Modern Apprenticeship Opportunities - Proposals Sought
Skills Development Scotland (SDS) recently secured European Social funding for an additional 5,000 Modern Apprenticeships (4,500 in Lowlands and Uplands and 500 in Highlands).
Strategic Priorities
SDS is looking for provision targeted towards the following priority groups in order:
- Additional opportunities for 16-19 year olds – the rationale for this is to contribute to the opportunities available for what is estimated to be a summer spike of school leavers in 2010. Within this, priority is to be given to special groups including ex-young offenders, care leavers and young people progressing from Get Ready for Work.
- Adult Modern Apprenticeship (aged 20 years and over) places to be targeted towards occupational frameworks which support the key sectors as defined in the Scottish Government's Economic Strategy. Within this, priority is to be given to support SMEs – the rationale for this is to contribute to improved productivity and skills supply for key sectors and to those frameworks where there is greater learning input and where the costs to the business outweigh the benefits for a longer period during the period of Apprenticeship. As appropriate, priority will also be given to Level 3 Frameworks.
- Adult Modern Apprenticeship places to be targeted to those other frameworks where there is greater learning input and where the costs to the business outweigh the benefits for a longer period during the period of Apprenticeship.
Details of the Sectors and the Modern Apprenticeship frameworks which will be supported for Adult Modern Apprenticeships are set out within Appendix 1.
Application Process
Proposals are invited from Learning Providers and Employers who can:
- demonstrate evidence of employer demand
- demonstrate how apprenticeships will contribute to business goals
- identify the benefits to business from investment in Apprenticeships
Successful Learning Providers will have a proven track record in delivering Apprenticeships and relationships with employers. Successful Employers will be able to demonstrate that they have the appropriate infrastructure in place to support Apprenticeships and the impact this investment will have on the business.
- If you are a Learning Provider and you would like to submit a proposal to deliver one of these contracts, please complete the SDS Modern Apprenticeships (Provider) - Proposal document. There are Modern Apprenticeship Proposal Completion - Guidance Notes available to assist you. You will also need to complete the Modern Apprenticeship Proposal - Volume Bid spreadsheet.
- If you are an Employer and you would like to submit a proposal to deliver one of these contracts, please complete the SDS Modern Apprenticeships (Employer) - Proposal document. Again, there are Modern Apprenticeship Proposal Completion - Guidance Notes for Employers available to assist you. You will also need to complete the Modern Apprenticeship Proposal - Volume Bid spreadsheet.
Existing SDS Learning Providers and Employers should return completed proposals by email to the Skills Investment Adviser who manages your Modern Apprenticeship contract. Learning Providers and Employers who do not currently hold a Modern Apprenticeship contract with SDS should complete the relevant proposal documents and return by email to Hazel Lynch, Skills Investment Adviser at hazel.lynch@sds.co.uk
Health and Safety Guidance for New Learning Providers and Employer
You will also need to complete the SDS Health and Safety Questionnaire. The SDS Health and Safety Questionnaire - Guidance document will be able to assist you with this.
Completed Proposals must be returned no later than 12 noon on Thursday 5 August 2010 – late applications will not be accepted and therefore will not progress to the next stage.
If you have any questions on the commissioning of the additional Modern Apprenticeship places please contact either:
- Julie Gray on 01592 623180 or email Julie.gray@sds.co.uk
- Lindsay Hewitt on 01896 662059 or email Lindsay.hewitt@sds.co.uk
Next Stage
Fully completed Proposals received by the due date will be evaluated by Skills Investment Advisers using the following evaluation criteria:
- evidence of demand
- past performance in delivering Modern Apprenticeships
- infrastructure and capacity to deliver
- understanding of business benefits
Places will be allocated to those Learning Providers and Employers who can best meet SDS strategic priorities and the evaluation criteria.
Contracts will be issued to successful Learning Providers/Employers w/c 25 August 2010.
Further Information
Details of contribution rates that will be paid are detailed in the documents below:
- 2010 -2011 Modern Apprenticeship Contribution Rates - 16-19
- Modern Apprenticeship Contribution Rates - 20+
For further information about delivery of Modern Apprenticeships, please refer to the