The Customer
Partnership Development Solutions (PDS) is a hands-on Apprenticeship consultancy operating in the ICT and telecoms sectors. With prestigious clients such as O2, Ericsson, Vodafone and Cable & Wireless, PDS helps its clients improve business performance, productivity and profitability through the development of new talent.
The Challenge
PDS was looking for an educational service provider that had an excellent track record in supporting the delivery of telecommunications qualifications. It was very important to select an organisation that had a good understanding of the telecommunications sector and a complete understanding of the qualifications.
Telecommunications is a very diverse sector, ranging from field technicians to office-based staff, and PDS needed a broad range of Apprenticeship programmes to meet its needs.
In addition, PDS was seeking a company that could offer extra support, technical advice and support around standards verifiers.
The Solution
PDS chose to deliver Edexcel’s qualifications through Pearson Work Based Learning exclusively, because Edexcel could offer a unique solution encompassing qualifications and an excellent support package.
PDS was attracted to Edexcel’s qualifications because they offer excellent progression routes and flexibility, with learners able to advance through the levels and to mix and match courses at different levels simultaneously. This gives both the learner and the employer the flexibility to study at the level that best suits them.
Additionally, PDS felt Edexcel’s brand and reputation would be an advantage when pitching for new business. David Willett, Director of Partnership Development Solutions, commented: “We selected qualifications from Edexcel because Edexcel is a stable awarding organisation with a strong brand name. When we speak to clients, we don’t need to introduce Edexcel, everyone knows who they are. The brand name behind the qualifications supports our bid for new business.”
Pearson Work Based Learning offered PDS a range of BTEC Apprenticeship and QCF qualifications - including advanced and higher apprenticeship frameworks and their associated qualifications - to approximately 200 learners. It also provided a range of bespoke qualifications.
The Outcome
David Willett said: “Our clients have seen fantastic benefits from introducing Edexcel’s qualifications into their business. One of our clients boasts a customer completion rate of 96% and a customer complaint rate of 0% since completing its Apprenticeship programme. Furthermore, 95% of our business is from repeat customers – demonstrating Edexcel’s qualifications are what they want.
“We’ve had fantastic support from Pearson Work Based Learning across the organisation, which this year has helped us to win two pieces of new business. Pearson helped us understand the new QCF framework so that we could work closer with our employers and deliver some of the knowledge-based certificate elements of the Apprenticeships.
“We have been impressed with the range and high standard of training and events, such as the BTEC Apprenticeship road show, which gave us an excellent understanding of the new BTEC Apprenticeship framework.
“We recommend using Pearson Work Based Learning as we’re very satisfied with the service, support and Edexcel’s range of qualifications,” concluded David Willett.