Background
Telford College wanted to offer learners the chance to study modules of higher technical qualifications (HTQs) through the modular acceleration programme (MAP).
This programme was a pilot for the Lifelong Learning Entitlement (LLE).
What the college faced
Telford College now acknowledge that they did not have a well-targeted marketing approach for modular provision – this resulted in limited engagement.
Their marketing approach meant that
- one member of staff had responsibility for promoting all aspects of modular provision promotion with no detailed knowledge of the separate subjects
- the college did not have a well-functioning social media provision aligned to modules
Telford college recognise that their initial selection of modules was not
- aligned to local employers’ needs to address skills gaps
- scheduled as well as it could have been for different sector learners
What the college did
Targeted promotion
The college changed tactics and gave responsibility for the promotion of each different sector of modules to colleagues who had knowledge of that sector.
Telford College then used the professional services of a social media promotion company to increase awareness and promotion.
These changes worked and resulted in an increased understanding of who was most likely to be attracted to modular learning.
Engaging with employers
The college engaged with the local Chamber of Commerce and with employers involved with the local skills improvement plan (LSIP) to better understand their needs to fill skills gaps and identify priority areas.
On LSIP engagement “As a result of our LSIP engagement, we knew that leadership was something that was required, and health and social care was one of our priority areas. So that justified why we were delivering that module.”
Telford College found that employers can help decide, shape and promote the modular offer. This engagement even helped the college identify when the most suitable lesson time was for each of the industries that their modules were aimed at.
Telford College said “At the time, we were working with the NHS to deliver leadership and management training and so we said, we’ve got this opportunity where you could access this level 5 modular provision, and they then took most of those places.”
Results and benefits
Better quality targeted promotion and awareness-raising resulted in increased enrolments.
The college better understands local skills gaps.
Modules and units are named using creative, sector-relevant names that are more understandable and appealing to employers and learners. This has directly contributed to increased enrolments.
The importance of aligning module delivery with learners’ work patterns is recognised, with modules scheduled to run at a time to suit the target audience.
For example, public sector employers released staff during working hours and evening sessions were successful for digital modules.
Employer engagement helps decide, promote and shape the modular offer to increase college enrolment and better serve employers.
The most suitable target groups for modules can be working professionals seeking career progression, rather than recent school or college leavers.
On engaging employers “We spoke to the Chamber and some of the employers and said, ‘If you could pick any of this combination of units, what would it be?’ And so, they informed us what we should choose to make a module.”
Outcomes
Partnering with local employers, Telford College successfully participated in the modular acceleration programme (MAP) delivering modules in
- management
- health and social care
- cyber security
- programming and software development
- digital business operations
The results are that the college can now
- target awareness-raising activity more accurately
- align modules to local skills needs
- make sure modules are more understandable and appealing to employers and learners
- see an increase in enrolments in specific modules
Overcoming obstacles
Telford College’s tips to overcoming potential obstacles are
- tailor promotion to each module subject and consider using specialist external social media promotion
- engage with local employers’ organisations like those on the LSIP panel and the Chamber of Commerce to better understand skills needs and gaps
- ensure the names of standalone modules and units make sense on their own and are attractive to employers and learners
- use employer engagement to help decide and promote the modular offer
- align modular delivery with learners’ work patterns and availability
- consider the fact that modular learning may be more attractive to those in work than school or college leavers, and target accordingly
On module names “We jazzed it up and put module names like ‘Hot Skills in Digital’, something really catchy that the employers would understand.”