5yrAAP
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Five year evaluation of the Apprenticeships Ambition Programme 2012/13-2016/17
IRAS ID
159281
Contact name
Beate Baldauf
Contact email
Research summary
This study is an evaluation of the Apprenticeships Ambition Programme for the social care sector in England. This Programme, which runs from 2012/13 to 2016/17, is funded by the Department of Health, delivered by Skills for Care (SfC), and supported by the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills and the National Apprenticeship Service. It was developed in response to the continuing demand for additional workers to meet the growing needs of the adult social care sector, and to upskill the existing and new workforce.
The aims of this research are:
• to evaluate the Apprenticeships Ambition programme over its lifetime,
• to assess whether the programme is meeting its aims,
• to evaluate the sustainability of outcomes achieved and
• to assess the overall impact of apprenticeships on skills, employment and
productivity in the social care workforce.The evaluation gathers and analyses qualitative and quantitative data to address the research questions (see A10). It consists of a number of research strands:
(a) a literature review
(b) telephone interviews with stakeholders
(c) an analysis of SfC monitoring data to assess outputs
(d) an assessment of the marketing and communication strategy adopted by SfC
(e) a series of case studies to assess the processes, outcomes and impacts of
pilots/innovations funded by the programme.These pilots/innovations focus on apprenticeships in domiciliary care; apprenticeships for personal assistants; sector entry to engage young people ‘not in education, employment and training’; working with schools to promote work in social care; higher apprenticeships and progression routes.
Case studies typically consist of interviews with two to four relevant stakeholders (such as an apprentice, employer or learning provider). We are not involving care users in this study.Each of the annual reports will contain a section on particular pilots/innovations.
(f) additional interviews with employers and learners
(g) survey data from employers and apprentices in autumn 2016 to assess outcomes
and impact.REC name
Social Care REC
REC reference
14/IEC08/1010
Date of REC Opinion
16 Jul 2014
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion