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YPO training DPS: Adult skills fund utilisation

Blog
The YPO Team
12 Sep 2025

Adult skills programs refer to educational programs, courses, workshops and learning opportunities designed specifically for adults. They can include basic literacy and numeracy, vocational training for specific occupations or soft skills like communication and teamwork. The purpose is to retrain individuals to enter new career paths, re-enter the workforce, or upskill their capabilities to advance in a field or adapt to new technologies.

Professional skills development is crucially important for adults to be able to advance in their careers. Improving their qualifications allows them to remain competitive in the workforce despite new trends and changes in socioeconomic conditions, technology and AI.

Public sector organisations benefit from training services through upskilling their own workforce to more effectively provide services, but also in uplifting their constituents. With better qualifications, community members are more productive economically. There are also social benefits in creating communities that are more resilient, as each person becomes more engaged in their community.

The YPO Training 999 DPS facilitates a streamlined procurement process for public sector bodies, enabling them to access a wide range of training services, including health and safety, IT, leadership and management, GDPR, and project management, among others. The offering allows contracting authorities to directly work with a wide range of providers via further competition and without the need for individual tendering. For CAs managing the Adult Skills Fund, this framework provides an efficient means to commission training that meets the specific needs of their adult learners.

Key Benefits Include:

· Compliance and Efficiency: The DPS simplifies the procurement process, ensuring compliance with public sector regulations while reducing administrative burdens.

· Access to Pre-Qualified Suppliers: CAs can engage with a pool of vetted training providers, ensuring quality and reliability in service delivery.

· Tailored Training Solutions: The framework encompasses a broad spectrum of training categories, including leadership, project management, IT, and health and wellbeing, allowing CAs to address specific skills gaps within their workforce.

· Cost-Effectiveness: By leveraging the DPS, CAs can achieve value for money through competitive further competitions, ensuring that training costs align with budgetary constraints.

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Case Study: Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA)

Context:

The GMCA oversees the ASF for the Greater Manchester region, aiming to upskill residents and meet local employment demands. In the 2024–2025 funding year, GMCA allocated £11.9 million to adult education providers, focusing on areas such as digital skills, leadership development, and health and wellbeing.

Application of the YPO Training 999 DPS:

To address identified skills gaps, GMCA utilised the YPO Training 999 DPS to commission training in areas such as:

· Leadership and Management: Developing leadership capabilities to drive organisational effectiveness.

· Project Management: Equipping individuals with skills to manage projects efficiently.

· Health and Wellbeing: Promoting mental health awareness and resilience in the workplace.

By conducting further competitions within the DPS framework, GMCA engaged with qualified training providers who delivered tailored programmes aligned with regional priorities. This approach ensured that training interventions were responsive to the specific needs of the workforce, contributing to improved employability and career progression for adult learners.

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Conclusion

For Combined Authorities managing the Adult Skills Fund, the YPO Training 999 DPS offers a robust framework to procure high-quality, tailored training services. By leveraging this system, CAs can efficiently address local skills needs, enhance workforce capabilities, and ensure that adult education provision aligns with regional economic objectives.

For further information on accessing and utilising the YPO Training 999 DPS, please refer to the official YPO framework documentation. HR, People & Recruitment Procurement Frameworks | YPO

Author

The YPO Team

YPO supplies products and services to a wide range of customers including schools, local authorities, charities, emergency services, public sector and other businesses such as nurseries and care homes. YPO are 100% publicly owned, by 13 local authorities, which means the profits made are returned to public sector customers, delivering even better value for money.