Partnership Working

The 2010 Merlin Standard pilot assessment of Skills Training UK’s Prime Contract delivery of Flexible New Deal in Sussex, Surrey and Kent, concluded that ‘Skills Training UK’s approach to working with and managing supply partners fosters a culture of cooperation and support’. It also said that Skills Training UK has a ‘proactive approach to sourcing and engaging potential partners’ and that there is ‘clear evidence of supply chain partners being developed through the interventions of the Continuous Improvement team.’

What can Skills Training UK offer Potential Employers and Partners?

Skills Training UK are an ideal delivery partner in London and across the South East.

Key attributes are:

· Commitment to the principles of true partnership working.

· Established and effective team – performance in top third of national FND Providers.

· Proven track record of working in collaboration and partnership with providers and other stakeholders to deliver the best possible provision to unemployed and under-skilled people.

· Highest possible grade received in recent (August 2010) PAT audit which stated that we have ‘a well planned and managed strategy for the effective management of sub contractor delivery’.

· Excellent Merlin report (April 2010) complimenting our approach and relationships with subcontractors.

· Expertise in running Bespoke Pre-Employment Training which is individualised and employer led.

· Sector leading MI System (Solution9) offering on-line real time information on customer and employee activity.

· Excellent Continuous Improvement Team ensuring Skills Training UK delivery remains fully compliant and at the leading edge of delivery techniques.

· An established Employer Engagement Team opening access to additional vacancies for the supply chain.

· Support to partners through managing, monitoring, providing resources, training and other support as needed.

· An innovative approach to all that we do.

Skills Training has developed a clear and transparent process for selecting partner organisations which accords with the DWP Code of Conduct. A full description of the process can be found here

Next steps: If you would like to join our partnership network please complete the ‘Skills Training UK Partnership Network Expression of Interest’ form. Click here to download the form. This should be sent to businessdevelopment@skillstraininguk.com. We look forward to receiving your forms and will acknowledge receipt of all Expressions of Interest in writing. We will publish opportunities to become a service provider within our supply chains at the relevant stage in each procurement.

Current Opportunities

DWP/ESF families with multiple barriers to employment.

Skills Training UK recently secured a place on the new DWP Framework for the provision of employment related support in London and the South East. We are now preparing our bid to deliver the ESF funding to help workless families with multiple barriers to employment in these regions.

Tackling ingrained, intergenerational unemployment and dealing with deprivation are major issues for most local authorities and those working in the community. The framework is supporting programmes that will tackle the issues that are faced by families through specialist support in finding and retaining employment.

We are keen to test our emerging ideas for the Workless family provision with you and consider how we can best work together to tackle these issues in the region and are planning to augment and develop a sustainable network of key strategic and delivery partners in London and the South East.

If you wish to express an interest in becoming a delivery partner on this programme please complete the full Expression of interest which can be found here and return it to business development team @ businessdevelopment@skillstraininguk.com. by 29th July 2011.