Chapter 7: Case studies/ positive impact stories
This chapter includes more detail about skills- related successes in the West Midlands. In this year’s report we have included examples of how large employers and learners have benefitted from our provision and how training providers are enabling this success through their delivery. These case studies demonstrate how the priorities outlined in chapter four are being met through service delivery.
Case Study 1: Large Employer
This case study shows how global technology giant UST were able to recruit local people to fill up to 40 roles because of their engagement with the WMCA’s digital
bootcamp programme. It illustrates our wider work with key regional employers, to understand their skills needs and develop bespoke training programmes to meet these needs. It also demonstrates how the region is investing in its workforce to develop the specialist skills needed for digital roles and connecting them to recruiting employers. It is a good example of how tailored provision can help support those groups who have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic – such as parents of young children – and have struggled to access and progress in the labour market because of childcare responsibilities.
In late 2020, the technology firm UST, were struggling to recruit for digital roles and approached WMCA for assistance. The team introduced UST to Tech Talent, one of the WMCA’s digital bootcamp providers who designed and delivered a bespoke bootcamp to meet UST’s requirements. The first bootcamp learners have just graduated and are now going through the interview stage to fill 40 vacancies. Building on this success, UST are now looking to develop further bootcamps.
Mayor of the West Midlands, Andy Street, said
“We know that training in the skills of the future
that employers need is a crucial way to help people get back into work quickly as the region recovers from the economic impact of the pandemic. That’s why we have partnered with UST to enable local people to start new, exciting jobs in the tech sector, with everyone who completes the bootcamps also gaining valuable skills to help their current and future careers.”
Praveen Prabhakaran, Chief Delivery Officer,
UST, added “Our partnership with the WMCA
will develop the talent for a wide variety of digital programmes and represents a commitment to the region. UST has successfully transformed the lives
of under-represented communities across different geographies with our ‘Step IT Up’ program. Our work with WMCA and Tech Talent Academy paves the way to expand on this initiative across the UK. The
local talent we are recruiting bring with them a range of expertise in the data, low code, and RegTech space - and will ultimately enhance our offering to customers.”
Janice Rae, founder of TechTalent Academy, said
“As an organisation we give the opportunity to help people upskill and find a fulfilling, new career in the tech sector. Many people we work with may not have considered or been able to get into tech previously and we actively encourage applicants from under- represented and minority communities. We have trained more than 500 students this year already, the majority of whom are representative of these groups. We have strong relationships with employers, with the focus on our students working in the sector once they’ve got their accreditation. This clear route into employment provided by UST is a really exciting opportunity for our students.”
Former primary school teacher Rebecca Uddin, from Birmingham, took a career break after having two children and has just started as a junior data scientist with UST after completing TechTalent’s part-time Women in Data Academy, funded by the WMCA. She said “Training online enabled me to work flexibly while being a stay-at-home mum. The trainer was always approachable and helpful, and there was lots of hands-on learning and support ranging from one- to-one sessions to extra sessions focusing on helping me to understand difficult concepts.”
Case Study 2: Learners
This case study shows how five Coventry residents with learning disabilities have successfully been recruited to paid employment in CV Life, following a new partnership training programme, and demonstrates the real-life impact of our inclusive growth aspirations. Stakeholders in the region recognise the impact that the pandemic has had on young people and are working together to ensure they have access to high quality training that will support them to enter and progress in the labour market. The case study focuses on one of our successful SWAP programmes, designed and delivered to support local residents to access some of the many vacancies available across the region.
It illustrates the importance of flexibility, work experience and wrap around support in enabling those with additional needs to successfully find employment.
Luke, Jrah, Gordan, Jackie and Ibrahim were all offered jobs after taking part in Coventry Adult Education Service’s successful Sector Work Academy Programme (SWAP) with CV Life – a scheme for learners with learning disabilities, with shared work between Coventry City Council’s Employment and Skills Service, Adult Social Care, CV Life and the charity Grapevine.
Learners were referred through Coventry Job Shop’s Connect 2 programme, a European Social Fund (ESF) programme designed to support Job Shop customers with additional needs and barriers. Grapevine also referred one customer through their Help and Connect programme. The course was 6 weeks long with 2 days a week spent on work placement with CV Life and 2 days spent doing classroom learning in an onsite classroom provided by CV Life at The Wave.
Andy Street, the Mayor of the West Midlands, said: “We know these past 18 months have been an incredibly tough time for jobseekers, and that’s why work placements and other learning opportunities such as SWAPs are so vital to help people across the West Midlands into work.”
Jackie Cruise, one of the successful course participants said: “When I first started the course, I was extremely nervous and was really unsure if I was going to get a job at the end of the 6 weeks.
“After the help from the Job Coaches, CV life mentors and tutors, I felt much more comfortable and started to really enjoy myself. I have now been offered a paid opportunity and I am so happy. The experience has been brilliant, and I would recommend this to anyone!”
The learners have achieved a Level 1 Award in Health and Safety Awareness, as well as developing their customer service and communication skills and increasing their knowledge in safeguarding and equality and diversity. The learners have been supported in the classroom by their tutor and a learning support assistant from Coventry Adult Education Service.
The work placements have been hosted
across CV Life venues including The Wave, The Herbert Art Gallery, Coventry Transport Museum and The Alan Higgs Centre. The roles have been in Front of House (first point of contact for visitors), Maintenance, Retail, Cleaning and as a Spa Attendant. CV Life Managers who have been trained to act as placement ‘Mentors’, have provided excellent support to learners to succeed in their placements. In addition, Job Coaches from the Coventry Job Shop and Grapevine provided initial support which was phased out as the learners became more confident in their roles.
The course has been highly successful, with the learners demonstrating their ability in the placements – supported by their classroom learning, commitment from CV Life and Job Coaching. Rather than putting the learners through a formal application and interview process, CV Life took the decision to treat the work placements as ‘working interviews’ with informal interviews at the end of the placements. This has resulted in 5 of the 6 learners who started the course gaining paid work with CV Life.
Cllr Kindy Sandhu, cabinet member for education and skills, said: “The work placements for these young people have been a great success, and the support of job coaches and the various learning opportunities has been an important addition to the project. It has been an excellent example of partnership working for the benefit of young people. Each person has gained new skills, a qualification
and great experience and I’m delighted that Luke, Jrah, Gordan, Jackie and Ibrahim have all secured paid jobs at CV Life. I know all 5 are really excited to be starting their roles and will continue to receive excellent support from CV Life with any extra support required being provided by the Coventry Job Shop and Grapevine.”
Paul Breed, CV Life CEO said: “CV Life has been delighted to partner with Coventry City Council and other agencies to pilot the SWAP programme. Having the learners fully integrated within the business of the company has been hugely beneficial to both the learners and the teams from CV Life. It is absolutely fabulous that we have been able to offer five of the learners permanent employment opportunities and the incredible success of this pilot means that CV Life looks forward to offering future opportunities and programmes.”
Case study 3: Training Provider
Embark Learning Care Academy gives the opportunity for jobseekers to start a rewarding career in health and social care with our sector- based work academy programme (SWAP), My Care Portfolio. Working in partnership with West Midlands Combined Authority and local employers, the Academy offers a 3-week full- time accredited pre-employability programme,
free of charge. This case study provides an example of how skills programmes across the region are being designed to support those furthest away from the labour market to access employment in growth sectors. It also illustrates our efforts to raise the qualification levels of the workforce and align our qualification offer to regional skills priorities.
The Academy are working in partnership with local health and social care employer Fairway for ‘Project 1000’, which will see over 80 professionals per month being recruited, trained and developed to boost the health and social care sector with new skills, best practice and a fresh caring attitude. At the end of the programme, learners have a guaranteed interview with Fairway, which can lead to a permanent role upon satisfactory completion of the course.
Diane had never worked in the health and social care sector and started the My Care Portfolio programme in October 2020. She was nervous at first as she didn’t have an academic background and lacked confidence. She felt deflated as she had applied for external roles and didn’t get any responses.
When she applied for the My Care Portfolio training programme, she was really happy when she was given the opportunity to enrol. Not only did she get two accredited qualifications, but she also gained employment with Fairway and as of September 2021 she has achieved a permanent contract with a local college, assisting young adults with various disabilities. She has achieved this through
hard work and picking up various experiences and knowledge across a range of social care settings.
Diane recently received some excellent feedback from the local client, who she worked regularly for, “We worked with Diane recently, she was supporting a very complex and challenging young man. Can honestly say she will be an asset to any team. She’s caring, compassionate and motivated.”
Diane commented “I completed the My Care Portfolio course back in October 2020 and it was the best thing I did. I have now been working for Fairway for ten months and I love every minute, staff are always there if you need anything. I’m about to start a new role through Fairway, which I’m really looking forward to as this is something new for me. I would say if you get the chance to do the My Care Portfolio course then do it, they showed me age doesn’t matter!”
Safwan Hanash, Business Development Manager at Embark Learning Care Academy commented, “We are all about giving people opportunities to work in the care sector. You do not need any experience to enrol onto our My Care Portfolio SWAP programme, you
just need some passion and a willingness to help and care for people, and we do the rest! Our excellent team of Trainers develop the candidate’s skills and knowledge to an industry professional standard ensuring they are ready to Embark on a journey in an exciting career within care. As well as the two accredited qualifications, they get a guaranteed job interview and if successful, they can be working in a variety of settings such as Support, Residential, Nursing, Homecare etc. Diane has been a prime example of what you can achieve coming onto the care programme. Her journey has been remarkable.”