Akona Limited

Name of lead inspector: Alison Humphreys, His Majesty’s Inspector

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Type of provider: Independent learning provider

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Address: Ikon Business Centre Tudor Road Manor Park Runcorn WA7 1TA Monitoring visit: Akona Limited, 18 and 19 August 2024

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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

Akona Limited is an independent learning provider based in Runcorn. They provide Skills Bootcamps for adults in basic and advanced overhead line electrification construction (OLEC). Learners are based in the North West. At the time of the visit, there were less than five learners enrolled on the basic OLEC Skills Bootcamp and no learners on the advanced OLEC Skills Bootcamp. All Skills Bootcamps run for two weeks and training is conducted face to face.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have a clear rationale for the curriculums that they offer. The OLEC Skills Bootcamps are designed to provide employers with a pipeline of staff to rectify a skills shortage in the industry. Leaders provide training to learners who are unemployed, wishing to change careers or to upskill existing employees in the rail industry.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders work closely with Network Rail to provide a curriculum that develops the knowledge, skills and behaviours that adult learners need to progress into the rail industry or to gain additional responsibilities. Learners new to the industry progress to a range of job roles such as overhead line engineers and possession support team roles.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders recruit trainers who have significant industry experience in the rail sector. They support trainers to continually update their skills to retain their industry knowledge and competency. However, leaders have not put in place training to further develop trainers’ teaching skills. They do not use the outcomes of observations of training to provide targeted actions and support. This means that trainers do not know how to strengthen their teaching skills.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have quality processes and systems in place to monitor the quality of training that learners receive. They have a clear understanding of the strengths and Monitoring visit: Akona Limited, 18 and 19 August 2024 weaknesses of their Skills Bootcamps. However, leaders recognise that the self- assessment process and quality improvement plans lack rigour. This means that leaders do not always clearly identify the specific actions needed to bring about further improvements to learners’ training quickly.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders do not have formalised governance arrangements in place. This means that they are not sufficiently held to account for the quality of training that they provide.

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Reasonable progress

Trainers teach topics in an order that helps learners to learn effectively and to incrementally build their knowledge and skills. Learners develop a secure understanding of health and safety at the start of their course before they move on to more complex topics. Trainers teach learners about overhead line electrical equipment and electrical systems. They are then taught how to use the types of tools, rigging and lifting equipment when completing tension checks or changing and erecting cantilevers.

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Reasonable progress

Learners develop substantial new knowledge and skills because of the training that they receive. They talk confidently about the various structures of electrical cables that run above railway lines. For example, learners explain, using highly technical vocabulary, the use of headspan and single mast structures on the railways.

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Reasonable progress

Trainers use demonstration and questioning effectively to develop learners’ knowledge and skills. Trainers demonstrate to learners the phases of isolation required before fixing broken cables. Learners practise these skills and receive useful verbal feedback which helps them to improve. Learners complete tasks accurately and apply their health and safety knowledge confidently when carrying out safety- critical tasks.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have invested significantly in industry-standard technology to prepare learners for working on site. Learners benefit from learning how to use a range of tools and equipment such as tensioning devices and how to maintain overhead lines such as Morris line engineering switch systems. Learners feel well prepared to work in the rail sector. Over half of all learners on the basic OLEC Skills Bootcamp progress to employment.

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Reasonable progress

Learners are prepared well for their examinations. Trainers use assessments effectively to check and consolidate learners’ learning. Learners benefit from individual support from their trainers to revisit topics following mock tests. At the time of the visit, most learners who had completed the Skills Bootcamps had passed their qualifications. Monitoring visit: Akona Limited, 18 and 19 August 2024

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Reasonable progress

Safeguarding staff are appropriately trained and qualified to carry out their roles. Trainers benefit from attending annual workshops to update their knowledge of safeguarding.

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Reasonable progress

Learners feel safe. They are prepared well for working in a highly regulated industry. Learners diligently follow health and safety protocols when carrying out practical tasks such as working at height.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders recognise that they need to provide further training to learners to ensure they have a full understanding of the risks associated with radicalisation and extremism in the rail industry. Monitoring visit: Akona Limited, 18 and 19 August 2024 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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