Effects of the COVID-19 Shutdown on the ITP Industry

Last week, I discussed some of the Department for Education’s guidance for apprenticeship providers. It’s safe to say that the industry has not responded well to government advice, and industry figures have decried the DfE’s lack of concrete support, both financial and practical.

What are the implications for the industry?

AELP Chief Executive said that the industry is in a “battle for survival” and that “The omission of any DfE funding support for apprenticeships and other skills training goes completely against the assurance offered by the education secretary to the House of Commons last week.

"We are left to conclude that the government is not serious about apprenticeship training or any other forms of skills training continuing while the pandemic goes on or that it is very happy to preside over many independent training providers (ITPs) going out of business over the next three months.”

The AELP’s assertions are backed up by their recent survey. Nearly every responding organisation indicated that they were likely to close permanently, place operations on an indefinite pause, or downsize in the face of unprecedented financial hardship.

What are providers doing to adapt?

Sadly, my discussions with clients support the AELP’s findings: providers on the whole are struggling to adapt to the shutdown.

The issue is that a number of the most innovative solutions consist of in-house tools and procedures developed by providers who were already specialized in online delivery. For providers who weren’t prepared ahead of time, the choices can be overwhelming, making for a significant challenge in what is already a chaotic time for the industry. If your business falls into the second category, I’d like to offer a few suggestions.

E-learning: what are the available solutions, how effective are they, and what are the requirements?

Hardware

Let’s talk about tools. Before getting into software, hardware is the first point to consider. Mobile phones aren’t going to cut it; if you haven’t already equipped your tutors/assessors with the proper hardware, now is the time. As a minimum this will consist of a laptop equipped with a quality webcam and microphone, as well as hardware sufficient to cope with the demands of running the required software. Similarly, success will be contingent on learners having the proper hardware available to participate.

Software

A number of options are available, some free and some paid. The most popular solution is Moodle, a free, open-source learning management system which offers features including collaboration tools, messaging, a built-in learning calendar, assessment tools, and progress tracking. Furthermore, the ecosystem comes with countless plugins which adapt to nearly any distance-learning use case.

The huge advantage offered by open-source platforms like this is the free and collaborative approach which the open source community is known for. If you’re committed and skilled in Google-fu, the answers you need are out there. Moreover, the project provides free resources to help trainers and administrators pick up the basics.

If picking up and configuring a whole new software ecosystem seems too much of a challenge right now, it’s quite possible to cobble a solution together using existing, more familiar tools. G Suite for Education is a good start, and it’s likely that staff and students are already familiar with many of the available tools.

Software including Zoom and Skype offer free video conferencing solutions which can be used to simulate a classroom environment online, and Zoom in particular offers powerful functions for recording sessions for viewing later.

Similarly, the Google Office suite mainstays, Google Calendar and Google Forms, can be easily adapted to manage scheduling and informal testing. Slack offers a free and powerful solution which allows learners and trainers to communicate, collaborate, and socialize to replace the missing feeling of community. Meanwhile, project management software such as Asana can facilitate back-office coordination between trainers, assessors, and management.

Training the Trainer

It’s likely that the biggest obstacle to successfully moving operations online will be lack of training on the part of your trainers and assessors. Teaching online can be hard. Investing in professional development for your trainers to pick up the required skills is likely to constitute the best use of your limited funds at this time. Consider allocating paid time for staff to collaborate, learn, and share best practices. In a crunch, this needn’t involve expensive outlays on paid training - there are some great free resources out there which can make all the difference.

How is your business adapting to the UK’s coronavirus epidemic, and what kind of innovative solutions are you putting in place? What can the government and funders do to ease the burden on your business at this time? Let me know in the comments below.