Train to Gain Responsive Fund
Background
There is a commitment within Train to Gain that each LSC region provides funding for first full level 2 and skills for life qualifications to be used in year to respond to demand from employers for activity in addition to that allocated through planned contracts.
Train to Gain is the service for employers, and so the use of responsive funding will be led by the needs of employers within the West Midlands. It will be coordinated jointly by the LSC and the West Midlands Brokerage Service.
West Midlands Context
In the West Midlands the responsive fund has been linked to priorities identified for the region and in particular areas where take up of planned procurement was relatively low. The priority areas are listed below.
Regional Priorities
Employers:
• New employers*
• Hard to Reach employers**
• Small, Medium Enterprises (SME’s)
• Black, Minority Ethnic (BME) owned businesses
• Employers in rural areas
Sectors:
• Leisure and Tourism
• Hospitality
• Schools Support Staff
This list is not intended to be either exhaustive or exclusive; rather that funding will be prioritised for these areas over others in the first instance. It is expected that a minimum of 60% of the Regional Responsive Fund will be allocated to these target groups.
There are two processes to access West Midlands Regional Responsive Fund. These can be seen below.
* New employers are defined as those that have not provided substantial vocational training leading to a qualification in the previous 12 months.
** Hard to Reach employers are defined as those without Investors in People recognition and have not accessed substantial vocational training leading to a qualification within the last 12 months.
Important Note:
Commencing June 2008 there have been changes to the criteria for providers wishing to access Train to Gain responsive funding. There is now a minimum contract value of 50 starts for any provider. These 50 learners can be across a range of employers. This minimum requirement has also been established to reduce the bureaucracy caused by frequent contract variations. If it is unlikely that providers can achieve 50 starts then providers will be encouraged to join a consortia or other provider network.
This section focuses on the application process for Training Providers who have actively promoted Train to Gain service to an Employer.
Please note that for the process to begin an Organisational Needs Analysis (ONA) must have been undertaken by the Training Provider with the Employer. Further information and an ONA template can be found within the Application pack
For more information and to access the Application pack and Guidance please click here.
This section should be completed for those Training Providers responding to a current mini-procurment exercise.
In order to fully meet, and be prepared to meet, demand from employers it may be necessary from time to time for the LSC to post a request for providers to submit proposals for delivery of either specific or sector related qualifications.
Should specific or substantial demand be identifed that cannot be catered for through the commissioned contracts Regional Responsive Fund Invitations to Tender will be issued via this website at the following times;
- September 2007
- December 2007
- February 2008
For more information on these exercises please click here.
Requirements for Funding Train to Gain 2007-08 ( 
PDF)
Train to Gain Level 3 Trial Guidance Document ( PDF)
