The top areas of focus when embedding the accountability framework into your business

The apprenticeship accountability framework was introduced to create a more rounded assessment of apprenticeship providers.

The framework includes a range of quality indicators, which can help you to review performance, identify potential quality issues and take a proactive approach to carrying out improvements.

In May 2023, we interviewed Brad Tombling, Chief Operating Officer at Bud, to discuss the framework’s potential impact, his top areas of focus and how you can make it work to your advantage.

A joined-up view of training provision

Whilst some training providers will see the framework as yet another level of scrutiny, Brad believes it’s a step towards a more holistic and joined-up view of the regulation process. Rather than imposing new measures on providers, the framework acts as a centralisation of existing measures.

“I personally see it as a point of clarity from the ESFA, because they’re not measuring providers on a single data point but on a plethora of things. They’re looking at a more rounded picture,” Brad said.

This rounded picture allows for a more nuanced understanding of best practice, because where there is variation across delivery models or learner demographic from region to region, a single measure like retention rate isn’t always the best indicator of a successful provider.

“It’s taking a more balanced approach by asking questions like – what does your Ofsted report look like? What are your retention rates? What does your employer and apprentice feedback look like? It starts to knit all those things together, rather than having one hard and fast rule where if you’re not meeting minimum standards in a discipline then you’re at risk of losing your contract,” Brad said.

Where the framework could go next

Despite the more balanced approach, Brad points out that there’s still a way to go for the framework to address regional differences, skills gaps and the wider market influence on cohorts across the UK.

Without addressing these differences, there’s a risk of penalising high-quality providers and creating a knock-on impact on learners and employers.

The hospitality and care sectors are good examples of this potential imbalance, where labour shortages are most prominent. Both have struggled through the pandemic and inflation, and have a high turnover of staff with people moving to better-paid jobs elsewhere. This has hit providers’ retention and success rates, but it doesn’t necessarily mean they’ve delivered a poor provision.

“Is the training really unsuccessful if the provider did a fantastic job and the learner loved it and has grown in confidence and skills, but moves because they can now earn more money elsewhere? To me, that shouldn’t be looked on as an unsuccessful outcome,” Brad said.

“It might be a positive destination in terms of progression – they’ve delivered the skills throughout the early part of their programme and been an enabler to that learner getting a better job. How is that a negative outcome? The provider could have had a positive effect on that learner’s life, but just using one hard and fast measure would penalise them.”

There are positive signs that the framework is one of the first steps towards addressing this imbalance. It states that quality indicators, thresholds and intervention actions are continually under review, and Brad believes the ESFA hopes to use the framework to start a wider conversation.

“It’s been reassuring to hear from the regulator that they’re approaching the framework with the view of driving a conversation, rather than it being used as a tool to beat providers over the head with. So it would be great to see that conversation in practice,” he said.

The top areas of focus for providers

Two key areas of focus in the framework are employee and apprentice feedback, which Brad explains can play a significant role in improving learner outcomes.

While lagging indicators like retention and achievement rates are critical for spotting patterns and areas of improvement, they mean training providers can only react to events that have already happened.

Employer and apprentice feedback are valuable quality indicators because they’re captured more frequently, allowing you to react to issues faster.

“I think including employer and apprentice feedback as key indicators within this framework will really help to sharpen minds. It will also support providers to achieve what they set out to do anyway: to deliver an outstanding experience for the employer and develop and open up further career opportunities for their learners,” Brad said.

Most providers will have feedback processes in place already, but Brad emphasises that a large sample size is necessary in order to make accurate decisions.

“Whether every learner or employer participates in a survey is another story, but I think it’s within providers’ ethos to go out and gather as much data as reasonably possible to make informed decisions.”

How to make the framework work to your advantage

Brad believes the biggest challenge with embedding the framework within an organisation will be understanding. Most people will know that the accountability framework has been introduced, but there’s an employee educational element that leaders of training providers need to think about.

“I think the key metrics are understood by most training provider workforces. Withdrawals, breaks, keeping people on programme until they complete – they're not difficult concepts. The constant battle is making sure people are aware of how they interlink and what the repercussions are, and therefore getting the standardisation right across the workforce,” Brad said.

“It’s about education, where leaders of organisations need to help the gravity of the framework filter through, because ultimately it can have a huge impact on their viability going forwards.”

To make the framework really work to the providers’ advantage, Brad adds that there’s an opportunity to educate employers and learners, to convey the value of the apprenticeship.

“By doing a really strong induction and then playing back data to show employers evidence of ROI at regular intervals, you can demonstrate the value of them delivering that apprenticeship with you,” Brad said.

“Not only does that strengthen the relationship between provider and employer, and show the learner the value they're getting, it should also help to limit the chance of the learner having an unsuccessful outcome.”

The thought leaders at Bud

Bud combines market-leading technology with extensive sector knowledge to empower our customers to deliver outstanding training.

Built from several decades of leadership experience in training and software development, Bud’s team is full of ambitious individuals like Brad who have their finger firmly on the pulse of the training industry.

Whether it’s updated audit requirements or new methods for improving learner engagement, you can trust our team to have all the latest industry knowledge.

Book a demo with Bud

Find out more about how Bud can streamline your apprenticeship delivery and give you full visibility over your operations, right down to an individual learner level. Get in touch now to book a demo.