What is the Promoting Workplace Learning project?

Who is managing / delivering the project?

Who are SSAScot?

Who is this project for?

Where is the funding for the project coming from?

How long is the project?

What will happen after the project term finishes?

Where can I get more information about the project?

What is the Promoting Workplace Learning project?

This project will significantly raise the awareness of employers investing in workplace learning as to which approaches are both cost-effective and fit-for-purpose.

The aim of the project is to create an interactive DVD, including a workplace training Evaluation Tool, to raise employer awareness, for the first time, of what constitutes cost-effective and fit-for-purpose workplace learning for organisations, regardless of size, sector or location.

The DVD will primarily be disseminated through agreed plans with the 20-25 Sector Skills Councils (SSCs) and Sector Skills Bodies (SSBs) that are involved in the delivery of this project, all of which have an established network of Scottish employers.? Plans for dissemination will also be agreed with the Key Stakeholders on the Project Board. The interactive DVD will also be launched at a major Skills Conference which will take place at the end of the project term.

The project will, through employers in all sectors, research and establish:

• the current levels of employer engagement in workplace learning
• the most effective approaches to workplace learning
• the most ineffective approaches to workplace learning
• barriers to employers engaging in Training and Development in the workplace
• the requirements of a workplace learning evaluation tool (mainly through a pilot process)
• an employer information-line

All research and development will be capable of updating, thus ensuring sustainability.

The project will, in partnership with employers in all sectors, develop and produce:

• a series of evidence-based research reports
• an interactive DVD containing both generic and sector-specific information (for every major Scottish industry) including a generic documentary and research output
• a documentary on effective/ineffective workplace learning
• a final workplace learning evaluation tool to evaluate the effectiveness of workplace learning employers and employees undertake
• a sectoral 'map' linking all major sectors of Scottish industry with the relevant sector body

The project will set up and run (during project term):

• an information-line for employers
• a major skills conference for 250 employers covering every sector of Scottish industry

The project will run and maintain (beyond the project term):

• the information line
• a further major skills conference for 250 employers covering every sector of Scottish industry
• the research and development activities (update all research reports)
• records of dissemination across all sectors of Scottish industry

OUTPUTS:

• Significant rise of employer awareness of investing in cost-effective and fit-for-purpose workplace learning: The interactive DVD will have a dramatic impact in terms of raising awareness of cost-effective and fit-for-purpose Workplace learning solutions.
• Support for employers and employees: The development of an information line in partnership with learndirect scotland will provide support to employers and employees. The purpose of this service is to be able to provide answers for employers and employees to any queries regarding learning opportunities, funding, qualifications etc.
• Ongoing employer and employee evaluation of workplace learning: Creation of a workplace learning evaluation tool will allow employers and employees to evaluate the effectiveness of workplace learning they undertake.
• Consistent Message: The collaboration of all major sector bodies active in Scotland will ensure that a consistent message is going out across all Scottish employers and stakeholders.
• Economy and benefit of scale: Working in collaboration provides a scale to the project that individual SSCs cannot achieve. This scale has attracted senior representatives from government agencies and other organisations to become involved.
• Dissemination to a wide range of employers: The Skills Conference to be hosted at the end of the project term will promote the DVD and the messages it contains to employers from all major sectors of the Scottish Economy from all geographical areas in Scotland.

The Skills for Business Network in Scotland is a resource which is uniquely placed, and specifically designed, to make a major contribution to the economic wellbeing of the country. This project will help to make that a reality.

For a more comprehensive look at what this project is hoping to achieve to access the original bid document.

Back to Top

Who is managing / delivering the project?

Project Staff (employed by SSAScot):

Project Manager and Project Assistant
The role of the Project staff will be to carry out the day to day running of the project including keeping all records for auditing. These Project Staff will report to the:

Project Management Group:

9 elected SSCs and SSBs plus a representative from SSAScot and the Scottish Executive.

• The role of the Project Management Group will be to steer the direction of the project and to monitor that the day to day running of the project is functioning correctly.
• The group will meet every two months and will be expected to oversee the completion of activities within the project.
• They will decide on all major decisions of the project including sub-contracting arrangements for the completing of the research, the filming of specific elements of the interactive DVD, and the organisation of the Skills Conference.
• The group will liaise with learndirect scotland to develop an information line.
• The group will also ensure that all SSCs/SSBs are involved in developing sector specific elements of the DVD, creating an action plan to remove/reduce barriers to workplace learning and distributing the workplace learning evaluation tool to employers.

This Project Management Group will report to the:

Project Board:

A variety of key stakeholders including CBI Scotland, Scottish Enterprise, The Scottish Executive, the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA), and Sector Skills Alliance Scotland (SSAScot).

• This group will promote/champion the work of the project and will have some impact on the direction of the project.
• The group will also assess the work that is being completed by those delivering the project.
• The Board will meet three times a year to discuss the progress of the project and ways in which the Board can promote the achievements and successes of the project.
• The Project Board has over-arching responsibility for each and every aspect of the project.?

SSAScot will facilitate all meetings and minutes will be made available via specific project pages on the SSAScot website. These pages will offer links to ESF, Scottish Executive, Futureskills Scotland, learndirect scotland etc).

The Project will be delivered by:

• 20-25 Sector Skills Councils and Sector Skills Bodies. They will carry out the development of the sector-specific elements of the DVD, create an action plan to remove/reduce barriers to workplace learning and distribute the workplace learning evaluation tool to employers. The work will be monitored by the Project Manager and the Project Management Group.
• Contracted partners: Futureskills Scotland (expert body in Labour Market and economic development issues) will carry out the collection and analysis of research. Learndirect scotland will facilitate a helpline for the project. A film production company will be hired to produce a documentary. A production company will be contracted to aid in the actual creation of the interactive DVD.

Project output will be disseminated through:

• Contacts and networks of the Project Board. This ensures that the generic messages (in the form of the generic DVD) are distributed widely across the Key Stakeholders in Scotland.
• Contacts and employer networks of SSCs/SSBs operating in Scotland. This ensures that the sector-specific information (in the form of the DVD) and the generic information will reach employers of all sizes in all sectors of Scottish industry.?

Back to Top

Who are SSAScot?

Sector Skills Alliance Scotland (SSAScot) is the collective voice of Sector Skills Bodies in Scotland. SSAScot's key roles are to:

• Facilitate Sector Skills Bodies collectively
• Provide guidance and advice to Sector Skills Bodies and key stakeholders
• Provide a forum for the exchange of information on skills issues
• Promote awareness and understanding of Sector Skills Bodies

For the above reasons, SSAScot are perfectly placed to facilitate this project.

Back to Top

Who is this project for?

This project is aimed at employers within the Scottish Enterprise area but it is hoped that the benefits of what we are trying to achieve will extend beyond this.

Back to Top

Where is the funding for the project coming from?

This project will receive funds from the European Social Fund (ESF) and the Scottish Executive in year one, and Scottish Executive funding only in the second year.

Back to Top

How long is the project?

This is a two year project; beginning on 1st April 2005 and is due for completion on 31st March 2007.

Back to Top

What will happen after the project term finishes?

The website and evaluation tool will be retained by SSAScot on behalf of the Skills for Business Network. Future Skills Scotland have identified they can maintain the research element as new information becomes available. learndirect scotland will continue to offer advice to employers and employees regarding sector skill information.

Back to Top

Where can I get more information about the project?

Please contact the Project Manager John Spencer or the Project Assistant Katie Lee:

By Email:

john.spencer@ssascot.org.uk        kathryn.lee@ssascot.org.uk

By Phone:

0131 225 1637

Back to Top