1st Apr 2008
General - April 2008 ACE Monthly Report – Operation
Regional Activities
Slight concerns this month regarding low registrations across all regions, the main reasons for this being:
- Companies reluctant to pay employer contribution.
- Some assessment centres still waiting for Train to Gain contacts.
- Delays in some of the major new projects starting.
- Companies possibly waiting for new LSC funding guidelines from 1st August.
- Possibly implementation of new charges for approved centres, however the only centre unhappy about these new charges has been registering candidates this month.
Work is ongoing in all regions to resolve the above issues, all ECITB Account Managers are actively working with assessment centres, Clients, companies and local LSC to address any problems and continually promote/drive ACE forward across all regions. I would expect registrations to increase vastly over the next few months.
Regional Account Managers are currently planning Regional ACE meetings during Regional Forums or directly after the forum.
Yorkshire and Humberside are meeting on 15th May to discuss the way forward.
ACE registrations in April = 55 Total registrations 403
Train to Gain
New LSC funding guidelines should be issued relatively soon and will commence from the 1st August 2008. I have been told unofficially from a number of different sources that in the new guidelines the mandatory employer contribution is being replaced by a voluntary employer contribution.
Employer Contribution Update
Following a meeting held with National LSC on the 19th May the LSC informed us they had no plans to make any changes to National LSC Policy regarding employer contribution. They stated that employers should be expected to pay a contribution to the cost of training/assessment in line with National LSC policy.
Train to Gain funding for ACE is currently available in all English regions, there are different levels of funding available depending on candidate eligibility the two methods as shown below:
Level 3 Jumpers as Level 2 but £922 assessment only or £1800 training and assessment (must have 20 hours or more training)
Level 3 & 4 Trials fully funded £2768 employer must pay 33.5% of costs up front which is £692 (minimum 2 hours of training)
For latest information check www.traintogain.gov.uk
New Assessment Centres
Many regions working with new Training Providers and Colleges to help them obtain local Train to Gain contracts and ACE approved centre status. (Still on-going) Approximately 8 new assessment centres going through the approval process.
Working with new centres in Wales (Coleg Glan Hafren and Network training) to start them on ACE assessments.
ECITB ACE Proposal/Funding Bid
On-going no decision made.
ACE Charges
New ACE charges being implemented as from 13th April 2008.
28 Registrations from the 13th April which have included the new assessment centre charges.
No major issues regarding charging structure, just one assessment centre not to happy, this is mainly down to the fact they can only activate the lower level of funding at this present time.
Website
Complete new revised website is now live after slight delay, the next few weeks will be work in progress with small changes being made if there is any constructive feedback or additional documents you feel would enhance the site please let me know accordingly as it would be very much appreciated.
Home page has three separate areas for Employees, Employers and Approved Centres, also includes scrolling banner with latest registration/completions and news/bulletins for monthly reports etc.
Additional Information
Meeting arranged with National LSC to discuss possibility of ECITB holding funding contract For ACE/TECSkills. If this proposal is accepted it would resolve the issue around employer contribution as employers contribute directly to the ECITB. (Meeting arranged for 19th May)
Many Approved Centres report difficulty in recruiting assessors.
North West region has secured an additional £200,000 through the Train to Gain regional response fund for ACE assessments and TECSkills for a number of NAECI contracting companies based on Sellafield.
Registrations on LOR will be starting in May & ARC Training is registering 60 candidates in May on the Wilton in the North East.