A charity providing online skills bootcamps for adults facing barriers to employment has been judged ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted.
Generation You Employed, a global charity set up in the UK in 2019, was given top marks after inspectors heard of the “transformational effect” that studying there has on many learners’ lives.
At the time of its first-ever full inspection in August, the charity had 35 learners studying the retrofit advisor skills bootcamp, 39 studying data engineering and 26 studying IT support. All training is delivered online.
In Generation’s report published this morning, the watchdog found most learners successfully complete their programmes and gain a job interview.
“Learners have an excellent understanding of how their skills bootcamp programme can lead to paid, sustainable employment,” inspectors said.
Ofsted’s inspection remit was expanded to skills bootcamps in April 2023 after a thematic review found inconsistent quality of training and poor government oversight. The programme is worth over half a billion pounds between 2020 and 2025.
The training courses can last up to four months and are supposed to end with a guaranteed interview with an employer.
Michael Houlihan, CEO of Generation, said the charity was involved in the pilot skills bootcamps before the government rolled out the initiative and will continue to develop new programmes after the glowing report.
“We seek to identify, enrol, and then support people who face barriers to employment, supporting them into jobs, whilst doing so with very high success rates. Doing so is complex but creates very real and meaningful impact for the people we support,” he told FE Week.
“The reality of supporting people who are often in complicated situations and are facing a range of barriers, it is not a one size fits all approach.
“This is all comes down to a huge testament and acknowledgement of the team’s effort to apply with huge amounts of expertise, diligence and care, supporting those learners in a way which realises fantastic outcomes for them.”
High outcomes
Ofsted’s report said that Generation’s learners arrive for online lessons promptly, dressed appropriately and “eager to learn” and teachers use online chat facilities “skilfully” to check learners’ understanding.
Inspectors found students grow confidence “rapidly” and staff review challenging goals regularly.
“They also help learners to acquire the conviction, drive and resilience to overcome the barriers that have often previously held them back,” the report said.
Ofsted praised leaders for “carefully” designing programmes with employers and partner organisations and including “highly valued” qualifications that nearly all learners pass.
In the retrofit advisor course, for example, learners take an industry qualification as part of the bootcamp.
“This contributes to most learners securing high-quality, sustainable jobs,” the report said.
Staff were commended for being industry experts and ordering the curriculum carefully and checking what learners knew before starting the programme.
Inspectors said: “For example, data engineering learners initially develop their analytical thinking using programming languages, such as Python. They then use these skills to resolve simulated business issues as part of a team. This helps learners quickly master new skills and knowledge.”
In the governance section, Ofsted said the board of trustees used their insight to support and challenge leaders “very effectively”.
Inspectors said: “They ask questions and review data to assure themselves that Generation continues to focus on those learners who face the greatest challenges. In this way, they ensure that Generation continues to achieve its vision and makes a positive impact on learners and wider society.”
Houlihan told FE Week that the charity is due to launch a solar panel installer program in response to the “pace of change in industry” particularly in the sectors it’s involved in: technology, green skills, and health and care.
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