The Lifelong Learning Sector

In recent years the UK Government has focused attention on learner and employer engagement to encourage and increase the participation of young people and adults in literacy, language and numeracy learning programmes. One of the priority groups being targeted is the low-skilled workforce, which due to high levels of migration is a group that continues to grow in numbers. Work based learning is becoming a popular way of addressing these challenges.

ThirdForce recognises that to overcome the hurdles faced by many in this target group, both students and people in the workplace need to receive relevant training and support to gain the skills and qualifications necessary today.

Meeting challenges

ThirdForce has developed a broad portfolio of award-winning e-learning resources for qualifications including the ECDL, e-Citizen, CLAiT Plus, Key Skills and Skills for Life. Additionally, through our MindLeaders brand of products, we also have an extensive library of over 2,000 IT Professional and Business & Personal Skills courses. These include Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS), Office 2007, web development, project management, customer service, time management, effective communication, leadership and more.

ThirdForce has been providing e-learning solutions to Further Education, Higher Education, Private Training Providers and Charities for over 10 years. Our aim is to support our customers in flexible learning delivery, providing learners and employees with a motivating and engaging experience, also supporting them in progressing through courses and qualifications quicker.

Our successful involvement with a broad range of Government initiatives enables us to provide best practice advice and guidance on all aspects of programme implementation, marketing, support and funding such as LSC funding.

Demand-led learning

Following the Leitch review of skills, the lifelong learning sector in England is moving from a supply-led to a demand-led system through the Train to Gain programme. ThirdForce has long recognised the shift in lifelong learning and has developed a range of solutions that help providers meet employers’ needs and support LSC priority learners. We can help to deliver work based learning contracts faster, with fewer tutor contacts and robust reporting.

Work Based Learning

An increasing proportion of Skills for Life courses are now being delivered by work-based learning providers, adult and community learning providers, and by providers working in prisons. In addition, more providers are delivering courses on employers’ premises.

By the end of March 2008 there were only 41,100 learners engaged in the Train to Gain programme compared with the Government target of 73,470. To help encourage employers to make use of the Train to Gain funding, there will be increased funding made available over the next few years from the Department for Innovation University and Skills (DIUS) and the Learning and Skills Council (LSC).

Learning solutions in tune with business needs

It is a confusing landscape for employers and training providers alike but ThirdForce can help with a comprehensive range of solutions that help colleges and training providers to meet employer needs and support LSC priority learners (those with Skills for Life needs and those without first full level 2).

The powerful solution is especially effective at getting at ‘hard to reach’ employers, and comprises 3 distinct (albeit integrated) components:

1. High-quality resources

ThirdForce’s flexible materials follow the ‘assess-train-assess model’ and provide a non-threatening learning space that allows learners to progress at their own pace. Our content currently encompasses Skills for Life (literacy and numeracy), ITQ, HSC NVQ, compliance and job skills - with more NVQs due shortly.

2. Infrastructure to engaging hard to reach employers

To ensure minimum disruption to work patterns, resources can be delivered over the Web or with our tablet PC – the el-box™. The el-box™ provides a fun and easy platform for learning and enables anytime, anywhere learning (even in the middle of the night!). It is perfect for those who are new to computers and allows for training in remote places or where there is limited or no internet access.

In addition, our user-friendly VLE provides a comprehensive audit trail and allows learner progress to be tracked remotely.

We can also provide an e-portfolio that enables learners and assessors to collate NVQ evidence, observations and third party witness statements.

3. Services for hassle-free implementation

If required, we can provide a range of services including implementation, training, project management and technical support.

How Thirdforce can help your employer engagement programme:

• Cost effective delivery of training to a very high, consistent standard.
• Significantly increased learner completion and pass rates.
• Improved assessor efficiently and a reduction in the number of visits (some providers report that assessor visits can be reduced by as much as two thirds).

We realise that providers’ needs – just like those of your clients - are different. We are able to provide a tailored blend of products and services to meet the needs of each project before proposing a solution.