Title
Contents
Acknowledgements 8
The Authors 9
Abbreviations 10
Summary 12
1. Introduction 20
1.1 Introduction 20
1.2 Background and context 20
1.3 Research methodology 22
1.4 Report structure 28
2. Overview of Priority 2 and Priority 5 projects 30
2.1 Introduction 30
2.2 Overview of the projects 31
2.2.1 Priority 2 projects 31
2.2.2 Priority 5 projects 31
2.3 Project background and rationale 31
2.4 Strategic and operational fit 33
Case study: Key Sectors project - Cornwall 36
2.5 Partnership structure 37
Case study: Market for Learning project - South West 38
2.6 Target groups 39
3. Delivery models 44
3.1 Introduction 44
3.2 Employer and employee/learner engagement 46
3.2.1 Employer engagement activities 46
3.2.2 Engaging with hard to reach employers 50
3.2.3 Employee/learner engagement activities 51
3.2.4 Barriers to, and facilitators of, effective employer and employee engagement 53
3.2.5 Employer and employee/learner experience of the engagement process 59
3.3 Assessment of need 61
3.3.1 Employer assessment 61
3.3.2 Employee/learner assessment 63
3.3.3 Barriers to, and facilitators of, employer and employee assessment 63
3.3.4 Employer and employee/learner experiences of the assessment process 64
3.4 Programme delivery and support 66
3.4.1 Delivery activities 66
3.4.2 Monitoring participant progress 73
3.4.3 Barriers to, and facilitators of, effective delivery 74
3.4.4 Employer and employee/learner experiences - delivery 76
3.5 Completion, progression and aftercare 79
3.5.1 Employer and employee/learner experience of progression and aftercare 80
4. Delivering the ESF programme 82
4.1 Introduction 82
4.2 Programme monitoring and support 83
4.2.1 Monitoring requirements 83
4.2.2 Main outcomes 85
4.2.3 Project performance 86
4.2.4 Cross-cutting themes 87
4.2.5 Provider engagement with cross-cutting themes 88
4.3 Impacts and benefits 89
4.3.1 Employer impacts and benefits 89
4.3.2 Employee impacts and benefits 92
4.3.3 Unanticipated benefits 94
4.4 Effective practice 95
4.4.1 Success factors 95
4.4.2 Main challenges 97
4.5 Added value of ESF 98
4.6 Constraints of delivering ESF-funded provision 100
5. Conclusions and recommendations 102
5.1 Conclusions 102
5.1.1 The case study projects and strategic fit 102
5.1.2 Project delivery 103
5.1.3 Conclusions against study aims 104
5.2 Recommendations 105
Appendix A. Projects included in the study 110
Table 1. Conclusions against study aims 17
Table 1.1 Summary of the methodology 23
Table 1.2 Profile of Priority 2 projects 25
Table 1.3 Employer and learner participant interviews 27
Table 4.4 Employers views on the main impacts 91
Table 4.5 Employees/learner views on the main impacts 93
Table 5.6 Conclusions against study aims 104
Table A.1 Priority 2 Competitiveness Projects 111
Table A.2 Priority 5 Convergence projects 122
Figure 2.1 Employer sectors 40
Figure 2.2 Employer size 41
Figure 2.3 Learner occupations 41
Figure 2.4 Length of time at current employers 42
Figure 3.1 Stages in the participant journey 45
Figure 3.2 The importance of training to employers 59
Figure 3.3 Whether employers and learners received an assessment 65
Figure 3.4 Satisfaction with the training 77