LS21

Learning and Skills (Wales) Measure Committee

Consultation on the proposed Learning and Skills (Wales) Measure

(Saesneg yn unig)

Contact Details
Mark Freeman
Chief Executive
Careers Wales Cardiff and Vale
St Ina House
Llanishen
Cardiff
CF14 4HY

The Careers Wales Association (CWA) is grateful to the Chair of the Committee for the opportunity to make both written and oral representations to the committee concerning the proposed Learning and Skills (Wales) Measure.  We are very pleased to contribute to this process as a key stakeholder in the area of learning and skills in Wales. We have considered your questions carefully and present the following responses:

1.  Is there a need for legislation to re-organise 14-19 provision?

The legislative framework for 14-19 provision now appears to be well set through the National Curriculum and Learning Pathways, overlain with the assessment framework of the Welsh Baccalaureate.  Schools and Local Authorities are developing partnerships which are providing diversity of courses within a broad equality of opportunity framework and which are centred on local learning and skills needs. The proposed Learning and Skills (Wales) measure, would therefore add to the coherence of the legislative framework, without demanding major changes in developing good practice.

Careers Wales finds itself in a strong position to advise Partnerships on employment needs and is able to work with schools, Local Authorities and Employers to ensure that there is a balanced provision within each locality or region.  The role of partners other than schools and local authorities needs to be emphasised in order to ensure good advice and guidance for young people as well as a diversity of provision.  

2.  Does the proposed Measure achieve the policy objective or could changes be made without legislating?

The proposed Measure, concentrating on learning and the development of skills required for a full and productive life, is very timely in its conception and fits nicely in with the revision of the National Curriculum Orders to promote the acquisition of skills in learning.  The Measure would appear to achieve the policy objective by ensuring an entitlement for all young people in the 14-19 age range.

3.  What are the views of stakeholders who will have to work with the new arrangements?

As the principle provider of careers information, advice and guidance in Wales, Careers Wales welcomes the Measure and looks forward to playing an increased role in advising young people and members of partnerships on careers & learning opportunities and skills needs within Wales.

We are uniquely placed, because of our role and experience, to provide an independent and impartial service to young people, to national standards.  We are a nationally coordinated service provided by local companies which enjoy good relationships with local authorities, schools, colleges, training providers and employers as well as with the young people whom we advise.

The Measure will strengthen the general learning support available to young people with the provision of Learning Coaching, which together with the new World of Work Curriculum should ensure that young people are better prepared and will benefit more from the specialist, impartial careers guidance service provided by Careers Wales.

4.  What might be the barriers to delivering the policy agenda and does the proposed Measure take account of them?

Since most local partnerships are already firmly established and committed to providing individual Learning Pathways for their young people, the Measure will cement relationships and build in safeguards which balance the needs of all constituents within the partnership.

Whilst it is acknowledged that skill development should be "demand led” it will be a challenge to achieve the correct balance between the "demands of employers” in order to develop a vibrant economy, and the "demands of learners” whose aspirations will not necessarily match the needs of the economy. In addition the difficulty in accurately forecasting the skills needs of the Welsh and UK economies in the medium to long term must be acknowledged. Young people face a working life of between forty and fifty years during which their skills set and employment type may well change several times.  The Measure needs to be reviewed constantly in its implementation to ensure that generic skills are developed across all courses and that the transferability of skills is emphasized at all times.

Headteachers and college leaders need to use their powers of veto on the choices of individual learners sparingly.  It is acknowledged that there will be occasions where a young person’s choice will not always be in his/her best interests, but this problem is best overcome through the route of impartial advice and guidance with the negative decision only being made when all other routes have been exhausted.  The Measure does not provide sufficient safeguards in this regard.  The proposed arrangements must also avoid creating a bureaucratic process that leads to unnecessary litigation, which would undermine the original intention.

As the learning offer is widened to include more vocational options, we need to develop the learning support process to ensure the learner understands the choices and implications. Careers Wales will continue to advocate on behalf of the learner and the new local curricular being developed on Careers Wales Online will support the student, institution and support professionals.

There remains uncertainty around whether Learning Coach activity is a role or function and we agree with Estyn’s recommendation that the Welsh Assembly Government "should establish guidelines to clarify the role of learning coaches and improve the consistency of provision”.  A Learner Support Strategy, rather than a Learning Coach Strategy, should clearly outline the role of the many professionals already supporting the learner, outlining how the learning coach function enhances the provision of support.  

We note the amendments made to the draft proposals and welcome them as improvements to the proposed Measure.  We understand that the Minister proposes also to take powers through the Measure to make changes to, or add to, regulations which will govern the implementation of the Measure.  These would appear to safeguard against the concerns we have which might militate against the introduction of Learning Pathways for all young people.