WORKSHOP Sessions
Day 1
11:40 – 12:40 (TBC)
The following workshops will take place during this session
Inspecting governance
Assessment & Quality
Session 1
This workshop will help you to better understand Ofsted’s approach to inspecting governance as part of the leadership and governance evaluation area.
We will consider how governance arrangements vary and how Ofsted consider governance on inspection.
Partnerships in Practice – Transforming Skills
Collaboration & Partnership
Session 1
This workshop explores why partnerships between training providers, employers and wider stakeholders are critical in shaping a responsive and effective post-16 further education system in the UK. It will examine, via a panel of experts and training providers, how collaboration helps align training with labour market needs, improve learner outcomes, and support economic growth. Participants will consider practical approaches and provide evidence of building strong, sustainable partnerships that enhance skills development and ensure provision remains relevant, inclusive, and future-focused in a rapidly changing workforce landscape.
Apprenticeship Funding Policy – What Next?
Funding & Policy
Session 1
Following the publication of Version 1 of the Apprenticeship Funding Rules, this workshop will look at what’s next. This will include more detail of the upcoming subcontracting review which will fully refresh the policy, rules and the monitoring and evidence requirements in this area.
Beyond the Usual Suspects: How to Actually Attract Diverse Gen Z Talent
Gen Z
Session 1
Most training providers don’t struggle to get applicants — they struggle to get the right ones. Too many candidates arrive unsure of what they want, leading to poor retention, high drop-out, and missed diversity targets. In this session, Holly Hobbs (Co-Founder, urfuture) unpacks why traditional attraction methods systematically exclude high-potential Gen Z talent, and what providers can do differently. Delegates will explore practical, evidence-based strategies to reach wider, more diverse candidate pools — including those who would never find their way through conventional channels — and improve candidate quality before enrolment even begins.
What Investors Really Look For: Maximising the Value of Your Skills & Training Business
Growth
Session 1
Join Grant Thornton’s Victoria Giles (M&A Partner) and Jacob Bushnell (M&A Senior Manager) for a practical, insight-led workshop on how investors assess training businesses. Discover what drives value, from earnings quality and growth potential to delivery outcomes, team strength and risk factors. Gain a clear understanding of buyer expectations, current market dynamics and actionable steps to enhance your business’s attractiveness, whether you’re planning for investment or a future exit. Ideal for skills and training providers and leaders seeking to maximise long-term value.
4D: From Graduated Inclusion to Adaptive Curriculum Pathways
Teaching & Learning
Session 1
This session explores how the 4D framework enables providers to adopt a graduated approach to inclusion that informs adaptive curriculum pathways, creating learning experiences that respond to learner need from day one. Discover how understanding learner starting points can be used to personalise support, adapt curriculum delivery and create ambitious learning experiences that improve engagement, participation and achievement.
Making learning technology work: practical insights for providers
Technology & Innovation
Session 1
This session gives independent training providers a practical look at how learning technology is improving delivery and outcomes. Led by Ufi VocTech Trust, we’ll share short examples from funded projects and investments, highlighting tools and approaches you can use or adapt in your own organisation. You’ll reflect on common challenges, explore what’s working across the sector, and pick up ideas to take forward. We’ll also introduce Ufi as a funder and outline the new VocTech Together support programme, offering practical support to help you take a confident, low-risk approach to adopting learning technology.