Unipres (UK) Limited

Unipres (UK) Limited Monitoring visit report

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Name of lead inspector: Pat Hornsby, Ofsted Inspector

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Address:

Cherry Blossom Way Sunderland SR5 3NT Monitoring visit: Unipres (UK) Limited, 14–15 May 2019

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Context and focus of visit

From October 2018, Ofsted undertook to carry out monitoring visits to all newly directly funded providers of apprenticeship training provision which began to be funded from April 2017 or after by ESFA and/or the apprenticeship levy. This monitoring visit was undertaken as part of those arrangements and as outlined in the ‘Further education and skills inspection handbook’, especially the sections entitled ‘Providers newly directly funded to deliver apprenticeship training provision’ and ‘Monitoring visits’. The focus of these visits is on the themes set out below.

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Context and focus of visit

Unipres is a global engineering company. Unipres (UK) Limited has manufacturing plants in Sunderland and Birmingham, employing 977 people. It manufactures press- formed components for the automotive industry. Apprentices are based in the Sunderland plant, and work in the assembly and press departments. The company opened its training academy in March 2017, to provide local, off-site classroom and workshop facilities for staff training.

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Context and focus of visit

Currently, 38 levy-funded apprentices are on engineering frameworks in improving operational performance at level 2. Of these, 16 apprentices are on the business improvement techniques pathway and 22 are on the performing manufacturing operations pathway. Apprentices are a mix of new entrants to the company and existing staff. New entrants are mainly apprentices aged 16 to 18 but include some aged 19 to 21 who have chosen a new career path. The company subcontracts the delivery of English and mathematics functional skills to a local further education college. It also commissions a range of higher-level apprenticeship programmes from external providers to meet its workforce development plans, but these are not included in the scope of this monitoring visit.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers give apprenticeships a high priority, since they are a central part of the company’s recruitment, retention and development strategy. They plan programmes thoroughly at the outset. They ensure that apprentices receive time for their off-the-job learning in the training academy, to gain new skills and knowledge.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers provide excellent resources for off-the-job learning. The training academy provides a professional, high-quality environment in which to learn. Training workshops contain industry-standard equipment, including robots, which Monitoring visit: Unipres (UK) Limited, 14–15 May 2019 apprentices use to develop their skills rapidly. They also use virtual reality facilities to practise welding and crane operating.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices’ increased knowledge and skills enable them to make progress in their careers on completion of their programmes. Apprentices who are newly recruited onto programmes secure permanent roles. Existing employees gain promotion and take on additional work responsibilities such as production lead maintenance roles. All apprentices may apply for opportunities to progress to higher-level programmes, including level 3 in engineering, that provide clear career pathways, and many do so.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers have formed productive relationships with other organisations to share good practice and expertise. For example, links with the college that delivers English and mathematics functional skills are mutually beneficial. Managers and trainers benefit from the expertise of college staff. They attend college training events to keep up to date with educational issues. Reciprocal arrangements mean that college students access the excellent training and commercial resources in the plant.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers have completed a thorough and accurate evaluation of the provision, resulting in an appropriate quality improvement plan. Other aspects of quality improvement arrangements require development. For example, leaders and managers request feedback from apprentices, but give their responses insufficient analysis to identify the actions to be taken.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers monitor apprentices’ progress closely. They are well aware that one group of apprentices on the performing manufacturing operations pathway is making slower than expected progress. This is due to one crucial machine in the factory being out of action for several weeks. The repercussions of this have had an impact on production and training functions. The machine is now back in action and leaders have agreed a recovery plan, produced by managers, to accelerate training so that apprentices complete their programmes on time.

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Reasonable progress

Managers implement thorough selection and recruitment processes to ensure that apprentices meet the demands of their programmes and work roles. Staff carry out detailed assessments of new recruits, including their suitability to work in a production environment. Apprentices who are already employed by the company apply for advertised opportunities, often with encouragement from their line managers. Managers ensure that applicants volunteer for programmes and are not pressurised to do so. Apprentices are keen to learn and progress. Monitoring visit: Unipres (UK) Limited, 14–15 May 2019 Apprentices benefit from high-quality teaching and learning in the training academy. Trainers use the well-resourced workshops and classrooms to develop apprentices’ skills, knowledge and confidence in a safe and quiet environment. Apprentices then practise and apply their skills in the factory workshops. They quickly become

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Reasonable progress

valuable and productive members of their teams. Trainers are skilful in linking theoretical topics to their practical applications in the factory, to make learning relevant.

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Reasonable progress

Trainers are highly qualified in engineering manufacturing and have extensive experience of working in production roles at the plant. Apprentices are right to respect their trainers and value learning from experts who have in-depth knowledge and first-hand experience of their roles. Trainers have recently completed qualifications in training techniques. They use probing questions very effectively to help apprentices think through the practical problems that arise in a complex and busy manufacturing plant.

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Reasonable progress

Trainers carry out frequent reviews of apprentices’ progress. Apprentices contribute well to these discussions and, as a result, are clear about what they have achieved and their targets for completion.

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Reasonable progress

Trainers determine apprentices’ starting points and prior experience effectively. They use the information to ensure that apprentices are on a suitable programme. However, they do not use it thoroughly enough to personalise learning plans or to set personal development targets. As a result, a small minority of apprentices do not progress as rapidly as they should.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices produce written work that is of a high standard. They organise their portfolios of assessment evidence well. However, trainers provide insufficient feedback to help apprentices improve the quality of their work. For example, trainers comment on the number of questions an apprentice has answered correctly but offer no guidance on what to do about their wrong answers.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices improve their English, mathematical and, where relevant, digital skills and knowledge effectively. Most apprentices complete their English and mathematics qualifications at a higher level than that required by the framework. The great majority of apprentices pass their tests on the first occasion.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers have an accurate understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of training sessions gained through observations of trainers. However, managers do not provide trainers with sufficient feedback on what they need to improve, or how to do so. Monitoring visit: Unipres (UK) Limited, 14–15 May 2019

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers give a high priority to protecting apprentices from harm. Apprentices learn about, and apply, safe working practices stringently throughout the plant and the training academy. Leaders, managers and staff provide very good role models and promote good health and safety practices at all times.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices know how, and to whom, they should report any safeguarding concerns. The designated safeguarding officer is readily accessible to apprentices and is appropriately trained and qualified to carry out the role. Managers have established links with local specialist agencies to enable them to make appropriate referrals, should the need arise.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers support apprentices’ well-being very effectively. They recognise the particular pressures of working in a target-driven manufacturing environment. Apprentices have rapid access to a specialist counselling service, which provides talking therapy support for work-related or personal issues.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers follow a safe recruitment policy and ensure that they complete enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service checks for training staff. However, they have not reviewed and updated the company’s safeguarding policy, as intended. Consequently, it does not reflect the most recent legislation.

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Reasonable progress

Staff and apprentices complete appropriate training on safeguarding and the ‘Prevent’ duty. Apprentices have an appropriate understanding of how to keep themselves safe, and of the risks posed by those who hold extreme views. Managers have not yet completed a ‘Prevent’ duty risk assessment and action plan. Monitoring visit: Unipres (UK) Limited, 14–15 May 2019 the guidance ‘Raising concerns and making a complaint about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/publications/complaints-about-ofsted . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Reasonable progress

Learner View Learner View is a website where learners can tell Ofsted what they think about their college or provider. They can also see what other learners think about them too. To find out more go to www.learnerview.ofsted.gov.uk .

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Employer View Employer View is a website where employers can tell Ofsted what they think about their employees’ college or provider. They can also see what other employers think about them too. To find out more go to www.employerview.ofsted.gov.uk .

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the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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