Starting Your Own Accredited Training Provider
Starting your own accredited training provider is something that is probably not as straightforward as what most people think it is. Before we go into any specifics, it helps to just understand the structure of the further education system…
Accredited training providers deliver courses that are quality assured by Awarding Bodies, who themselves are regulated by a governing body such as Ofqual. Once the Awarding Body and the qualification have been registered with any of the regulators, the course can be delivered by training providers and colleges.
So, how do you go about starting your own accredited training provider?
What Staff and Skills will my Accredited Training Provider need?
The amount of staff you will need for your training provider will depend on the size of your company – but the skills they need is the same. If you’re running a small training provider, it would benefit the business for one person to take on multiple roles and tasks. On the other hand, if you’re running a larger training provider, it may take a number of members of staff to take on the multiple roles and tasks.
Because your training provider will be delivering training, it is required that at least one member of staff is a qualified Assessor. If you’d like to find out more about Assessor qualifications, take a look at our Assessor course.
What fees should my Accredited Training Provider Charge?
There are two different delivery models that can be used:
- In-House Delivery
- Delivering in your own Training Venue
Furthermore, these two delivery models can be further divided into:
- Fees per Learner
- Fees per Cohort
So realistically, you’ll have four different fees structures to look at. Your potential market will often dictate what your fee structure should be.
How should I market my Accredited Training Provider?
Setting up your courses isn’t all that you’ll need for a successful training company; you’ll need customers and people to enrol on to them. Marketing your Training Company is a really big deal, but even for those of you have absolutely no experience in marketing, don’t worry. We can advise you here.
What premises will my Accredited Training Provider need?
Your training company will have two key functions. A ‘Back Office’, where all the business and course administration is done, and a ‘Front Office’, where your company will generate income.
How do I offer Accredited courses?
In order to be able to offer Accredited Courses, there is just one thing you need; to be an approved Training Provider for an Awarding Body that offers the courses you want to deliver.
What will I need to register with an Awarding Body?
In order to get your Training Company registered with an Awarding Body, you’ll need the following things:
Resources
In terms of resources, the first area you’ll need to look at is the Learning Delivery. So, you’ll need to show the Awarding Body that you have enough qualified Assessors and Internal Quality Assurers to deliver their course.
The second area you’ll need to look at is Learner Administration. You’ll need to record and monitor your learner’s progress. You can do this the old-fashioned way with filing cabinets and paper, or a digital Learning Management System (LMS).
Systems
You need to have a system in place to deal with every aspect of your learner’s journey, and also your staff’s development. Again, the system you use is entirely up to you; although, we would recommend going digital with the LMS.
Policies
In terms of the policies and procedures you’ll need to put in place, you may think of ‘Health and Safety’ and ‘Equality and Diversity’. But don’t forget about the many others you’ll need; such as Quality Assurance, PREVENT, Complaints and Appeals, etc.
How do I offer Funded courses?
Funded courses are accredited courses – but they are funded by the Government instead of your learners. These can be paid entirely or in part by the Government; the funding itself is actually managed by the ESFA, the Education and Skills Funding Agency.
What you will need to offer these funded courses depending on what type of training you are offering, and how you would like it to be funded.
How do I offer Apprenticeships?
Apprenticeships are the biggest push in Government funded training at the moment. In order to be eligible to receive government funding for Apprenticeships, you need to apply for the Register of Apprenticeship Training Providers.
Now, there three types of training providers who can offer Apprenticeships.
The Main Provider
For training providers who will directly deliver apprenticeship training for employers and hold their own contracts with the ESFA.
The Employer Provider
For employers who will directly deliver training to their own employees or those of connected companies only.
Supporting Provider
When Apprentices are delivered as a subcontractor to main providers.
For more information, take a look at our Consultancy Service’s Starting Your Own Accredited Training Company page.