Peter Marples discusses the MSP and how to become a strategic training partner to large employers
FE News caught up with 3aaa’s Peter Marples at a Levy conference they held in Wembley on the 15th May. We chatted with Pete about some strategies on how to become a strategic training partner to large corporates and public sector clients. Pete explains the Managed Service Provider (MSP) model, and how this can help large providers and niche smaller providers become strategic training partners to employers.
Pete explains that the MSP is not a subcontracting model, but is essentially an adaptation of a HR outsourcing model. The lead provider or Managed Service Provider develops the relationship with the large employer and they work with the employer across all of their level 2 – 7 Apprenticeship provision. The Managed Service Provider then sources high quality niche providers to deliver specialist skills for the employer.
Pete explains that there is no one provider that has the capacity to deliver all provision across some of the larger employers and public sector clients Apprenticeship Levy needs, so it makes sense to work in partnership with other high quality specialist providers to deliver this. The benefits for the niche or smaller providers is the access to more client opportunities.
Pete then gives an example of one of his clients who required some support in delivering a very specialist programme around science lab technician roles. There are very few providers who have experience and can deliver programmes for lab technicians. So through the MSP they engaged a niche provider to deliver this.
We then ask how specialist providers feel about working in a Managed Service Provider relationship. Pete gives a very open answer to the initial suspicions from niche providers in working with a larger training provider. He also highlights the benefits of accessing more clients and ultimately an improvement for the whole learning and development sector that large employers specialist skills are being fulfilled through an outsourced training and development service.
Please click on the podcast below to hear what Pete has to say about MSP’s and the future of becoming a strategic partner for large Levy paying employers:
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