Vantec Europe Limited

Vantec Europe Limited Monitoring visit report

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Name of lead inspector: Alison Gray, Ofsted Inspector

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Address:

Cherry Blossom Way Sunderland SR5 3QZ Monitoring visit: Vantec Europe Limited, 29 to 30 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

Vantec Europe Limited is a global logistics company delivering automotive parts to 25 countries. It offers services in warehousing and transportation. As an employer provider, it began delivering apprenticeships using levy funding in July 2017. The scope of this monitoring visit is the levy-funded provision. Vantec Europe Limited currently has 22 apprentices, whom it employs directly. They are studying towards team leading standards-based apprenticeships at level 3. All apprentices are above 19 years of age.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers plan the apprenticeship programme carefully to ensure that it meets the principles of apprenticeship provision. They have high expectations for apprentices’ future careers. Leaders use the team leading standards-based apprenticeship to develop operational managers and to respond to gaps in the workforce. At the same time, they build leadership skills and capacity in the organisation.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have a clear and purposeful vision to develop their apprenticeship provision within their warehousing business. Leaders and managers see the development of apprenticeships as a key part of their strategic growth plan for the business. They plan to bring more apprentices into the organisation.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders recruit highly qualified staff to work on the apprenticeship programme. Tutors use their skills effectively to support apprentices to develop the knowledge, skills and behaviours that they need to be successful in their apprenticeships and their job roles. As a result, most apprentices develop vocationally relevant skills quickly and are more productive in their job roles.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders invest in effective training and development for staff. They provide staff with the opportunity to complete formal qualifications. They also offer occupationally relevant professional development that improves the quality of teaching and Monitoring visit: Vantec Europe Limited, 29 to 30 May 2019 assessment practice. Working with a local university, leaders have recently created a ‘living warehouse’ and a ‘learning centre of excellence’. Tutors and apprentices use these resources to develop their skills in industry-leading facilities.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers work well with the enterprise advisers at local schools to provide information to young people about apprenticeships and career opportunities in warehousing and logistics. This supports the local enterprise partnership priority of growing job opportunities in transport and connectivity industries. Local secondary school students visit the ‘living warehouse’ to learn how logistics operations work. This experience helps them to make informed choices about whether a career in logistics is one they might wish to pursue.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders do not have a good enough oversight of the quality of the apprenticeship provision. They monitor and evaluate the apprenticeship provision through monthly reports from managers. However, the reports focus primarily on the numbers of starters and leavers. Leaders have recognised this and have taken recent action to improve their oversight.

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Reasonable progress

Although most apprentices are making good progress, a small minority are falling behind. Managers have not acted quickly enough to support these apprentices and improve their progress. Tutors have recently put in place detailed plans to support the apprentices who are not making fast enough progress. However, it is too early to see the impact of these plans on apprentices’ progress and achievement.

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Reasonable progress

Managers recruit apprentices with integrity. They ensure that apprentices have the appropriate ability and aspirations to complete the apprenticeship successfully.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors use suitable assessments to determine apprentices’ vocational skills at the start of their programmes. They use this information effectively to plan individual programmes for apprentices, taking account of the length of time that each apprentice will need to complete the programme.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors provide effective support to help apprentices develop their English skills through their written work. A high proportion of apprentices pass their functional skills qualifications at their first attempt. However, the apprentices who already hold level 2 qualifications in mathematics do not develop their knowledge of mathematics sufficiently.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors provide extra support for apprentices who need it. For example, a few apprentices receive additional off-the-job training to develop their skills that tutors plan carefully. As a result, these apprentices make good progress and complete their apprenticeships. Monitoring visit: Vantec Europe Limited, 29 to 30 May 2019 Apprentices benefit from working closely with workplace mentors and tutors who understand their job role and the requirements of the apprenticeship. Workplace mentors and tutors provide most apprentices with useful information relating to their progress. However, in a few instances workplace mentors are not sufficiently aware of the progress of their apprentices and, as a result, do not take appropriate action to improve progress.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors support apprentices effectively to develop new skills, knowledge and behaviours that apprentices use in the workplace. For example, apprentices understand how to manage staff better, how to vary their leadership styles in different situations, and how to manage budgets. Apprentices produce work that is of appropriate quality for the level that they are studying.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors and mentors provide apprentices with clear and constructive feedback about the progress that they are making. As a result, apprentices can articulate what they have learned and what they need to improve. Tutors use their specialist knowledge to help apprentices understand how to write assignments linked to the workplace.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors ensure that apprentices have an adequate understanding of the endpoint assessment process. Most apprentices have a date for when they will take their endpoint assessment. They understand the components of the assessment and most are preparing well for it. Tutors use timely mock assessments to support apprentices’ preparation.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers oversee arrangements that ensure that apprentices are safe in the workplace. Apprentices feel safe. They know who the designated safeguarding officer is and how to report safeguarding concerns. Apprentices demonstrate safe working practices in and around their workplace. To support strong health and safety practice at work, team leading apprentices deliver ‘start of shift’ briefings to their colleagues, which provide an update on any daily risks and incidents.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers implement appropriate safeguarding polices. They make sure that tutors responsible for training apprentices undergo appropriate criminal record checks. The designated safeguarding officer is appropriately trained and understands his role well.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors do not regularly include the risks associated with radicalisation and extremism in training or progress reviews. During induction, apprentices complete an online training course on radicalisation and extremism. This is not routinely revisited and, as a result, a small minority of apprentices have limited knowledge of the risks they might face in daily life.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers provide a range of internal and external services to help apprentices with their mental health and well-being. They provide high-quality Monitoring visit: Vantec Europe Limited, 29 to 30 May 2019 training and support to mental health first aiders. They ensure that support is regularly available to staff to discuss mental health-related concerns at each of the delivery sites.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers work effectively with specialist support agencies to provide support to employees. For example, apprentices have access to mental health and substance abuse support and counselling services. Monitoring visit: Vantec Europe Limited, 29 to 30 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 . 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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Reasonable progress

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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Reasonable progress

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Reasonable progress

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Reasonable progress

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