Three Questions . . .

Three questions is a series of interviews in which I talk to experts who offer insights into how to address many of the issues provider organisations seeking TQS certification face.

Data strategy, measuring the impact of training solutions on employer organisations and dealing with trends in employer engagement are all issues that colleges and learning providers are grappling with as they progress towards TQS certification.

I asked David Willis, who helps organisations to use the data they collect to improve their business decisions, about how managers working to achieve the TQS can make sure they meet the data challenges posed by the Standard.

What sort of data should colleges and learning providers looking to gain TQS certification collect?

“You need to gather feedback on everything and track what goes on in your organisation. You need to gather information about your courses, your employers, your successes with employers, how you meet their expectations and so on.

This includes finding answers to the following:

How many employers do you support?
How many employees do you train?
What skills do employers ask for – that is individual employers and groups of employers?
Do you supply what they ask you for?
How happy are employers with your performance?
What additional skills do employers want you to help them to develop?

This is all valuable information. It’s the basis of your understanding of your employers. It’s part of your on-going market research.”

How can managers make progress with all this quickly?

“Think about producing a data strategy to help you to collect, and then make good use of, your data.

Your data strategy will set out what you want to achieve using the data you collect. It will also describe how you will do the job of collecting data. Having all this in place will help you to track what you do, to establish cycles of activity and to compare what you’ve done in the past with what you’re doing now.

For example, you know you need to gather employer feedback, so give some thought to that. Think about ways of collecting the feedback you need quickly and easily.

You could gather this data digitally by encouraging employers to log onto your system to leave their answers to your questionnaire. These responses can be analysed quickly. You can then appraise responses at a higher level – the level of the programme, the faculty or on a whole college basis. You can also think about what happened this year and last year.

You could set your system up so that you record what skills employers ask for when they come to you, and then check if they think you deliver what they want as part of your feedback process.

You’ll need a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system to help you to put all of this into practice. Most organisations in business have them now. You’ll need to think about how you intend to use the system and what you want it to do for you. This is part of your data strategy.

All of this is straightforward. It’s not difficult. You just need to think it through.”

How can managers justify the expense of such an approach to working with data to the most senior people in the organisation?

“Working with data in these ways is not just about helping you to get the TQS. It can also give you a competitive advantage in your marketplace.

With this work you’re building your understanding of employers. You’re undertaking highly specific research. You are getting to understand the local economy and local employers. You’re learning about the skills shortages in your area and about the demand for skills.

Your organisation needs that information. You need it for the TQS. You need it for your marketing.

Managers need to explain that working on your data and your data strategy will help you to gain the TQS. It will also help you to improve your overall performance with employers.”

If you would like more information about using your organisation’s data effectively contact David Willis via his website.