Tech Talent

Techtalent Academy Limited Monitoring visit report

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Name of lead inspector: Roger Pilgrim, Ofsted Inspector

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Type of provider: Independent learning provider

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Address: X and Why, The Foundry 6 Brindley Place Birmingham B1 2JB Monitoring visit: Techtalent Academy Limited, 21 and 22 June 2023

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Context and focus of visit

Ofsted undertakes to carry out monitoring visits to all newly directly funded providers of adult learning provision where the provision offered is in scope for inspection. 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

Techtalent Academy Limited (Techtalent) began delivering bootcamps to adult learners in 2020 funded by the West Midlands Combined Authority. It also now provides bootcamps for learners within the Greater London Authority.

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Context and focus of visit

Techtalent offers four bootcamp courses, software development, data science, cyber security and cloud computing. At the time of the visit, two bootcamps were running, a software development bootcamp with 23 learners, and a data science bootcamp with 31 learners. The bootcamps are taught online and run for seven to 16 weeks.

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Significant progress

Leaders have a clear strategic ambition to support under-represented individuals to secure work in the digital industries specifically within cyber and data. To achieve this ambition, leaders have formed highly effective and collaborative relationships with employers from digital companies and the devolved combined authorities in the West Midlands and London areas. This enables managers to be highly responsive in developing courses to meet the emerging skills shortages in the digital sector and to match learners with emerging employment opportunities. Managers have developed useful links to information technology (IT) recruitment agencies. They use these links effectively to direct learners to digital job vacancies that match the skills that they develop on their courses.

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Significant progress

Staff frequently refresh the bootcamp curriculum and systematically review each course and scheme of learning, based on learner and employer feedback. This ensures that the curriculum keeps up to date within the fast-moving developments within the digital sector. For example, staff from a global IT consultancy, that recruit learners from the bootcamps, review the curriculum with the Techtalent trainers at the end of each course, helping to secure continuous improvements. Monitoring visit: Techtalent Academy Limited, 21 and 22 June 2023 Leaders and managers ensure that trainers are well qualified, highly skilled, and very experienced digital professionals. Trainers provide high-quality training to learners. Consequently, learners make rapid progress in developing substantial new digital knowledge and skills required by employers.

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Significant progress

The academy board, which provides governance oversight, is new and board members are still being recruited. The board members provide a high level of expertise to guide leaders and help to define strategic aims. Board members analyse data to drive improvements. However, there is insufficient focus on the quality of education and impact on learners.

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Significant progress

Leaders and trainers plan the courses that learners follow effectively. Trainers sequence learning in a logical way, so that learners can build on their existing knowledge before progressing onto more advanced topics. For example, the data science bootcamp starts with spreadsheet fundamentals, moving to using SQL in databases, and then programming. Learners then progress onto data visualisation leading to the application of machine learning.

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Significant progress

Staff use assessments completed at the start of learners’ courses to ensure learners’ suitability for these highly technical courses. These assessments are thorough and include psychometric testing, assessing functional English and mathematics along with problem-solving questions. Staff assess applicants’ motivation for undertaking the course and their career aspirations to provide learners with appropriate advice and guidance.

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Significant progress

Staff monitor learners’ progress regularly, including their attendance at online sessions. Learners complete regular assessments to measure their understanding of topics. Homework is set frequently and assessed online. Trainers provide clear feedback using ‘what went well’ and ‘even better if’ to enable learners to improve their work. In a minority of cases, this written feedback is not always clear enough to enable learners to reflect on how they can improve their work.

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Significant progress

Learners enjoy their courses and have good relationships with each other and their trainers. The trainers, who are very knowledgeable, support their learners well. Learners speak highly of their training and how it is valued by their employers. Learners work well together and collaborate effectively when working on projects in small teams, and develop essential employment-related skills such as teamwork.

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Significant progress

Leaders and managers ensure that learners are well prepared for progression into employment. Student progression advisers provide careers education, information, Monitoring visit: Techtalent Academy Limited, 21 and 22 June 2023 advice and guidance to support learners effectively during weekly employability days. Staff direct learners to job vacancies, support learners to update their curriculum vitae and help them to develop social networking profiles. Staff prepare learners well for job interviews through providing learners with access to an artificial intelligence- supported interview package through which they can practise their interview skills for a variety of posts. As a result, all learners completing recent courses have secured job interviews with digital companies.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers have implemented appropriate policies and procedures that staff use effectively to safeguard learners. Employees undergo mandatory annual safeguarding and ‘Prevent’ duty training. Leaders complete the necessary checks when appointing new staff to ensure their suitability to work with adult learners.

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Reasonable progress

Learners feel safe. They know who to contact if they have a concern and can raise a safeguarding concern via an online system. Learners have access to well-being and mental health resources, including helplines. Learners undertake training on the risks of radicalisation and extremism during induction sessions. However, this is not sufficiently reinforced to learners throughout the course to secure their understanding of these risks.

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Reasonable progress

Keeping safe online is a key component of the cyber security course but does not feature within the other courses offered, even though they are taught online. Monitoring visit: Techtalent Academy Limited, 21 and 22 June 2023 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

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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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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