Decision details
Digital Skills Investment Programme - round 2
Decision Maker: Chief Executive, West of England Combined Authority
Decision status: Recommendations Approved
Is Key decision?: No
Is subject to call in?: No
Purpose:
Delegated authority has been granted to the
Combined Authority’s Chief Executive to take decisions on the
award of grants under the Digital Skills Investment Programme in
consultation with the Chief Executives of the Combined
Authority’s constituent councils.
The second funding call made a sum of £1,330,000 available to
deliver digital training to support baseline/lower level digital
skills (70%) and medium/higher level digital skills (30%).
Following the application and assessment process, 4 applications
were recommended for approval as follows (in each case, particular
conditions were also recommended prior to the release of funding as
per the detail below):
1. Bath College led consortia including Bath Spa University and
Royal United Hospital, Bath delivering lower, baseline digital
skills to support 140 NHS band 2-4 workers develop sector-specific
digital roles to support progression in healthcare roles.
£177,484 requested.
Recommendation: Conditional approval, first requiring the
submission of an acceptable outline of how this differentiates from
existing Adult Education Budget funded provision.
2. NextGen led consortia including Opposable Games and TechSPARK
delivering a bootcamp in games development, specifically around
Unity and Unreal skills, building on their offer funded through
call 1, which is on track. £76,488.61 requested.
Recommendation: Conditional approval, first requiring the
submission of an acceptable explanation for how the applicant will
achieve the target to enrol 100% of participants from target groups
working collaboratively with local partners and building on
learning from their existing call 1 funded bootcamp; and also
providing relevant detail on programme content.
3. KWMC working with various partners to deliver baseline/lower
level digital skills in 2D and 3D design to 52 participants to
support routes into 4 employment strands: modern methods of
construction, carpentry and fabrication, furniture and product
design, and set building. £86,970 requested.
Recommendation: Conditional approval, first requiring the
submission of an acceptable explanation of wider consortia partners
and employer-specific and pre-determined involvement. Further
information is also required to understand employability and
further training progression routes for participants.
4. SGS College led consortia working with South Gloucestershire
Council to deliver baseline/lower level sector-specific digital
training through their In2Sport project, targeting individuals on
probation and a project delivering digital skills for the education
and health and social care industry totalling
£82,209.83
Recommendation: Conditional approval, first requiring the
submission of detailed clarifications on specific employer-led
digital elements of each training area.
Decision:
To award round 2 grants under the Digital
Skills Investment Programme to the following applicants:
1. Bath College led consortia including Bath Spa University and
Royal United Hospital, Bath - £177,484 - this allocation is
conditional on the submission of an acceptable outline of how this
differentiates from existing Adult Education Budget funded
provision.
2. NextGen led consortia including Opposable Games and TechSPARK -
£76,488.61 - this allocation is conditional on the submission
of an acceptable explanation for how the applicant will achieve the
target to enrol 100% of participants from target groups working
collaboratively with local partners and building on learning from
their existing call 1 funded bootcamp; and also providing relevant
detail on programme content.
3. KWMC working with various partners - £86,970 - this
allocation is conditional on the submission of an acceptable
explanation of wider consortia partners and employer-specific and
pre-determined involvement; further information is also required to
understand employability and further training progression routes
for participants.
4. SGS College led consortia working with South Gloucestershire
Council - £82,209.83 – this allocation is conditional
on the submission of detailed clarifications on specific
employer-led digital elements of each training area.
Alternative options considered:
Not applicable in relation to this specific
decision, i.e. this was the option considered.
Publication date: 12/11/2021
Date of decision: 21/10/2021
Accompanying Documents: