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The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) National Office commissioned [the National Institute of Adult Continuing Education] NIACE to identify the possible impact of the new qualification, registration and [continuing professional development] CPD requirements for teachers, trainers and tutors in the learning and skills sector (referred to here as the ‘QTLS reforms’) on Third Sector (TS) providers and practitioners. TS organisations are: non-governmental; ‘value driven’ (primarily motivated by the desire to further social, environmental or cultural objectives rather than to make a profit per se); and principally reinvest their surpluses to further social, environmental or cultural objectives. The LSC also sought an indication of the possible costs of compliance for TS organisations, and how these providers might be supported most effectively. Third Sector organisations in scope included those delivering LSC-funded programmes under direct contract to the LSC and those in partnership arrangements with lead providers, such as colleges, local authorities, and TS consortia, along with some prospective TS providers. The project addressed four key areas. These were: current teacher qualification levels amongst TS organisations; the TS teacher role, its distinguishing features (if any) and how these intersect with the QTLS reforms; the likely cost implications for TS providers of implementing the QTLS reforms, both in terms of meeting the new requirements and establishing/sustaining a supporting infrastructure; and issues or barriers that could affect TS engagement with the reforms, and any examples of practice to show how these could be addressed.

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This document is concerned with the development of a framework for quality and success as part of the implementation of ‘Success for all’, a strategy focused on reforming education and training in the UK through partnership in the learning and skills sector. The proposed framework will be created through a new planning, funding and accountability system developed by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC). Key proposals outlined in this report relate to: three-year development plans; the setting and agreeing of improvement targets; performance assessment; three-year funding agreements; and the setting and agreeing of floor targets for success rates. The intended audience includes further education (FE) colleges, higher education institutions with FE provision, adult and community learning provision and specialist institutions. A companion document focuses solely on how these issues apply to work-based learning providers. Show less

This guide is a result of research conducted in summer 2009 among a selection of [further education] FE colleges. The colleges that participated in the research were involved in a range of programmes aimed at encouraging colleges to support those who are out of work to gain sustainable employment: (1) National Voluntary Training Pilot (NVTP); (2) The Training Offer for those unemployed for six months (Six Month Offer); (3) Adult Learner Responsive Pilot (ALR Pilot); and (4) Sector Employability Toolkits Pilot (SET Pilot). The guide covers six key areas: (1) planning and setting up provision; (2) identifying courses that will help learners move into employment; (3) increasing referrals from [Job Centre Plus] (JCP) and directly recruiting learners; (4) maximising conversions from referral to enrolment and learning; (5) helping students move in to sustainable work and continue learning; and (6) monitoring success in learning and work. The research was conducted while many of the colleges interviewed were still at relatively early stages of delivery (most had established processes and partnerships but only a few had delivered courses to significant numbers of learners). As such this guide should be seen as containing examples of good practice so far; further good practice is expected to emerge when delivery is at a more advanced stage and more colleges are involved with the offers.

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This research informs the Learning and Skills Council's understanding of large national employers' attitudes and practices in terms of recruitment and training. Specifically, the research explores: whether employers prefer to recruit 'ready-made' staff externally or to train 'in-house', and whom they believe has the main responsibility for providing a skilled workforce; recruitment practices, and especially the relative roles of qualifications and skills in the sifting process; the role of head or national offices in developing training plans and how far these are developed nationally or devolved to local sites; the training 'ethos' of companies, including what levels of employee typically receive training and whether the company's views on particular skills are filtered through to its suppliers; the different methods companies use to retain staff and what role training plays in this; and the perceived benefits of training.

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This prospectus provides an overview of the topics covered by our offer with short descriptions to help understanding. It also explains how to apply for training or to get help with analysing your needs. Our aim is to help schools, colleges and others achieve their objectives particularly in relation to management, staff development, collaboration, curriculum development and vocational learning. All of which are highly relevant to implementing the new 14-19 agenda. We would like to thank the DfES for enabling us to make this offer through their funding of the 14-19 Vocational Learning and Support Programme.

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GHK Consulting was commissioned by the Higher Education Funding Council of England (HEFCE) and the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) to undertake a feasibility study for research into employer investment in higher-level learning. The study looks at existing data on what employers currently spend on higher-level learning (assigned using the National Qualifications Framework levels) and whether that information could be improved. In undertaking their analysis the consultants trialled a qualitative research approach through an in-depth discussion with 20 employers. The study’s findings are that a large amount of information already exists on the types of learning in which employers invest, but there is very little on how much they actually spend. There is also a significant information gap on the qualification levels of the learning in which employers are making their investments.

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The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) has now carried out the third National Learner Satisfaction Survey (NLSS). For 2003-04, the survey is based on over 43,000 learners (a substantially larger number of learners than in earlier surveys) receiving tuition or training through further education, work based learning and adult and community learning providers. The survey elicited learners’ views of the quality of teaching, their overall satisfaction with their learning experience, and whether they would be likely to return to learning within three years on the basis of this experience. As with previous surveys, the results indicated high levels of satisfaction across the sector. The findings also reveal that more learners now get a ‘buzz’ from their learning, and more are reporting that their courses have ‘helped them in their jobs’. However, there is evidence that some learners remain only fairly satisfied and others, dissatisfied. The report proposes that the sector address shortcomings in learners’ experiences wherever possible, and improve the numbers found in the ‘very’ and ‘extremely’ satisfied group.

Related reports are indexed at TD/TNC 82.434 to TD/TNC 82.436. Show less

The National Employer Skills Survey (NESS) 2003 was commissioned by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC), in partnership with the Sector Skills Development Agency (SSDA) and the Department for Education and Skills (DfES), to provide detailed information about the extent, causes and implications of England's recruitment problems and skill gaps. The survey involved 72,100 interviews with a representative sample of employers in England. This report is the main report from the 2003 NESS survey and provides the key initial findings. It covers: workforce structure; recruitment challenges; skill gaps; the implications of skill deficiencies and the actions taken to overcome them; training; and the changing patterns of skill deficiencies. The survey found that there was little variation in the regional profile of employment, although London had a slightly higher proportion of people employed in professional roles and fewer as machine operatives, personal service staff and skilled trades. Other findings included: a third of the employers expected their workforce to grow in the next 12 months; 8 per cent of employers reported they had vacancies they were finding hard to fill, with half of these employers finding it difficult to get suitably skilled applicants to fill at least some of these vacancies; skill-shortage vacancies were harder to fill; 22 per cent of employers reported that at least some of their staff lacked proficiency, but in terms of future proficiency problems, between a quarter and three-tenths of employers didn't foresee any barriers to a fully proficient team of employees; the largest proportion of skill gaps was among sales and customer service and elementary occupations; 39 per cent of employers had a training plan with larger establishments being more likely to engage in business and training planning; and overall, the characteristics of the job role were more likely to determine whether an employee received training or not. The method of measuring skill gaps changed between the 2001 and 2003 surveys and this has made comparisons relatively difficult. However, evidence suggests that patterns of skill gaps have remained broadly the same, but there have been considerable increases in business and training planning.

The report of the key findings of the National Employers Skills Survey 2003 is indexed at TD/TNC 79.281. Individual National Employers Skills Survey 2003 Sector Skills Council reports are indexed from TD/TNC 79.275 to TD/TNC 79.280. Show less

One response from education providers in the UK to the imperative of improving learner outcomes is to adopt an action research approach. This approach is affiliated with quality improvement and allows educational practitioners to work through their problems and test out changes to realise desired improvements. This report describes successful action research projects that have secured improvements to learner outcomes and been sustained over time. The cases illustrate the benefits of action research for continuous improvement. The cyclical nature of the framework can act as a catalyst for sustaining the improvement over time as long as organisations are committed to the cycle and to ongoing interventions. Key principles for maximising the likelihood of sustaining the improvement are strategic, team and/or outcomes in nature. Action research and its desired improvement is liable to fail if it does not have strategic intent. It must be a team initiative and the outcomes must be communicated to all involved. The outcomes should be learner focused, tangible, disseminated across the organisation and sustainable over time. Show less

The Modern Apprenticeship Advisory Committee was appointed by the Secretary of State for Education and Employment in March 2001 to provide advice to the Secretary and the Learning and Skills Council on a three year action plan for the development, promotion and delivery of Modern Apprenticeships in the United Kingdom (UK). The initial sections of the report provide a rationale for the development of an apprenticeship system, and an outline of the current situation after recent reforms. Recommendations are made in relation to the essential aspects of a national framework for apprenticeships, development in the content and certification of apprenticeships, the delivery of apprenticeships, and pre-employment and 'other training'. The report also provides projections of targets for the eventual place of apprenticeships within the education and training system, suggests basic entitlements to apprenticeship places, and looks at aspects of the task of promoting apprenticeships. The report concludes with a suggested timetable for the implementation of the action plan and a summary of recommendations. Annexes contain the terms of reference and committee membership, representations from various organisations, market research outcomes, participation statistics for apprenticeships by sector and gender, and the timetable for implementation. Show less