Evaluating changes to Traineeships

The Department for Education (DfE) is evaluating Traineeships and would like to invite you to take part in a phone or video interview to share your views on the programme and your experience of working with trainees. It is important that we understand the views and experiences of employers. The evaluation will inform future government policy in this area.

What is the evaluation and why is it taking place?

The DfE has commissioned the Institute for Employment Studies (IES) and Ipsos MORI to conduct this evaluation of the extended and more flexible government Traineeships programme.

In September 2020, the government introduced several changes to the programme including a £1,000 employer incentive, increased the maximum duration of traineeships from 6 to 12 months and lowered the minimum work placement hour requirement to 70, rather than 100, hours.

This research will explore how these changes and increased flexibilities within the Traineeships programme are being implemented.

The aims of the research are to:

■    Understand how the changes to the programme been received and implemented.

■    Highlight the successes, challenges and lessons learnt from participating in and/or delivering the expanded, more flexible programme.

■    Identify and understand the short- and medium-term outcomes for trainees that have participated since September 2020.

What will the evaluation mean for my organisation?

We would like to interview a member of staff at your organisation involved in the delivery of Traineeships.

The research interview will last around 30 minutes and will ask questions about how the changes to the programme have affected your organisation’s ability and willingness to support traineeships, provide work experience placements, your experiences of hosting a trainee, and your views on potential benefits for your business and the trainees.

We would be very grateful for your support with this research. Your contributions will be immensely valuable in helping to shape the future design of the Traineeships programme. We know you are busy with many demands on your time but hope you will be able to take part in a short, focussed interview.

How will my data be used?

The DfE is the data controller for the evaluation. By responding to this invitation and arranging an interview, you are consenting for IES or Ipsos MORI to contact you about this research. Participation in all research activities is voluntary. Data provided will be reported anonymously, and individuals and organisations will not be identifiable in the evaluation.

We operate in line with data protection legislation (GDPR): we will store your personal data securely, we will not use your personal data for any purpose other than this research and your personal data will be deleted from our records at the end of the project.

Further information on how we will handle your data can be found here.

Who can I speak to with questions about the evaluation?