NEW REFORM FOR IMPROVED APPRENTICESHIP LEVY CONTROL

A NEW easy-to-use online diagnostic and action planning resource enables colleges to better prepare for implementation of the forthcoming Apprenticeship Levy, being introduced from April 2017.

Reform has been developed in partnership by online improvement planning specialists MESMA and apprenticeship experts Strategic Development Network (SDN) and is available on a subscription basis, tailored to meet specific requirements.

Using the MESMA platform, which enables key elements of the self-assessment and improvement planning process to be allocated to authorised people to boost quality assurance, Reform enables the user to assess how well prepared they are for the apprenticeship reforms against a diagnostic framework.

A step-by-step process guides the user through assessment completion, building up an organisation-wide review on which to develop an action plan.

Assessment and action planning can be quickly linked through the software to provide better control of the reform process, building a central pool of resources to enable people to collaborate and share good practice – for example, from schemes of work through lesson plans to strategies for engaging employers.

A resources space also features user permission levels to enable controls to be set to limit access to action plans and to pre-determined levels of engagement.

Intuitive features enable authorised users to target resources at those areas requiring attention, while self-assessment responsibilities can be allocated to those with responsibility for driving through the changes inherent in the apprenticeship reforms in England.

Reform allocates specific quality related activities to individuals or equips departmental managers with tailored plans, before automatically monitoring and checking implementation and performance. Easy-to-use features enable action deadlines to be set and recorded and capture desired and actual impact, while improved progress reporting and impact assessment and results’ analysis are also beneficial features.

Using Reform saves time and valuable resources, allowing action plans to be viewed at a glance and the diagnostic highlighted on a simple-to-understand RAG status ‘dashboard’ for enhanced and rapid operation.

This allows approved users to see either on screen or as downloadable reports how well an organisation is progressing throughout the year against a series of key apprenticeship criteria. Featured reports highlight delivery against actions and filtering based on user viewing preferences, helping to identify strengths and weaknesses and those areas that require urgent attention of further development.

MESMA’s Louise Doyle said: “Reform builds on MESMA and SDN’s collective and extensive capability to support those who are working for levy paying organisations.

“We have pooled our experience to build a highly effective, intuitive development platform for those tasked with dealing with apprenticeship reform.”

Colin Bentwood, SDN’s managing director, added:“The new software takes preparation and effective planning to another level.

“It also provides users with a cost effective space to share resources among colleagues together with a host of easy to use and efficiency saving benefits to improve quality assurance.”

More at www.mesma.co.uk/apprenticeship-reforms/ or email [email protected]