Digital and Technical Skills Training

DfE is considering procurement of organisations including employers, local authorities and providers in Leeds City Region, Heart of the South West and D2N2, to test the delivery of a new training model to provide specialist digital skills training in the first instance to fill digital skills shortage vacancies.

The partnerships should design and deliver approximately 12 week training courses to provide a pipeline of individuals linked to guaranteed interviews with employers.

As part of the proposal, employers will be expected to show what cash or in-kind contribution (including guaranteed interviews as a minimum) they will make.

We anticipate that at least 75% of all trainees will move into a new job or role.

A virtual supplier event will be held on 21 July to provide more detail and a chance to ask questions about the opportunity.

We aim to award up to 3 contracts (1 per area) to partner organisations consisting of local employers, digital/ICT training providers, local authorities and the FE sector to evidence digital skills shortage vacancies and design and deliver approximately 12 week training courses to provide a pipeline of individuals to fill those roles (when possible we will expand to include other technical skills).

The partnership will be linked into local networks and intelligence; if these links are not demonstrated bids will not be successful.

A successful bid will show how: • Employers are represented and leading on what training is delivered • Employers have set out their recruitment needs • Guaranteed interviews are secured as an outcome • There is cash and/or in-kind support from recruiting employers • How underrepresented groups and those with protected characteristics will be engaged and recruited to the training programmes • Participants recruited will be adults 19+ in work or recently unemployed • Proposed costs of training are determined, including how costs could be reduced through scaling up, whilst maintaining quality • % alignment with apprenticeship occupational standards where available • Training will be delivered flexibly around other commitments including work, job seeking and caring • Participating organisations and individuals will commit to participate in user research and evaluation.

Bids must detail the cash and/or in-kind contribution that employers will make, examples could include work experience or support with CVs, interview skills and other interpersonal skills - we are interested in ideas around this.

This model will deliver training that meets employer's immediate needs in a pre-employment phase, de-risking the recruitment process for them.