Delivering high-quality Skills Bootcamps: top tips for Internal Quality Assurance professionals

As internal quality assurance professionals working with Skills Bootcamp providers, your role is vital in ensuring that participants receive top-notch training that aligns with industry needs. Drawing from the Evaluation of Skills Bootcamps 2022-23 (Wave 3) Implementation Report, here are some key insights and tips to help you run high-quality bootcamps:

Establish strong Employer-Provider relationships

Successful bootcamps are built on solid collaborations with employers. Wave 3 evidence shows that proactive engagement with employers ensures that bootcamps align with recruitment cycles and the specific skills employers seek.

Here’s how:

• Engage proactively:
  Regularly communicate with employers to align training with their needs.
• Leverage existing relationships:
  Use established commercial relationships to build trust and ensure training meets both employer and learner needs.
• Involve employers in curriculum design:
  Encourage employers to contribute to curriculum design to ensure industry relevance and alignment with recruitment targets.

What does quality look like?

Participant feedback from Wave 3 highlighted the importance of high-quality content and delivery. Here are some practices to consider:

• Pre-course introductory modules:
  Offer introductory modules to help participants prepare and ensure suitable learner recruitment.
• Experienced facilitators:
  Engage facilitators with industry experience to enhance engagement and organisation.
• Real-life employment activities:
  Design activities that mirror real-life employment situations to help participants demonstrate their learning effectively.
• Bespoke employability skills training:
  Provide tailored employability skills training to boost participants’ confidence and employability.

Address delivery challenges

Despite positive feedback, some challenges persist. Addressing these proactively can enhance your bootcamp’s effectiveness:

• Guaranteed interviews:
  Ensure the guaranteed interview process meets participants’ expectations. Communicate clearly about what participants can expect.
• Employer awareness:
  Increase awareness among employers about the benefits of Skills Bootcamps to enhance engagement and secure sufficient interviews.
• Pathway to Accelerated Apprenticeship (PtAA):
  Raise awareness and uptake of the PtAA scheme among participants and employers.
• Realistic KPIs:
  While aiming for high performance, ensure your KPIs are realistic. Consider focusing on both co-funded and self-employed participants to secure positive outcomes.

Planning for a Ofsted inspections as a Bootcamp provider?

SDN is running a free webinar for Skills Bootcamp providers, to help you to be confident and have a good handle on the performance of your provision when you receive the call for your Ofsted inspections.

The session aims to:

• Develop your understanding of Ofsted inspections
• Create your practical plan to prepare for the visit
• Help you to self-assess well, clearly articulating evidence-based strengths and weaknesses
• Implement an effective model of prioritised quality improvement planning