Humberside Engineering Training Association Limited

Further education and skills inspection report

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Inspection of Humberside Engineering Training Association Limited

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Education programmes for young people Good Apprenticeships Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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Information about this provider

Humberside Engineering Training Association (HETA) specialises in offering apprenticeships and pre-apprenticeship study programmes for engineering and manufacturing processing industries and businesses, predominately in the Humberside area. At the time of the inspection, there were 603 apprentices, the vast majority of whom were studying level 3 programmes in maintenance operations engineering technician, metal fabricator, engineering fitter, and installation and maintenance electrician. There were also 15 apprentices studying level 4 lead engineering maintenance technician and 13 studying level 4 engineering manufacturing technician. Fewer than five apprentices were on level 2 engineering operative and level 4 learning and skills teacher programmes. There were 46 learners on a pre-apprenticeship study programme. Around two thirds of apprentices and learners are aged 16 to 18. Apprentices and learners attend one of three

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Information about this provider

centres in Hull, Scunthorpe and Grimsby. 5 to 8 December 2023

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

Apprentices and learners benefit from high-quality training that develops their employability skills, confidence and independence. They enjoy their training and gain additional qualifications to enhance their employment options. They achieve certificates for working at heights, obtain client contractor national safety group site passports, participate in emergency first-aid courses and fire marshal training, and undertake specialist abrasive wheel training. Electrical maintenance apprentices also gain wiring regulation accreditation.

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

Staff create an inclusive environment where apprentices and learners feel welcome and safe. They instil high standards of behaviour and conduct from the start of programmes. As a result, apprentices and learners recognise the importance of the professional behaviours required for the workplace. They are respectful of their peers, staff and other people who they encounter. Apprentices and learners apply in the workplace the positive behaviours that they develop, becoming more valued employees as a result and improving their potential to gain sustained employment or promotion at work. Most learners on the pre-apprenticeship study programme successfully progress on to an apprenticeship with HETA.

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

Apprentices and learners benefit from the support of caring staff, who have good industrial and vocational knowledge and experience. Staff use their knowledge well to support apprentices and learners through reference to their experiences when they were working in the industry.

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

Staff provide apprentices and learners with useful information, mainly at the start of their training, on topics such as healthy lifestyles, staying safe in the community, fundamental British values and the promotion of healthy relationships. Apprentices and learners receive information on how to maintain a good posture and on the need to maintain a healthy diet. However, a few apprentices do not recall having attended these sessions or receiving the information provided.

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

Apprentices and learners feel safe and know who to talk to if they have any concerns. Staff prioritise the health and safety of apprentices and cover this key aspect of the training throughout the programmes.

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better?

Leaders and managers have a clear and ambitious vision for the education and training that they provide. They have developed and implemented a curriculum that meets the constantly evolving skills needs in the engineering, manufacturing and process industries. HETA has a long history of training in the region, and leaders work effectively with a wide range of employers, including both large and small businesses, to ensure that the curriculum is highly relevant to these sectors. Leaders are acutely aware of emerging demands for green skills, automation, digital skills and additive manufacturing. 5 to 8 December 2023

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Leaders and managers have introduced a new level 4 engineering programme to fill higher-level skills gaps and meet the training needs of national and regional employers. This is closely aligned with the focus in the local skills improvement plan on science, technology, engineering and mathematics development. The programmes offered support apprentices and learners to raise their aspirations by considering progression to higher education and more senior roles in the engineering sector.

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Tutors sequence learning carefully and use a range of teaching strategies well to help apprentices understand key engineering concepts. For example, they use repetition and recall practice to teach apprentices on the level 3 maintenance operations engineering technician programme how to carry out repairs. They start by asking apprentices to strip down gearboxes and simple assemblies to develop basic skills and then extend apprentices’ understanding by moving on to more complex machinery, including conveyor systems, pumps and motors.

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Tutors assess learners’ and apprentices’ work accurately. They use a range of assessment strategies, such as homework, quizzes and summative tasks, to identify how well apprentices perform. Tutors use the information from assessment to fill gaps in learning and to plan future training. However, a few tutors do not provide apprentices with effective feedback from assessment to help them to understand fully what they need to do to improve their work and to achieve higher grades.

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Tutors support apprentices and learners to understand technical engineering language and concepts, as well as the mathematical aspects associated with engineering. Most apprentices and learners successfully develop their academic writing through completing assignments and presentations. However, a few tutors do not place sufficient emphasis on further developing apprentices’ and learners’ written English skills, and they do not routinely correct spelling and grammatical errors in written work. As a result, a minority of apprentices and learners continue to make the same mistakes. When tutors correct work and explain the reasons for the corrections, apprentices and learners rarely repeat their errors.

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Tutors provide good support for apprentices and learners with additional learning needs. They make effective use of information that they receive about these needs at the start of programmes. Tutors provide learners and apprentices with a range of relevant strategies that help them through their apprenticeship and into work. As a result, the proportion of apprentices and learners with additional learning needs who complete their programmes successfully has improved significantly over the last three years.

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Leaders and managers ensure that staff have manageable workloads. New teachers have a reduced timetable to enable them to develop their teaching skills at a sensible pace. Field-based assessors have caseloads based on locations and are allocated the time that they need to carry out assessments and reviews. As a result, staff are positive about their work and enjoy working at the provider. 5 to 8 December 2023

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Leaders and managers provide learners and apprentices with effective careers information, advice and guidance through a dedicated team. As part of the recruitment process and at the start of programmes, apprentices receive information about progression options once they have completed their programme. In addition, they learn about different career pathways and opportunities in the sector during lessons and when attending careers fairs.

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Leaders and managers recognise that, previously, too many apprentices left their programme early. They accurately identified the reasons for this and now closely monitor apprentices’ and learners’ progress. Leaders and managers meet regularly to monitor progress, identify any patterns of withdrawal and take action to address any emerging gaps in performance. As a result, retention and achievement have improved.

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Leaders and managers provide a high-quality learning environment across all centres. They have invested significantly in ensuring that each of the centres has industry-standard equipment and tools for apprentices and learners to use. Training centres are very clean, calm and business-like environments. Staff promote high professional standards in the centres to which apprentices and learners respond positively.

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A board of proactive trustees provides challenge to leaders and managers that ensures they provide a high-quality education, particularly in relation to the quality of teaching and training. Trustees are very committed and passionate about the engineering sector. They bring a breadth of experience from industry and use their networks to support leaders well. They understand the rapidly changing technologies in the sector and the need to ensure that apprentices are gaining the necessary skills required to be effective employees.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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What does the provider need to do to improve?

 Maintain the emphasis on supporting apprentices and learners to stay on programme and to achieve well.  Provide learners and apprentices with an age-appropriate personal development curriculum that helps them to understand and remember topics such as healthy lifestyles.  Ensure that tutors consistently correct errors in submitted work so that learners and apprentices learn from their mistakes.  Provide all apprentices with effective feedback on their work that helps them to understand what they need to do to improve and to achieve higher grades. 5 to 8 December 2023

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Provider details

Address 27-31 Dansom Lane South Hull HU8 7LA

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Provider details

Principal, CEO or equivalent Iain Elliott

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Provider details

Provider type Independent learning provider

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Provider details

Date of previous inspection 4 to 8 December 2013

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Provider details

Main subcontractors None 5 to 8 December 2023

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Information about this inspection

The inspection team was assisted by the operations manager, as nominee. Inspectors took account of the provider’s most recent self-assessment report and development plans, and the previous inspection 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 learning 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

Hayley Lomas, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector Mark Keen His Majesty’s Inspector Andrew Scanlan Ofsted Inspector Chris Wiley Ofsted Inspector Alison Gray Ofsted Inspector 5 to 8 December 2023

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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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