Juice Talent Development Limited

Inspection of Juice Talent Development Limited

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Apprenticeships Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this provider

Juice Talent Development Limited (JTD) is a privately owned training provider. JTD has been directly funded to teach apprenticeships since 2017. Leaders offer a range of standards-based apprenticeships to those working in recruitment.

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Information about this provider

At the time of the inspection, there were 222 apprentices studying level 3 apprenticeships. Of these, 129 apprentices were on the recruitment consultant standard and 31 on the team leader or supervisor standard. Forty-one apprentices were studying the level 2 recruitment resourcer standard. The remaining 21 apprentices were studying the level 5 operations or departmental manager apprenticeship, which leaders have recently re-introduced. Most apprentices are under 35 years old, with just under half being between 19 and 24 years old. A small proportion of apprentices are under 19 years old.

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Information about this provider

Apprentices work for about 130 different employers across the country. They study through a range of online resources and receive remote one-to-one sessions with their mentors at least every six weeks.

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Information about this provider

JTD also offers commercial training. Leaders do not work with any subcontractors. 12 to 15 July 2022

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What is it like to be a learner with this provider?

Apprentices benefit from a wide range of high-quality online resources that allow them to develop the knowledge, skills and behaviours they need for their roles quickly. The subsequent sessions with their mentors help apprentices to secure this knowledge and reflect on how they can apply it to their workplace. Employers righty value that apprentices become more effective and confident in their job roles as a result of their training. For example, recruitment apprentices gradually become more independent at sourcing and placing candidates. Management apprentices gain the confidence to have difficult conversations with team members.

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What is it like to be a learner with this provider?

Apprentices display high standards of professional behaviour and have a positive attitude to their vocational training. Apprentices are polite and courteous. They attend the scheduled sessions with their mentors well and on time. On the few occasions when apprentices need to cancel a session, they give their mentors notice and request a rescheduled date.

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What is it like to be a learner with this provider?

Apprentices value the range of useful information about mental health and well- being that they receive through a monthly newsletter and discussions with their mentors. Apprentices take care of their health and well-being, for example taking regular screen breaks. Apprentices develop an understanding of how topics, such as equality of opportunity and respect, relate to their workplace. For example, a recruitment consultant apprentice now realises the importance of treating all business contacts with the same courtesy irrespective of whether they become a client or not.

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What is it like to be a learner with this provider?

The very few apprentices who need to achieve English and mathematics qualifications as part of their apprenticeship do not have a positive attitude towards this component of their training, which slows their progress. They rarely take up the specialist support available to them. A very small proportion of these apprentices are not able to complete their apprenticeship in a timely manner because of the delay in achieving these qualifications.

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better?

Leaders and managers use their in-depth knowledge and experience of the recruitment sector to plan and teach an ambitious curriculum, which is relevant to the needs of employers. They work well with employers and professional associations in the sector to keep themselves up to date with the industry’s needs and how these have changed since the start of the pandemic.

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better?

Leaders and managers create a culture of high expectations from the start of the apprentices’ training. Mentors reinforce this through the mentoring sessions they have with apprentices, in review meetings and on the feedback they provide on apprentices’ work. A high proportion of the apprentices who complete their apprenticeship achieve high grades on their final assessments. 12 to 15 July 2022

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Staff are well experienced in the recruitment industry and are appropriately trained to teach. They complete relevant continuous professional development activities to keep their sector knowledge current. However, staff do not routinely benefit from opportunities to develop their pedagogical practice, in particular with regards to remote teaching. Leaders and managers recognise this and have advanced plans in place for mentors to achieve higher level teaching qualifications.

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Mentors use their subject expertise effectively to motivate and enthuse apprentices in mentoring sessions. They use professional discussions and question apprentices skilfully to reinforce key learning points from their online training and direct them to suitable extension activities, where appropriate. Apprentices access online resources and receive helpful advice from their mentors to consider future progression opportunities. As a result, most apprentices are clear about their next steps.

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Apprentices’ work is generally of a high standard. Mentors provide apprentices with timely and effective feedback that helps them understand what they need to do to improve their work. For example, a mentor helped an apprentice gain a better understanding of the General Data Protection Regulation, when they had failed to refer to it on an assignment relating to legislation relevant to his work.

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Leaders and managers know their strengths and weaknesses well. They have rightly focused their improvement efforts on retention of apprentices and employer engagement. Leaders and managers identified that too many apprentices withdrew from the apprenticeship within the first three months of their training or without having achieved the required English or mathematics functional skills qualifications. As a result, leaders and managers now recruit apprentices following three successful months in their workplace. They ensure that apprentices are committed to working in the recruitment sector and to all aspects of the apprenticeship. Leaders and managers support apprentices who do not have the necessary levels of English and mathematics to achieve these prior to the start of the apprenticeship. These changes to recruitment processes are too recent to be able to see a measurable positive impact at the time of the inspection.

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Leaders recognise the inconsistent quality of the support that apprentices receive from their employers. Too many line managers do not routinely attend review meetings with their apprentices and their mentors. As a result, these employers are not fully aware of the progress their apprentices are making. They are not able to support apprentices swiftly, for example, when they struggle to find the time at work to complete their training due to work pressures and fall behind with their studies.

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Leaders recognise that they do not currently benefit from external scrutiny. They have got plans in place to formalise the external support they currently receive on the overall strategic direction of the business into a defined governance arrangement that also challenges leaders. 12 to 15 July 2022

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Apprentices feel safe at work and in training. They know how and to whom to report any concerns about their welfare or that of a colleague. They complete online modules in safeguarding and health and safety that reinforce the training they have received on these topics from their employers.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure that they recruit staff safely. Leaders ensure that staff complete mandatory training and receive frequent refreshers, so that they stay abreast of any updates. Safeguarding staff are suitably qualified to carry out their roles effectively. They have established useful links with relevant external agencies. They are clear about the risks relevant to their apprentices, such as cyber security and keeping safe online.

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Leaders and managers should ensure that they involve apprentices’ line managers in the reviewing of their apprentices’ training, so that they know how apprentices are progressing, what barriers they are facing at work and what they need to do to support them.  Leaders and managers should ensure that they provide staff with opportunities to develop their pedagogical skills further, so that they can best support apprentices, in particular when teaching them remotely.  Leaders and managers should ensure that the few apprentices who need to achieve functional skills qualifications in English and/or mathematics as part of their apprenticeship receive structured training that helps them achieve these qualifications before the end of their apprenticeship, so that they are ready to take their apprenticeship final assessments without delays.  Leaders and managers should strengthen their arrangements with those who

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

currently provide them with external support, so that they provide them with effective challenge to bring about timely and relevant improvements for apprentices. 12 to 15 July 2022

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Provider details

Provider type Independent learning provider

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Provider details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected 12 to 15 July 2022

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the director of professional development, as nominee. Inspectors took account of the provider's most recent self-assessment report and development plans, and the new provider monitoring visit report. The inspection was carried out using the further education and skills inspection handbook and took into account all relevant provision at the provider. Inspectors collected a wide range of evidence to inform judgements including visiting remote mentoring sessions, scrutinising learners' work, seeking the views of learners, staff and other stakeholders, and examining the provider's documentation and records.

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Inspection team

Montserrat Pérez-Parent, lead inspector Her Majesty's Inspector Dilys Taylor Ofsted Inspector Jai Sharda Ofsted Inspector Sam Hanmer Ofsted Inspector Richard Kirkham Her Majesty's Inspector Ian Goodwin Ofsted Inspector Daniel Beale Her Majesty's Inspector 12 to 15 July 2022

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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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