PROVIDER CHARTER
Introduction and aim
The HPTA concept was developed by the skills work-stream of the Hinkley Strategic Delivery
Forum (HSDF) which EDF committed to and continue to support, in response to the skills
challenges presented by the construction of the nuclear new build at Hinkley Point C (HPC). HPTA
is pivotal to the ability of the region to deliver the skills training that will enable the HPC project
to be delivered on budget and on time.
The HPC project sees HPTA as the central mechanism by which local providers can meet the
training and upskilling requirements of HPC delivery partners’ supporting a workforce that will
total over 25,000 people.
HPTA is a partnership of colleges and training organisations, mirroring the collaborative and
mission focussed model of the HPC project, focussing on offering cost effective and high quality
education, skills training and enrichment solutions.
Context and overview
The Business plan remains a keystone document and highlights that HPTA will act as the
intermediate body or agency, linking employer demands for training, with training providers who
are able to meet the employer’s training requirements through the development of collaborative
and effective delivery partnerships.
Legal status
HPTA is a company limited by guarantee. It will operate as a not-for-profit organisation.
The role and functions of HPTA
Using its unique alignment with the Hinkley Point C project, HPTA will be:
 Forecasting Skills demand
 Securing funding
 Co-ordinating the provider response
In order to meet this role HPTA will:



Act as a facilitator for skills intervention for HPC
Enable employers to access quality assured, responsive training
Provide an effective lobbying voice to unlock the skills system to meet the HPC skills
challenge
1



Support and coordinate our training provider partners offering expertise across a wide
range of sectors
Be the vehicle through which employers, providers and key local stakeholders can
collaborate to source / develop solutions to employers’ skills needs
Ensure an efficient route for local employers to up skill or re skill local people to fill any
vacancies generated through staff migration to HPC
Becoming a member of HPTA
Membership of HPTA will comprise employers, training providers and other organisations as
appropriate.
Prospective members will be asked to complete a due diligence questionnaire and confirm they
will abide by the Partner Charter and pay a membership fee.
Benefits of membership
In exchange for their membership fee, members of HPTA will receive a number of benefits.
Benefits of membership of HPTA for employers
Membership of HPTA will provide:






Access to the right people with the right skills at the right time
Competitive pricing with a single price-point for training wherever possible
Improved access to funding for training
Assurance that training and skills programmes are delivered to high quality standards
Provision of a forum for employers to engage with providers and local stakeholders
Collaborative solutions
Benefits of membership of HPTA for training providers
Membership of HPTA will provide:








Business secured directly through close involvement with the project
Access to stakeholders, partners, funding and project data and forecasting
Early forecasts of likely backfill challenges where skills training and recruitment will be
required
Vetting of provider partners to ensure culture, quality and behaviour compatible with the
HPC project
Delivering to volumes and cohort sizes that enable the right price-point for employers &
providers.
Access to funding secured by and for HPC skills delivery
Secured place in the HPC prospectus, provided for all employers
Opportunity to participate in design of skills solutions with HPC employers
2
Avoiding the ‘free-rider’ problem
The free-rider problem refers to any situation where individuals or organisations can gain benefit,
without having to contribute to the cost of being a member of HPTA.
The ‘free-rider’ will be avoided by:
1. Seeking EDF’s confirmed support to make use of the HPTA for their Tier 1 & 2 suppliers and
associated sub-contractors
2. Ensuring HPTA providers benefit from business, secured via the project that other providers
do not have access to. i.e. offering a first mover advantage
3. Providing access to stakeholders, partners, funding and data
Indicative model
Annex 1 provides an illustration of how the matching of an employer’s needs and the provider
base might operate, outlining the role of HPTA within the process.
As indicated by Annex 1, the matching process will employ a series of standard templates
(available and submitted electronically) to capture the employer’s needs and to facilitate
responses from training providers.
Resourcing of HPTA
Before it is operational, Hinkley Point C is expected to take at least 10 years to complete. It is
anticipated that HPTA will operate for the whole of this period.
As a minimum the resources required for HPTA are expected to include:



HPTA Operations Director – responsible for overall management, including working with
employers and training providers and representing the organisation externally.
Operations Manager – responsible for the smooth running of day to day operations of
HPTA working closely with the Head of HPTA and Employers Affair Unit at EDF.
Administrative support – responsible for supporting the Head of HPTA, the Operations
Manager and the services provided by the agency, including managing the telephone
helpline, managing the web-interface and offering general support.
HPTA is expected to be co-located within EDF’s Employer’s Affairs Unit (EAU) to facilitate
communication and information exchange.
EDF will provide accommodation and the associated services to help reduce the costs of HPTA
membership.
3
Funding of HPTA
For the first three years, HPTA will be funded using a mix of public and private subscription
(membership fees). Beyond 3 years, HPTA will be wholly sustained through the payment of
membership fees.
Membership fees, as per the original business plan, are expected to reflect the scale of the
organisation, and the extent of the benefit the employer or training provider is likely to gain from
its membership of HPTA. i.e. a larger member is expected to gain to a greater extent than, say, a
much smaller member.
The level of fees as set out in the HPTA business plan are reproduced below:
Turnover bands as per latest published
accounts
Up to £1,000,000
£1,000,001 to £5,000,000
£5,000,001 to £15,000,000
£15,000,001 to £39,000,000
£39,000,001 and over
Membership fees per annum
£750
£1,500
£2,500
£5,000
£10,000
Start-up and establishing the HPTA (first 3 years)
Public support provided through the Heart of the South West Local Economic Partnership will
provide pump-prime funding of £50k for each of HPTA’s first three years of operation, with match
provided through the membership fees per annum.
Beyond this period, the HPTA brand should have become well-established and its value
acknowledged by members, allowing membership income to cover running costs.
4
Annex 1. Indicative HPTA brokerage model
Notifies EDF
Employers Affairs Unit
(EAU), who inform
HPTA
Employer/Contractor –
identifies requirement
for training
Channels:
Email
HPTA Website
Telephone
Face-2-Face
HPTA monitor and
quality assure training
process and customer
satisfaction
EAU and HPTA will be
working closely with
Jobs Brokerage within
the project.
HPTA will target other
partners where no or
insufficient provision
exists within network
HPTA may develop ITT
for specific work –
only partners have
access

Close regular view of applicants
expressing an interest in working on HPC

Opportunity to co-ordinate job skills
with further training where appropriate

HPTA providers will have access to skills
demand from contractors/employers
and interested candidates
HPTA support the
development of cost
effective and collaborative
solution/s via sector groups,
with potential
employer/contractor input
HPTA submit solution or
range of solutions to
employer/contractor for
consideration
5
HPTA PROVIDER CHARTER
Provider Name:
We have read the HPTA Business Plan and enclosed provider charter information and
agree that we will;

Support the key functions of the HPTA: Build, Define, Secure and Perform

Participate fully in Sector Working Groups as appropriate to develop and deliver
high quality, relevant skills and training to meet HPC employers skills needs, whilst
meeting EDFE quality standards

Obtain feedback from learners on course completion and provide this to the HPTA

Ensure that the training provided matches employers needs

Ensure that the employer has an opportunity to input into the training delivered

Complete the enclosed due diligence questionnaire and return this as soon as
possible.

Agree to pay our membership fee of £
for our first year of HPTA membership
as detailed within the business plan/provider charter on receipt of
confirmation/invoice.
Name:
Job Title:
Signature:
Date:
Please return this form with your completed due diligence questionnaire via email to
[email protected]
6