Skills Support for the Workforce
Skills Support for the Workforce (SSW) is a programme developed to upskill employees within small and medium sized businesses. Serco is the Prime Contractor and contracts out 100% of the delivery to a supply chain of training providers.
We provide recognised accredited qualifications and bespoke training courses to enhance employee’s skills, increase the competitiveness of businesses and boost the local economy. We can work with employers to develop a bespoke training programme relevant to their needs and because this programme is co-financed by the European Social Fund (ESF) and the ESFA, a wide range of training can be accessed at no cost to the business. SSW is all about progress – we can help progress careers, education and business.
Serco has recently entered a third period of delivering SSW, having successfully closed the second round of funding which ran from 2016 to March 2019. During that stage we managed 15 contracts across nine LEP areas with a total contract value of £40.5m. In the current period, Serco has been awarded 17 SSW contracts across 15 LEP areas with a total contract value of £60.5m.
In each of its SSW regions, Serco is tasked with creating written case studies to celebrate and demonstrate the success and impact that the training activity is having for learners, employers and the wider economy.
We are looking for a supplier to deliver up to 17 “flagship” case studies, a maximum of one for each of the 17 SSW contracts we deliver - focusing on both an individual learners experience as well as the impact on the business. Whilst 17 is our aspiration we cannot guarantee there will be this many. The written piece will bring to life the experiences and impact of training delivered through the SSW programme.
The project will run until July 2021. The 17 flagship written case studies need to be completed ahead of the project end date, no later than 31st October 2020.
We envisage the work involving an interview with a senior business representative, a learner that has benefitted directly from the training and with the training provider that delivered it. An overview of the support will be provided by Serco along with agreement in principle to the case study taking place. Contact with the client and training provider will be necessary to gather details and quotes and to seek final written sign-off of the completed piece. You will also be responsible for ensuring our consent form is completed and returned.
The finished case studies will need to comply with Serco, European Social Fund and Education and Skills Funding Agency communications guidelines, which will be available to you.
The areas covered are; the Black Country, Coventry & Warwickshire, Derby & Derbyshire, Nottingham & Nottinghamshire, Dorset, Greater Birmingham & Solihull, Greater Cambridge & Greater Peterborough, Devon, Somerset, Hertfordshire, Leicester & Leicestershire, Northamptonshire, South East Midlands, Stoke on Trent & Staffordshire, Swindon & Wiltshire, West of England and Worcestershire. We do not envisage a need to travel to sites.
Topics will focus on training and upskilling of employees and the positive benefits that has for employers with a view to stimulate take up of the support available and demonstrate impact of the funding investment.
If you would like to submit your expression of interest, please download the Expression of Interest form below, following the instructions included.
