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  7. Apprenticeships East Sussex - terms of reference

Apprenticeships East Sussex - terms of reference

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Aims and priorities

Apprenticeships East Sussex (AES) is the county’s strategic body for apprenticeships.  Its key aim is ensuring the growth of apprenticeships in East Sussex. Apprenticeships East Sussex is a Working Group of Skills East Sussex, the federated employment and skills board for the South East Local Enterprise Partnership (SELEP) Skills Advisory Group.

The purpose of Apprenticeships East Sussex is to:

  • work collectively to agree priorities and set the direction of apprenticeship strategy in East Sussex

understand and represent the 3 pillars of apprenticeships

1. apprentices,

2. employers and

3. training providers –

  • and undertake to ensure that each have their needs met within the system
  • horizon scan and identify change, challenge and issues arising, and where appropriate to lobby to address such issues where they impact on apprentices, employers or training providers
  • provide oversight and enable the coordination of key stakeholders, strategies and communication plans
  • ensure alignment with the county’s ‘16 to 19 Strategy East Sussex: All Young People Learning and Working’, and its four themes:
    1. Education and skills that meet the needs of the labour market
    2. Career management
    3. Support for vulnerable learners
    4. Improving work readiness
  • incorporate the Skills East Sussex aim to address identified skills gaps in the following economic sectors in the county: engineering and advanced manufacturing, construction, health and social care, creative and digital, land-based and visitor economy
  • ensure that the Apprenticeships East Sussex plan and key performance indicators address the key Skills East Sussex thematic areas:
    1. Improve the quality and relevance of Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance (CEIAG) for people of all ages
    2. Help young people become ready for the world of employment
    3. Address gender imbalance in employment and study in key industries and sectors above
    4. Make sure that the curriculum is shaped by employers wherever there is scope for this to be done
    5. Help to stimulate the uptake of apprenticeships and higher level learning.
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How Apprenticeships East Sussex will work

Apprenticeships East Sussex will act as the strategic body for apprenticeships in the county and will:

  • meet on a quarterly basis. Agendas and background papers are sent to members at least 5 working days prior to meetings.
  • circulate minutes of actions and decisions to members for approval no later than 10 working days following each meeting.  Actions will be monitored as a standing item at subsequent meetings
  • report to and seek guidance from Skills East Sussex on progress in achieving Apprenticeships East Sussex aims and outcomes.
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Membership, decision-making and secretariat

Membership

Members of Apprenticeships East Sussex will include representatives that can advocate on behalf of and represent the 3 pillars of apprenticeships – apprentice, employer and training provider – including:

  • training provider representative bodies and strategic partners – Sussex Council of Training Providers (SCTP), East Sussex College Group (ESCG), Plumpton College, the University of Brighton and independent training providers as required.
  • apprentice representative bodies – the East Sussex Youth Employability Service (YES), the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), and the prime contractor for delivery of National Careers Service, CXK.
  • employer representative bodies – Sussex Chambers of Commerce, the Alliance of Chambers East Sussex (ACES), the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB)
  • local authority stakeholders – East Sussex County Council, district and borough councils.

Decision-making

Members of Apprenticeships East Sussex will be expected to:

  • attend all meetings. With the consent of the Chair, members may send a substitute.
  • input in to and agree the annual plan in line with aims and priorities set out above
  • input in to and agree agenda items for each meeting
  • bring forward issues and ideas for debate and decision
  • feed in and out from the organisations that they represent to ensure relevant input to the meeting
  • recognise and disclose any activities that might give rise to conflicts of interest.

Decisions will be made by a majority of the members present and, where necessary, voting at meetings.

Secretariat

The Secretariat for Apprenticeships East Sussex will be provided by East Sussex County Council. Meetings will be chaired by the County Council's Employability and Skills Strategy Manager, with the support of Secretariat staff who will:

  • chair meetings, and provide the casting vote where necessary
  • ensure that all representatives have a fair and equal opportunity to contribute to debate
  • act as the key spokesperson for Apprenticeships East Sussex, where necessary
  • agree all Apprenticeships East Sussex papers and minutes before circulation
  • make sure that conflicts of interest are properly managed or avoided
  • organise meetings, agree dates and venues, and provide agendas and background papers
  • ensure that minutes are circulated in accordance with these terms of reference.
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