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Information, Advice and Guidance

REVIEWED AUGUST 2021

INTRODUCTORY STATEMENT

Midland Group Training Services Limited is committed to delivering a high quality Information, Advice and Guidance service to its clients and learners within its field operations and centre operations; the latter encompassing both MGTS Coventry and MGTS Redditch technical centres.

Midland Group Training Services Limited recognises that Information, Advice and Guidance [IAG] services should promote the value of learning, be accessible to people and provide them with the help they need to enter and progress in learning and work.

Midland Group Training Services Limited is committed to ensuring that our Information, Advice and Guidance service is delivered by competent staff and reflects clients’ present and future needs.

DEFINITION

For the purpose of this policy, Information, Advice and Guidance is taken to include:

Information
Information is data on opportunities conveyed through different media, both mediated and unmediated including face to face contact, written/printed matter, telephone help lines, ICT software, websites etc.

Advice
This involves helping learners to understand and interpret information; to provide information and answers to questions and clarify misunderstandings; to understand their circumstances, their abilities and targets; to advise them on their options or how to go about a given course of action; to identify needs and to signpost and refer learners who may need more in depth guidance and support. Advisory work is usually provided on a one to one basis but may also be provided in small or class groups.

Guidance
Guidance aims to support learners to better understand themselves and their needs; to confront barriers to understanding, learning and progress; to resolve issues and conflicts and to support them to develop new perspectives and solutions to problems and be able to better manage their lives and achieve their potential.  Guidance may also involve advocacy on behalf of some learners and referral for specialist guidance and support. This involves more in depth one to one work conducted by staff trained and competent in guidance work. Guidance usually involves the exploration of learners’ circumstances – their ideas, values, needs and beliefs in relation to opportunities or issues that are confronting or confusing them.

RATIONALE

Midland Group Training Services Limited is committed to the view that guidance services benefit both the client and employer, if applicable, and are central to improving ranges of participation, completion, achievement and progression in education and training.

Benefits for the client and learner will include:

  • Learning about one’s own abilities
  • Developing decision making skills
  • Taking advantage of new opportunities
  • Identifying appropriate learning programmes
  • Increasing prospects of successful completion

Benefits to Midland Group Training Services Limited will include:

  • Better motivated learners
  • Increased recruitment
  • Higher retention rates
  • Better achievement and progression rates
  • Increased efficiency
  • More independent learners

WHAT WE OFFER

Free, confidential and impartial information and guidance, open to our customers and their employees and all members of the community from the age of 14 who are interested in an Engineering Apprenticeship or adult employees engaging in Train to Gain programmes. We can give Information, Advise and/or Guidance about:

  • NVQ programmes
  • Training courses
  • Colleges and providers
  • Additional support

ENTITLEMENT

Learners can expect informed, impartial, supportive and timely guidance and counselling.

Midland Group Training Services Limited will work to clear quality standards and characteristics for both specialist guidance services and for tutorial support.

QUALITY

Midland Group Training Services Limited is committed to achieving the Matrix Standard which is a unique quality framework for the effective delivery of Information, Advice and/or Guidance on learning and work. Associated quality assurance systems are used to underpin and direct the protocols for the delivery of IAG.

ROLES, RESPONSIBILITIES AND RESOURCES

Midland Group Training Services Limited will ensure that within available resources, staffing and equipment will be available and effectively deployed to deliver guidance services to the standards agreed within this policy framework.

INFORMATION

Midland Group Training Services Limited will ensure that information about its guidance is available to all staff, learners and prospective learners. All information will be reviewed and updated at least annually.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES

Midland Group Training Services Limited will ensure that its guidance services operate within the spirit and the letter of its Equal Opportunities Policies.

IMPLEMENTATION

Midland Group Training Services Limited will ensure that this policy is effective in terms of outcomes as well as intent. To this end, it will ensure that the policy is implemented in plans of action.

David Bridgens
Chief Executive
Review Date:  August 2021