The Pathway Group has delivered apprenticeships since 2010 through partnerships with colleges and directly since 2012. They focus on small and medium businesses and have worked with over 500 employers and have over 1000 apprentices. They deliver apprenticeships in business administration, customer service, children's services, healthcare, IT and management. Over half of their learners come from minority ethnic backgrounds. Ofsted rated them positively in 2016. Learner satisfaction is very high and they take a flexible approach to meet employer needs.

1. THINK APPRENTICESHIPS - THINK PATHWAY!
An Independent Apprenticeship Recruitment and Training
organisation
www.pathwaygroup.co.uk

2. • Started delivering Apprenticeships in 2010 as a consortia partner to
BCTG, New College Nottingham, Solihull College, North Hertfordshire
College and The Derbyshire Network
• In 2012 we were awarded a direct contract with the SFA with a value of
£500,000. This was in addition to our partnership activity.
• Our focus has been working with micro and small and medium sized
organisations and we have worked with over 500 employers.
• As of June 2017, we have over 1000 apprentices on programme across a
range of sectors as below:

3. WE DELIVER ACROSS THE FOLLOWING PATHWAYS:
Apprenticeship Level
Business Administration 2 and 3
Customer Service 2 and 3
Children and Young People's Workforce 2
Certificate in Cleaning and Support Service Skills (QCF) 2
Cleaning 2
Warehousing and Storage (QCF) 2
Children and Young People's Workforce 3
Children's Learning and Development (Early Years Educator) 3
Health and Social Care (Adults) for England 2 3, and 5
ICT 2
Team Leading 3

4. THE MAKE UP OF OUR LEARNERS IS AS BELOW:
• 55% of Pathway clients
are from BME
Background
Ethnicity %
31 - English / Welsh / Scottish / Northern Irish / British 45.0%
40 - Pakistani 25.6%
41 - Bangladeshi 3.0%
44 - African 6.5%
39 - Indian 5.1%
45 - Caribbean 4.4%
37 - White and Asian 0.9%
35 - White and Black Caribbean 1.6%
34 - Any Other White background 1.4%
98 - Any other ethnic group 0.7%
99 - Not provided 3.3%
43 - Any other Asian background 0.7%
46 - Any other Black / African / Caribbean background 0.5%
38 - Any Other Mixed / multiple ethnic background 0.9%
36 - White and Black African 0.2%
45%
26%
3%
7%
5%
4%
1%
2%
1%
1%
3%
1%
0% 1% 0%
Pathway Learner Ethnicity % of
Population 31 - English / Welsh / Scottish / Northern Irish /
British
40 - Pakistani
41 - Bangladeshi
44 - African
39 - Indian
45 - Caribbean
37 - White and Asian
35 - White and Black Caribbean
34 - Any Other White background
98 - Any other ethnic group
99 - Not provided
43 - Any other Asian background
46 - Any other Black / African / Caribbean
background
38 - Any Other Mixed / multiple ethnic
background
36 - White and Black African

5. QUALITY IS AT HEART OF WHAT WE DO:
• We obtained an Ofsted Grade 2 in October 2016 and this is direct from
Ofsted:
• “Collaboration with communities and employers is exceptional.
Pathway is highly proactive with the Black, Asian and other
minority ethnic communities of Birmingham. Senior managers are
successful in bringing together local communities and employers
through a range of networking events that they run throughout the
country aimed at exploring future developments and training
opportunities. “ (Ofsted Inspector Oct 2016)
• For more information on our Ofsted, please see the actual report:
• https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/inspection-reports/find-inspection-
report/provider/ELS/59176

6. WHAT LEARNERS THINK:
“Learner satisfaction is high”
The Learner Satisfaction Survey shows that satisfaction levels are at or above 9.1,
with 96% of learners likely to recommend Pathway
(A direct quote from our ISO 9001 Report in April 2016)

7. OTHER NOTABLE POINT FROM AUDITS THAT WE HAVE
BEEN PART OF:
• The management system documentation demonstrated conformity with the
requirements of the audit standard and provided sufficient structure to support
implementation and maintenance of the management system.
• Pathway has demonstrated effective implementation and maintenance/improvement of
its management system.
• demonstrated the establishment and tracking of appropriate key performance
objectives and targets and monitored progress towards their achievement.
• Its internal audit program has been fully implemented and demonstrates effectiveness
as a tool for maintaining and improving the management system.
• Its management review process demonstrated capability to ensure the continuing
suitability, adequacy, effectiveness of the management system.
• Certification claims are accurate and in accordance with guidance.

8. OUR MATRIX ACCREDITATION AND DIRECT QUOTES:
• The organisation has undergone significant re-structuring since the last assessment in response to
the changing external environment, particularly in relation to public funding. As a result, there has
been a clear business direction established to develop a range of different activities that provides
diversification and spreads business risk. These activities are aimed at attracting different funding
streams, but will each provide a connected function that will support the growth of each area.
• Partnership and networking has been recognised as an important area to support the business and
its growth ambitions. Significant work has been undertaken to positively engage with a range of
different organisations that can both be supported and be of support to the organisation.
• In the Tyseley Centre, there was a strong emphasis on engaging with social media for a variety of
activities; to keep in touch with learners, as a communication tool between staff and a networking
activity between businesses and potential clients.
• There were a number of examples provided of staff being supported to develop within the
organisation, having access to a range of learning and also developing through different job roles.

9. CONCLUSION
• Pathway Group demonstrated that it continues to meet all
aspects of the matrix Standard, across the range of delivery in the
organisation.
• There is an opportunity for different areas of the organisation to
learn from each other through some common themes.
• There was a strong sense of supporting people to develop,
whether internally through staff development or with externally
through learners and clients accessing programmes

10. PATHWAY OFFERS AN ATA MODEL OF EMPLOYMENT FOR APPRENTICES

11. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN:
• Acting as an enabler for
all parties involved in
the apprenticeship
journey offering
pastoral support to the
apprentice, business
support and HR to the
host employer in
addition to logistical
support to the chosen
training provider.
LTS
(ATA)
Training
Provider
Host
Employer
Learner
Recruitment

12. HOW DOES THAT BENEFIT EMPLOYERS
• Remove issues around headcount for public sector organisations such as councils
• Support with recruitment – finding the right apprentice to meet employers’ needs
• Removing the need for a 12 month commitment to employ an apprentice for the
host employer
• If required we can place an apprentice with a new employer.
• Support HR, payroll, legal support, H&S and risk assessment before taking on any
apprentice.

13. HOW DOES THAT BENEFIT EMPLOYERS
• Offer flexibility in terms of length of contract
• this can be from 3 months up to the full duration of and apprenticeship based on
employer circumstances.
• Provide pastoral care and support provided to apprentice throughout placement
working with the host employer to improve retention.
• Offer external management of training delivery and performance with regular
updates provided to host employer including line manager.

14. SOURCING SUITABLE CANDIDATES
• We source the right candidates through a range of methods from
advertising with providers, to direct marketing in the local press and
social media.
• Apprenticeship opportunities are matched to the most suitable
candidate following a pre-screening exercise and an interview process
for the specific job role.

15. SOURCING SUITABLE CANDIDATES
• Our highly experienced engagement team will work with host employers to:
• Identify the business need, offer an all-round analysis of the business to help and grow the
workforce
• Draft up a job advert and work with the employer to pull together a job description
• We will pre sift and shortlist applications forms/CVs ensuring only qualifying candidates are put
forward
• We will then employ the selected candidate and hire them out to the host employer and
• Work with the training providers to identify the most appropriate standards/framework

16. EMPLOYER ENGAGEMENT WITH A DIFFERENCE
• In 2012, Pathway Group launched Pathway2Grow business networking to engage
with businesses with a unique blend of free networking both online and offline with
regular events.
• Since then we have arranged over 100 events across 10 cities and have engaged
with over 4000 attendees representing more than 1000 businesses
• Our findings are that our members have exchanged over 3000 business
opportunities which is well over £1.5 million worth of business
• The Pathway2Grow team has expanded with 10 Regional/National Directors with
plans for continual growth.

17. • The Asian Apprenticeship Awards: Pathway Group launched this initative
last year in May 2016 and the event was held in Birmingham on the 10
November 2016 with over 462 attendees.
• See the facts and figures presented in the video below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=885kpLxaP1A&feature=youtu.be
• And the report here: http://asianapprenticeshipawards.co.uk/wp-
content/uploads/2017/03/AAA-Report-2016.pdf

18. For more information and to discuss any aspects of this, please contact:
Hira Malik
Projects Manager and Senior Information Officer
Email: Hira@PathwayGroup.co.uk
https://www.linkedin.com/in/hiramaliktabasum/
Tel: 0121 707 0550