Greater Manchester Adult Skills Programmes Evaluation

The Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) oversees Adult Skills Programmes including Adult Education Budget courses and Skills Bootcamps to help individuals gain the skills they need in life and at work.

What is the evaluation?

In 2023, GMCA commissioned the Learning and Work Institute, the Institute for Employment Studies (IES) and BMG Research to carry out an independent evaluation of the GMCA Adult Skills Programmes. IES is leading the evaluation of Skills Bootcamps, which are intensive programmes designed to meet specific employers’ needs and to lead to a guaranteed interview and Learning and Work are leading the evaluation of the Adult Education Budget courses. BMG is undertaking surveys for the Adult Skills Programme evaluation.

This evaluation will examine the delivery and perceived impact of the Adult Skills Programmes, documenting the shape and nature of the provision, participant groups taking part, and drivers and motivations to involvement. Alongside this it will examine outcomes and for Bootcamps how employer engagement is achieved. The evaluation will provide ideas about how to improve programme delivery in the future, including how the programmes might improve contributions to relevant aims of the Greater Manchester Strategy: Good Lives for All (GMS).

For this stage of the Bootcamps evaluation, we would like to speak with a senior member of staff at your organisation who has been involved in the development or delivery of the Bootcamps. This could be a partnerships manager working with the Bootcamp training providers or a member of staff co-ordinating interviews for those who complete the training. BMG will also be distributing a survey.

What will the evaluation mean for my organisation/ me?

The research interview lasts approximately 20 – 30 minutes and will ask questions about development and delivery of the Bootcamps, what’s worked well and areas for improvement and lessons learned. If you are taking part in a survey, it will take approximately 15 minutes.

Why should I take part in the research?

Your contribution in the research will help us to assess the impact and effectiveness of the Bootcamps as well as inform and improve GMCA’s ongoing provision.

What about data protection?

GMCA is the data controller for the evaluation. They will share contact details for key staff at providers and delivery partner organisations with the evaluation team. Contact details will only be used for the purposes of completing interviews.

Participation in all research activities is entirely voluntary. Interviewees/survey respondents will be fully briefed on the purposes of the study and how the information they provide will be used before consenting to take part.

We operate fully in-line with data protection legislation (including GDPR) and we will not use the information we receive for anything other than this research.

Who can I talk to about the evaluation?

If you have any queries about the study, your primary contact will be the IES Research Manager, Alexandra Nancarrow.