122 Regional Strategic Planning; Local Delivery Regional Learning Partnership South West Wales (RLPSW&CW) Regional Delivery Plan for Employment & Skills for South West & Central Wales Expression of Interest Form (EOI) The Regional Delivery Plan for Employment & Skills for South West & Central Wales will identify the region’s skills needs, articulate the collective response and then identify the interventions to be supported by the appropriate investment e.g. domestic or structural funds. It is not an ESF funding plan – it is wider than Structural Funds. Please note this EOI does not form part of any funding application process. The purpose of the document is to identify proposed activity areas to implement the Regional Delivery Plan for Employment & Skills SW&CW. Please note as a guide that the EOI should be completed in 12 point font and each box should not exceed a maximum of 250-300 words 1a. Name of Organisation: (responsible for submitting the application and managing the activity): Swansea University on behalf of the College University Skills Partnership 1b. Proposed Activity Title: Part time Degrees in Engineering (WBL tasters, FD with top up to B'Eng. and CPD opportunities, delivered by F.E. Colleges and Swansea University) 1c. Details of the Activity: What is the purpose / aim of the activity? Which priority from the plan does it address?

To increase productivity and grow higher value jobs by developing skills and progression pathways. • Increasing the proportion of the workforce with higher level skills. • Ensuring future skills supply is flexible and responsive to the growth sectors identified in the economic data. • Increasing the proportion of high value employment sectors. • Exploiting the potential of global and knowledge- based economies. The plan addresses Priority 8 The activities will focus on engineering skills for companies with growth potential: engineering for energy, advanced engineering, high value manufacturing. Consultation with employers and Sector Skills Councils will lead to the development of skills pathways and delivery of skills for employees, providing part time Work Based Learning tasters, Foundation Degrees, Part time Degree top up modules, and CPD opportunities as appropiate to meet the employers' needs. This provision will be delivered in partnership by Swansea University and the FE Colleges. CUSP will prepare for future

RLP Team 01554 742430

14.05.14

jobs growth by developing new skills provision for emerging and forecasted higher value sectors and the new provision will include blended learning approaches where appropriate.

2. Please explain why the activity is needed, identifying where your evidence of need has come from and how this aligns with the intelligence, priorities and themes contained within the plan. Since September 2011, we have been running Foundation Degrees in Mechanical Engineering and Electrical/Electronic Engineering. These degrees are validated by Swansea University and delivered at Gower College Swansea (GCS) and Neath-Port Talbot College Group (NPTC). In September 2014, Pembrokeshire College will join the Partnership and will be delivering a further three engineering foundation degress, relevant to local West Wales industry. Currently, the project is fully supported by European Union Convergence funding project to the value of around £1.6 million (September 2011 - June 2015) and the two courses are delivered on a part-time basis to students employed in the private sector and within the Convergence Region. This includes large organisations such as Tata Steel, National Grid and First Great Western but also a wide range of SMEs and micro companies. Self employed students are also eligible for support. The aim of the current project is “to develop and consolidate Engineering FE-HE links in the Swansea Bay region, to widen access to HE through the provision of Engineering Foundation Degrees. The project has the support of stakeholders such as the relevant Sector Skills Council (SEMTA), local employers and the appropriate professional institutions (IMechE and IET). • Current outputs met with the delivery of 3 cohorts: 106 students and 45 companies engaged • Expected targets to be met by the end of the 4th cohort (June 2015): 148 students and 48 companies Evidence of need has come from consultation with engineering employers , both large, medium and SMEs, and sector skills councils. In addition evidence of need is provided by the Swansea Bay City Region Economic Regeneration Strategy; " We have existing strengths in key sectors with significant potential for growth going forward- energy, advanced engineering, high value manufacturing." Employers have indicated that in addition to training and upskilling employees, they are keen to see the development of a wider pool of skilled people as potential employees. 3. Please indicate which Thematic Areas of the Framework your activity fits with: Engagement

Pre-Employment

In Work Support

CPD

4. Please indicate the geographical coverage proposed: All Wales

Regionally (South West & Central Wales)

Swansea

Carmarthenshire

Neath Port Talbot

Powys

Ceredigion

Pembrokeshire

5. Please detail how you have consulted and collaborated with other stakeholders of similar activities in the region (and outside if relevant). How have you ensured that this does not duplicate existing activity/ provision?

The College University Skills Partnership includes Coleg Cambria, Gower College Swansea, Pembrokeshire College and Grwp NPTC. These foundation degrees provide a bridge between FE and HE and produces suitably qualified engineers at Engineering Technician level, for which a major shortage has been identified. The delivery of the foundation degrees facilitates the up-skilling of adults working in the local industrial sector and also provides an opportunity for career change to suitably qualified, companysupported adults. Industry also needs new sets of skills coming at the higher apprenticeship level. In SEMTA’s Wales Engineering Sector Skills Assessment 2010, it is estimated (for 2007) that these hard-to-fill vacancies could have cost the Welsh economy as much as £31 million in lost GVA. The foremost reason cited for hard-to-fill vacancies was the lack of applicants with the required qualifications and skills (60% of Engineering establishments in Wales reported having hard-to-fill vacancies). In the sectors considered in the abovementioned SSA, the main skills cited as lacking in employees were technical and engineering skills at all levels (75% of those MME establishments in Wales reporting skill gaps), with SEMTA concluding that “this is where the priorities for up-skilling the current workforce must lie”. The most common specific subject areas and types of training proving difficult to source locally in the SEMTA LMS Survey 2007 included engineering (at 7% of MME establishments in Wales, the single most difficult), and electronics (2%). Our Engineering Foundation Degrees (FdEng) are enabling Technician-level qualifications in their own right and, at the same time, facilitate a seamless transition to the final year(s) of a corresponding honours degree. The partnership between Swansea University and 3 Colleges is providing ground breaking collaboration where students have the opportunity to study from a vocational up to a degree level in their own locality. By its nature, there is a strong element of collaboration with local micro-companies, SMEs and internationals. In the development stage, supporting evidence for the project aims, objectives, specification and course structures was received from 27 companies, SEMTA, WIMS, IMechE and IET. The role played by both the employers and the students in programme development to keep abreast of industrial developments and maintain industrial relevance is considered an extremely important and effective feature of our provision. The Industrial Steering Group (made up of employers, SEMTA and academic staff and meeting termly) makes a valuable formal contribution towards on-going programme development. Also, we make regular visits to the companies to discuss student progress, work-based learning etc. and this provides another forum for the discussion of developmental issues. The students themselves are, in many cases, extremely experienced and have senior management posts within their own organisations and, as such, also contribute to on-going course, module and curriculum development. These mechanisms for on-going development have been recognised by the Quality Assurance Agency in two features of good practice: “the active involvement of employers in the ongoing development of the FD Engineering programme” “the contribution of employers, students and partner college staff to the enhancement of the FD Engineering programme”1 1. Review of Foundation Degrees in Wales by the QAA, Swansea University, February 2013 6. Please give details of the partners involved in the activity, directly or as consultees, and your ongoing working arrangements. The College University Skills Partnership (CUSP) founding members are Swansea University, Coleg Cambria, Gower College Swansea, Neath Port Talbot Group and Pembrokeshire College.

CUSP extends the reach of high quality higher education in the geographical areas covered by the FE partners. The aim is to develop and implement an innovative and flexible higher education and training system within the region that offers a wide range of quality learning opportunities, is responsive to learners and employers, ensures effective use of resources for learner benefit, and tackles disadvantage.The CUSP will progress the strategic vision developed by Swansea University for its Science and Innovation Campus as a catalyst for transformational developments across Wales in the Knowledge Economy areas of Advanced Manufacturing, Engineering, Energy, Computing and ICT, Financial and Business Services, and the Life Sciences. It will establish new initiatives which ensure progression to higher level skills and develop a flexible, employable workforce that makes Wales and the Swansea Bay City Region an attractive place for knowledge intensive companies to locate.Building on the strong commercial expertise of all partner colleges, the institutions will plan their provision at a strategic level, to agree the best way of meeting the higher level skills needs of employees and employers in Wales, the skills which will define our future competitiveness. Delivery will be by the FE Colleges and/or Swansea University working in partnership, with the accreditation of programmes provided by Swansea University. CUSP is establishing an Employer Advisory Group which will provide further expertise in the development of relevant programmes. 7. What change will the proposed activity seek to achieve and what barriers will be overcome? Employers have supported the development of FDs in engineering through the FE Colleges by sending 148 employees to be trained in a programme which includes work experience and day release. They have indicated that an expansion of this programme is expected. In addition they have indicated that they would seek to expand their employment base if additional skilled people were available and are keen to see the colleges provide the FD to unemployed school leavers who would receive work experience, work simulation and the same FD training days, creating a pool of skilled people to draw upon in order to expand the workforce. PEMBROKESHIRE COLLEGE In addition to the current arrangements with GCS and NPTC and under the new CUSP initiative, funding has been approved to enhance the partnership by adding a third partner Pembrokeshire College (PC). Delivery in West Wales will start from September 2014 with the two existing foundation degree programmes plus: • FdEng in Process Operations and Maintenance • FdEng in Electrical and Power Systems Engineering • FdEng in Instrumentation Electronics In addition FDs will be developed with Coleg Cambria and potentially with other Colleges in the future. In support of our application, we recently received an extremely positive report from the Spring 2013 QAA Audit, highlighting 7 areas of good practice and also this project is considered to be “our flagship project” by the Programme Management Unit at the University of South Wales, who currently manage the funding of foundation degrees (and work-based learning activities) across Wales.

Potential Outputs: 429 students 120 companies

8. Please specify the target audience that the activity would seek to support? Engineering Employers/ employees and potential employees in Knowledge Economy areas who require upskilling of existing employees and the training of new employees in order to expand and grow. The activities will focus on the sectors with growth potential as follows:energy, advanced engineering, high value manufacturing. Consultation with employers and Sector Skills Councils will lead to the development and delivery of skills for employees, providing part time Work Based Learning, Blended Learning, Foundation Degrees, Part time Degrees, and CPD opportunities as appropiate to meet the employers' needs. 9. How does the activity propose to be financed? ESF/ERDF/Core University and College funding/Employer contribution

10. Organisation Details Address: Swansea University Singleton Park Swansea SA2 8PP Tel No: 01792 295795 Email: [email protected] Contact name for queries On the EOI: Judith James Legal status of the Organisation: University

Name: Julie Williams Date: 16/06/14 Please submit your form to: [email protected]

The RLP is facilitating the development of the Regional Delivery Plan for Employment and Skills. For any queries please contact [email protected]

GUIDANCE NOTE

Please note as a guide that the proforma should be completed in 12 point font and each box should not exceed a maximum of 250-300 words. The total length of the proforma should ideally be not more than 4 pages, dependent on the complexity of the project. Please ensure when completing question 1c that you describe ‘what’ the proposed activity is, stating which Employment and Skills Priority the activity will address. The 14 priorities that have been identified for the region are listed in the plan on page 5. The answer to this question should give the reader a quick overview of what the activity is and will do. Ideally, test your answer on a non-expert. Remember this is an introduction to the activity, not your organisation or field of work! When completing question 3 there is a need to indicate which thematic area of the Regional Employment & Skills Delivery Framework your activity fits into. A copy of the framework can be accessed via this link and is available as an appendix to the plan. Please provide the evidence of need for your activity, the source and reference where it aligns to the contents of the Regional Delivery Plan for Employment & Skills. Please complete all relevant boxes with regard to the geographical coverage of your proposed activity. Consultation – You should make it clear what other organisations / sectors you have consulted with in relation to your proposal. How can you demonstrate / ensure that your proposed activity will not duplicate either existing or other proposed activities? Partners & Partner Arrangements – You should make clear what role partners have – are they consultees or involved in delivery and financing? Have all organisations listed as consultees already been consulted? If not, please make this clear. When completing question 7 you need to outline what change your proposed activity is aiming to achieve and note what barriers the activity will aim to address. Please be specific with respect to what target audience the proposed activity will focus on. Please provide detail on the proposed funding package of the proposed activity including your organisation’s own contribution.