2. Introduction

This strategy sets out SRC’s key curricular priorities over the next four year period. These priorities are strongly influenced by a number of ‘external’ strategies developed by the Department for the Economy (DfE) and should be read in conjunction with these.

These include: • Further Education Strategy; • Youth Training – ‘Generating our Success’ ; • Apprenticeships – ‘Securing our Success’ ; • Higher Education – ‘Graduating to Success’ and ‘Access to Success’; • Northern Ireland Skills Barometer -July 2019; • UUEPC Belfast City Region Future Skills Needs; • A Skills Strategy for Northern Ireland – Skills for a 10x Economy; • 10 X Economic Strategy.

The College aims to address three important areas through its curriculum offering and business support activities.

1. Economic development through the provision of courses designed to meet the needs of the local and regional economy.

2. Personal development through lifelong learning opportunities for further study and learning at all levels in preparation for working life.

3. Social inclusion – providing opportunities for all, including those who face barriers to education and training.

Excellent Learning Experience For All

This Strategy supports all of the strategic aims of the College but in particular:

Provision of a relevant and meaningful curiculum portfolio

To place the College at the heart of lifelong learning within the region in order to strenghen economic and workforce development, to enhance social cohesion and to advance individuals' skills and learning

Excellent learning experience for all

To provide an excellent experience for all current and prospective learners supported through high quality and effectve learning support services.

Flexible business solutions that improve competetitiveness and productivity

To support local and regional economic development through the provision of flexible business services and training solutions aimed at improving the competitiveness and productivity of new and existing businesses.

It is also significant to note that the Department of Education and the Department for the Economy have committed to reviewing the wider 14-19 provision through the 14-19 ‘Transition to Careers’ project. This programme of work now seems to have gathered some momentum but arguably not yet with the priority required in the previous curriculum. The outcomes of this programme of work are likely to impact on the future role of further education, our core activity, as well as the College’s School Partnership Provision. This Curriculum Strategy will therefore be further revised to reflect any key strategic developments that arise from the 14-19 programme.

The strategy continues to reference the new Skills Strategy and Skills Barometer which highlights the importance of skills and talent development as part of a new economic strategy particularly at mid-tier levels. In addition, the transformational change required in increasing the skills levels of Northern Ireland’s workforce is articulated further through the new 10x Skills Strategy. The need for a higher level skilled workforce, promotion of lifelong learning and steps to address the projected skills gap in key priority sectors has informed College curriculum developments, including the need to expand our higher-level provision.

The new system of learning that was originally envisaged through the implementation of the youth training and apprenticeship strategies whilst not yet fully in place, will take a significant step forward during the lifetime of the strategy with the new Traineeships and Advanced Technical Awards being introduced in September 2021. The College remains committed to working with DfE to deliver the vision of a new system of learning based on distinctive progression routes from Level 2 through to Level 5 (Figure 3). These developments will potentially transform a significant element of our core provision including further education, training, and apprenticeships. As such, it will be necessary to review this strategy annually alongside the strategic Faculty Development Plans to ensure that they adequately reflect changing priorities and developments.

The Advanced Technical Awards (Advanced Techs) are being introduced to enhance the existing level 3 offering within Colleges to ensure that they better reflect the knowledge and skills required for progression to employment or further study.

• The Advanced Techs will be introduced across a wide range of vocational sectors including those already delivered within Colleges and in new areas deemed relevant to the future needs of the NI economy.

• The Advanced Techs aim to provide work placement and PBL consistently within vocational qualifications.

• They will track and map transversal skills in an integrated way and use naturally occurring evidence to support performance levels. The emphasis on these elements is important to business and industry, who commonly comment that those leaving education are not work ready and frequently do not have the skills necessary to make the transition easily.

• The Advanced Techs will also focus on harnessing the use of blended learning to support delivery and assessment as well providing opportunities for participants to develop a range of digital skills relevant for the world of work. This will also be one of the significant strategies in developing digital literacy skills.

• The Advanced Techs will have a common agreed framework irrespective of vocational area, in terms of allocated hours and key components of the programme across all Colleges.

• The Advanced Techs will become the gold standard in level 3 vocational education and training for progression to employment and higher education.

The alignment between the strategic external drivers, enablers and our core curriculum activities is summarised in Figure 1.

External Influencers

External Quality Assurance Skills Strategy Youth Training

‘Generating our Success’ Further Education Strategy Higher Education

‘Graduation to Success’ ‘Access to Success’ Apprenticeships

‘Securing our Success’ Careers Strategy Entitlement Framework

QAA

Awarding Bodies

ETI Core Curriculum

WBL Including Traineeships TFS Apprenticeships Including Higher Level Apprenticeships

School Partnership Programme

Further Education Including Advanced Technical Awards

Higher Education

Enablers Education & Student Experience Stimulating Learning Environment Staff Potential & Performance Community & Business Partners

Curriculum Overview, Student Services & Marketing, Skills Competitions, PBL/enterprise and employability inclusive curriculum and International Estates, LRC, Digital & Virtual Campus HRD & Q&P Functions External & Business Engagement

It is evident that the FE sector together with other areas of the public sector will continue to face significant fiscal challenges over the lifetime of this strategy. Therefore, the College will need to make key strategic decisions on ‘what,’ ‘where’ and ‘how’ our curriculum is delivered with specific emphasis on creating flexible remote delivery models using technology. This will require a refocus of internal resources in order to shape the digital future of curriculum provision.

The College will provide a curriculum that maximises the potential of every individual. SRC will do this by being agile and innovative in our delivery models and ensure knowledge and skills reflect current and future industry practice.