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WMCA Adult Education Budget Strategy: Improving the offer at level 3

The WMCA Adult Education Budget (AEB) Strategy 2022-2025 sets out our vision for a responsive and flexible adult skills offer that will support our people-centred approach to ensure the skills needs of businesses are met and everybody can benefit from economic growth. Over the next three years we want to ensure that we are:

  • getting our residents into employment
  • upskilling and reskilling to respond to the regional economy and to net zero
  • providing a good basic education up to Level 2 for those who need it, and
  • supporting our communities to be stronger and to benefit from inclusive growth.

As part of a wider skills offer, this will require an increase in the amount and range of higher-level technical provision – at levels 3-5 – in skills gaps areas, to ensure we are responding to the labour market growth in higher skilled occupations. We also need a more accessible offer, with more part-time, evening, weekend and hybrid delivery, to fit around the work and wider commitments of adult learners. We will continue to work with our colleges and training providers to further develop and deliver a broad, accessible higher-level offer and improve job outcomes.

Since devolution of the Adult Education Budget in 2019, we have already made progress. Responding to the demand for higher level technical skills, a range of flexibilities have been introduced for providers to deliver more training at higher levels, in response to local skills needs. We have also seen increased investment through the Free Courses for Jobs offer that we commission on behalf of DfE for the WMCA area. As a result, our investment in level 3 provision has tripled from £6.8m in 2019/20 to £20.6m in 2021/22.

Similarly, enrolments have increased from 2,620 in 2019/20 to 9,330 in 2021/22. But we need to go further and faster if we are to achieve our ambitions for residents and businesses within our region. As set out in our AEB Strategy, we expect higher level provision to be better aligned with occupationally specific progression pathways and with market demand. We need a clearer offer for those in work, which includes flexible and diverse delivery modes and aligns with the skills and development needs of employed learners. Over the next 3 years we expect to see a minimum of 20% of provision for grant providers delivered at level 3 and above, we are shifting the balance of provision to ensure the right balance in the adult education offer. Through a procurement exercise the WMCA will invest in additional higher-level provision, focusing on current gaps in higher level provision and specialist delivery.

As we expand and strength our level 3 offer, we also need to ensure that it is accessible and attractive to a wide range of adults across the region. In 21-22, 53% of level 3 learners were male and 47% were female. Around one quarter (26%) were aged 19-23, 64% were aged 24-49, while one in ten were aged 50+. 25% of level 3 learners were Asian/British Asian background, 20% were Black or Black British, while 43% identified as White. Just over one half (54%) were in work, with the remainder unemployed or inactive. In Sandwell, Solihull and Walsall, the proportion of level 3 learners is lower than expected given the qualifications profiles of each area.

A table showing the Proportion of WMCA residents without a level 3 qualification, as well as the Proportion of WMCA-funded level 3 learners in 21/22 across the 7 WMCA areas.

Case Study

Through Level 3+ flexibilities, colleges have been able to offer a wide range of fully funded higher level provision to learners. In collaboration with Colleges West Midlands a list of fully funded Level 3 provision was agreed, and additional higher-level qualifications have been approved where aligned with sector skills needs and priority areas.

Solihull College has been able to support learners with their journey towards employment by providing a comprehensive Level 3 offer. The college has been offering a wide range of level 3 and higher provision through using the level 3 flexibilities. Learners have been able to benefit from courses such as AAT, HR or Hairdressing.

One learner for who the opportunity to enrol on a level 3 qualification has been great for is Lisa, a stay at home mum, for who WMCA funding meant that she could continue her level 3 studies free of charge. Once she has completed level 3, she intends to become a licensed bookkeeper and realise her objective of running a bookkeeping business from home.