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Yeah, no, think you're stuffed... Doesn't matter how much you think the apprentice *needs*, there will only be the money left that the other training provider didn't draw down... Now, if some of this is potentially fraudulent, as in case 2, then that's a longer term question as it would no doubt require a pretty serious investigation, but you won't get access to the money now if you set them up as your apps.
Effectively, you take these two a s a "loss leader" and hope the employer comes to you with more work in the future...
Yes, Steve is right on this one. I've had discussions with ESFA about this in the past as it discourages providers to take on transferring learners. Their take on it is that we should charge the employer the difference because the employer should have been aware through the review process. Good luck with that! It only makes sense if there's the potential for further business as Steve says.
Darren Hands
Transferring Apprentices - Question Marks on learning
Edited
Seeking some advice please as we have different thoughts here in the office on this situation.
We have been approached by an employer about a couple of apprentices they have had at a different training provider.
1) The first one was signed up for an apprenticeship lasting 24 months (+ EPA period). After 11 months, the learner dropped off – did not attend any training at the provider and has been withdrawn. That was 7 months ago. The employer and apprentice now wish to re-start their apprenticeship but with us, a different provider.
Our concern is that a) we know the learner was behind with his progress when he left at 11 months (OJH was well behind schedule) and also he has not been doing anything towards his apprenticeship for 7 months and so may have forgotten some of what he learnt.
The directors here believe that potentially rather than just the 13 months remaining funding, being a different provider, we could claim up to 50% of the funding already claimed in the 11 months he was at the other provider so that he (the learner) is not disadvantaged.
Is that the case?
2) The other learner has a similar situation where he was put on for a 24 month apprenticeship. We have seen an email trail from the other provider which suggests the last evidenced learning was 12 months into the programme yet they have not withdrawn him until several months later – there was a reference to his name being on registers but no indication that he attended. From speaking to the learner and employer, November was the last time he attended at the provider.
If we go by the date the learner appears to have been withdrawn, there is only around 6 months funding available yet we can see that he has more than 6 months worth of OJH to complete to be EPA ready.
Again there is disagreement here as to how we could best help the learner complete his apprenticeship – with some of us recognising we could extend the duration he is with us but in effect at a very reduced rate – whereas some of our directors wonder if we can claim further funds as with the former learner detailed above.
Any thoughts on these scenarios? It does look like the two learners are being disadvantaged here.
Thanks in advance for your thoughts, comments and advice.