Posted: 01/08/11
College and Pearson deal good news for apprentices and businesses
West Nottinghamshire College has entered into a partnership with leading learning company Pearson.
They have struck a deal that will see the college move the majority of its Apprenticeship and NVQ awarding body certification to Pearson, in a move aimed at reducing administration costs and duplication.
The college will also benefit from a host of other innovative Pearson solutions, all designed to streamline Apprenticeship delivery. These include online learning materials, BTEC Apprenticeship Assessment Workbooks and pioneering technologies such as e-pens - digital pens that instantly convert hand writing into electronic text, cutting significant administration time and costs.
The college is one of the largest providers of Apprenticeship programmes for 16 to 18-year-olds in the country, with 9,500 apprentices and work-based learners at almost 2,000 employer sites UK-wide.
Working with 1,740 different businesses, it provides Apprenticeships and NVQs in the workplace to a wide range of industry sectors including building and construction, health and social care, engineering, manufacturing, business management, hospitality and catering, retail and public services.
Graham Howe, vice principal (business development) at the college, said: “We’re delighted to have entered into a strategic partnership with Pearson on the certification and awarding of Apprenticeships and NVQs for our ever-expanding provision.
“Given the scale and scope of our Apprenticeship and work-based learning delivery across the UK, it was important we joined forces with an organisation with a proven track record of success.
“Pearson provides a first-class service in terms of learning materials, learner support and the development of innovative new products, which is great news for our apprentices, learners and the business we work with across a range of sectors.
“These factors, combined with the economies of scale provided by BTEC Apprenticeships and reduced administration costs through dealing with one provider, makes this a win-win situation.”
Trevor Luker, managing director of Pearson Work Based Learning, said: “We’re excited to be partnering with West Nottinghamshire College and supporting them to achieve their goal of improving efficiencies and reducing costs.
“We see this partnership as an important opportunity to raise awareness about the benefits of Apprenticeships, particularly when using the Apprenticeship Training Associations (ATA) model, which West Nottinghamshire College offers to employers through its Vision Apprentices arm.
"The ATA model offers a low-risk option for employers to deliver Apprenticeships. Coupled with this, BTEC Apprenticeships are a complete solution to delivery, incorporating qualifications, resources and technology - giving employers all the support they need to run an effective Apprenticeship programme.”
Pearson is the world’s leading learning company. In the UK, Pearson comprises educational names including Edexcel, BTEC Apprenticeship, Longman and Heinemann, as well as internationally-known businesses such as Penguin, Dorling Kindersley, and the Financial Times.
Pearson’s education work combines 150 years of experience with assessment services and online support for learners in more than 70 countries.
