. Evidence suggests that advice and guidance both internally and from school careers advisors is effective. The College sees approximately 50% of the islands 6th formers enrolling at Highlands each year. Following enrolment 5% of students will work with staff to change programmes within the first 6 weeks of study. Finally, 95% of students are retained to the end of the programme chosen. This strongly suggests good effective IAG is available to most young people. College attendance is above 90% which again would suggest that the logistics of accessing education is not a barrier.

However, challenges still remain in accessing and communicating with private school pupils alongside improving perceptions amongst some parents that A-levels are the optimal route through education, there is work to do in promoting technical education as an equivalent route to both Higher Education and employment.

No update at this time.

We can build on the current arrangements that are in place between sixth forms, which should extends far as possible to Highlands College and Hautlieu School. This is a matter for individual institutions, but the government will seek to facilitate this. Once such collaboration is routine, it should also extend to sharing best teaching practice, best practice on widening participation, extending vocational provision at private schools, and so on

Three of Jersey’s schools now access the Jersey Progression Award in vocational skills delivered at the Highlands college campus and featuring as part of the Jersey 8 (approximately 140 pupils). In addition, Highlands, with support from CYPES, is currently within the design phase of developing a Jersey based Institute of Education which will lead and manage teacher training, CPD and the sharing of best practice across the education sector.

The Design Engineer Construct programme continues to be the flagship model for how local industry and Jersey schools are working in partnership.

The DEC qualification is now studied by over 1000 Jersey students from the age of 11 through to 18, with 164 at GCSE and A-Level standard, all from what was an initial cohort of 10 students who began the DEC journey in 2018.

With Level 2 firmly established, the first Level 3 DEC qualification launched jointly in 2021 by Highlands College and Hautlieu School, giving island students a choice of two centres at which to study the programme and, in that, two possible routes to a similar outcome; students can opt to study the programme as one third of an entirely construction-focused suite of qualifications at Highlands or alongside A-Levels at Hautlieu to achieve comparable UCAS points. Both centres use the same lead teacher to deliver the Level 3 content, providing a consistent and rigorous approach to the qualification and an opportunity to streamline resources and bring further practitioners into DEC teaching as the cohorts continue to grow.

We will encourage University College Jersey in particular, together with private providers, to offer part-time provision, and we will study carefully the experience of England where it appears that unless significant subsidies available part-time study will be out of reach for many people

Part time routes exists within University College Jersey for key provision such as Business and Finance, Construction, Engineering and Childcare. The College is also working through plans to extend part time routes to Social Work, Sport and Adult Access to Education.

A recent review of professional and technical education in Jersey has been conducted by Martin Doel OBE. The report recommended the government review its position and look to develop an adult skills funding strategy. The College is hopeful that recommendations made will be adopted.

UCJ are actively exploring part time and apprenticeships routes with Skills (detailed in Key Objective 1).

Key objective 3 –Ensuring the quality and appropriateness of post-16 education provision

Ensure opportunities for industry to be involved in planning and delivering education and re-skilling

As part of the JEG engagement with schools and college work a curriculum matching exercise has begun with senior advisors to identify what employers can offer as a resource within each part of the curriculum.

The Design Engineer Construct programme continues to be the flagship model for how local industry and Jersey schools are working in partnership.

The DEC qualification is now studied by over 1000 Jersey students from the age of 11 through to 18, with 164 at GCSE and A-Level standard, all from what was an initial cohort of 10 students who began the DEC journey in 2018.

DEC is now offered by 7 school and college centres and is developing a pipeline of talent with the realistic opportunity to follow a career in any one of the wide-ranging roles across the local Built Environment sector.

At the heart of this pathway is a committed local construction industry, with every DEC school being sponsored and supported by a local business. These organisations provide frequent support for classroom delivery, with weekly visits from professionals in their teams. As a result, students are engaging confidently with experts from their field, architects, engineers, surveyors, project managers, planning and design teams etc, and the quality of work now being produced is of the highest standard for GCSE and A-Level portfolios. And in addition, we are now seeing increasing numbers looking to follow a post 18 qualification on-island and this provision is currently being widened in anticipation of the future demand, to help fill the skills gap in Jersey’s construction industries.

Two of our all-girl schools have in September this year, introduced the DEC scheme to Years 7 and 9, as the DEC learning programme continues to thrive, an outstanding opportunity to realign the perceived gender bias in the built environment workforce has become a reality. A core group of DEC teachers are now well established as a collaborative network for sharing ideas and best practice, and a DEC Steering group has also been formed with the membership including colleagues from schools, Highlands College, Skills Jersey and the Jersey Construction Council.

Details of cohort in appendix 3.

The FE and Skills actionable agenda (due to be published end of 2022) includes actions to develop this type of model into other industry sectors.

We will explore ways to continue to support Jersey- domiciled students who wish to study abroad

Skills Jersey has created a permanent HE development role which we will lead on exploring ways to continue to support Jersey-domiciled students who wish to study abroad.

The FE and Skills actionable agenda (due to be published circa Q4 2022) includes actions to develop this further.

The HE development role is due to be in post from December 2022 and work has begun on modernising the ‘Student Opportunities page’ where employers can promote all types of opportunities to Jersey students e.g. internships, paid work, project work etc.

Encourage students from abroad to continue their further and higher- education studies in Jersey

There is both the will and the demand to progress this objective in a meaningful way. However, until student accommodation is sourced and/or developed this objective is unlikely to progress beyond relatively small partnership opportunities. For example, a Memorandum of Understanding with Caen University is being established to facilitate exchanges and French students accessing, in small numbers, some modules of degree programmes.

No further update.

We will review and develop the future of the University College Jersey

University College Jersey is developing continually, it represents over 90% of Jersey’s Higher Education provision with approximately 180 full and part-time student enrolments each year. New programmes are regularly developed in partnership with Government and/or industry.

Skills Jersey have commissioned UCJ to explore a partnership between with The Guernsey Institute Higher Education Partnership, to widen the access to Higher Education provision across the Channel Islands.

Applications

Attendees

Digital Jersey Short Courses

885

525

Highlands College Short courses

44

31

Total

929

556

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

% of Jersey secondary schools receiving direct employer contact/insights via Skills Jersey (Trident excluded)

63%

72%

72%

91%

100%

100%

% of year 11 students receiving careers guidance 121s

45%

44%

69%

72%

73%

90%

DEC STUDENT NUMBERS FOR 2022-23

TOTALS

Key Stage 3

Year 10 Level 2

Year 11 Level 2

Year 12  Level 3

Year 13 Level 3

Key Stage 4-5

All pupils

940

75

48

27

14

164

1104