Infra Skills

Infra Skills Limited Monitoring visit report

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Name of lead inspector: Victor Reid, Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection dates: 24 and 25 February 2022

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Type of provider: Independent learning provider

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Address:

Gee Business Centre Holborn Hill Birmingham B7 5JR Monitoring visit: Infra Skills Limited, 24 and 25 February 2022

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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 apprenticeships and adult learning training provision which began to be funded from April 2017 or after by the Education and Skills Funding Agency and/or mayoral combined authority. 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 ‘Monitoring visits’ and ‘Monitoring visits to providers that are newly directly publicly funded’. The focus of these visits is on the themes set out below.

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Context and focus of visit

Infra Skills Limited is an independent learning provider based in Aston, West Midlands and is part of the Auctus Management Group. The group provides a wide range of infrastructure and technical support services specialising in the construction and rail sectors. The company operates from three premises: a head office based in Birmingham and two regional offices, one located in Doncaster and the other in Cwmbran, Gwent. The company was formed in 2013 to offer railway-related training on a commercial basis.

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Context and focus of visit

In May 2020, the company was awarded a direct contract funded through the West Midlands Combined Authority to deliver construction training to adult learners who have significant barriers to employment and who reside in and around the Birmingham conurbation. In May 2021, the first cohort of adult apprentices began their learning with the company.

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Context and focus of visit

At the time of the visit, there were six adult apprentices in learning, all on a level 3 standard in rail technician, attending the Birmingham training centre on block release. In relation to the adult learning provision, 11 learners were in training. Adult learners attend an intensive three-week full-time programme working towards a range of qualifications and railway-specific accreditations in health and safety awareness, personal track safety, small plant, and trackside induction. Learners who complete the programme are offered a guaranteed job interview with a prospective employer. To date, 61 learners have completed their training.

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Reasonable progress

Monitoring visit: Infra Skills Limited, 24 and 25 February 2022 Leaders and managers have a clear rationale for the delivery of the adult learning and apprenticeship programmes. Senior managers have established effective partnerships with a wide range of employers and industry partners.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders use their extensive experience and knowledge of the rail industry well to design a curriculum that helps to address the developmental and employability needs of unemployed adults seeking employment in the rail industry. Trainers on the adult learning programme sequence the teaching of the curriculum well, enabling learners to gain quickly the technical knowledge and skills needed for employment in rail and infrastructure industry projects occurring in and around the West Midlands conurbation.

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Reasonable progress

Learners and apprentices benefit from high-quality classrooms and access to specialist railway practical training resources at the Birmingham Academy. These enable them to practise and consolidate their vocational skills. Trainers benefit from access to a range of continuing professional development opportunities that aid their confidence and skills in supporting learners and apprentices.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have not ensured that the apprenticeship programme, which they introduced comparatively recently, meets the requirements of successful apprenticeship provision. Leaders have not ensured that apprentices receive clear advice and guidance regarding the demands and expectations of their programme, resulting in a significant minority leaving the programme early. Leaders and managers are not sufficiently aware of the limited progress apprentices make in developing new knowledge, skills or behaviours linked to the requirements of the qualification.

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Reasonable progress

Governors use their expertise well to maintain good oversight of the actions undertaken by leaders. As a result of governors’ scrutiny, leaders identified the shortcomings of the apprenticeship programme and took decisive remedial action regarding the leadership of the apprenticeship programme.

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Reasonable progress

Newly appointed leaders, with the support of the board, are starting to tackle the curriculum and quality concerns of the apprenticeship provision. Leaders have accurately identified the key strengths and weaknesses across the provision. Plans to bring about improvement are well considered, but it is too early to judge their impact.

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Insufficient progress

Leaders and managers have not planned or sequenced the level 3 rail technician curriculum effectively. Trainers do not establish apprentices’ starting points in sufficient depth to identify accurately what support is required to help them develop the knowledge, skills and behaviours needed to meet the requirements of the Monitoring visit: Infra Skills Limited, 24 and 25 February 2022 standard. In addition, trainers do not routinely identify apprentices’ personal development needs or set targets to address these.

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Insufficient progress

Managers and trainers are not effective in enabling apprentices to make good progress and achieve their full potential. Learning targets set for apprentices by trainers do not identify what skills, knowledge or behaviours apprentices should be working towards; targets are not always meaningful, or sufficiently detailed and precise. Consequently, most apprentices do not have a detailed understanding of what they are required to do to complete their apprenticeship successfully.

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Insufficient progress

The timescales set by trainers for apprentices to complete their learning are unrealistic and do not provide sufficient time to allow apprentices to develop and hone their occupational knowledge, skills and behaviours in preparation for end-point assessment. Most apprentices share the same end-date, regardless of their starting point.

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Insufficient progress

Leaders and trainers, in conjunction with employers, do not effectively plan, sequence or implement challenging learning for apprentices. Apprentices do not start their on- and off-the-job training promptly when they enrol on the apprenticeship. Workplace progress reviews are weak. Tutors do not capture all aspects of apprentices’ progress and development while at work, or the extent to which apprentices are becoming more effective in the workplace.

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Insufficient progress

Apprentices do not have access to high-quality information, advice and guidance either at the start of or during their apprenticeship. Often, apprentices enrol on the apprenticeship programme without receiving sufficient guidance about the demands and expectations of the programme, or how the apprenticeship is intended to help them in their current and future job roles. Consequently, significant numbers of apprentices do not understand the benefit of the apprenticeship and leave early.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have ensured that the three-week employability programme is carefully designed to develop learners’ vocational skills, enabling them to gain relevant industry-specific accreditations needed for employment. Managers and staff work well with partners such as Jobcentre Plus to recruit unemployed adults with integrity and sensitivity.

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Reasonable progress

Learners are provided with clear and comprehensive initial advice and guidance prior to joining the course and as a result, most learners stay on the course. Learners speak positively about their learning experience and enjoyment of their course. Monitoring visit: Infra Skills Limited, 24 and 25 February 2022 Practical instruction provided by qualified and experienced trainers enables learners to apply confidently their theoretical knowledge to the practical skills and competency requirements of the programme. Trainers make good use of relevant case studies showing the career progression of learners who have previously completed the course as a motivational tool to support current learners in reaching their goals.

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Reasonable progress

Learners make good use of the high-quality resources provided to support their learning. For example, the railway practical training area provides a safe and realistic environment for learners to hone their manual skills and demonstrate their trackside competencies safely. As a result, learners quickly develop a secure understanding of personal track safety and can competently undertake a range of railway maintenance tasks to industry standards.

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Reasonable progress

Trainers maintain detailed records of the progress that adult learners make in developing their employability skills. Trainers use this information well to monitor the development of learners’ knowledge and their completion of industry-specific skills accreditations.

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Reasonable progress

Learners are supported well regarding their next steps. For example, they receive advice on the types of shift patterns and work they may be required to undertake once employed. Learners speak confidently about the possible career routes they could follow in the rail industry. The majority of learners move into sustained employment.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers carry out appropriate recruitment and background checks to assure the suitability of staff who work with learners and apprentices.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders ensure that all staff receive relevant safeguarding training and place a strong emphasis on keeping learners and apprentices safe. Staff understand their responsibilities for safeguarding learners and apprentices, and a few have been trained as mental health first aiders. The designated safeguarding lead has received suitable training to equip them for their role.

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Reasonable progress

Vocational trainers use their industry knowledge and expertise well in promoting safe working practices, such as the importance of wearing appropriate protective clothing when working trackside. As a result, learners and apprentices develop a sound understanding of health and safety practices.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders are at an early stage of developing a ‘Prevent’ duty action plan setting out the organisational response to matters related to radicalisation and extremism. Monitoring visit: Infra Skills Limited, 24 and 25 February 2022 regulates and inspects to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Reasonable progress

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Reasonable progress

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Reasonable progress

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Reasonable progress

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

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