Opportunities Workshop

Opportunities Workshop Monitoring visit report

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Name of lead inspector: Sue Hasty, His Majesty’s Inspector

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Type of provider: Independent learning provider

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Address:

12 Northgate Street Ipswich Suffolk IP1 3DB Monitoring visit: Opportunities Workshop, 12 and 13 March 2025

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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

Opportunity Works is an independent learning provider based in Ipswich. The provider was awarded a contract from Buckinghamshire Council to run Skills Bootcamp courses in 2024. Opportunity Works specialises in training adults in industry-specific cybersecurity awareness. Learners have the option to gain CompTIA Security+ certification.

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Context and focus of visit

The first cohort of learners started in July 2024. Learners attend lessons either online, or in person at the training centre in High Wycombe. At the time of the visit, there were 31 learners studying, of which 19 were unemployed.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have responded effectively to the skills shortages identified in the local skills and improvement plan. They have designed a skills bootcamp course that teaches learners the key elements they need to find employment or gain promotion in a range of jobs in the cybersecurity sector. Learners benefit from working towards accreditation developed and recognised by large, and well-known employers.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders do not plan sufficient opportunities for unemployed learners to find out about what it is like to work in cybersecurity. For example, local employers do not visit the course to speak to learners. Unemployed learners have a limited understanding of the various career routes available in the industry.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders recruit staff with the appropriate technical knowledge to plan and teach the course. Teachers have subject specific knowledge in cybersecurity as well as in project management and communication skills. Staff have access to a wide range of training to improve their knowledge in topics such as developing learners’ interpersonal skills. Monitoring visit: Opportunities Workshop, 12 and 13 March 2025 A small proportion of unemployed learners, and learners looking to change careers, have not benefited from intensive job search support. A minority of unemployed learners do not progress swiftly into employment. Leaders are in the process of recruiting a member of staff with responsibility for helping unemployed learners into jobs. Learners who are employed, quickly take on higher-level responsibilities at work or gain promotion.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have a suitable overview of how well learners participate in course activities. When learners do not attend lessons as expected, staff promptly contact them to find out why. When learners are at risk of falling behind, they have additional support to help them catch up. A high proportion of learners stay on the course.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders receive helpful support and feedback on what they do well and how they can improve courses from an external adviser. Leaders have used this information to identify the priorities to action in their improvement plan.

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Reasonable progress

Learners benefit from effective teaching from experienced teachers. They skilfully use strategies to help learners understand complex topics such as internet-security risk management. For example, teachers start by prompting learners to think about the security features on their personal devices. Learners speak confidently about using multi-factor authentication such as facial recognition and passkeys on social media accounts. Teachers build on this knowledge by setting learners research activities looking at business-related cybersecurity risk management strategies.

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Reasonable progress

Learners are prepared well for employment in a range of roles in cybersecurity, such as network technicians. Teachers plan useful activities that give learners experience of the tasks they would do at work. For example, learners complete a written report analysing the reasons why cyber-attacks happen in real-life scenarios. Learners competently describe the weaknesses they find in business security systems that lead to ransomware attacks.

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Reasonable progress

Teachers reinforce frequently the technical vocabulary used in the cybersecurity sector. Learners become increasingly fluent in talking about various types of penetration (pen) tests such as black box and white box pen tests.

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Reasonable progress

Teachers design activities that successfully help learners build confidence in communicating with others in teams. For example, learners practise skills in giving constructive criticism when they conduct peer review exercises. Monitoring visit: Opportunities Workshop, 12 and 13 March 2025 Leaders do not thoroughly identify learners’ prior knowledge and experience before they start the course. Consequently, leaders do not have a clear understanding of learners’ starting points. Leaders do not make sure that learners benefit from reviews that recognise the progress they make in achieving their learning goals. In a few cases, learners do not know how well they are doing.

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Reasonable progress

Learners who access career coaching sessions get effective help with creating a curriculum vitae. Learners do not yet benefit from help with preparing for real job interviews.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have put in place appropriate safeguards to make sure that learners are safe, including a procedure for recording safeguarding concerns. They have developed suitable policies that take account of both the in-person and online learning environment. For example, leaders outline the actions they take to protect learners from online bullying.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders carry out relevant pre-employment checks to make sure that staff are suitable for working with adult learners.

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Reasonable progress

Learners remember receiving information at induction about the dangers of radicalisation, but they cannot recall the details.

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Reasonable progress

Learners feel safe in learning. They know who to contact if they have a concern. Monitoring visit: Opportunities Workshop, 12 and 13 March 2025 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

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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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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