Advocacy and influence
A collective voice with national impact and high-level
representation, GTA England also carries the views of employers.
There is a powerful opportunity to influence national skills
policy, especially with government planning to establish
Apprenticeship Training Associations (ATA).
Access to funding and business
opportunities
GTAs, rooted within industry, have a low-risk profile with most
owning their own equipment and premises, and carrying no debt. With
not-for-profit status, well-proven business success and a national
collaborative network represented by GTA England, there is a strong
business case to make to government funding organisations and
contracting agencies.
Self-regulation and reduced costs
By working together, GTAs seek self-regulation through developing
peer review and support - helping to reduce bureaucracy and
intervention by Ofsted. GTA England is also seeking awarding powers
from the QCDA and Ofqual to make awards and units of awards under
its own name within the Qualifications & Credit Framework,
reducing costs and increasing responsiveness to employers.
Shared services
We identify opportunities for members to lower their costs by
sharing services such as procurement, career development and other
areas of business expertise. It is also an opportunity to
collectively develop new services which previously were beyond the
budget of smaller GTAs.
Trainer Support
Outstanding trainers are the lifeblood of GTAs. Selecting,
improving and retaining is about offering the right opportunities
for career development and keeping the best within the GTA family.
As a national network, GTA England can facilitate a trainer bank,
matching skills to need across the network and helping to develop
'train the trainer' programmes.
Opportunity to shape future provision
GTA England provides a much-needed forum where all GTAs have a
voice and can collectively shape the future of provision: expansion
of the GTA presence to East Anglia, the South East and South West,
beyond the traditional industrial regions; diversification to
respond to the need for skills in social care and tourism as well
as the new skills required for tomorrow's industries such as
renewable energy and green transport.
Networking
GTA England is where GTAs can meet together to share opinion and
business opportunities for their mutual benefit. It may also offer
the prospect of creating consortia to win and deliver training
contracts and other ideas for strengthening the organisation.
If you believe that being part of GTA England will benefit your organisation and you meet our membership criteria, please see How to join.
