We have been commissioned by the Education and Training Foundation to develop a proof of concept hub that supports and serves as a primary sourcing point for linking accessible apprenticeship opportunities and provision for parents, employers, support services, learners directly and training providers (both ITPs and colleges).

Transitioning from education to sustainable employment remains a significant challenge for many individuals who have learning disabilities, difficulties and/or autism. With the growing importance of inclusive growth and equal opportunity, bridging this gap is of paramount importance. The Department of Education's (DofE) recent maths and English and maths EHCP pilot see here and here, involving providers as part of this partnership, offers a promising direction to support individuals without an EHCP but who have been identified as having a disabilities, difficulties and/or autism.

By fostering a collective effort, we aim to enhance the accessibility of apprenticeship programmes, making them inclusive and supportive for a diverse range of learners.

From this we look to launch an agreed way of working through a hub and spoke (stage 2) model that:

Enables a force and voice for change for supporting individuals who have learning disabilities, difficulties and/or autism
Is an exemplar of awareness for employers that learning difficulties, disabilities and /or autism could mean their staff, to support removing the stigmata of learning difficulties, disabilities and or autism.
Adopts a hub and spoke model for comprehensive outreach and support.
Collaborates with supporting internships to create a fluid transition from education to employment.
Provides lifetime support for Accessible Apprenticeships, leveraging partnerships and access to funding opportunities as a consortium.
Enables sustainable employment, breaking away from the “cliff” model prevalent in many individuals who have learning disabilities, difficulties and/or autism, post-16 provisions.
Facilitates sharing of best practices, standardisation, and technology assistance for Accessible Apprentices
Introduces an accessible stairway offer, delineating progression steps for various sectors as part of the hub and spoke model (stage 3)
Offers a centralised and clear access point for learners, parents, guardians, and stakeholders in the SEND domain, offering an easy way to find providers dedicated to promoting inclusivity in apprenticeship opportunities through the hub. (stage 3)

If you would like to be involved in the infancy of this project, we welcome you to a face to face workshop that helps both start this collaborative working and setting the scene for the hub concept. The agenda of the workshops is above.

The Inclusive Apprenticeship Initiative: A Collaborative Approach