Learning difficulty and disability in Apprenticeships

Long-term study¹ shows that too few young people with learning difficulties and or disabilities (LLDD), progress from school to post-16 education settings, that support and improve independence, skills for living and work and or employment.  Is this a matter of insufficient funding by Government, avoidance or lack of awareness by employers and training providers or an equality/inclusion issue for post-16 education in the UK?

A recent Ofsted publication, in which tpm participated, evaluates the arrangements for transition from school and assesses the effectiveness of provision at enabling young people to develop greater independence and progress in further education and or employment.

Findings suggest the effectiveness and timing of some Local Authority arrangements to provide LLDD with learning difficulty assessments in their transition to post 16 provision, are ineffective, and work-based learning (typically apprenticeships) is rarely considered by local authority advisers in completed assessments. Conversely, the learners who were receiving additional support on mainstream apprenticeship programmes were well-supported and regular review and adjustments were commonly, good. Success rates were good nationally and often higher than mainstream peers.

tpm has long-established and proven systems for LLDD transition, recruitment and initial assessment to establish effective learning and social support. Staff training and CPD programmes particularly with dyslexia and Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) have ensured increased success rates (80% in 2010-11) and closed the achievement gaps between LLDD and peers. tpm champions LLDD work-placements, training and employment opportunities. This is typified by the more than representative 25% of tpm staff who have a learning difficulty and or disability.

Work-experience collaboration

Stephen is 24 and a second year Computing student at Edge Hill University, Liverpool. In July he completed a successful and productive work-placement with tpm. The following are summary extracts from Stephens blogs during his work-experience:

“With funding and practical learning support from OSSME, an autism support charity, I agreed a three-week work placement at tpm, which would accommodate the learning challenges I experience from autism, dyslexia and sound sensitivity issues.  An employee-centric plan was devised for me, which included reasonable adjustments, such as working half days to decrease tiredness from low sound-tolerance, use of yellow paper, briefing key staff about my learning challenges and preparing IT-based tasks for me to perform in three separate departments.

Throughout my work experience, my roles varied and I began to feel as if I had worked at tpm for a long time. Staff allowed me to experience many of the business’ behind the scenes administration; from data-entry to management of funding and validating learner eligibility, as well as being given the opportunity to read, record and analyse the good and outstanding feedback from tpm’s learners and employers.

Overall, I found my time at tpm enjoyable. Mostly staff were extremely supportive and helpful, to the point where I almost didn’t have to ask for help because staff were pro-active to my potential difficulties or personally related to my dyslexia and colour/sound-sensitivity, because of their own learning difference or disability. Personally I would recommend tpm to anyone seeking a challenge or wanting to become part of a forward thinking Company, where every employee (irrespective of length of service) is trained to the highest levels and encouraged to adopt a ‘lean management style’ enabling staff to become competent in a wide range of skills and departments.”

The Ofsted reports’ recommendations include that the Departments for Education and Business, Innovation and Skills should:

‘ensure that learners can access equitable funding and quality of provision… and that funding arrangements do not significantly disadvantage learners who are not on ‘active benefits’, or who might take longer than their peers to complete programmes such as apprenticeships’.

What do you think? How can/should Government improve access to apprenticeships and employment for learners with learning difficulties and disabilities? Given the chance, what would you say to the Minister for education and skills, John Hayes about this issue?

Ofsted Report: Progression post-16 for learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities.

¹ Department for Education analysis of the Youth Cohort Study and Logitudinal Study of Young People in England: The Activities and Experiences of 18-year olds: England 2009, in Progression post-16 for learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities; Ofsted, August 2011.

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