Anyone else waiting for April... National Skills Fund L3 Adult Offer (free)

[SatsumaFan]

So I was asked by my (charity, children's sector) employer last year to get a Level 3 Qualification in a relevant subject.

I did some research and found out it would cost me around £3,000!

Then at the end of last year it was announced that if you're over 24 years old (tick) and never had a L3 qualification before (tick) you can get your qualification for free via the National Skills Fund (hurrah. One and only time you'll hear me championing something this govt have sorted).

www.gov.uk/guidance/national-skills-fund#level-3-adult-offer

Anyone else patiently awaiting more news? I'm looking to do the OU L3 Diploma in Children and Young People's Workforce (whilst also wfh and home schooling two primary aged DC atm...!). Has anyone got experience of this course?

www.open.ac.uk/business/vocational-qualifications/qualifications/level-3-diploma-children-and-young-peoples-workforce-social

Am really hoping more info will be released soon

Bump.

Hi I'm hoping that this will go ahead too. I'm also looking at the same course as you! Currently I work in a primary school as a playworker in the before and after school club.
When I first read an article about the plans I thought great, but then I read another article and the way that was worded made me wonder whether I would qualify or not. I dont have a level 3 as such. I do have a diploma in a different field and also have A levels so I'm confused whether it's for over 24s that aren't qualified up to level 3 or whether like me where I do have qualifications but I can retrain not currently having a level 3 in the field I would like if that makes sense?!!

Hi @lbrc84 I read it as you're only eligible if you have never had a Level 3 qualification... So if you've already got two A Levels you won't qualify? But you're right, it is slightly ambiguous isn't it? This is what it says on the website...

*Level 3 adult offer
From April 2021, any adult aged 24 and over who wants to achieve their first full level 3 qualification, which is equivalent to a technical certificate or diploma, or 2 full A levels, will be able to access almost 400 fully funded courses.

Courses will be available in a variety of lengths, to support adults to get the skills they need to boost their careers.

This is part of the Lifetime Skills Guarantee announced by the Prime Minister in September 2020.*

Would be fab if we could do the course for free and be "study buddies"! I refresh the page everyday hoping for an update. April isn't very far away and I like to plan!

This is a vocational qualification so you will need to already be in a job role that meets the occupational competencies for the qualification.
I do assess for the OU VQ centre (for anther qualification). I am assuming that as you are wfh at the moment that you are unlikely to meet these requirements?

Sorry just re-read your post and see you work for a children’s charity - it depends on you for role in charity I suppose but you will need to be observed working with C&YP but of course wfh is likely to return to face to face i the nearish future

Thank you @Southlondoner109 I am a community engagement worker, and plan to volunteer with our youth team in the evenings during my qualification. They have continued during the pandemic as they're outside and socially distancing with masks on.

I read the requirements for the course last year and am positive with the help of my very supportive manager I can meet the competencies necessary You are right though, I'm wfh at the moment. Really hoping I can return to working with families face to face in the spring / summer.

It will be great if it goes ahead. Courses are expensive otherwise. I would definitely want to do an online course rather than going to a college (feel a little too old to go back to college!) Its interesting that the open university do vocational courses, I thought they only did degrees. When I've looked for courses online that do the early years educator diploma the two main websites I came across are stonebridge and another called oxbridge but they both had mixed reviews. Will definitely look into the open university one and see what my employer thinks!

I’ve worked for the Open University Vocational Qualifications Assessment Centre for about 10 years. I would recommend them and wouldn’t work for them (freelance) if they weren’t quality. You have an assessor allocated to you who is reasonably local for the observed aspect of the assessment. Obviously you have to be comfortable with self directed distance learning.

@southlondoner109 thanks for the reassurance that the OU will be a good training provider I haven't studied for over two decades and am seriously panicking about my lack of attention span, energy and self discipline (eek). So let's hope I get a sympathetic assessor!

@lbrc84 I've never heard of the two training providers you mentioned. One of the reasons I'm hoping to do the OU course is because they're so well known and highly regarded, so should look good on a CV.

Looks like there have been updates on the gov website over the past 48hrs.

I guess I just contact OU on Monday and ask to regisrer, letting them know I fit the eligibility criteria for the funded offer? Then they sort out the financial side?

More info

Looks promising, I was hoping that it would still go ahead in April and not put off due to having another lockdown. Just looking at the courses on the OU website, I notice that there are two that are very similar. One is L3 diploma for the children and young people's workforce (social care pathway) and the other is L3 diploma for the early years practitioner. I wonder what the difference is? They both suggest similar career pathways that you could go in to once qualified...

@lbrc84 yes I was worried it may get scrapped too.

I'm going to contact OU on Monday to ask about registration. It might be worth you contacting them too to ask about the two similar courses? (I don't want to stay in Early Years so am steering clear of those types of qualifications).

Hi SatsumaFan 👋 did you get chance to contact the OU for any info? I haven't had chance yet as I'm back at work this week.

What are your plans if you do go ahead with the course? How will the qualification help you? Are you hoping to carry on in your current role or would you like to work elsewhere?

I'm currently in a primary school and work with both KS2 children and also the Early years. I love working with the younger ones but also enjoy the variety working with the older children too. So I'm not sure if by doing an Early years practitioner course would be the right route. I also noticed that on the list of qualifications on the direct gov website a level 3 playworker was included so maybe that's also another qualification I could consider but there doesnt seem to be many courses available in this and probably won't be as well recognised. Oh I dont know...! 🤔🙄

Hello @lbrc84 :-)

I emailed them on Monday morning but haven't heard back, so have just phoned them and had to leave a voicemail. I'm a bit concerned as just realised the deadline for registrations for the vocational course starting on 15th May is 15th March !

www.open.ac.uk/business/vocational-qualifications/registration/registration-close-and-qualification-start-dates

Regarding which course is best for you, it's so hard to know isn't it?! Have you got a colleague you could bounce ideas off? Early years is up to age 5 isn't it? What age does the playworker qualification cover?

I don't know what I want to do. Never have! Stumbled into this current job role due to volunteering to facilitate an evidence-based parenting programme a couple of years ago. I don't think my heart is passionate about babies & toddlers as such, more children & young people in general. I'd like to help them, maybe mentor teenagers or something in a few years. Or work with homeless people?! It's a minefield. I tend to get a job first then the qualification after...

Oh FFS! Just checked my spam folder and found this...

Thank you for your email.

Unfortunately The Open University is not able to access funding for Vocational Qualifications.

You may wish to consider taking advantage of The Open University Student Budget Account (OUSBA). When you charge the fee for your qualification to OUSBA, OUSBA pays the VQAC on your behalf so that you can repay OUSBA in monthly direct debit instalments - the interest rate is currently 5% APR. There would be 12 payments of £226.86.

You can repay OUSBA at any time that suits you before the registration cut-off date without incurring any interest charges.

Gutted! Do you want to switch to PM to discuss privately @lbrc84?

Oh no! I wonder if this is going to be the same for all online courses and maybe you can only to do it through a college where you have to physically attend? Will be disappointed if that's the case.

Sure PM me if you like- I have no idea how to do it

Unfortunately the OU is one of the few if not only providers that offer distance learning for vocational courses- to my knowledge. I will let you know if any others come to mind.

@Southlondoner109 thanks. I emailed The Learning Station and Flex Learn last night to enquire. The OU are charging £2,650, whereas these organisations have the course on offer for £1,440. I'm rather sceptical.

Do you know of any reasons why places like the OU wouldn't access the government funding?

@SatsumaFan
I’m not sure but maybe there are a lot of rings to run round to access the funding.
I do know there are a lot of shonky training providers out there who are out for the funding and offer a really poor deal for the student, cheapest isn’t always the best by a long margin.

@southlondoner109 those were my thoughts exactly. Of the two I contacted Friday none have come back to me yet. Feel like I'm a bit stuck